Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 146

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 146
‘How convenient the life of a reckless fool must be.’
“What? What’s convenient?”
“Just joking.”
For a moment, Duke Simour and Isidore exchanged bewildered glances, wondering what they’d just heard, while Deborah Simour brushed it off casually and fiddled with a decorative chess piece.
“If the Black Mages are searching for the Saint, then someone connected to the mastermind will hear about it and approach Miya.”
Moreover, Deborah found Miya’s behavior suspicious. When she’d stumbled before Philaf Montes, it had been ambiguous enough to overlook, but this time she’d lied outright.
‘Something feels unnatural.’
Deborah Simour opened her mouth slowly.
“I intend to keep watch over Miya Binoshu for the time being. Discreetly, so she doesn’t notice.”
* * *
After explaining my plan to the most trustworthy people—my father and Isidore—I returned to my room immediately. The headache had returned. A sharp pain stabbed at my temples, and I couldn’t help but wince.
It was likely a temporary headache caused by tangled memories, but if I showed any sign of pain, Father and Isidore would make a fuss.
‘I don’t want to worry them unnecessarily.’
Still, the headache had improved considerably compared to when I first opened my eyes. The jumbled memories were gradually organizing themselves.
‘Sigh. What on earth is all this?’
So much had happened in such a short time. I collapsed onto the bed and let out a long sigh while staring at my hands.
‘I had holy power all along.’
Honestly, it felt surreal. I’d envied the possessed ones who wielded magic as a basic skill, excelled at swordplay, and could even summon spirits, but now that I’d gained this mysterious power, the feeling was strange.
However, if it hadn’t been for holy power, my handsome boyfriend wouldn’t have made it through safely, so I decided to be grateful to the god who’d granted me this ability.
‘Hmm. Should I test it once?’
I made a small cut on the back of my hand with a knife and immediately activated my healing power. Unlike mana, which I couldn’t grasp at all, holy power became manageable by my will once awakened. However, even at its maximum, it was far weaker than the explosive force that had erupted in that critical moment.
The reason I’d left Miya alone for now was also because I needed time to adapt to my holy power.
‘Still, it’s truly amazing.’
Seeing the wound disappear without a trace, I couldn’t help but marvel.
Becoming a human Lucifer was shocking enough, but what was even more startling was that Yoon Do-hee’s past life was Naila, whom the people of the Asteia Empire revered as a goddess.
From the moment I saw the white rosary during the incense ceremony, those strange memories that kept surfacing were from Yoon Do-hee’s past life, not Deborah’s. The feeling of sifting through fragments of memory left behind by another soul was entirely different from witnessing memories inherent within my own soul.
From the moment I awakened my holy power, I instinctively knew that Naila was Yoon Do-hee’s past life.
‘Most of all, she was kind, but somewhat… foolish in a similar way.’
What good was becoming a goddess revered by all after death?
“In this life, I’m going to enjoy all the wealth and glory while I’m alive!”
In this third life, I’d have a handsome and affectionate boyfriend, spend money freely, and have a romance that wouldn’t make anyone envious!
As I reaffirmed my resolve to prioritize myself above all else in this life, my head throbbed, and I pulled the blanket over myself. My body still felt heavy, perhaps from overextending the power I’d just awakened.
‘I’m exhausted.’
The moment I closed my eyes, I fell into sleep quickly.
* * *
‘Memories from my past life surface when I fall asleep.’
I’d come to realize that the recurring dream I’d thought was a nightmare was actually a memory from my past life. Moreover, I could now recall it even after waking. The timeline of memories visible in an unconscious state was jumbled, but there was one constant—a blonde man who looked identical to Isidore always appeared.
It seemed Naila’s most precious memories were those spent with that man. And I wondered if Isidore’s face, which was a perfect match for that blonde man from my past life, had accelerated the awakening of my holy power by triggering those memories.
‘Timing-wise… the ancient artifact that Philaf Montes possessed seems to have played a significant role in opening this power.’
I rose from bed after entertaining various hypotheses. If my memories from my past life progressed further through sleep, I would be able to learn more facts.
‘Goodness, time has already passed this much.’
Though it didn’t feel like I’d slept long, darkness had settled all around me.
“Deborah Simour. Duke Visconti has been waiting in the Reception Room for three hours now. Shall I tell him you’re coming down?”
He was still staying at this Town House, it seemed. Well, since Isidore was a duke equal in standing to this household’s master, it was only proper etiquette to offer an evening dinner to such a distinguished guest before sending him off.
“I’ll go down and see him.”
In the Reception Room, Isidore paced back and forth with furrowed brows and an anxious expression.
“Isidore.”
As I called out to him, his worry-filled face softened with relief.
