Hi, Hillstain? How did that person get here…?!

Ruben clearly said only the three of us knew about this place…

I faced Hillstain with trembling eyes, then checked outside the window and the clock in turn.

The sunset had just disappeared and the sky was mixing with the dark blue night.

Since night began late in the east, it was still before 7 o’clock.

Click. The library door closed and I instinctively stepped back.

Thump thump. The intruder Hillstain was approaching me with a relaxed expression and smiling eyes, as if this place was his own home.

“Latieana Merigold?”

This time I really froze in place with wide eyes.

How does he know me? Is someone going around promoting me?

I know Hillstain, but Hillstain has never seen me before, let alone have any way of knowing my name.

I shook my head.

“You’ve got the wrong person.”

I was planning to deny it even if my identity was revealed later.

“No, it’s you.”

This is bad.

Hillstain gave a firm answer without a trace of doubt.

“…”

I kept my lips tightly shut. Silence is best when at a disadvantage.

Meanwhile, Hillstain had already come right in front of me.

I thought he was tall even in the North, but up close Hillstain was even taller. Moreover, because of his impression, he looked like a large fox rather than a cat. A big, fierce fox with sharp eyes.

Just looking at his appearance, one might think he’s handsome and attractively cool, but since I know this man is a pervert, I got goosebumps not wanting to get close.

“I really had a hunch, but I can’t believe it was true.”

Hillstain muttered to himself with a chuckle as he looked down at me.

Raising the corners of his mouth, he carefully examined me up and down with his long eyes as if trying to confirm something, then soon furrowed his brow.

“But.”

What is he going to say? I swallowed hard.

“You’re prettier than I expected.”

What?

“I heard there wasn’t anything particularly pretty about you that stood out, but you are pretty.”

How should I react? Is it a compliment or an insult?

I don’t want to hear either from this man, whether it’s praise or an insult.

“Um, who are you exactly? How did you get in here?”

“Well.”

…It doesn’t seem like it. The castle shook a little earlier.

This bastard, did he break something to get in here? While suspecting this, I tried not to offend Hillstain’s mood.

However, calmly without smiling too much.

“Whatever it is, I think you’ve got the wrong person. Please leave.”

I stretched out my arm and pointed my finger to personally guide him to the door, expressing my firm will.

But Hillstain, ignoring my words completely, quickly reached out and grabbed my hair.

“That can’t be. You know me.”

“I don’t.”

My hair was very long and he grabbed it loosely, so it didn’t hurt, but it was extremely unpleasant.

I shook my head.

“Are you pretending not to know?”

“What on earth are you talking about? I really don’t know.”

“In the North, we saw each other.”

“I don’t remember.”

I don’t know, I don’t know!

Today is an important day with Ivy’s celebratory ball. I don’t understand why this man is here.

Even Edan, who had been stuck in the castle all this time, is there. Can the Knight Commander leave his post? Can he?! …I would have confronted him immediately if I had two lives. But I only have one life. I must protect it preciously.

I kept repeating that I didn’t know while shooting all kinds of curses with my eyes, but fortunately Hillstain didn’t seem to be as perceptive as Edan and let go of my hair. Then he stepped back slightly.

“Fine. That’s not important anyway. What’s important is that you’re Latieana Merigold.”

“…No! I’m Breakfast!”

Hillstain’s eyes, which had been gleaming, cooled at my quick-witted response.

“What?”

“I’m not Latieana Merigold. I’m a maid working here and I’m called Breakfast.”

Hillstain frowned as if he’d heard some crazy nonsense.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes! I’m just an ordinary maid who’s useless and can’t even be called by a proper name. You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

Edan, I’ll just be Breakfast. So please, won’t you come back? I prayed inwardly.

But Edan is probably spending a nice time with Ivy by now.

He probably won’t go crazy… After all, Edan said Ivy was pretty in the original story.

He told me I was ugly though.

While I was briefly lost in thought trying to overcome my fear, Hillstain, who had been staring at me with incredulous eyes, laughed a little.

“Interesting.”

Hillstain grabbed my wrist.

“Ugh…!”

He gripped my hand tightly without control, then slightly loosened his grip as he bent over to meet my eyes.

“So what’s your use to Prince Edan? Does he just keep you around because you’re funny?”

I don’t think that’s it. Maybe to tease me, but not that.

