The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 108

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

The Villainess Hides Her Identity, and Everyone Misunderstands
Chapter 108

* * *

Good heavens, why is he so furious?
I returned to my room, trembling as my skin prickled with unease after barely managing to placate Duke Cashen.
The investigators had departed as well.
Though they had taken several of my letters and books, along with a few of Killian’s documents, there was nothing particularly incriminating among them.
After all, it was unclear whether the charge of impersonation could even be applied to this situation.
Back in my room, I hastily retrieved a letter and scribbled a message across it. I placed it in an envelope, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Genie.
“Send this to Prince Rakiel. He should be at the Imperial Palace.”
“Yes? What about you, Miss?”
“I have somewhere to go for a moment.”
With those words, I dressed in my outdoor attire and retrieved a completely different robe from before, pulling it deep over my face.
Genie, who had been watching me blankly, suddenly started in alarm and grabbed my arm.
“Surely you’re not thinking of going out alone?”
“Don’t tell Father. Or Brother, either.”
“What? It’s dangerous! Should I call Maren?”
I shook my head.
“It’s bothersome to move around with an escort. Besides, people stare when a knight is following me.”
“Maren could disguise himself too.”
“It’s bothersome, I said.”
I opened the door and carefully surveyed my surroundings, confirming no one was about before slipping out cautiously. Behind me, Genie’s eyes rolled with anxiety.
“But Miss….”
“I’ll be back by this evening, so don’t worry. I’ve been wandering about for months now—do you think I’d venture somewhere truly dangerous?”
I whispered and waved my hand dismissively.
Genie saw me off without managing to hide her unease.
‘The fact that investigators came from the Imperial Palace means they have no intention of making me a Saint.’
And that meant those who followed me as a Saint would likely face danger as well.
With that thought, I immediately slipped out of the Manor through the servants’ rear entrance. I already knew where those who followed me—though I hated calling them my congregation—gathered.
My pace quickened the farther I got from the Manor.
My destination was that very tent beside the Slum. The place I had been operating as a plague management office.
Pulling the robe deeper over my face, I passed through the Narrow Alley and headed toward it, and the tent soon came into view. Those familiar white canvases….
“…What?”
There should have been only white tents….
I came to a slow halt. Where the poor should have been gathered, there were Knights instead.
“Knights of House of Ruffenbein?”
An incredulous laugh escaped me.
Astonishingly, Knights bearing the House of Ruffenbein’s crest stood as if protecting the Tent. I stopped before them, bewildered and at a loss for words.
‘What? Why are they here?’
If they were Knights of House of Rosenthal, I might understand, but why were these completely unrelated people here? Moreover, there was no sign of Duke Cashen.
In other words, Knights were stationed in a place without their master.
As I hesitated before them for a moment, the Knights whispered among themselves while looking at me, and one of them went inside. Shortly after, a familiar-faced Woman emerged behind him.
“Saint!”
“Y-you are….”
My Fan Club President!
It was the first time I’d seen her face since the day of the riot.
“Goodness, Saint! It’s been such a long time!”
“What is this… Why are you coming out from there?”
In any case, I couldn’t understand why she, a commoner, was emerging from a Tent guarded by Knights of House of Ruffenbein. It would make more sense if someone from the Duke’s household came out instead.
But her next words were shocking.
“Why, you ask? It’s because Duke Cashen is the one providing all sorts of support for our Followers.”
“What did you say?!”
I let out a sharp cry.
“Do you… want to be arrested for insulting nobility? Watch your tongue! Does His Grace the Duke have so much free time that he would do such things, or rather, such….”
“Huh? You can see for yourself. All these Knights came from the Duke’s household.”
“….”
I gaped wordlessly and looked around. At the commotion outside, people peeked their faces out between the Tents.
‘…Am I going mad?’
My Followers kept increasing even though I hadn’t done anything!

[Current Followers: 837]
[Would you like to designate a religion name?]

