Every time an accident occurs in the empire, a mysterious black-haired wizard always appears like a comet to solve everything before once again disappears.
But what if, her identity, who everyone thought as Saintess Bianca, was actually someone else?
Saintess Bianca had always been popular. Probably, even without the fame she gained as ‘black wizard lady', her popularity would always be high thanks to the protagonist's correction.
However, Saintess Bianca was too greedy. She wanted to monopolize even the small interest held by the title ‘black wizard lady'. As a result, the ‘black wizard lady' received more attention thanks to Bianca.
In case Bianca clearly said ‘I'm not the black wizard lady', the black-haired female wizard would only end up as a heroic character. She wouldn’t be as famous as she was right now because Saintess Bianca’s [Charm Monopoly (SSS)] skill would steal all of her popularity.
“Are you the black wizard lady? You are as beautiful as the rumor says.”
"Please, that title, ple….ase…"
Aracelli bowed down in order to hide her beet-red face.
Mouse hole? No, any type of hole would do, she really wanted to go in and hide.
The reason she covered her face with a mask in the first place was because she was so embarrassed of her title as ‘Black Wizard Lady’.
Even back in her original world, she really hated it when people called her ‘Great Sage-nim’ or ‘Grand Wizard-nim’. So how could she be okay with such a childish nickname?
However, it wasn’t the end, she was asked by Yoo Seodam to appear in the night sky of the capital city of the empire wearing a frilly, glamorous, and eye-catching black dress.
Originally, Yoo Seodam asked for something like ‘in the name of love and justice, Aracelli had appeared!', but she couldn’t say it because it was too embarrassing. She ended up with an ambiguous line like ‘I have appeared…'.
As a result, Yoo Seodam was very disappointed. But, Aracelli herself was sure that she had succeeded in attracting the attention of a large number of people.
And her thought was spot on, Pope Cain had personally invited her to meet him.
In addition, when the fact about her being a Priestess as well as the maid of Saintess Bianca was revealed to the world, the public was once again turned upside down.
Of course, Yoo Seodam’s action played a big part there.
Bianca, who felt like fire was lit underneath her feet, was desperate to make Yoo Seodam come to her side. She thought that it was the only way to bring Princess Sahar back to the depth of the abyss. So, Saintess Bianca kept meeting Yoo Seodam every day for a date.
Thanks to that, Bianca's passive skill [Charm Monopoly (SSS)] was constantly being disturbed by Yoo Seodam’s [Protagonist Hunter] skill, and couldn’t work properly. Thus, those who were unable to maintain their sanity due to [Charm Monopoly (SSS)] were able to turn their attention to other places little by little.
In other words, Yoo Seodam was planning to return the popularity that was concentrated on Bianca to Princess Sahar and Aracelli.
On a side note, something outside the range of Yoo Seodam’s prediction was happening.
‘Since when did I fall in love with Saintess-nim?'
It was only a slight doubt, but all the male-lead who had come to question themselves had turned their eyes to a different place altogether.
“Do you know this? This was taken the last time the black lady appeared….”
"No. I don't know it at all. And I really hate it.”
“It came out pretty, right?”
“Please get rid of that……”
When he talked with Aracelli, Pope Cain felt something was growing in his heart.
While Saintess Bianca felt like a pure flower that couldn't be touched and an existence so beautiful even when she did nothing but exist, Aracelli was different from her.
Aracelli responded to whatever he said. She was very different from Saintess Bianca, and it was a very stimulating experience for Pope Cain.
Pope Cain wasn't the only one who showed such interest towards Aracelli.
After the meeting with the Pope was concluded, Aracelli who was exhausted tried to leave the church. However, a large crowd was waiting for her in front of the Church.
She could hear some people who say ‘Wow! It’s the Black Wizard Lady!’ as soon as they found her. Her face was reddened in embarrassment once again. So, she bowed down once again and ran away.
‘To think I’m roleplaying as a magical girl at this age……!’
Aracelli ran for a long time before arriving at a garden. She leaned her tired body against a white pillar and ran into someone who was waiting for her.
He was Harayun, a 6th circle wizard who was hailed as a genius among geniuses and was also the Chief Wizard of The Imperial Palace as well as the Tower Master.
And the man, who was called to be very emotionally expressive, was also interested in Aracelli.
He smiled gently and approached Aracelli, Then, he put a black rose in Aracelli's ear.
“All the flowers in the garden had withered. No, they were not truly withered. It was because of you, the most beautiful flower in this garden, that all the flowers seemed to be dead.”
‘Hiiiiiinnnngggggg!!!!’
“Why did you bloom more beautifully than other flowers? This black rose will wither, but you will not.”
Perhaps, his line might have worked if it was said in a ‘romantic’ genre 50 years ago, not now. Even Aracelli, who was completely unaware about romance, didn't feel thrilled at the line that seemed to be dripping with cheesiness.
‘Ahhhhhh! Professoooooooor! This wizard is going to kill me by shriveling time and space up!’
Aracelli eagerly looked for Yoo Seodam with a pale face, but he couldn’t be found anywhere.
‘Ah, wait a minute.'
Aracelli, who was filled with a desire to chop his tongue, suddenly came up with a good idea.
Not everything in this world should necessarily go according to Yoo Seodam’s will. Obviously, he was smart and good at planning operations, but that doesn't mean that Aracelli herself was with him either. In addition, she was quite angry towards Yoo Seodam who put her in this position.
Aracelli slowly raised her head. She forced herself to smile, and said to Harayun.
“Are you making a move on me?”
