How a Villain Defies Destiny – Chapter 45

Author: Nikss

The mood quickly changed as emotion flashed across her impassive face.

“…Hello.”

The reaction was not what I expected.

I was expecting a pointed, nervous response, but instead, she accepted my greeting with a puzzled, yet gracious smile.

“Your teacher asked me to take care of Miss Laura, and I’m staying at the Nanna Temple, so if anything happens, please let me know.”

“Ah…”

At the same time, an expression that seemed to say, ‘Oh, well, then,‘ appeared on her face.

‘I’ve never seen anyone show emotion on their face like this.’

Even though I knew it wasn’t polite, I was intrigued by her changing expressions and stared at her blankly.

I realized my mistake and started to apologize, but Laura was one step ahead of me.

“You’ve got a lot of work to do, after all.”

“…”

Karen couldn’t retort. Because she’d hit the nail on the head.

Part of her was puzzled that her reaction wasn’t what she expected.

It was puzzling that she would refer to herself as a ‘Nuisance’ and yet be completely unfazed by it.

“I don’t think there’s much of a need for your help, so you shouldn’t be too bothered by me.”

“Oh…”

“Well, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Just a minute.”

As Laura hastily wrapped up the conversation and turned to leave, Karen caught her unawares.

“Is there anything else?”

There really wasn’t. I just suddenly realized that I wanted to talk to her a little more.

“Isn’t it lonely traveling alone?”

Maybe that’s why.

I said something I normally wouldn’t have said.

‘I made a mistake.’

It was incredibly rude to ask such a question to her face.

Moreover, I had heard that Laura was a noble. There were no nobles in the Divine Realm, but I had often heard of their obsession with honor and authority, and I was worried.

‘She’ll be furious this time.’

My thoughts ranged from regret that I should have let it go to worrying about what if I got slapped.

All these thoughts raced through my head in a short period of time, but to my surprise, Laura didn’t get mad or hit me.

“That’s okay, I’m usually pretty independent.”

Karen, still tense, reflexively checked her expression.

She seemed unconcerned, or rather, uninterested in her surroundings.

‘Interesting person…’

From that day on, Karen went to school with Laura.

And the more time she spent with her, the more she marveled at how innocent she was, how she didn’t fit the contradictory labels of Saint Candidate or Euphrates Kingdom Villainess.

As Karen grew closer to Laura, the other apprentices realized that she wasn’t as scary as the rumors had made her out to be, and they stopped avoiding her outright.

Soon afterward, Laura became fast friends with Nisana as well.

Later, I heard that Laura helped Nisana climb a tree and couldn’t get down.

“Hey, Laura, can I call you sister?” I asked nervously, and the corners of Laura’s eyes curved gently.

It was a very pleasant smile.

“Of course.”

“I love you, Laura.”

Nisana blushed and snuggled into her arms.

Laura returned the favor, hugging her back and stroking her hair.

Soon afterward, Syris, who had been accompanying Nisana, opened up to her, and one by one, the other apprentices began to speak to her in a friendly manner.

They all felt uncomfortable around Karen because of the distance between her and the Pope and High Priest Enheduane, as if she were someone special, favored by God.

It wasn’t until they saw how well she was getting along with Nisana and Syris that they realized she was normal and seemed comfortable in her presence.

“Miss Karen, did you have a peaceful night?”

“Yes. Good morning, Miss Laura.”

After bidding her good morning, I head to the training center.

“Miss Laura!”

Nisana and Syris join her, and walking with her has become a routine.

“Did everyone sleep well?”

“Yes! I had a big breakfast today, even more than Syris!”

“Nisana, it’s not good to eat too much for breakfast, you’ll be sleepy in class.”

“That’s okay, because Laura will wake me up, right?”

“Okay, but if I doze off with you, Miss Karen will wake us up.”

A harmless smile spread across her face.

Her vivid dark green eyes, the color of a summer forest, held a deep trust.

“Yes, Miss. You can count on me.”

“You’re the most reliable of all, Miss Karen.”

“Sister Laura, I’ll wake her up too!”

“Miss Syris is also diligent, so she doesn’t sleep much in class. Mmm, that’s good, thank you.”

“Hehe.”

The corners of Syris’s mouth turned up at the sincere compliment.

It was easy to see why the kids liked her so much.

