During the fireworks, the Saintess would meet the Crown Prince on a small bridge over a river in the capital. The Crown Prince, infatuated with the Saintess, would summon her there.

This was knowledge I had thanks to knowing the original story. What gave me even more hope was that, on that day, the Saintess would also hide her identity to meet the Crown Prince.

Since I knew exactly where the Saintess would be at that time, it would be entirely possible to meet her.

The biggest obstacle wasn’t the Saintess but figuring out how to sneak out of this mansion.

With Kyron standing guard so firmly, how could I get out?

Of course, I had no intention of giving up easily.

Not only did I want to talk to the Saintess about the rumors surrounding me, but I also hoped to gain some hints about my divine power from her.

Once again, I had no choice but to rely on Lia’s help.

If my husband started looking for me while I was gone, Lia would have to cover for me.

“If my husband asks about me, tell him I’m taking a very long bath and can’t meet him. Say I fell asleep in the bath.”

Kyron wasn’t the type to barge in while I was bathing. His excessive respect for boundaries was part of the problem.

“Do you really have to go, Madam?”

Lia still wished I wouldn’t leave.

“Don’t worry too much. I need to meet the Saintess quietly.”

“If you really must go… I’ll help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, Lia. Honestly, I don’t know how I’d survive without you.”

Going out alone wasn’t something I found particularly frightening. Besides, I would be hiding my identity and making myself unrecognizable.

Several days passed as I thought about what to say to the Saintess and mentally prepared for our conversation.

During those days, I tried to increase my walking time and recover my condition as much as possible.

Finally, the long-awaited day arrived.

To get to the festival, it was most convenient to use a teleportation tool again. That way, I wouldn’t risk being seen leaving the mansion.

Before leaving, I filled the bathtub with water and made sure the bathroom was filled with warm steam.

“If my husband asks, tell him I’m in the bath and can’t meet him, okay?”

“Yes, I will.”

After reminding Lia, I took out the teleportation tool.

I had already covered my face almost entirely to perfectly hide my identity. Wearing a long black robe, I concealed not only my hair but also my clothes. I even wore a black mask that covered my mouth and nose.

Today, the streets would be overflowing with people dressed just like me, so no one would find it suspicious.

Under the black fabric, everyone would be free.

I pictured the bridge where the Saintess would soon meet the Crown Prince and turned the mirror three times.

Even though it was my second time, the unfamiliar dizziness soon overwhelmed me. I closed my eyes tightly once again.

“Be careful out there!”

Lia’s voice faded almost completely by the time her sentence ended. Instead, new sounds filled my ears: the bustling chatter of countless people and the sound of footsteps.

With a sense of relief that I had arrived at my intended destination, I slowly opened my eyes. Though I still felt dizzy, it wasn’t enough to prevent me from assessing my surroundings.

For a moment, I felt as though I had entered the afterlife. Everyone in my line of sight was dressed in black and had their faces covered. Of course, I looked exactly the same.

There were quite a few people on the bridge. Everyone had come out to enjoy the final day of the festival.

This bridge wasn’t just any place; it was famous for its romantic atmosphere, which was why the Crown Prince and the Saintess were meeting here.

The setting sun made it even more beautiful.

Soon, when the sun fully set and darkness enveloped everything, the fireworks would begin. The explosions would continue for a long time, and people would revel in their freedom.

“Wow… it’s beautiful.”

Beyond the long-flowing river, the sky burned red on the horizon. For this brief moment, the entire world glowed crimson under the power of the setting sun—buildings, the flowing river, everything.

I was momentarily entranced by the beauty but quickly snapped back to reality.

This wasn’t the time to lose myself in the sunset. I needed to find the Saintess quickly.

When the fireworks began, the Crown Prince would arrive. I had no intention of interfering with their meeting. Provoking the Crown Prince’s temper would do me no good.

So, I had to find the Saintess and speak with her before the Crown Prince appeared.

Although most of the people on the bridge wore similar black attire, I already knew what the Saintess would be wearing today.

She would be wearing a blue sapphire brooch gifted to her by the Crown Prince, pinned to her chest. It was the brooch he had instructed her to wear when they met on the bridge.

I began walking along the bridge in search of the Saintess. Since I wasn’t fully recovered, I had to conserve my energy and walk slowly.

I moved forward, turning my head this way and that, scanning my surroundings.

The crowd on the bridge grew denser. This bridge was the perfect place for secret lovers to meet during the once-a-year festival.

The bridge had an open path in the middle, while the sides were lined with arch-shaped structures that created small alcoves beneath them.

These were perfect spots for two people to have a discreet conversation.

Some people had already claimed these small alcoves, waiting for their lovers.

The Saintess was likely among them.

I paused for a moment to catch my breath, moving only my eyes to scan the surroundings. I needed to conserve my energy.

In the original story, today was the day the Crown Prince stole the Saintess’s first kiss.

On this bridge, inside one of the alcoves, at the climax of the fireworks display, the Crown Prince had leaned in and kissed her.

This was also the moment the Saintess became certain of the Crown Prince’s love, leading her to push him away with her mind while her heart was drawn to him—a contradiction that left her in despair.

Such an important first-kiss scene—surely the Saintess deserved to occupy the most beautiful, prime spot.

I scanned around, searching for a good spot that the Saintess would have likely claimed for herself.

As I gazed out toward the horizon, I noticed that the sun was almost fully set. That meant the fireworks were drawing closer and closer.

Once the sun fully set, the fireworks would begin shortly after.

I didn’t have much time.

‘The brooch should stand out right away.’

It wasn’t an ordinary brooch; its value alone would make it instantly recognizable. But it would be better to find it before the surroundings became too dark.

I continued to carefully search my surroundings for a few more minutes.

‘……!’

For just a moment, I caught a flash of blue light under one of the arch structures.

‘Found her!’

I was certain I had finally located her. I had reached the middle of the bridge by this point.

Under the ornately decorated arch structure, I glimpsed a woman’s back. When she briefly turned to glance at the crowd, I caught sight of the blue glow from her brooch.

Having identified my target, I wasted no time and approached her.

I had rehearsed countless scenarios in my mind over the past few days about what to say to the Saintess. That preparation gave me confidence in my steps, without hesitation.

My first goal was reconciliation.

It was true that I had rejected the Saintess’s request and pushed her away. If she had been offended, I needed to apologize. There was no need for us to waste energy by being antagonistic toward one another. I planned to propose reconciliation to her.

Additionally, I wanted to clear my name regarding the rumors. I needed to ask the Saintess to clarify that I hadn’t unilaterally pushed her away.

Finally… I needed to ask her if she knew the truth about my divine power.

In fact, that last question was the main reason for this meeting. If I could uncover the nature of my divine power, it might free me from my illness.

T/N: Guuurl… are you dumb or what? O.o Did you forget she already tried to suck you dry like a mosquito without explaining a single thing before? What makes you think this time’s gonna be any different?! 🤦‍♀️