“Duchess, the dress suits you very well.”

“Does it?”

“Yes. As you can see, I’m a saint, so I can only wear clerical clothes…”

Stella gently blinked her slender eyes and kindly clapped.

“But I’m glad you’re wearing something else. It pleases my heart too.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“I should be the one thanking you, Duchess, for inviting me to such an exquisite banquet.”

Before Stella was a splendid banquet. Stella’s eyes lit up as she surveyed the dining table.

“Maybe it’s the elegant yet warm atmosphere, but I feel as comfortable as I do in the temple where I usually stay.”

I find it quite uncomfortable because of you.

‘I know one thing for sure.’

Stella is looking at me with amusement.

I don’t know if she’s forgotten being chased out last time.

All the dishes before me were prepared.

‘Is it too much…?’

It was splendid enough to surpass Stella’s dining table, fit for the empress at an official banquet.

When I looked back at Betty, she whispered to me, so only I could hear.

“We must show that no matter the seating, the host and guest are different.”

“……When did you prepare all this?”

“I think it might still not bring her to her senses.”

Betty casually went back and stood behind me. Looking back, the surrounding servants all seemed to be on my side, supporting me.

‘Is it because of Estelle?’

The Duchy of Blanche seemed to be on my side.

Just then, Johan, who had been out on business, returned.

“Estelle. I’m back.”

Johan, still dressed in his outdoor attire, ran straight towards me.

His eyes, appearing to adore me, turned cold the moment they fell on Estelle.

“Why is she here again?”

Stella’s slender wrist, holding her utensils, stiffened in surprise.

“That is…”

“I warned her if she crawled back into this house again, I wouldn’t let her off.”

I gently placed my hand on Johan’s back.

“She came today, saying I was ill, and she wanted to disregard the rudeness.”

“……You were sick?”

Johan tenderly cupped my cheeks, asking.

“Where did you feel bad?”

“I think I just accumulated fatigue. I’ve been healed with holiness, so I’m fine now.”

“Is holiness really effective?”

His red eyes slightly flared.

“Even though it healed you last time, if the symptoms worsen, isn’t it proof that holiness is useless?”

Indeed, the side effects did come too soon after the last healing.

Johan brought a handkerchief to my mouth with a sad face.

“You have something on you.”

“That can’t be. I eat so cleanly.”

“Actually, I just wanted to wipe your mouth. You never give me a chance.”

He gave a sweet smile, whispering in my ear.

“Sometimes make a mistake on purpose. Then I can take care of you more.”

Johan sat right next to me.

When a guest arrives, the lord sits in the center, and the hostess sits next to him.

But by deliberately sitting beside me, he created more distance from the saint sitting in the host’s seat.

‘Is this good for me?’

The saint carefully spoke to me.

“Don’t worry too much. It was just simple stress, and there was nothing wrong with the lady’s body.”
A different priestess behind the saintess came forward and placed an elegant box in front of the saintess. The saintess looked shyly at the box.

“I was a bit worried, so I prepared a gift for you, ma’am.”

“My gift?”

“Yes. It’s a sacred object with my blessing. Would you like to see it?”

In the box the saintess reached for, there was a ring studded with diamonds.

“If you wear this ring, you’ll be less likely to suddenly lose consciousness like today.”

“I didn’t prepare anything……”

“I prepared it because I was worried about the ailing Duchess. Please accept it without burden.”

The saintess clasped her hands and smiled gently.

I looked at the saintess’s gift.

‘It’s pretty.’

Nothing looked strange to my eyes. But something felt off about the gift from the saintess.

‘Should I accept this……?’

Then suddenly a large hand came from the front and closed the box.

It was Johan.

He spoke with a languid smile.

“I decided to make the fake real.”

At those words, from Betty surrounding us to Erich, the other servants, I felt they were all very happy.

I opened my eyes wide and asked Johan.

“What do you mean?”

“You know it too.”

Johan’s red eyes fully captured me.

“I told you I’ll be with you for life. So I can’t let someone else take the first.”

Johan took out a box that looked similar to what the saintess had given, from his bosom.

‘What on earth…….’

My head was not turning, as if the thought had stopped.

My heart began to beat wildly on its own.

I stared blankly at Johan.

His arm moving gracefully as if dancing, Johan slowly getting off the chair and kneeling down.

The box presented before my eyes.

“The blue color is the symbol of the Blanchet Duchy.”

A magnificent ring studded with sparkling sapphires.

“This ring has been passed down to the Duchess of Blanchet.”

“…….”

“You are the only owner of this ring, Estelle.”

His handsome face looked at me affectionately.

“I want to give you my future.”

I was overwhelmed with an indescribable emotion. Tears started to leak from my eyes.

“Thank you.”

The original Estelle could have anything she wanted.

The villain filled Estelle’s world with rare and beautiful things, granting whatever she wished.

But the ring was not allowed.

As if to prove that it all was fake, there was no place for the ring in Estelle’s cage.

“I’m so happy right now.”

“Do you like the ring?”

“It’s my first time receiving a ring.”

Right before my eyes were the villain, Johan.

Johan was exactly as he appeared in the original. Dazzling appearance, magnificent physique, affectionate yet skilled demeanor.

A man you had to fall for.

But he was a completely different man from the original.

“Johan, put it on for me.”

Johan, without taking his eyes off me, respectfully put the ring on my finger.

Cling[Dash]!

The saintess dropped a dish from across.

Suddenly, the saintess’s glamorous golden hair, now without her white veil, tragically fluttered.

‘The saintess doesn’t reveal her hair unless she’s married…….’

Stella looked at us in shock, a crack in her graceful expression.