CH 23

Exactly, my neck is a little sore from always looking up. I was confident that my type is not like Arden; even if a thousand men rushed at me, I would never falter nor waver.

“You seem to be quite definite about your type, Madam.”

I nodded in approval. It wasn’t a joke. After the contract ends a year later, I don’t know, but my eyes will soar high to the very end of the sky.

[TN/L: eyes high up to the sky means she will have a high standard for a boyfriend.]

‘Even if we are a fake couple, if I see this face everyday… my aesthetic sense will become strange.’

As expected, it feels like I’ll be losing out on this contract. ​​Ian’s low, hoarse laugh could be heard as I softly sighed.

“You seem to have gotten used to me a lot by now.”

“What?”

“We couldn’t even make eye contact at first, could we? Because you were nervous.”

As he says this, Ian flashes his annoying smile.

‘Yes.’

I was furious, but it was true. Honestly, I’m not the least bit nervous even now. Anyway, why are you saying this all of a sudden? Don’t tell me you’re hinting at something.

‘Hmm. Did I mess around too much?’

I carefully examined Ian’s complexion. True, I was a little more relaxed these few days compared to how I had been during our first meeting. I would have gone insane if I had lived with the fear of death every minute, every second.

‘Do you think it would be cheap if I nitpick anyway…?’

I could not do it even if it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m weak now. Swallowing my sorrow, I said,

“If you’re bothered, should we go back to how it was in the beginning? Less eye contact and so on.”

“I didn’t mean to say that I didn’t like it.”

Ian just cut me off and said,

“If you want us to be like a real couple, you have to look closer at me.”

“…That’s.”

To become a real married couple. I thought about what he said for a moment. What is married life? Now, he and I are still only engaged. However, a married couple is different from an engaged couple. Afterwards, I have to act more confidently than I do now.

‘Such as…’

Talking in a more intimate manner, or lovingly calling each other by name. We will fall asleep in the same bedroom every night and wake up on the same bed every morning.

This bastard.

“……”

I moisten the dry palate of my mouth with my tongue. Can I do it well?

No, I perfectly understood that we have to do it. Nevertheless, my confidence slowly faded. The more I stared into his blue eyes, which were gazing down at me, the more my self-assurance decreased.

“……Actually, the real purpose is different.”

Ian broke the long silence between us. Then I suddenly came back to my senses.

“To the point.”

I tried to sound as clerical as possible to hide what I had been thinking up to this point. There was a real purpose behind it. In fact, it didn’t seem like Ian would have come running simply to interrogate about a man for a while.

“The return date of Bishop Kennen has been confirmed.”

I opened my eyes wide after hearing this.

Bishop Kennen, the person in charge of the Verification of the Saintess, is returning. That means…

“Your Saintess’ appointment will take place exactly 11 days from now.”

“The Appointment Ceremony?”

I uttered, round-eyed.

“Did you say it was an Appointment Ceremony, not a verification?”

“You are already accepted as a Saintess by everyone. With tacit acquiescence.”

“I… see.”

“Since the Verification Process is essentially a formal ceremony, the Appointment Ceremony will take place on the same day with the expectation of passing the Verification Process.”

“I see.”

I said, trying to make my face look calm.

‘Rizello… I believe in you.’

A confirmed ghost of money, the legendary problem solver that never fails. Rizello Romulus!

[TN/L: I don’t know why the author uses this. But ghosts in this means ‘someone really good at something or likes something’. Ex: ‘he likes apples’ or ‘he is really good at science’. In raws, 돈 (don) means money. So ghost of money he really likes money to the extent that he would do anything to get money. He (Rizello) is confirmed as a ghost of money. Do you understand? :cry:]

I silently and earnestly prayed to Rizello, my only hope.

“Do you have any questions?”

“Oh, I do.” I raised my hand like a good student.

“I’m asking about our wedding. Is the date set?”

The Priest who officiated over our engagement performed a ceremony on the day of our engagement. It was a ceremony to decide the date of the wedding.

‘It was quite interesting.’

The Priest dropped holy water over the ancient stone calendar, marking all 365 days. Afterwards, the drops of holy water trickled down. He said the date where the bell stays, is the holiday set by God Elune. The date of our wedding is April 1st.

[TL/N: :oop: was it an April mop? :wheeze:]

“Yes. It’s a day that God Elune decided for us.”

“I know it’s a tradition, but… Wouldn’t it be hectic?”

Even in the world I lived in, weddings required onerous preparations. A wedding for a man of Ian’s stature should be very glamorous. There will be a great deal to prepare.

Ian smiled as if he didn’t have any worries about it.

“You have nothing to worry about. I will finish everything for the preparations.”

“I-I see.”

“But please prepare your heart.”

“Prepare?”

“You will be the most gorgeous bride in the Empire on that day.”

Ian once again put on that annoying smile.

“You will be a little tired.”

