Chapter 43. Falling Down
In Thiendavis, the Saintess was a symbol of hope and a testament to the grace of the gods.
The first Saintess appeared about 300 years ago.
It was a time when the traitorous dragon, Noche, had partially destroyed Thiendavis, leaving people in despair.
Back then, Thiendavis, where divine blessing intertwined meticulously, was a world deserving to be called a paradise.
The vast land was under the protection of the Dawn.
Every morning, clear waters flowed from the sky, moistening the earth.
At dusk, the atmosphere gently caressed the world, and during the night, life quietly blossomed.
The newly created world, built as a refuge from submersion, was so perfect.
Moreover, the ancient knowledge that had sunk beneath the sea still resided in people's minds, allowing nations to rise, and cultures to flourish in every corner of Vis.
However, all of this ended with Noche's betrayal.
The world, stuck like a broken clock, was slowly being eroded by the poisonous fumes spewed by dragons.
The land was burnt and melted, the air carried poison, water dried up, and grass withered.
Even the newly rebuilt nations and civilizations collapsed.
When the god's messenger, turned into a devil, brought about destruction, powerless humans could do nothing but fall into endless despair.
Hope ceased, and faith disappeared.
Amidst chaos and despair, a girl emerged.
She had hair like the color of Manyanya's light.
The girl cried out towards the crumbling Vis in the voice of Manyanya.
And as if by a miracle, the collapse stopped, and the poison was purified.
Thus, the world was saved once more, and people elevated the girl as a Saintess, praising her as the incarnation of Manyanya.
Afterwards, the first Saintess advised the people to build a tower to purify the water on behalf of the sleeping Manyanya.
What was built according to this instruction was the Manyanya Tower standing tall in Thienda.
Since then, many Saintess emerged through the tower.
Although there was never another with hair like the first Saintess, they fulfilled their roles for a long time.
In a world filled only with despair, the Saintess appeared as a symbol of hope and a living grace, hence the necessity for the Saintess to possess noble and virtuous qualities.
And the current Saintess, Roble Tuha, was an ideal Saintess as if drawn from a picture.
"Are you suspecting Roble Tuha?"
Zion asked, seemingly surprised.
In response, Evie nodded decisively.
"Yes, for now, she is the only person who meets the conditions. She is a young woman, has my belongings, and has a motive to curse me."
Evie said this while recalling the scene she had glimpsed through Yubia a few days ago.
With Yubia's help, Evie managed to vaguely see who had placed the curse on her.
It was a young and cold woman.
Evie couldn't help but think of Roble Tuha when she saw that woman.
Roble Tuha matched the shape Evie had seen, fitting in gender and age, possessed a noble status that made others bow to her, and most notably, the outline of the dress faintly resembled the robes of Manyanya Tower.
Furthermore, although it had been a long time ago, Evie had once entrusted her belongings to Roble Tuha.
Therefore, she needed to confirm whether Roble Tuha was truly the person who placed the curse, thus having coaxed Zion into attending the festival.
"But Roble Tuha has the authority to select the next Saintess. Why would someone like that go so far?"
"Because she is a Saintess!"
Evie replied as though Zion was stating something obvious.
The Saintess, a symbol of hope, needed to maintain her noble dignity.
She must be good-hearted, pure, modest, beautiful, and obedient.
Simultaneously, she should never argue, be jealous, enjoy playing, or be debauched, nor should she be greedy while calculating gains.
Saintesses were always kept away from social circles due to such strict standards, prohibited from marrying or dating.
The current Saintess, Roble Tuha, mostly isolated herself, maintaining a veil of mystique, for these reasons.
Due to this unwritten rule—that a Saintess must always behave like one—Roble Tuha had no choice but to support Evie.
Choosing a commoner girl who sings with the voice of Manyanya as her successor was the most Saintess-like decision she could make.
"But Roble Tuha would prefer her sister to become the next Saintess. The position of the Saintess traditionally belongs to the Tuha family, and it is said that the two are very close siblings."
"That could be the case."
"Yes, so the Count needs to confirm this. Only you can do it."
Evie pressed both hands under her chin and spoke earnestly.
She looked genuinely innocent for a moment, but Zion decided not to be fooled anymore.
"So, are you suggesting I talk about your curse in front of Roble Tuha?"
"Yes. If you can speak about it, it means that the person already knows about my curse!"
Evie remarked, her dark eyes sparkling as she spoke, and Zion nodded inwardly.
Right, don't be deceived by that cute face.
She is a strategist.
A tactician who tricks her opponents into letting their guard down with innocent-looking eyes and a master adept at blindsiding others.
The terrifying Evie Ariate aimed to uncover what the opponent knew and didn't know by using Zion's curse, which prevented him from revealing secrets.
"I never expected that even dealing with curses would fall within the scope of cooperation."
"Since it's all for the greater good."
At Evie's lighthearted reply, Zion chuckled, almost mocking, so Evie chimed in more brightly.
"Well, there's a saying. Every disadvantage can be a strength if used properly."
"Is that truly a fair analogy?!"
Zion laughed again, appearing incredulous.
It seemed like the Count had been laughing quite a bit lately, Evie thought.
It was not an ordinary laugh, but nevertheless a significant development compared to the coldness he used to exude in the past.
