The Villainess is a Marionette

After Cayena closed the door to the prayer room, her body wobbled with each step. She wasn’t completely recovered.

Carelessness was not allowed.

She forced her legs to walk out of the hallway and to the prayer room.

‘I can’t let myself relax yet.’

Cayena acted like nothing had happened.

Stepping out of the narrow passageway to the prayer room, her field of vision widened. The colored light coming through the stained glass made her slightly dizzy. She saw a bespectacled high priest carefully reading something under that light.

Cayena opened her red lips and let out a clear voice. “Father Danian.”

The priest raised his head with a soft smile.

“Did I tell you my baptismal name?”

He had never said it. Cayena only knew his name because she had read the novel. She turned to Father Danian with a faint smile.

“I hope that my donation will help this temple.”

“God’s grace will reach Your Highness.”

“In that case, may I assume that you have prepared an annex for me?”

At Cayena’s request, Father Danian answered with great embarrassment.

“I am afraid that it’s unsuitable for Your Highness because it’s in poor condition…”

‘Whether it’s Grand Chamberlain Luden or Father Danian, all the old men in this city are cunning.’

How much money had the noble ladies donated here since this temple became known as miraculous? It would have been no work to tidy up the annex with that money. Yet, the temple had very few priests and servants. The annex was neglected so that nobody would even attempt to use it.

It was all calculated to prevent people from staying in the temple.

‘That’s what they have to do to conceal Bayel’s presence.’

“Do I seem like someone who doesn’t understand the dignity of this temple?”

Father Danian’s lips stretched as he understood her meaning. She was saying that she would overlook the strangeness and pretend that it was because the temple had no money; in exchange, he should hand over the annex.

Cayena laughed innocently, thinking that his expression looked very nice.

“Then, I’ll take you to an annex.”

Cayena walked beside Father Danian. Her attendants, who had been waiting in the lobby, followed.

The knights were agitated because her steps turned to the temple annex rather than the carriage.

“Are you not returning to the imperial palace, Your Highness?”

Cayena casually replied, “Can my prayers reach God with a single day of prayer?”

The knights looked quite embarrassed.

Cayena mercifully said, “Stop by the imperial palace and equip yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Cayena headed back to the annex in the back.

“What will you eat during your stay?”

The temple’s meals were unsuitable for the imperial family.

It would make much more sense for the princess to go to a restaurant and pay with gold coins for each meal.

“I will eat the temple’s food.”

Father Danian looked surprised, perhaps because he received a different answer than he expected.

“You don’t have to do anything special. Just make sure there are no nuts.”

“We’ll prepare your meals accordingly.”

When Father Danian reached the entrance of the annex, he politely bid her goodbye and returned to the temple.

Cayena’s servant stepped forward, opened the door, looked inside, and waited for Cayena to come in.

“Jan.”

The servant she called raised her head. Her expression showed she didn’t expect Cayena to know her name.

“You can use that room. And I have no appetite, so you can eat alone.”

Jan nodded to let her know she heard.

“You don’t have to wait for me. Come when I call you.”

Cayena, now alone in the room, exhaled. Like a person who had pulled several overnighters, her head was sore and tired.

Cayena took off her clothes like she was tearing them and fell onto the bed. She lifted her hands.

Then, a strange energy swept over her fingers.

It was a new sensation she had never felt before: the power of magic.

The tips of Cayena’s mouth tilted up.

“It’s a great success.”

Her hands fell without strength, and she sunk deeply into unconsciousness.

Scene 13. The Proposal of a Devil in the Form of an Angel

Rezef was safely reinstated in his position.

The authority of the internal affairs was transferred back to him, and Rezef ordered Madame Dotty to prepare to enter the palace soon.

“Since the weather is warm, would you like to wear something light?”

Rezef was getting dressed by his servants to go out.

“Sure.”

He put his hair back neatly, similar to a golden field, and wore a white silk shirt.

His appearance was outstanding and his figure was good, so just a touch-up made him look amazing. The servants who glanced at him thought that he looked as beautiful as Cayena. It was a pity his personality wasn’t more normal.

“Your Highness, a messenger just came in, asking for a private audience.”

“Let him in.”

He sent out all the servants, leaving only the messenger who asked to meet him alone.

“Report.”

The escort knight was also Rezef’s secret attendant. He had just returned from his mission to deal with Clarence Elivan.

“As you ordered, the murder of that woman was disguised as a suicide.”

The tone was so calm it could make one sick. His attitude showed that this was a familiar deed, that this sort of murder hadn’t been carried out just once or twice.

Upon receiving his subordinate’s report, Rezef put on a jacket embroidered with gold thread and matching accessories.

The attendant continued, a little stiffly, “However, there were people watching Clarence Elivan. It was impossible to fabricate a suicide note because they arrived at the scene too early.”

Rezef thought about whether to accent his outfit with ruby or peridot for today.

Ruby was no good because it reminded him of Raphael’s eyes. It would be better to wear peridot.

“They chased after me, but fortunately, I shook them off before entering the capital.”

After finishing his grooming, Rezef checked his appearance with a mirror.

Though he still looked young, he didn’t seem weak, thanks to his height of 185 cm and his toned body from constant training.

He said to the attendant, “Do you know why the carpet in my room is always scarlet or black?”

At the unexpected remark, the attendant inadvertently looked at the floor.

He could see the carpet had ornate black patterns on a red background.

Rezef smiled coldly.

“It’s to deal with useless bugs like you at any time with my own hands.”

Chwaak—!

Rezef drew his sword from his waist and cut the attendant’s neck. Blood soaked the carpet.

He looked at the mirror again. Red blood was now splattered on the white shirt.

“This is why I don’t wear white clothes often.”

He clicked his tongue and called for his other servants. They recoiled when they saw the corpse, but they skillfully rolled it up in the carpet.

“Call one of my aides.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

His aide arrived while he was changing out of his bloody shirt.

“Did you call for me, Your Highness?”

Seeing all the servants take the corpse and leave, Rezef opened his mouth.

“How is my father’s condition?”

The aide bowed his head.

“The doctor says that his energy has rapidly diminished these days. He spends many more days with his eyes closed.”

“It will be soon.”

The aide bowed even deeper at the nonchalant response.

“Also, I heard my sister suddenly went to a temple.”

“Yes.”

After meeting Raphael, his sister suddenly went to their father and straight to the temple.

Her behavior was difficult to understand.

“Which temple did she go to?”

“I heard it’s an old temple near the slums at the outskirts of the capital.”

“Why did she go to that temple instead of a cathedral or something?”

Slightly embarrassed, the aide replied, “That temple is acclaimed among noble ladies for helping them have children.”

Rezef’s brows furrowed.

Children? What the hell was this about?

The aide added, “It is also famous for helping arrange good marriages.”

“Ha.”

He scoffed at the absurdity.

He felt a little annoyed. His sister’s desire for marriage seemed to be considerable.

Rezef shook his head. As his only sister, Cayena was best suited to stay inside the imperial palace.

“All right. For now, I’ll go out.”

Rezef was thinking of meeting with Catherine Lindbergh today.