A system window flickered before my eyes.
At this rate, we might truly reach a thousand within days. But to think it was all Duke Cashen’s doing!
‘Damn it….’
I felt as though I’d been struck from behind.
“At first, I was terrified when he introduced himself as the Duke, but as we continued talking, I realized he was incredibly sincere and devout in his faith… Oh, Saint?”
I irritably pulled back my hood and approached the knights of House of Ruffenbein with heavy steps.
Upon spotting my face, they widened their eyes, then began whispering amongst themselves. The one who came forward to greet me appeared to be the highest-ranking among them.
“Are you the one in charge here?”
“Yes, Saint. I am Kallen Morris, Commander of the 2nd Knight Order of House of Ruffenbein. It is an honor to meet you.”
He bowed his head slightly and responded with courtesy.
‘Saint….’
They called me Saint, not Evelyn.
I frowned and nodded.
“Very well, Lord Morris. Why are you here? Not at the Duke’s Manor?”
“I am here under the Duke’s orders, protecting the people of this place.”
“…The Duke’s knights? Protecting commoners here?”
It made no sense by my understanding, yet he answered with a rather proud expression.
“The Duke was deeply concerned. He ordered me to protect these people, saying the Crown Prince might cause trouble within days.”
“…Just how long have you been here?”
“Since the very day the riot broke out and your identity was revealed.”
Sigh….
Whether I should call it foresight or thoroughness….
“Did Imperial Palace knights come by here?”
“Yes, they came briefly and left shortly after. I’m not sure what their purpose was, but when I said a few words, they turned back.”
Of course they did.
How would they dare touch people under the protection of Duke Cashen’s knights? Whether they intended to throw everyone here into prison or not, Duke Cashen had certainly thwarted that plan.
At least I could breathe easier now.
“Well, fine then. So where is the Duke now?”
“The Duke, you ask?”
He tilted his head.
“He has gone down to his Estate. Did you not know?”
“…What?”
I asked in a dazed voice.
“An urgent matter arose, so he went down to his Estate a few days ago. He said he would return to the Capital within this week.”
And after all that, he simply disappeared?
I didn’t know what urgent matter had come up, but it was utterly absurd. He set everything in motion without telling me, and now he’s vanished.
‘What on earth are you thinking, Duke Cashen!’
In the end, I pressed my forehead and sighed.
“If the Duke returns to the Capital, would you tell him I’d like to see him? Tell him I’ll come find him if he sends word.”
“Understood.”
The Knight nodded readily.
‘Either way, I need to hear directly why they met and caused all this trouble.’
After finishing my conversation with the Knight, I turned my body toward the Tent. I still intended to check that everyone was safe before leaving.
Flap.
As I stepped inside, I recognized familiar faces.
“Saint…!”
“You really are the Saint!”
People who recognized me rose from various spots. Some had reddened eyes, while others looked ready to drop to their knees with clasped hands.
‘Ugh, this is exactly why I didn’t want to come here…’
Just as I was about to turn and leave after confirming everyone was safe, something caught my eye.
In the corner, someone sat kneeling with their entire body wrapped in a cloak and a hat pulled low, their face barely visible.
They lifted their head to look at me, and through the slightly slipped hood, our eyes met.
Hazel eyes with flecks of gold.
‘…The Saint?’
I froze with my eyes wide open.

* * *

The Saint, Liliana.
A woman with light brown hair that looked as if she’d gathered a handful of sunlight and placed it atop her head.
Unlike her seemingly ordinary hair at first glance, her eyes hidden beneath her narrowed eyelids always shimmered with a peculiar light.
She looked exactly as she had during those ninety-nine encounters. Not a single thing had changed.
‘But why is she here?!’
The welcoming ceremony still had four days remaining. Of course, she could have arrived early, but the problem was that I hadn’t heard anything about this from Rakiel.
In other words, the Diplomatic Delegation hadn’t arrived yet, and Liliana was someone who shouldn’t—and couldn’t—be here.
I froze the moment I spotted her, but I managed to turn my head away.
‘No, I must have seen wrong. Why would the Saint already be in the Capital City, of all places, in a location where my Followers are gathered?’
No matter how much I’d twisted the future, this was absolutely impossible.
Yes, I’d just ignore it.
I turned my head as if I hadn’t seen anything, but from the corner of my vision, I caught her slowly rising to her feet. My hands trembled as I grasped the fabric of the Tent.
‘Haha, surely not…’
The moment I dismissed it as a mistake and pushed the fabric open, someone tapped my shoulder.
“…Evelyn?”
“…!”
“Are you… Evelyn of House Rosenthal?”
Her voice was warm.
It was the kind of feeling one might imagine if sunlight itself were to sing.
I slowly turned my head.
Beneath the shadowed hood, eyes shimmering with an otherworldly light gazed at me quietly. Her hazel irises reflected light differently with each movement.
I swallowed hard and barely managed to part my lips.
“W-who are you?”
“Oh, thank goodness. I wasn’t mistaken after all.”
She smiled faintly.
“I apologize for the late introduction. My name is Liliana.”
“…!”
She revealed her identity just like that?

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