Volume 5, Chapter 24 – The Innocent Saintess (Part 2)

As she said this, Andrea turned around and looked up, her pure golden eyes filled with relief as she gazed at Yisi. Her tone was exceptionally gentle.

“The necklace was a birthday gift from my mother. I believe you must have taken it for a more important reason, Lady Yisi. Now that I have heard you admit it with your own lips, I think I can finally give my mother an explanation.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I stole the necklace?”

“If you are willing to tell me, Lady Yisi—the reason you used a different appearance that time was precisely because you didn’t want to reveal more. And besides, that necklace, apart from connecting my soul with Evelyn’s, can only be used as a decoration. For a handful of gold coins, I believe in your choice, Lady Yisi.”

“Is that so…”

She’s too gentle. ¹ frfr, i want to pinch her If Yisi’s heart didn’t already belong to someone, if the first person she had met after coming to this other world had been Andrea, she would surely have been captivated by her. It would have been love at first sight, an infatuation from which she could not escape. This kind of gentleness, like silk that could envelop a person whole and touch the softest parts of their heart, was enough to make countless people fall for her.

Unconsciously, Yisi let go of her previous nervousness and guilt and frankly told Andrea the truth.

“I used the necklace to create a body. As you may have already noticed, Andrea, Edith and I look very much alike. This is because I learned from a fallen angel that by combining the necklace from the Queen of the Blood Clan with the one in the hands of the next Pope of the Ymir Church, a new body could be created. At that time, for some unknown reason, I was sharing the same body with Edith, which was causing her soul to gradually dissipate. In order not to let Edith perish, I found the two necklaces, combined them, and became the person I am now…”

As she finished, Yisi lowered her head, not daring to look at Andrea.

“…I didn’t use them for an important purpose like you said, Andrea. You must be very disappointed, right? But even if I had to do it all over again, I would still choose to save Edith.”

Very sincerely, Yisi bowed. “I’m sorry.”

Andrea would probably forgive her. This wasn’t taking advantage of Andrea’s kindness, but simply stating a fact. It was precisely because she knew this outcome that Yisi felt even more guilty.

However, Andrea’s response was far simpler and more direct than Yisi had imagined.

Andrea stood on her tiptoes and, like a mother, gently hugged Yisi’s bowed head, tenderly stroking her long, silver hair.

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“It’s okay. In fact, you did something I couldn’t do, Lady Yisi. I used the necklace and brought sadness to others, but you used it to save a person.”

Although Andrea’s petite body offered no sense of security, Yisi felt as though the heart that had been hanging in suspense could finally be put down. Through the thin fabric of the night-colored formal dress, Yisi could feel the beat of Andrea’s heart and the warmth from her chest. The tickling sensation of the decorative ribbons brushing past her nose now all melted into a comfort that soothed her soul. Yisi even had the thought of wanting to stay like this for a little longer.

Although it would ruin the atmosphere, there were some things that, if not said now, would be hard to face frankly in the future. Feeling Andrea’s hand stroking her head, Yisi chose her words carefully.

“…But I chose to use the necklace for a trivial matter, rather than for the stability of the Blood Clan. Is that really okay? On one side are all the people of the Blood Clan, and on the other are just me and Edith.”

“Um… why would that be a problem? Aren’t you and Lord Loiswell my citizens too, Lady Yisi? In my heart, your safety is just as important as the stability of the Blood Clan. It’s too cruel to abandon one group of people for the benefit of another.”

“But you often have to make a choice, Andrea.”

“That’s true… but unfortunately, I can’t make that kind of choice.” With a great deal of self-awareness, Andrea gave a wry smile. “So I can only accept what has already happened. Since you used the necklace to save Lord Loiswell, then I will acknowledge what you did and be happy for you. As long as one person has found happiness with the necklace, I will be happy. This has nothing to do with the Blood Clan.”

But it harmed your own interests. Although she wanted to say it, Yisi couldn’t bring herself to. That would be too tactless. She hoped this peaceful moment could last a little longer.

Though it was quiet, it didn’t feel awkward.

“Since you knew from the beginning that I stole the necklace, Andrea, why didn’t you point it out when you saw me before?”

“If you wanted to say it, Lady Yisi, you would come and tell me anytime. There’s no need for me to say it. If I had brought it up, wouldn’t it have just made you leave again after we had finally met? Besides, the reason you came to the Royal Capital this time was actually to tell me about the necklace, wasn’t it? How could a thief appear so openly and brazenly in front of the person they stole from—ah, I’m absolutely not saying you’re a thief, Lady Yisi! That was a metaphor. No, it’s not appropriate to call it a metaphor either… In-in short, you are absolutely not a thief, Lady Yisi!”

She must have been very anxious. Yisi felt the hand that had been stroking her long hair become flustered, patting her unconsciously.

A moment ago she was a comforting older sister, and now she’s turned back into a child? The switch between maturity and youthfulness made Yisi smile. She stopped indulging in the moment and pulled away from Andrea’s embrace—there was a sense of loss, but it was better to only have a small taste of such a wonderful moment.

“Thank you.”

“Eh? Did I do something to be thanked for, Lady Yisi?” Blinking repeatedly, Andrea looked puzzled.

