Her deep purple eyes held silver.

The gaze mixed with anger, confusion, irritation, and fear wasn’t very welcome.

Adelia quietly looked at the Saintess. She twitched her eyebrows as if something wasn’t satisfactory.

“Since your neck might hurt, I’ll let you sit.”

Adelia wiggled her fingers.

At that moment, the Saintess’s frozen body loosened and her body was thrown onto the sofa as if pulled by something. The Saintess’s body landed on the sofa with a thud.

The Saintess trembled, opening her eyes wide in shock. As part of her body became able to move voluntarily, she struggled, pushing her rigid back backward. Unlike her violently shaking upper body, her lower body remained firmly fixed to the sofa like it was glued.

“You don’t need to struggle like that. I won’t kill you now. I don’t really like troublesome things.”

“……”

“So don’t move so violently. You’ll need energy to attend today’s banquet and act with me, won’t you?”

Adelia looked at the Saintess while resting her chin on one hand. A dangerous smile like an opium poppy bloomed on her elegant face.

“I don’t know how you found out, but you’re right. I am the Guild Master of the Eileen Merchant Guild. And yes, I’m a white mage.”

“……”

“But what can you do with that knowledge?”

Adelia tilted her head to the side.

“I could kill you with just a flick of my hand. Silencing you would be nothing. Even if you managed to survive and run your mouth, it wouldn’t matter. Did you think I hadn’t considered such variables in my plans? Don’t even dream of trying to hold my leash with such a pathetic secret. If anything, I’m the one holding the leash. Fake saintess.”

The Saintess completely froze at the words ‘fake saintess.’ Her eyes widened and she furrowed her brows, showing a confused expression.

Her face showed she hadn’t expected Adelia to know even that.

Adelia raised the corner of her mouth with a smirk.

“This is why appearances are so important. Just because I smile gently and kindly doesn’t mean I’m the same inside.”

“……”

“Then perhaps you don’t know this either. The original Saintess’s true identity was a white mage. Different name, same power. Which means you’re the fake, and I’m the real saintess.”

Adelia pointed at the Saintess and herself, emphasizing the words ‘real saintess.’

Would the Saintess know even this fact?

According to her research, the Holy Kingdom had a separate library that only the Saintess could enter. Since it was said to hide the world’s secrets, it should naturally contain the Saintess’s secrets.

‘Could a fake saintess access that place? If she knows the Saintess’s secret, she must have been able to enter and see it there.’

If so, she might also know how to recover memories and why she transmigrated here.

Adelia carefully observed the Saintess’s expression. The Saintess’s lips parted slightly as her round eyes blinked rapidly. Her eyelids twitched and moved very slowly. Judging by the Saintess’s expression, the answer was ‘no.’

“I wonder what punishment awaits a fake impersonating the Saintess. Burned as a witch? Beheading? Or perhaps the guillotine like in history books? Whatever it is, the Holy Kingdom won’t let you off easily.”

“……”

“Do you understand now? Who holds the upper hand in this room?”

“……”

“Hmm. But……”

Adelia trailed off while staring intently at the Saintess. As if something displeased her, she fidgeted around her mouth with the hand that had been supporting her chin.

It was good that she learned what cards the Saintess held. It was good that she gained the upper hand in their conversation. But one thing bothered her.

“It’s boring without any response. Should I let you speak?”

Her tone was light, like she’s offering cookies laid out before her.

Talking alone made it feel less like a conversation. She had restrained the Saintess’s mouth and body fearing she might act wildly without listening. Now that the threats were done, she thought the Saintess wouldn’t speak freely knowing the situation.

Besides, she had many things she was curious about, wanted to know, and wanted to hear from the Saintess.

Adelia flicked her hand lightly as if bestowing kindness.

An intense breath burst from the Saintess’s mouth. She lowered her head and expelled heated breaths before sharply turning her head to glare at Adelia with keen eyes.

“You’re insane.”

“Put yourself in my position. Could you survive without doing this?”

“Well, this isn’t the time for you to treat me like this. Shouldn’t you be begging for your life?”