They’d been separated from their parents and sent away to live in a monastery since they were just over ten years old, so they were still young and hungry for love.

It’s no wonder they were drawn to Laura, who made them feel genuinely loved.

‘She always looks at the children so sweetly, like her eyes are dripping with honey.’

Laura has a way of making people feel at ease that tickles Karen next to her.

Though she didn’t seem to realize how she looked at them.

💫

There was a room, no, a space, all white.

‘This is the third time I’ve been here, and I still can’t get used to it.’

The Papal Palace, the center of the Pantheon. The pope’s office, located in the center of the temple, was like a fairy world.

Trees and flowers grow on the smooth, marble-like floor, and man-made waterways are running through the room.

The ceiling was made of glass in the middle, allowing the blue sky to be seen through.

As I admired the Oval Office, which felt like a glass greenhouse at first glance, I heard a voice greet us from the side.

“Welcome in, Miss Laura. I’ve been expecting you.”

It was the current Pope, Her Holiness Atharasis, a woman wearing a pristine, unadorned white robe with her faded blond hair in a fine braid.

“Your Holiness.”

I bowed first, followed by Yves, who knelt and curtsied.

“Is this Lord Leblanc? I’ve heard of him from Ann.”

As I had sensed from last time, there was something about the Pope’s demeanor and laugh that reminded me of Enheduane.

‘Well, maybe Enheduane took after her.’

She certainly seems to admire the Pope.

Atharasis, the current pope of the Holy Kingdom. With her faded blond hair and gentle brown eyes, she looked like a gentle angel straight out of a painting.

‘Especially her smile.’

Selene was beautiful even when she smiled benevolently, and while Enheduane’s was soft, it lacked warmth.

The current pope’s smile, on the other hand, was compassionate, soft, and gentle.

“Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you.”

We sat down at a tea table set up on one side of the office that resembled a man-made garden.

Originally, I was supposed to visit Enheduane once a week to check on my progress and learn things not allowed to apprentice priests, but today I was told that in her absence, the Pope had agreed to take over.

I didn’t mind, this wasn’t my first time, but Yves seemed a little nervous.

‘Maybe it’s because it’s his first time meeting the Pope.’

This would be my third time meeting the Pope, after all, and she’s usually an intimidating figure to meet, even for those who live in the same building.

My attention, on the other hand, was drawn to the refreshments on the table.

‘I never thought I’d eat this again.’

The bread looked ordinary enough.

A common bread, made of white wheat, soft and fluffy. But the whipped cream on the side was special.

The cream melts in your mouth, and it tastes soft, sweet, and savory, with nothing on the outside. I dare say it tasted heavenly.

“Can we start the lecture now?”

With all my attention focused on my taste buds, I didn’t realize that their eyes were on me.

I felt a little embarrassed that I must have looked like a combative eater, but I calmed down with a sip of black tea and replied.

“I’m ready.”

“Good. I’m sure you’ll be well versed in theology, but today we’ll spend some time asking and answering questions that Miss Laura has always wondered about.”

“Questions?”

“Yes. Because there are a lot of things we don’t learn in class.”

Absolutely.

As she said, what I learned in my apprentice classes was usually the history of the Holy Realm or the doctrines of the temple.

It was all so stereotypical and obvious that it was hard to find any clues that would help me with my usual questions.

‘But wouldn’t that be the same if I asked the Pope?’

Strange questions have been popping up ever since I came into this world.

The most curious of which, of course…

‘Why I’ve possessed Laura and why Selene is regressing.’

I was certain that the regressions and possessions were caused by the power of the gods, but why did I possess Laura’s body in this world, and why would Selene suffer infinite regressions?

These questions remained unanswered.

‘But only a real god can answer these questions,’ I thought.

Knowing that the right answer would never come, I didn’t dare ask.

Sensing my hesitation, Atharasis spoke softly, “I’ll answer anything I can, as far as I can give you.”

Nevertheless, I was still speechless.

I couldn’t ask the Pope outright, ‘Why is it that divine power has caused regression and possession?’

‘Let’s set aside everything else.’

Once I’d dismissed everything else, like Selene’s purpose and Endymion’s suspicious change, I went over the remaining questions.

“Ah!”

Just then, the right question popped into my head.

“Can I ask you a question that has nothing to do with the god’s symbol and power?”

“Sure, feel free to ask.”