“You're speaking straightforwardly. You’re definitely different from other noble ladies.”
"Of course, I am. By the way…. Aren’t you already in a relationship with Saintess Bianca?”
"Sorry?"
Harayun's eyes opened wide. He never thought that he would hear that question here.
Aracelli was aware that Bianca's ‘charm’ was temporarily sealed under the influence of Yoo Seodam. She knew that their interest in her was a temporary thing. But, Aracelli wondered what would happen if she sowed a seed of ‘doubt’ in these men’s hearts while Bianca’s charm wasn’t active.
“Oh, that's, that….”
“Well. You could do that… Because, Saintess Bianca was also playing with another man.”
Then, Harayun's expression gradually distorted.
“That, what are you talking about?”
Saintess Bianca was quite thorough with her relationship with the male-leads. Perhaps, it was the handy work of ‘protagonist correction'. When she met with man 1, man 2, 3,and 4 would never notice. Or, when she met man 2, man 1, 3, and 4 would never know. The fact that she met another man would never be heard by the ears of the other man. Even if it became known, it would be easily forgotten.
However, that correction was now restricted because of Yoo Seodam.
“Did you not know? Hmm… ah! This is something I really am not supposed to say!”
“What is it? Please. Tell me please."
“Ah… I really shouldn’t say this….You can’t tell anyone, okay?”
Aracelli smiled slyly. It was not exactly a secret. Everyone in the continent, except for the 4 male-lead, knows about it.
It was just Saintess Bianca's usual behavior.
“You know… Recently, a lot of people saw Saint Bianca meeting Yoo Seodam, the knight of Duchess Serenity. Don’t you think that the two of them are like…. Ah! Ah!! Really. I can't tell you. You can’t ever say that you heard it from me, okay?”
"….okay."
It was a very strange feeling. Harayun was very confused about this whole situation where he couldn't control his mind. ‘Who’s the one who had my heart?’ That question was a problem he couldn't find the right answer to.
So, as Harayun stood still with a blank expression, Aracelli left the garden hurriedly. She smiled and turned back towards the Church.
‘I should say the same to the Pope!'
* * *
At almost the same time, Princess Sahar Serenity was facing Emperor Serenity in the Imperial Palace.
“Your Majesty, may I ask why you called me?”
The warm wind that caressed Princess Sahar skin made her feel drowsy.
The white flower garden over the terrace looked like it was created just for her. If it’s not her, who else would fit into that flower garden? The moment she entered this place, she had already become the owner of this flower garden.
As she looked at the swaying curtains, Princess Sahar put her lips on a teacup with a pattern of the sun. As those red lips slowly took in the black tea, Serael slowly opened his mouth.
“…I called you because I wanted to express my gratitude for what you’ve done the other day.”
“It would have been nice if you wrote it in a letter as usual, Your majesty.”
"Yes, it may be so. But I really wanted to look at your face while saying it.”
"Yes. If it is Your Majesty's call, it is my duty to immediately appear before you. Since I already heard Your Majesty’s gratitude, may I leave? I apologize for wasting your precious time on me.”
“……You can’t do that.”
The thing that happens right at this moment was something that Princess Sahar really had been hoping for. She turned back time and lived her second life in hopes for this. The Emperor’s recognition.
She had been living a life full of despair till now. No matter how hard she tried, the emperor never looked at her. He had abandoned her. And after a long deliberation she finally gave up and accepted the fact that she would die a lonely death.
But, after trampling and ruining her dream,
‘Now you are finally showing interest to me?'
Princess Sahar originally expected that she would feel some kind of satisfaction when this happened. She also thought that her heart would be pounding and fluttering in front of His Majesty the Emperor’s sharp yet warm obsession again, just like back then.
But not at all.
After she removed the skin that wrapped it, she found that the inside was ugly and dirty. The Emperor’s interest felt disgusting to Princess Sahar, who was well aware that his feelings for Bianca had disappeared briefly thanks to Yoo Seodam.
Princess Sahar scoffed. She asked herself.
‘For what did I work hard for? For who did I turn the time back? Just what have I done?’
Everything she had done so far was useless. She pitied herself for loving a man like him.
‘Hahaha.'
A self-mocking laughter leaked out from her mouth. It was unavoidable, so the Emperor, Serael saw her laughter as well.
“What’s so funny?”
“Woohoo…. In fact, I had a problem.”
She didn’t want to look at his face anymore.
Rather, there was one face she wanted to see more.
It was the face of the man who forcibly dragged her back from the depths of the abyss.
Princess Sahar thought about him, who was probably in the middle of a date right now.
Princess Sahar opened her eyes wide and clenched her fists and tightly.
She was aware that Yoo Seodam was busy ‘acting’ for her own sake right now. After recalling how considerate he is, Princess Sahar could hardly forgive Saintess Bianca.
"Worry? What are you worrying about?”
“Your Majesty is a very good man. It is an honor for me to have gained your interest. But, is it okay for you to be like this?”
“What are you talking about?”
“From what I can see, Your Majesty seems to have chosen to spend all of his life together with Saintess Bianca…”
"Oh yes. It is because we have a good relationship between us-”
“That’s not the problem, Your Majesty.”
As Serael frowned, Princess Sahar smiled subtly and opened her mouth.
“What I want to say is that my guardian knight Yoo Seodam and Saintess Bianca are currently on a date right now.”
“…….!”
Unlike his usual expressionless face, Serael’s eyes opened wide.
Looking at that, Princess Sahar laughed. She was truly happy.
And from now on, she feels like she'll be really happy.