Chapter 6: The Scumbag’s Arrival

“Jennelle… I never thought even you would be in such a hurry to step forward. Tell me, is it because you were my personal attendant, the nun who saw to my daily needs? Now that the Church has transferred you away, are you so afraid of being purged that you must rush to declare your loyalty?”

Allyrose stared coldly at the nun standing at the forefront of the crowd, her eyes betraying an ineffable sadness…

After all, this was a woman who had been by her side for eight years. Since Allyrose was ten, Jennelle had been the one to comb her hair, dress her, and manage her schedule every day. Allyrose had always thought of her as the closest thing she had to an older sister.

There had been many others like her, nuns selected by the Church to attend to Allyrose’s daily life, and they were the ones who managed her castle.

Allyrose had always treated them well. She never looked down on them or bullied them; on the contrary, she took great care of them and tried to handle most matters, big or small, herself.

But after the true Saintess, Vivian, returned, everything changed. The Church first recalled all these nuns. Then, one by one, they began to draw a line between themselves and Allyrose…

Some avoided the topic entirely. Others pretended not to know her. A few, like Jennelle, went even further, turning on her and becoming enemies. The reason was, of course, simple… Allyrose was now a false saintess.

They could think that way, but Allyrose couldn’t be the one to point it out. Sure enough, as soon as she spoke, Jennelle became flustered and retorted loudly.

“Nonsense! I… I was recalled by the Church and now serve the true Saintess, Lady Vivian! My conscience is clear! I just can’t stand your attitude right now, Allyrose! You were nothing more than the child of a minor noble. If you hadn’t been born on the same day, month, and year as Lady Vivian, usurping her identity as the Saintess for over a decade, how could you have ever enjoyed the treatment you received? Do you have any idea how much Lady Vivian suffered all those years alone in some country village because of you?”

Jennelle began with emotional blackmail, then continued, pointing a finger at Allyrose.

“Not only do you show no remorse, but you failed even as a false saintess! You lost the divine scepter! Isn’t that a serious dereliction of duty? Do you realize how much trouble this will cause Lady Vivian? Don’t you feel any shame?! Hmph… As I thought. Everyone, I took care of Allyrose for so many years, and I’ve seen right through her! She hasn’t changed a bit, always so selfish. No wonder Lady Vivian is the true Saintess. If someone like Allyrose were to become the Saintess, it would truly be our sin…”

“That’s right… She’s gone too far!”

“Does she still not recognize her mistakes? How shameless~!”

“Even the nun who took care of her can’t stand it anymore. This is truly an outrage to both gods and men!”

“And to think someone like her is the Hero’s fiancée. Tsk~ She’ll be dumped sooner or later.”

“Of course. The Hero’s rightful partner should be the true Saintess, right? We were all deceived by this fake~”

“Allyrose—!”

Just as the Church’s sycophants were working themselves into a frenzy to pressure Allyrose, a voice—one the twin-tailed girl knew all too well—rang out from the crowd. Allyrose turned toward the call and saw a brown-haired man in light armor, riding a fine horse and galloping toward her castle.

He dismounted swiftly at the gate and ran to her side, immediately reaching out to embrace her.

The twin-tailed girl instinctively dodged. The brown-haired man froze for a moment, stunned. After a few seconds, he caught his breath and offered an awkward smile.

“What’s wrong, my dear? Are you angry?”

“Uh… no, I’m not…”

That term of endearment sent a wave of goosebumps across Allyrose’s skin, a purely physiological revulsion. She now recognized him…

‘Isn’t this… the hero and male lead from the novel? My current fiancé, and the male half of that despicable couple I was just thinking about, the scumbag Jason?’

Ha. In the original story, the love-struck Allyrose had always deeply loved and trusted her fiancé. They had been childhood sweethearts, their feelings for each other blossoming as they grew up, and they had confirmed their commitment long ago. But who would have thought that sworn oaths of eternal love would ultimately buckle under the allure of personal gain? A deposed false saintess was worthless to the Hero, Jason. He quickly grew tired of the old and enamored with the new, hooking up with Vivian and eventually causing Allyrose’s death.

If one were to rank the objects of Allyrose’s hatred, Jason would undoubtedly be number one, even higher than Vivian. Vivian’s actions could at least be explained by jealousy and her past experiences. Jason, on the other hand, was just a pure, unadulterated scoundrel. It could even be said that Jason bore the greatest responsibility for Allyrose’s demise.

So, when Allyrose saw him acting so concerned and deeply in love, she was overcome with disgust. Her whole body trembled as she took deep breaths, trying desperately to compose herself…

‘I really want to explode at this guy right now… But no, that kind of revenge is meaningless… I have to swallow my disgust and play along. I must be patient…’

“What’s going on here?” Jason asked, noticing Allyrose’s faint trembling. He turned to glance at the crowd of Church officials blocking the gate. After a moment, a calm smile touched his lips, and he pulled Allyrose into another hug.

This time, the twin-tailed girl didn’t resist, obediently leaning against his chest. A flicker of smugness crossed Jason’s face before vanishing. He began to gently stroke her back as he spoke in a comforting tone.

“You must have been frightened, Allyrose. Don’t be afraid. I’m here now. No matter what difficulties you face, you don’t have to be scared. I will always protect you!”

Jason glanced over at Vivian, seemingly checking her expression. Allyrose took it all in, a cold sneer forming in her heart. A moment later, Jason turned back, released his embrace, and placed his hands on Allyrose’s shoulders.

“But… I heard what the bishop and the Church said earlier, my love. Losing the divine scepter was indeed our fault, but it’s alright, don’t worry! Miss Vivian is a very kind girl. I was thinking… why don’t you donate this castle to the Church to compensate for their loss? And you, my love, can come and live with me at my place. How does that sound?”