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Just how unaware is this girl of her own charm? It was a paradise one could easily get lost in.

Of course, to admit that she had just been enjoying Andrea’s comfort and seeking solace from her would be too embarrassing. Yisi turned her slightly flushed face away.

“I-It’s nothing.”

“Is that so…” For some reason, Yisi felt that Andrea’s voice was mixed with a hint of disappointment, but just as she was about to ask, Andrea suddenly spoke again.

“You really are amazing, Lady Yisi. If it were me, even if I had taken the necklace to save someone, I would never have the courage to admit it to their face. I would definitely choose to run away and atone for my mistake in secret.”

Yisi threw up her hands. “There was a certain someone who had the same idea as you, Andrea, but I changed my mind at the last minute because you’re too cute. It has nothing to do with courage or being amazing.”

“C-Cute? Are you talking about me?” Like a ripe apple, Andrea’s cheeks turned bright red again.

Yisi gently placed her hand on Andrea’s head. “That’s right. You’re very cute, Andrea. So cute that if I were a man, I would propose on the spot.”

“Th-th-that’s not okay!”

“Ehh…” Although Yisi had expected Andrea to resist, to be rejected so bluntly still made her feel a little disappointed.

But then Andrea clenched her fists, placed them by her mouth, and nibbled on them gently, murmuring to herself in a low voice. “If it’s someone as excellent as Lady Yisi, it might not be impossible… but my status as Queen… I should probably become an ordinary person first… but what if Lady Yisi likes the queen version of me…”

Seeing Andrea’s eyebrows furrowed in a dilemma, Yisi waved her hand in front of her eyes. “Andrea?”

“Huh? Eh? Ehhhh?! L… Lady Yisi! Did you hear all of that just now!?”

“What just now? Was that you talking to yourself, Andrea? I only heard ‘excellent person,’ ‘status as Queen’—”

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Yisi was only halfway through her sentence when Andrea anxiously stood on her tiptoes, reached out, and covered Yisi’s mouth. The corners of her eyes even glistened with tears of anxiety.

“D-Don’t say anymore!”

Yisi blinked and tilted her head slightly, preparing to avoid Andrea’s hand, but Andrea quickly followed and covered it again, continuing to ask, “Did you hear everything, Lady Yisi?”

Since Andrea wouldn’t let her speak, she would just have to express it by shaking her head. Yisi shook her head. She had only heard bits and pieces. Although she could have heard it all if she had listened carefully, if Andrea had intended to tell her, she wouldn’t have chosen a voice as small as a mosquito’s. As an adult, one had to be enough of a gentleman.

Andrea let out a long sigh of relief and lowered the hand covering Yisi’s mouth.

“Phew, that’s good…” Then she shook her head for some unknown reason. “No, that’s not good either.”

What was good, and what wasn’t? Probably only someone Andrea’s age could understand what she was thinking. A young girl at the dawn of her first love would always have thoughts that ordinary people couldn’t guess.

But there was one thing Yisi was sure of, and that was that Andrea was becoming more and more adorable.

Less like a queen, and more like an innocent saintess. A god would surely feel lucky to be served by such a kind saintess. Yisi hoped that the gods would grant such a pure girl more happiness.

Offering a sincere prayer to the gods, Yisi let the bright red Andrea be, who seemed to be muttering to herself in a dilemma, and started making pastries herself.

Then, her gaze was drawn to Mary and Tiffany in the corner of her eye. The two of them seemed to have finished cleaning and were role-playing. They stood face-to-face in a mock-serious manner. Mary bowed to Tiffany, and Tiffany hugged Mary’s head to her chest. While stroking Mary’s head like a mother, she repeated familiar words in short phrases.

“It’s okay. Lady Yisi. Amazing. Me. Necklace. Brought sadness. Lady Yisi. But. Used it. Saved a person.” ² ppfftt aahahahha

“…”

Yisi was momentarily speechless.

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Those two. They were imitating her and Andrea from just a moment ago.

Like having one’s cringey diary read out loud in public, an indescribable sense of shame instantly filled her entire being. Without hesitation, Yisi strode toward Mary and Tiffany in the corner of the room with a speed that carried a sharp whistling sound.

Catching a glimpse of Yisi’s movement, Tiffany immediately stopped what she was doing and, without looking back, ran toward the door. Before leaving, she didn’t forget to remind Mary.

“Run.”

“Eh?”

“Too late.”

Lifting Tiffany with one hand and placing the other on the bewildered Mary’s shoulder, Yisi revealed a smile that made Tiffany gulp.

“Tiffany-chan, you’d better explain to me what you were doing just now.”

“Tiffany said that doing that would make me feel at ease, so she had me imitate you and Her Majesty, Master. It really did feel very safe. I feel all warm inside.”

Mary’s words made Tiffany nod like a chick pecking at rice. “Mm, heartwarming.”

But unlike Mary, Tiffany didn’t dare to look Yisi in the eye at all.

Mary might have genuinely found it heartwarming, but Tiffany had definitely just re-enacted it for her to see.

Bad children must be punished.

And so, Tiffany was once again subjected to Yisi’s karate chop.