Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 209

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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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Special Side Story 6
Rocke Visconti, whom I met in the Desert, was neither kind nor affectionate, yet there was something peculiar about him.
-How could I trust you with my water flask? Here, drink.
He was obsessively fastidious, forcing me to drink only from the water pooled in his own palm….
-You look stronger than me, so how could you possibly steal the water flask I’m carrying?
-What are you? Well then, is your name “that one”?
Whenever he ran out of things to say, he would nitpick about something irrelevant. And his words were always so cutting.
-A saint? The Temple simply invented a flattering title to exploit high-level personnel with strong sacred power at low wages.
Yet Naila believed that while his words were sharp, his heart was fundamentally good.
Unlike Fleur Montes, he showed mercy to the weak and never abused his strength. The arrogant air he exuded stemmed not from pretense, but from strong pride as a nobleman and unwavering self-worth.
In any case, I began purifying the desertified lands alongside Rocke Visconti, slaying toxic monsters wherever we went, and everywhere we traveled, the people showed us affection and respect.
Moreover, Rocke Visconti came to be called both the Saint’s Guardian and the Radiant Demon Swordsman.
Though the man himself expressed extreme reluctance, calling it cringe.
Fleur Montes felt intense inferiority and jealousy toward Rocke Visconti.
‘Just like Philaf.’
Fleur, who had been chosen by the Saint and sought recognition from his father who had ignored him, turned to darkness when rumors spread that the Saint and Rocke Visconti would soon be engaged, making a pact with a Demon.
Seeing how he was obsessed with what he couldn’t have and resorted to any means necessary—it was identical to Philaf. Philaf must surely be Fleur’s reincarnation.
‘A Temple Guardian Knight, yet he would betray like that.’
Having made a contract with a Demon, Fleur lured Rocke, who had always irritated him, toward a residential area to dispose of him secretly….
-Rocke!!
“Gasp…!”
I drew a sharp breath and bolted upright, my upper body jerking up suddenly.
* * *
“Did you have a nightmare?”
At the gentle voice, my heart, which had been pounding wildly, gradually returned to its normal rhythm.
Usually, it was Isidore who would nuzzle against me from early morning, but today I had burrowed into his embrace.
As I rubbed my cheek against his warm, firm chest, he gently stroked the back of my head.
“You must have had quite a terrible dream.”
“…I saw a past memory. Sometimes through dreams, I vividly confront my previous life.”
“It wasn’t me causing trouble in the dream, was it?”
He made a self-deprecating remark while running his long fingers across the nape of my neck, where beads of sweat had formed.
“It wasn’t Rocke, but Fleur Montes who appeared. I think it was probably Philaf’s past life.”
“…That insufferable bastard.”
Isidore, who possessed Rocke Visconti’s memories, furrowed his brow.
“Since Philaf was exiled from the Capital, I haven’t seen him in my dreams until now. It feels oddly sudden. Ominous, even. Unsettling.”
I looked at Isidore’s stern face and asked.
“What’s Philaf been up to lately?”
“….”
“You’re my intelligence source too, after all.”
“Before that, I’m your husband, and as your husband, I’d prefer you not concern yourself with that wretch. It’s a waste of your time.”
“A husband and wife are one body, you said. Don’t you remember we promised not to keep secrets from each other? And now that the Thought Entity has revealed everything, I know the truth—I’ve never once harbored feelings for Philaf Montes.”
“….”
“In my past life, in this life—I’ve only ever held you in my heart.”
His rigid lips twitched slightly. His ears were beginning to flush a delicate shade of red.
After splashing water on his face, he exhaled a short breath.
“It seems I’ve been laboring under a grave misunderstanding.”
“What misunderstanding?”
“I thought that even though you were flawless in every other regard, your eye for men was rather poor. But it appears I was mistaken.”
“….”
“In other words, I’ve fallen for you all over again.”
“How shameless of you to say it so brazenly.”
He chuckled softly and pressed a light kiss to my forehead, but when I pressed him further about Philaf, he finally relented and spoke.
“As for Philaf’s recent circumstances, things are unfolding rather entertainingly. He’s been stripped of his position as heir to House Montes after his reckless antics in the borderlands. The Duchess of Montes threw quite the tantrum, so unfortunately they’ve preserved the Montes name, but….”
“He’s been stripped of his heir position, yet with that fiery temperament of his, he’s just sitting idle?”
“I thought he’d simply continue his usual debauchery, but recently he’s been doing something I can’t quite make sense of. He’s currently in contact with Baron Ignis, and I’m investigating the reason.”
“Baron Ignis!?”
My eyes widened at the name I’d seen not long ago appearing once more.
“How do you know Baron Ignis? He’s a local native and a minor nobleman with little renown….”
