She said she was going this way, but……

Belladonna kept looking around as she walked.

Normally it wouldn’t be difficult to follow the leisurely Cindy, but now Cindy had been lost for hours and was in a hurry.

She seemed to be walking quickly with a sense of mission to escort Belladonna to the envelope shop as soon as possible.

‘At this rate, I’ll really get lost….’

Worst case, she could grab someone and ask for help, but even that was burdensome for her who couldn’t speak.

‘Should I just stay put?’

For someone who’s lost, the best option is usually to stay in one place and wait, rather than wandering around trying to find their companion.

Eventually Cindy will notice I’m gone and come back looking for me…..

That seemed better in many ways.

Belladonna quickly turned around and went back to the fork where she had parted ways with Cindy earlier, leaning against the corner wall. If I stay here, she’ll come find me and take me along, right?

“……”

As her anxious mind calmed down, the surroundings slowly came into view.

Belladonna stood still, looking out at the busy streets of Sirlenia.

People carrying large loads walked by in front of Belladonna, chattering away.

The serenity and joy on their faces seemed to reach Belladonna as well.

“Put all the dried fruits in here!”

“We need to buy some thick cotton for the blankets.”

“Don’t forget we need extra thread too!”

It must be winter.

In Belladonna’s gaze, smiling commoners hurried along busily.

The scene of preparations for winter somehow felt familiar and relatable, and the corners of Belladonna’s mouth turned up slightly.

‘In winter, I used to be busy like that too….’

Perhaps because of the abundant harvest this fall, the expressions of the passing commoners were not bad.

Belladonna watched them, thinking it was fortunate.

“Oh!”

Just then, someone bumped into Belladonna’s shoulder.

Startled, she turned to see a woman walking while carrying a tall box that obscured her view.

Belladonna jumped in surprise and moved out of her path. Should I help? It looks like too much to carry….

“Oh my! I’m sorry, miss. I can’t see very well in front.”

As Belladonna was awkwardly reaching out her arms, not knowing what to do, the woman peeked out from behind the box with a friendly smile.

Belladonna nodded and smiled back to indicate it was okay.

This should…

As always, she expected to be met with a dazzled or surprised expression after seeing her smile, but the woman who made eye contact with Belladonna simply shifted her gaze and went on her way without any lingering attachment.

‘Huh? Just now….’

Left alone, Belladonna blinked slowly and turned her head.

She stared at the back of the woman’s head as she walked away, with wide eyes.

Is she just leaving like that? We definitely made eye contact, didn’t we?

“……”

This kind of reaction was really rare. So rare it felt strange.

Since waking up as the Saint in Astagna, people’s gazes towards her had always been full of respect, reverence, love and admiration from commoners, or desire mixed with subtle disdain from nobles.

Even after marrying Escalion and moving to Gribblata, it hadn’t changed much, only adding cautiousness and wariness as the lord’s wife.

Most of those gazes were burdensome and uncomfortable, some even awkward and stifling.

Countless strangers she didn’t know at all knew who she was, and everyone was watching her.

‘A few weeks ago, Escalion and I did briefly enjoy the Gribblata festival in commoner clothing, but some sharp-eyed people still gave suspicious looks. But this perfectly ordinary reaction is… it’s been so long.’

Standing still, Belladonna suddenly turned her head to look around.

None of the people passing by gave her a long look.

Some men did stop and turn back, seemingly surprised by her beauty, but even that was brief.

‘Ah… In Sirlenia, which is neither Astagna nor Gribblata, almost no one knows who I am….’

So here, Belladonna was neither a saint nor a lord’s wife, but a perfectly ordinary person.

As soon as she realized this, an inexplicable anxiety welled up inside her.

Like a caged bird looking at a wide open cage door, Belladonna’s heart fluttered strangely.

‘No one knows me here….’

Here, she didn’t have to receive people’s gazes as the Saint or as the lord’s wife of Gribblata.

For the first time since waking up as Saint Belladonna, she tasted this freedom, and her heart began to pound.

“……”

Then…!

Belladonna swallowed hard and slowly stepped into the crowd.

She could feel passing people glancing up at her as she blocked their path, but it soon faded.

“Miss, don’t block the way.”

“Ah, sor…”

She had let her guard down too much, and her voice came out without realizing. Startled, Belladonna raised a hand to cover her mouth.

Ah, even if they don’t know me, this isn’t right…!

But the person who had spoken to Belladonna simply turned and brushed past her without much reaction.