‘…What the hell, what kind of glamorous wedding are you going to be holding?’

There must be a reason why that man gave me a warning. I struggled to shake the anxiety that is creeping in my body.

“And, again.”

What else is it this time?

Looking at my fake husband, who has been talking a lot today, I smiled kindly at him.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Has your power never manifested since then?”

My heart sank slightly at the sudden question. I had the power of foresight. That was one of the lies I told Ian.

“Since the day I met Sir Ian, there has been nothing.”

I smiled vaguely and looked at him. Fortunately, just because they were Saintesses, it didn’t mean they could freely use their power as soon as they were called upon. Even the original heroine had episodes where she struggled to use her power for a while after she had magnificently awakened her power.

“If anything comes to mind, I surely will tell Ian first.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Ian gave a cold smile.

“The first prophecy made you capable of holding the reins. As for the second prophecy, what the hell will happen to me?”

“Haha…”

I secretly shed a cold sweat. What do you mean by holding the reins?

If I really held the reins, I wouldn’t be so frightened and trembling like this now!

Shouting inwardly, I kept a sweet smile on my face. Ian returned my stare as he was about to walk out of the room.

“Oh. I forgot to say it.”

His stern eyes looked at me slowly.

‘What-what else?’

I slowly averted my eyes to the side. Whenever this man looked at me like this, it made my neck hurt and break out in cold sweat. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me, who had gone my entire life without committing a crime or sinning. 

Did he find out? My heart was beating faster.

“That hair.”

“Yes?”

“…Perhaps.”

Ian was silent for a few seconds after saying only ‘perhaps.’ 

What. Why did he become silent?

I became more and more terrified as Ian’s silence grew longer. Finally, Ian opened his mouth again.

“Perhaps.”

“Yes. Please say it.”

“Can I touch it?”

“…What?”

What did I just hear? I couldn’t believe my ears and just blinked. Then Ian furrowed his eyebrows.

“It’s nothing.”

Ian’s expression turned cold and hardened. I trembled in fear and asked him again.

“Do you want to touch my hair? That’s what you said, right?”

“That’s right, but that’s enough.”

“It’s not going to work” 

I was taken aback and looked up at my prospective husband.

‘Why do you want to touch my hair all of a sudden?’

You were making me nervous!

Besides, when I asked if he really wanted to touch it, it was more suspicious that he took what he said back so quickly.

What’s going on?

‘Ah. This is the first time that Ian saw my original appearance without transformation power.’

In other words, Ian never saw my real face nor my pink hair.

‘Are you suspecting that this is also fake?’

Then it was unfair. The current figure is unquestionably the true face of number 76, as evidenced by multiple checks.

However, Ian was suspicious of me because he had a record. Then I looked up at Ian resolutely.

“Sword. Please pull it out.”

“What?”

Ian furrowed his eyebrows as if he was wondering what I meant. Then I said once again.

“I asked for a sword. Ah, never mind. It’s here.” 

Then I saw a paper knife lying on the table. I strode over the table and grabbed the knife, bringing it right in front of my hair.

“What on earth.”

I heard Ian’s voice and he looked puzzled, but I didn’t stop and pulled the knife. My hair was soon cut off with a snip. As I turned around, Ian came closer to me and looked at me with a puzzled face.

“Are you crazy?”

“I cut my hair to show it to you. Look. The color of my hair didn’t change, right?”

I showed Ian the hair that I had just cut. I cut a handful of hair in order to clear up all his doubts.

“…You’re showing it in a pretty extreme way.”

“I did that, hoping that Ian will not be confused and suspicious of me.”

Then Ian clicked his tongue and looked up at my hair. I told him to show his palm and put my hair on it. Then Ian stroked the hair on the palm of his hand.

“It’s like a snack.”

“What?”

“It’s nothing.”

Ian’s gaze on my hair was fierce. He was like a detective examining evidence in a murder case, perhaps because of that impression.

“Are you cleared of your doubts now?”

“I think this hair is more fake in terms of color.”

“What are you talking about? Even if you cut it, the color will change if it’s fake.”

He was a terrible human being, his doubts still hadn’t dissipated. When I argued, Ian turned his gaze at me.

“Why did you hide your true self? Why are you still refusing to tell me?”

“Sir Ian, I told you the other day. Neither Sir Ian nor I are open to each other. Please think about it.”

I lowered my voice and whispered to him.

“And if we get to know each other too much, won’t we become uncomfortable when we break up a year later?”

Then Ian raised one eyebrow. His eyes still looked at me, wondering. But he didn’t refute it.

“Fine.”

Ian smirked and raised the corners of his lips.

“There is no need to share unnecessary information.”

“I thought you would agree.”

“I really want to trust you.” Ian replied with a crooked smile.

“I hope that our trust will not be broken.”

“So do I.”

After Ian left my room, I slipped and dropped onto the sofa. It was truly a day with no nerves left behind.