Evie was subtly checking Zion's mood when he asked again.
"Until the banquet, is there anything else scheduled?"
Most festivals and banquets began in the late afternoon on the second day.
This was because most nobles spent the early morning in a stupor of drinking and gambling from the previous night.
Hence, until the early afternoon, they typically gathered with those who were sober or enjoyed casual tea with close friends.
Zion wanted to know if Evie had plans to meet people during this time, or if she needed company, so he asked.
Evie brightly shook her head.
"Oh, I'll be fine. I'm planning to visit the Marquis."
"The Marquis?"
"Yes, since he mentioned feeling unwell after collapsing yesterday, I thought I should pay my respects."
"Your respects?"
"Yes... my respects."
Zion seemed to repeat the word twice, focusing only on it, making Evie feel slightly embarrassed.
Evie looked at Zion with a look as if to say.
"Is there a problem?!"
Zion, after meeting Evie's gaze, sighed and spoke.
"Given the Marquis' behavior, it might seem improper to visit immediately like that."
"Hmm, but attending to a sick person is a Saintess' duty, you know."
"Are you sincere?"
"Do you think I am?"
Having failed at being fake, Evie pursed her lips in displeasure.
Watching this, Zion muttered to himself.
"To think you would go there, your stomach is really strong."
"Hmmm..."
"... What expression is that?"
"Is it possible you didn't know? That's the expression."
Evie's bold response left Zion shocked into smiling.
However, Evie kept her eyes sternly to the side, possibly indicating that the Count really didn't understand her words.
Evie wondered why the Count underestimated her ability to endure things.
'Hey, I'm dealing with this because I can handle it, even being with you.'
Would he get it if I said it outright like this?
Surely, the Count didn't think he was better than Cassel Montera, right?
Had he already forgotten what he did?
No, to me, you're still the worse one.
Compared to what you did, the Marquis's actions feel like trivial antics.
Evie held back from saying this aloud and kept her lips tightly shut, maintaining a seemingly gentle smile while looking away for a moment.
.
.
.
When thinking about it, it was only natural for the Count to be so indifferent.
Because he was someone who didn't need to be sensitive.
This truth was clearly displayed yesterday under the blooming Wisterias.
Yesterday, Evie moved around like a small herbivore, on edge and finding tasks.
In contrast, the Count sat like a mighty lion, dominating and ruling the space.
Relying on his imposing presence to use as cover, it felt absurd yet impressed Evie greatly.
Despite being the same person, why were things so different for them?
What seemed difficult for Evie was too easy for the Count.
Hence, even their ways of living were different.
Rabbits in their rabbit ways, lions in their lion ways, and crows in their crow ways lived their lives.
So why did it seem only humans were so vastly different, elevating some to royalty, others to nobility, while some, like Evie, remained mere, insignificant commoners?
Therefore, the phrase "same person" becomes meaningless almost instantly.
So yes, the Count could afford to be indifferent while Evie had to remain perpetually sensitive.
Even though it was exhausting, Evie realized she had to endure it.
Taking a deep breath to dismiss her frustration, Evie started walking gracefully towards the marble-adorned hallway.
Cassel Montera was staying in the east wing of the villa, which had the better rooms.
Yet the room he occupied was likely only the second best, as the top room had its owner recognized by all.
As Evie crossed to the east wing, she found many people lining the corridor.
Most were the Marquis Montera's associates.
After politely greeting them, Evie made her way to Cassel's room when the door suddenly opened and a group of people emerged.
Among them was someone Evie recognized.
"You...?"
Rio Tuha, just exiting the room, stopped short upon spotting Evie and murmured.
Rio, like always, was in a formal outfit.
As a daughter hosting the festival, she could have dressed more splendidly, but either due to her stubborn nature or desire for sainthood, Rio's attire remained neat today.
Of course, the neatness was superficial, as Evie knew just how much this young lady could growl.
True to form, Rio's brows furrowed slightly as she asked.
"Are you here to see the Marquis?"
"Yes, lady Tuha!"
Evie replied, making Rio's expression harder.
So, Evie prepared for a possible attack.
- Let's talk for a moment. What on earth are you doing? Don't mistake the canceled penalties for erasing your wrongdoings!
Rio's irritated voice practically resounded in Evie's mind.
Contrary to her expectations, however, Rio only furrowed her brow and stared at the floor.
"Since you've come, I suppose there's no helping it, but try not to overstay your welcome."
With that cold remark, Rio walked past Evie.
This made Evie wonder what had caused such a sudden change in her demeanor.
Putting it aside, Evie headed into Cassel's room.
Inside, she found Cassel, looking sharp, seated on the bed surrounded by prominent nobles.
Despite collapsing and lying sick in another's festival, Cassel seemed merry as he mingled and joked with his friends.
"Oh, you arrived just in time. Come in, come in!!"
Cassel beckoned cheerily upon seeing Evie.
'Just in time, was I the topic?'
Evie couldn't help but ponder as she observed the atmosphere within.
Cassel seemed to be smirking as usual.
But the reactions of the nobles around him felt odd.
They all looked at Evie, some with meaningful smiles, others with eyes filled with pity.
So, with no clue of the reason, Evie's heart dropped.
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