“I don’t know Baron Ignis, but I do know Ignis Volcano.”
It was common for nobles to receive surnames based on local landmarks in their regions.
“Besides, it’s a volcano in the vicinity of the area where you’re developing the Hot Spring.”
When I’d seen the Hot Spring Development Site map previously, I was startled because I’d already known about Ignis Volcano marked within it.
More precisely, Naila had.
‘Ah.’
I was beginning to grasp what scheme Philaf was concocting.
“How is it that even in rebirth, he remains so utterly consistent….”
At my murmur, Isidore raised his eyebrows slightly.
“Do you know something?”
“We must depart at once.”
I bolted upright from the bed.
“To where Baron Ignis is!”
* * *
House Ignis was a minor noble family that had held its title for less than two hundred years.
Originally, they had worked as mercenaries for generations until they defeated monsters that appeared in the volcanic region and protected the local people, earning a fief and surname from the Emperor as a reward for their service.
Though the land granted as their territory had no economic value whatsoever and was a treacherous region where monsters still appeared, Baron Ignis took pride in being the protector of this village.
Indeed, he was the most respected nobleman among the people living in this area.
Though neither wealthy nor particularly renowned, he had been living contentedly until Philaf Montes arrived recently, driving him to the brink of madness.
The young master of House Montes had invaded his territory and made threats that made no sense whatsoever.
“Lord Philaf, I must tell you once more—the cave that extends beyond this volcano is absolutely not a place to enter carelessly.”
“Stop your prattling and get out of the way.”
“Fire-attributed monsters have appeared, so the entrance has been sealed with magic circles for quite some time. If a monster were to descend into the residential areas while the entrance is open, it would be catastrophic. Even harmless monsters possess fire attributes, which could ignite devastating fires….”
Baron Ignis, who had been explaining at length why the massive stone blocking the passage could not be moved, involuntarily flinched and took a step backward.
The moment I locked eyes with Philaf Montes’ murderous gaze, I swallowed hard without thinking. I thought I had experienced everything under the sun working as a mercenary, but the killing intent and oppressive aura emanating from a high-ranking nobleman were on an entirely different level.
“Baron Ignis.”
“…Ugh.”
My legs trembled from the sheer killing intent alone.
“Did I not advise you before? I despise repeating myself more than anything.”
“….”
“And I made it abundantly clear—when I returned, not only would this entrance be open, but you would have prepared a complete interior terrain map of this place that you created during your mercenary work.”
“…Argh!”
The heat radiating from the spirit caused my armor to grow increasingly scorching, and I cried out in pain.
“I thought you understood words. How disappointing.”
“….”
“Did you think only you would suffer if you obstructed my path? My position allows me to bury you and your entire household without a trace.”
When Philaf summoned the high-ranking spirit Seleana to instill greater terror, the baron squeezed his eyes shut and screamed.
“I am truly sorry!!”
“If you’re sorry, produce the map at once and stand aside.”
“Saint Deborah-!”
Yet the name he cried out next was entirely unexpected.
“Since this matter occurred within my territory, I wished to resolve it myself, but I am insufficient…!”
My eyes widened considerably.
A robed figure leaped down from the cliff face with graceful movements.
“You see, Baron? That creature is not the sort that understands words.”
A familiar voice rang in my ears like a phantom sound.
Facing those ruby-like crimson eyes that I had seen even in my dreams, I roared.
“Deborah!!”
“Philaf, you need not call so loudly. There is no one in the Empire who does not know my name.”
“How did you come to be here!?”
On the day I had dreamed that ominous dream of Fleur Montes, Deborah immediately boarded a teleportation magic circle and arrived at Baron Ignis’ territory, having already heard all the circumstances from the baron the previous day.
“Saint, I shall do my utmost to persuade the young lord of House Montes.”
Of course, Baron Ignis’ reckless appearance had delayed her arrival somewhat….
“How did I come? As a saint, I have arrived to protect the justice of this land.”
“Ha! That’s absurd. Since when have you been a saint?”
Philaf continued with a sneer.
“Is stalking someone by dogging their every step what a saint does? You must find me quite fascinating. You banned me from the Capital and forbade me entry, yet here you are, rushing after me to this desolate place.”
“You remain an embodiment of self-consciousness.”
“If I’m an embodiment of self-consciousness, then you’re an embodiment of pretense. I don’t know how you suddenly acquired holy power when you couldn’t even handle mana before, but does playing the righteous saint now erase your past misdeeds?”
“Look into my eyes. Do you see any trace of the past?”
I clenched my teeth firmly.
Just as she said, those eerie crimson eyes that had been stained with obsession were nowhere to be found. In their place burned an intense light that grated against my nerves, blazing like flames.

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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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