Belladonna slowly lowered the hand covering her mouth and looked at the people.

None of the people walking on this street were paying her much attention.

‘Ah….’

Belladonna clenched her fist at her side.

She knew she was in quite an impulsive state, but she didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

She didn’t want to run away from Escalion or the Pope, but the unstable reason that wanted to enjoy the freedom given to her for a moment dominated.

“……”

Belladonna turned her head once more to look at the alley where Cindy had disappeared. There was still no sign of her returning.

Her hurt and complexly tangled heart kept pushing her towards unfamiliar decisions.

‘Even if it’s very brief, just for a moment…’

Finally, Belladonna took a step forward with a small exhale. She wanted to go somewhere, anywhere.

Even for just a very short while, she wanted to escape everyone’s gaze and organize her thoughts alone.

“Beautiful… migratory bird…”

On a low hill slightly away from the town, Belladonna hesitated before awkwardly sitting down.

Unable to decide on a destination, she had unknowingly followed the familiar tune again while wandering around.

‘Coming out of the complex area, such an open space appears right away.’

Belladonna glanced back at the path she had walked, then pulled her knees up and curled into a ball, looking down at the farmers below.

Despite the cold weather, their faces were flushed red with heat as they kept moving busily.

“On your large wings… sing of the hope that dwells…”

Even in their busy state, the song never stopped.

Belladonna watched them quietly, resting her cheek on her knee.

The wind that blew at that moment gently tossed her hair.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too cold thanks to the warm clothes Cindy had provided and the winter sunlight shining well on the hill.

‘It’s peaceful.’

Feeling the freedom and tranquility of being alone, Belladonna quietly closed her eyes.

“The sun… high in the sky… descends to the earth…”

As she closed her eyes and listened to the work song, it felt as if she had returned to her previous life.

This moment felt incredibly sweet, like taking a brief rest after working hard all day.

At this moment, neither the Astagna papal office, nor the Pope, nor Scarlet, nor Escalion… nothing made her anxious.

“……”

After sitting still for a long while, soothing her complicated heart, Belladonna slowly opened her eyes.

‘Anyway, soon…’

Once the divorce was finalized, she would never see Escalion again.

So it was much better to leave these unnecessary complicated and clumsy emotions here or in Gribblata with him.

‘Even if I ended up liking him…’

At that thought, she felt the pain in her heart that she had been suppressing rise again.

Ugh, why did I have to develop such feelings for a husband I’m about to divorce…!

Belladonna closed her eyes tightly and shook her head quickly.

Forget it, forget it! He’ll just live happily with his mistress once I’m gone anyway! I’m the only one who loses by feeling this way!

“The whole earth… with red energy…”

The farmers’ unceasing work song flew from afar and scattered around her ears.

Belladonna watched them quietly for a moment, then slowly parted her lips.

Farmers sing work songs not only to escape from hard labor and regain strength and find small joys, but also to shake off unnecessary idle thoughts.

So I too, even for a moment…

Soon, a very small humming flowed through her parted lips.

“Hmm hmm… mm hmm…”

The humming that started as a whisper gradually gained its own voice.

As she concentrated on trying to recall the next lyrics she couldn’t quite remember, thoughts of Escalion seemed to fade as well.

“Hmm… Your face… facing me… The satisfied smile on it…”

Belladonna’s expression gradually relaxed as she sang in a small voice. Her mood was improving little by little.

The work songs she loved to sing had always been a comfort to her.

That’s why she would hum songs secretly when no one was around, even in the papal office.

“…is beautiful… whenever I see it…”

After singing along with the farmers’ song for a while, Belladonna giggled softly as she absently uttered the final verse.

Come to think of it, that was when I first met Escalion…

Back then I really thought he had heard my voice, but seeing as he hasn’t said anything about it so far, I guess he must have been sound asleep.

Belladonna blinked her eyes slowly.

As the song completely ended, a brief silence settled. Only the sound of the wind could be heard in her ears now.

She could see the farmers who had been sitting on the ground getting up one by one and packing up their things.

Watching them, Belladonna also slowly rose from her seat.

It was time to go back now. She had to return not too late and find Cindy.

After getting up, Belladonna moved her arms to shake off the dirt on her skirt.

With a much lighter heart than before, she turned around.

“…?”

At that moment, Belladonna froze in place.

Not far from her, someone she knew very well was standing crookedly with his hands in his pockets.

“…Huh?”

An unpolished voice escaped her lips.

Then, his lips parted.

“My wife has such a beautiful voice.”