How a Villain Defies Destiny – Chapter 117

Author: Nikss

The high priest, who appeared to be the eldest, admired her boldness but was inwardly anxious that she might provoke the old man’s temper.

“Ugh. How many times have I told you not to call me that in front of the others…?”

Contrary to expectations, he backed down easily.

‘What’s going on? What’s their relationship?’

Though neither had a formal rank in the Holy Kingdom and both were high priests, Enheduane and the old man seemed closer than that.

Moreover, the fact that Enheduane called him ‘grandpa’ suggested they weren’t simply granddaughter and grandfather either.

‘And he doesn’t seem to mind her informal tone at all.’

Unable to easily decipher their connection, I was busy piecing it together in my head when Enheduane’s sly voice reached my ears—emphasizing the very words she’d been told not to say.

“Oh, right. It’s been so long since I’ve heard Grandpa’s nagging that the term just slipped out.”

Her tone was unmistakably provocative, but the old man only clicked his tongue lightly, looking resigned.

“Tsk. Some things never change, I see—especially that attitude of yours.”

Then, to my surprise, he readily accepted Enheduane’s proposal.

“Very well. I’ll go assess the situation outside. You handle the rest as you see fit.”

“Understood. I’ll brief you on the details later.”

With that, the discussion concluded. The other high priests, too, seemed to have no objections to their decision.

‘I thought she was just being sarcastic…’

But in the end, thanks to Enheduane, things were resolved quickly and cleanly, without unnecessary delays. My earlier worries about potential trouble now seemed almost laughable.

‘Could this all have been part of her plan?’

Suddenly, it occurred to me that all her smooth-talking might actually be carefully calculated actions designed to accurately gauge the other person’s intentions and resolve problems in the most efficient way possible.

‘But if it’s true, she could give even the most scheming male leads a run for their money.’

As I marveled at her meticulousness—rivaling even Endymion’s—Enheduane, noticing my gaze, smiled faintly and asked,

“Why are you looking at me like that, Miss Laura?”

I parted my lips to ask her how much of her behavior was premeditated but quickly held back. A sudden thought had crossed my mind,

‘People who keep their guard up don’t like others probing into their true feelings, do they?’

Even if my question stemmed from pure curiosity with no ulterior motive, there was no point in unnecessarily provoking her. Deciding to change the subject, I asked instead,

“I thought high priests usually use honorifics even among themselves. Do you have some special relationship with Her Eminence?”

This had also puzzled me, and as if she had anticipated the question, she answered without hesitation.

“The old man and I knew each other before I became a priestess.”

“Wow, that’s a really long-standing connection. How did you meet before joining the temple?”

“Since the day I was born, our families—well, it’s a secret.”

Just as she was about to continue, Enheduane suddenly pressed a finger to her lips and winked.

Meanwhile, I grew even more confused. I distinctly remembered hearing that Enheduane had neither a surname nor a family.

Moreover, her expression was far too casual for it to be a slip of the tongue, and the other high priests didn’t seem particularly surprised either.

“The other high priests seem to know, so doesn’t that mean it’s not really a secret?”

I ventured a guess, but to my surprise, Enheduane readily agreed.

“You’re sharp, Miss Laura. It’s not exactly a secret—it’s just that explaining it would take too long.”

“Is there some complicated backstory involved?”

“Of course. It’s my tragic past—one you can’t hear without shedding tears.”

Her voice was far too cheerful to carry any trace of sorrow or pain, but the mention of Enheduane’s past piqued my curiosity immensely.

“Perhaps they’re actually of high status but fled to the Holy Kingdom due to certain circumstances…”

A whole drama unfolded in my mind, but before I could even ask, she spoke faster.

“But the immediate priority is reviving the Divine Tree, right?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

I played along as if it were nothing, but I failed to hide my true thoughts.

Starting with Yves right beside me, Enheduane standing across from us, Endymion with his arm around Selene’s shoulder, even Xenon barely holding back a laugh—

Except for a few oblivious ones, it seemed everyone had noticed I’d briefly lost sight of the main issue.

‘Sigh, get a grip. This is about Lord Huluppu’s life.’

Just as I was about to berate myself for getting distracted by trivial curiosity and nearly forgetting the critical mission—

“If you’re really curious, you can visit my office later. I’ll tell you everything in detail.”

Enheduane cut off my thoughts. She was also exceptionally skilled at changing the subject.

“Shall we head inside the temple now?”

Her timing was so impeccable that I had no room to sulk and simply followed along.

The distance from the back of the temple to the prayer room inside wasn’t far, but as we walked in silence, a sudden question came to mind.

“By the way, you won’t get reprimanded later for this, will you?”

“Hmm? Why?”

“You interrupted the High Priest earlier and acted on your own.”

Even if Enheduane and the High Priest were close, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

The High Priest’s wrinkles, etched by time, exuded a stern yet subtle stubbornness.

“He seemed like the type with a razor-sharp temper—people like that usually don’t let personal ties slide.”

Worried she might face repercussions, I asked, but Enheduane just burst into a bright laugh.

“You’re quite observant, Laura. But the old man is very strict about separating personal and professional matters.”

“Wait, then isn’t that worse? Shouldn’t we—”

“It’s fine.”

The one who had interrupted me added a brief explanation. She said that Yves Leblanc was the type of person who would never back down unless he was fully convinced.

Therefore, the fact that he had left without protest was, in itself, a silent agreement.

“He probably preached at length and ended up making the exact same argument I did.”

Her partially revealed amethyst eyes held deep trust.

“Besides, despite his appearance, the old man is quite flexible, so Laura Laurus, you don’t need to worry.”

“That’s a relief.”

As the conversation with Enheduane concluded upon entering the main gate of Astarte’s temple, Selene, who had been following behind, cautiously called out to me.

“Um… Laura Laurus.”

“Yes?”

“…Thank you for believing me.”

Though hesitant, she expressed her gratitude sincerely.

It seemed she was thankful that I had firmly taken her side despite Fenrir’s pressure.

‘Well, she must’ve been surprised I helped her, given she has her own sins to bear.’

As I was thinking this, Selene continued, “Also, I missed the chance to say this earlier… but the strange energy I sensed wasn’t divine power.”

“Huh? Could you elaborate on that?”

“Oh, um, I can clearly distinguish between sacred power and divine power. So I’m certain. What I felt was definitely different from divine power!”

Hearing this unexpected revelation from Selene, I pressed her with rapid questions.

“Did it feel unpleasant or ominous?”

Selene, slightly flustered, answered carefully.

“No, nothing like that. But…”

“But?”

“…It felt similar to when we encountered the dragon in Dilbat, so I must’ve been on guard instinctively.”

Listening to her, something clicked in my mind.

‘Maybe it was magic cast by Huluppu.’

After all, the dragon that appeared in Dilbat had only used magic, not its innate abilities like breath attacks.

“Could it have been magic?”

Yves Leblanc, perhaps thinking along the same lines, whispered quietly so only I could hear.

“I was thinking the same thing.”