I felt oddly embarrassed, wondering if he’d always been so easy to read. And the fact that I could face him like this, as though nothing had happened, filled my heart with an overwhelming happiness.
Just as I was savoring the preciousness of everyday moments, Isidore rushed toward me urgently.
“Are you alright? Your complexion looked poor earlier.”
He seemed to have divined that I had a headache with uncanny accuracy.
“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine. Besides, I can heal my own wounds.”
I offered him a slight smile.
“I’m truly relieved.”
“And you’re doing well, aren’t you? I distinctly remember your ribs being broken….”
“I’ve recovered even better thanks to you.”
He suddenly grasped my hand and tucked it inside his coat, and I was flustered by his seemingly innocent impulsive gesture.
“If you’re worried, check for yourself.”
Soon, firm, substantial muscle beneath the white shirt made contact with my palm. In the midst of my bewilderment, my hand inadvertently traced down to his abdominal muscles. At that, Isidore’s pale cheeks flushed crimson.
‘Why is he suddenly acting awkward.’
Now I’m feeling strange too.
“Ahem. W-well, anyway, I’m fine. Completely recovered.”
His long lashes trembled delicately as he avoided my gaze.
“Ah, yes.”
I hastily withdrew my hand and nodded. Then he suddenly removed his coat and held it in front of his lower body.
“It’s hot.”
“You’re right, it is rather warm.”
I deliberately cast my gaze elsewhere, feigning ignorance.
“I should take a walk to get some air.”
“Yes. A walk sounds good.”
“I’ll see you at dinner later.”
I watched his hastily retreating figure, then covered my flushed face and pressed my lips firmly together. I saw nothing.
‘But… he said he was confident… That’s practically a weapon.’
For a moment, I thought I’d glimpsed something large stored on the right side of his thigh, but I deliberately convinced myself I’d seen wrong and shook my head vigorously to dispel the lustful demon.
* * *
The Fourth Empress coughed up blackened blood repeatedly. She tried to cover her mouth with a handkerchief, but her right arm remained paralyzed and wouldn’t move, so the black blood splattered directly onto the floor.
The demon Lucifer had devoured a quarter of her soul as the price for creating the rift at this fragrance ceremony. Yet despite bearing such a grave risk, the Fourth Empress had no choice but to push forward.
‘The first rift failed, so only the Magic Tower is pleased.’
All attempts to create a false saint had repeatedly failed, and the Third Prince still lacked sufficient standing—he needed more time. To seize the next opportunity, I had to sabotage the ceremony that the Crown Prince was overseeing, cementing the narrative that he was unlucky and morally unfit.
“What if His Highness the Crown Prince were to oversee this purification ceremony, Your Majesty?”
“You are quite the remarkable mother. Not content with placing the Third Prince on a chaotic battlefield, you concern yourself with the eldest as well.”
In truth, it was the Fourth Empress herself who had subtly suggested to the Emperor that the Crown Prince conduct the purification ceremony.
In the original novel, Miya had steadily established her position as a saint and stood beside the Pope as the protagonist of the birthday celebration, so the Empress had no need for such risky gambits. Deborah’s failure to anticipate the appearance of malevolent spirits was precisely because, in the original work, the purification ceremony had concluded successfully.
But the Fourth Empress now found herself in a defensive position and had to make a bold wager.
‘I needed to turn the people’s hearts away from the Crown Prince.’
However, the demon had demanded far greater compensation than anticipated, and her losses were substantial. If more souls were consumed in the future, maintaining her sense of self might become impossible—yet the Fourth Empress ignored this reality.
As her soul grew more deeply intertwined with the demon, only her obsession and desire to make her son Emperor swelled and surged within her.
‘It’s somewhat unfortunate.’
She had secretly hoped the Crown Prince would be swept away and killed in battle against the monsters, but still, this much counted as half a success.
‘Besides, he’s a Sword Master—he wouldn’t die so easily.’
But there was another significant gain. The card called Miya Binoshu, whom I had found useless and frustrating all this time, had suddenly risen to become an ace.
‘To think she would pull off such a cunning move.’
Yet this Miya Binoshu was a false saint created from sacred blood—whose achievement had she stolen, exactly? She quickly gathered the black blood spilled on the floor, then told her attendants she was stepping out briefly before descending into the Underground Cavern hidden deep beneath a jewelry shop.
Shortly after, Miya entered the black cave and knelt before the Fourth Empress.
“I have heard of your excellent performance.”
“Thank you so much for allocating your power for me. I will strive to live up to your expectations going forward.”
‘What is she talking about?’
The Fourth Empress’s eyebrows rose.
Miya believed that the pure white sacred power that had appeared during the purification ceremony was a force the Fourth Empress had fabricated, just like the sacred blood.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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