But maybe it’s because I’ve seen Edan so much, Hillstain didn’t feel as intimidating up close as I expected.

Maybe I was just scared for no reason. At first he was terrifying, but compared to Edan, he doesn’t seem like much now.

“Let go.”

I glared at Hillstain defiantly as I spoke. But Hillstain said something strange.

“Want me to help you?”

“What?”

“If you don’t want to be here, tell me. I’ll help you.”

“…?”

…Why? Does he have some other ulterior motive?

I was momentarily tempted without realizing it, but thinking rationally, Hillstain has no reason to help me.

Unless he plans to use me to upset Edan.

“Why should I listen to such words from a stranger? I’m here of my own will.”

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

“Then this hand…”

“In that case, I’ll have to take you by force.”

Hillstain tightened his grip on my wrist again.

“Why are you doing this?! Let me go! I told you you’ve got the wrong person…!”

“Saint Ivy Violet is looking for you.”

…What?

My breath stopped for a moment.

Ivy is looking for me? Why?

As someone who knows about Ivy’s relationships with the male leads, this was more shocking than anything else.

If Hillstain has come to find me at Ivy’s request… he’ll do whatever it takes to take me away.

With a pale face, I asked.

“W-Why is the Great Saint looking for me…?”

“I know you’re still pretending, so stop acting like you don’t know. You two are friends.”

“…Not anymore. How could I be friends with the Great Saint? We’re already in different worlds…”

“That’s none of my business.”

“…”

Hillstain’s voice grew heavy.

As if all our conversation up till now had been a joke, very coldly.

“I know you were a saint candidate. And that you have a small amount of healing power. Now it’s time for you to go to the temple.”

I couldn’t breathe.

At the thought that I might be dragged away like this, my captured hand trembled without me realizing.

Seeing me like this, Hillstain pressed his threat even further.

“Why are you shaking so much? You’re just going where you’re supposed to go.”

“…I, I don’t want to go.”

It was a statement I barely managed to utter with courage.

But Hillstain pulled me forcefully, tightening his grip on my hand.

“That’s your problem.”

His smile, gently curling his lips upward, felt like the most terrifying thing in the world.

Hillstain is acting like this even though he knows I’ll die if I go to the temple.

Because… this pervert is the man who turned the most saint candidates into mummies before Ivy appeared.

“A-Ah, I’ll talk to Ivy! I don’t know why she’s looking for me, but…”

“Why, you ask.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it obvious why Lady Ivy is looking for you?”

“I don’t understand…”

“I heard you fell from the carriage in an accident. Isn’t she looking for you because she’s worried?”

That can’t be. Ivy clearly saw me deliberately jump out after opening the door.

It was a bit rushed, but I even said goodbye and wished her well.

The reason I hadn’t thought Ivy would be looking for me was because the memories left in this body of Latieana showed a lukewarm relationship with Ivy.

Even in the original story, not much was mentioned about Latieana except her full name, and she was simply described as a friend Ivy relied on after going to the temple.

The key point is after going to the temple. Although Ivy envied Latieana’s cherry blossom hair color, they weren’t particularly close or caring towards each other when they lived in the rural orphanage.

So naturally, I never thought Ivy would look for me.

It wasn’t part of any of my life plans.

Ivy would have been spending her days filled with the love of the male leads, and today she would be the most blessed person at the imperial ball. Standing at the center of that splendid stage. Now she could have not only the male leads but any other man she wanted if she so desired, and possess all wealth and honor.

Just as in the original story where she completely forgot about me after seeing me die with just a word of comfort from the male leads, I thought I had already been erased from her memory.

But what… is this?

I have to be dragged to the temple because of Ivy? It’s obvious I’ll die if I go to the temple.

Did she do this knowing that? Or without knowing at all? What is this, Ivy?

I was confused.

“Enough useless chatter.”

My mind snapped back as Hillstain tightened his grip on my wrist again.

“I’m planning to take you to the ballroom now and present you to Lady Ivy.”

Hillstain spoke without the slightest hesitation.

“…What do you gain from doing this?”

At my question, Hillstain licked his own lips as if savoring a sweet fantasy.

“To have Lady Ivy.”

“…”

“And as a bonus, the fun of watching that annoying bastard Edan go crazy with anger at losing you.”

Hillstain gripped my wrist even tighter, as if about to break it.

Tears welled up in my eyes instinctively without me realizing.