CH 190

Suddenly, there was a loud cry from the neighboring table. Everyone in the pub looked towards the table where a young man and a woman were seated. The woman was sobbing, as she repeatedly dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief, while the man sitting opposite her looked on with an irritated face.

‘This must be a love issue!’ The saintess waved at a passing waiter and ordered additional snacks. She had the feeling that she would be drinking here for a long time.

“I-It… It was my first time!” the woman tearily stammered.

The saintess immediately choked and sprayed out the gulp she’d just taken.

‘You will pay for stealing my first time.’ She immediately recalled the memo she’d found on her bed after having woken from a bad hangover.

“So, what about it?” Unmoved by the woman’s sobs, the man’s irritation didn’t disappear, and drew the ire of the crowd around him.

“Hah, never have I seen such a shameless knave!”

“Goodness, what will that girl do now? She seems to have trusted that man a lot.”

Despite the murmuring around them, the couple at the table continued their argument without regard for the spectators.

“How can you say that? I only trusted you…” the woman wailed. Tears were now dripping from her eyes, moving several women at other tables to shed tears of empathy.

The onlookers muttered among themselves, as they watched the scene unfolding before them.

“That son of a…”

“A scoundrel like that… I’d just…”

“Cut off his head…”

“No, there’s something more fitting to cut off, if you catch my drift…”

The saintess swallowed dryly. She knew their comments were directed at the man, but why did it feel like their words were stabbing at her conscience?

“Hey, everyone’s like that at first. Shouldn’t you be grateful that I was your first partner? Do you know how hard it is for someone as good as me to endure a beginner like you?”

At the man’s obstinance, the atmosphere in the pub turned ugly fast. Some of the more agile patrons had already armed themselves with the cutlery knives, while others muttered a prayer.

“Dear God in heaven, today I will kill a man and come to stand proudly by your side.”

While another exclaimed with forethought, “I’ll do the burying! Leave it to me!”

The saintess wearily got out of her seat and slowly inched backwards. ‘But I really don’t remember anything!’ She felt aggrieved—she had been wiped out from her happy drinking spree that day, and couldn’t remember a single thing about what, where or with whom she did anything. ‘J-just who the heck was it?’

If there was anything certain, it was that she had messed up. The saintess watched as the pub’s patrons rose to their feet to punish that shameless man. ‘If they discover I’ve done something similar…’ She shook her head. The saintess didn’t wish to meet her end here, so she broke into a dash for the pub’s door. However, someone grabbed her by the shoulder at that moment.

* * *

The pub customers were now closing in on the man, who was still arguing heatedly as his temper flared up again.

“I told you clearly! I take my opponents seriously when playing chess, whether they’re a beginner or not! Didn’t I tell you not to cry even if you lose?”

“But it was still my first time. Couldn’t you have gone easy on me?! How could you steam roll over me right off the bat like that! Would it kill you to give me the first game?!” the woman yelled back.

“Do you think a chess grandmaster can show his face anywhere after losing to someone playing for the first time?!”

Hearing the two continue to bicker, the pub customers exchanged looks with one another awkwardly. Nervous coughs and grunts broke out among the onlookers, as they returned to their seats. It wasn’t like they’d rushed to any conclusions… After all, anyone could’ve made a mistake, right?

* * *

The saintess turned around—and her face froze. “You, you guys are…!”