The Saintess flinched at Adelia’s mocking tone.

A fake saintess and the real saintess who knew her identity. The one who needed to be cautious and submissive was the Saintess.

The Saintess clenched her fists as she confirmed her position once again. Her pale face now truly suited the description of a frail saintess.

“What do you want?”

“Now that’s a better attitude.”

Adelia raised the corner of her mouth in satisfaction at the subdued attitude. The Saintess carefully straightened her back and folded her hands respectfully while fidgeting nervously.

Only then did Adelia lean back comfortably against the sofa. She crossed her legs and didn’t forget to nobly crunch on a cookie.

“Let’s start with a slow conversation. What I want might change depending on your answers.”

“Really…… To think someone like you would be a transmigrator like me.”

The Saintess glared at Adelia. Despite her venomous gaze, Adelia smiled without blinking.

“Haha. Shall we start with the first question? Why are you pretending to be the saintess? From what I found out, you were the youngest daughter of quite a wealthy Marquis family.”

While information about the Saintess was hard to obtain, information about ‘Belle Edith,’ the youngest daughter of House Edith, was easily accessible.

The Edith territory bordered the Vita County. Why did the youngest daughter of House Edith, the most powerful force in the eastern region, become the Saintess?

“You completely cut off contact with your family after becoming a saintess. Did you want to start a new life?”

“If only that were the reason.”

The Saintess sighed deeply and continued.

“That household was only proper on the surface. My parents loved me, but none of my blood relatives were sane. I escaped before getting caught up in the succession fight and dying. I happened to have holy power, so I planned to go to the temple. While researching, I found out about the position of saintess. Since the saintess didn’t appear in the original story, I thought I could take that position.”

“How did you manage without any power?”

“We know the future, don’t we? I stayed at a nearby temple for a few days before going to the Holy Kingdom. I told them I heard God’s voice and predicted several future events. When those came true, everyone believed I was a saintess with precognitive powers.”

The region adjacent to the Edith territory was Medellin. That temple the Saintess Belle visited was there.

“Did you know that temple was in the Medellin region?”

“No. I just went to the nearest temple right after transmigrating. I only found out later it was Medellin. But even if I had known, I wouldn’t have become a white mage.”

“Why?”

When Adelia asked again, the Saintess frowned, wondering why she would ask such a thing.

“I couldn’t recklessly accept such a frightening power. Becoming a saintess only changed my position, but white magic would change who I am.”

Adelia glanced away slightly. While she had accepted white magic because her life depended on it, it was true she had acted recklessly.

“Well, anyway. The prophecies were lies too?”

“Of course. How could I, who wasn’t even the real Saintess, receive prophecies?”

“Then why did you come here talking about prophecies?”

“Obviously because of you.”

The Saintess jerked her chin to point at Adelia. She rolled her eyes as she recalled her memories.

“It started about three years ago. A merchant guild I’d never heard of in the original story appeared. Moreover, its vice guild master was Conrad, someone I’d seen in the original story. It seemed a bit strange. But I thought that much could change because I became the Saintess. Then a few weeks ago, strange news reached me. The Crown Prince was suddenly getting married.”

“News travels slowly to the Holy Kingdom.”

“Yes, by the time I heard this news, the wedding was already a week away. While I couldn’t stop it, I thought I should see what kind of person became the Crown Princess.”

“How did you know I was the Guild Master?”

“Because that was the only thing different from the original story. I heard about what happened at the banquet here too. That’s when I was certain—ah, this woman who became Crown Princess must be the white mage and guild master.”

The Saintess now seemed to have completely given up and revealed everything. There was no deception in her unhesitating words.

The Saintess wasn’t stupid. Rather, she was quick-witted and knew how to handle herself.

When she realized her position of needing to beg in her conversation with Adelia, she immediately yielded and complied.

While Adelia was pondering as she tapped her knee with her finger, the Saintess who had been quietly watching her hesitated before speaking.

“Let me ask one thing too.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you ruining the original story?”

“Ruining the original story? Me?”