00. Prologue
It was a pitch-black night.
A quiet hour when no one would be awake. Yet at the Blairus Manor, torches flared, and a commotion broke out. The only saint of the Blairus family…
No, the one and only saint of the empire and the second daughter of the Blairus family, Ashley Blairus, had been rescued from a lake behind the manor just moments before she could die.
The greatest saint in the empire had attempted suicide.
Ashley, who always fulfilled her role as a saint with a bright smile every day, attempting suicide was nothing short of an unexpected disaster.
“Good heavens! Miss! Miss, please snap out of it!”
“The safety of the saint comes first! Call every physician immediately, and make sure all the staff are on standby!”
“No! Our saint!”
Amid the noisy chaos, only Ariadne, in a negligee, stood frozen, staring at Ashley being carried out unconscious from the lake.
She felt completely detached from reality. Everything around her seemed to move slowly, like a painting.
Pitch-dark darkness without even a moon.
And the red flames flickering in that darkness.
The black, gaping lake that had swallowed her younger sister.
It all felt unreal.
She threw herself in? Why?
Ariadne couldn’t understand.
Last night, after dinner, she thought she had gently persuaded Ashley when she came to her room late in the evening.
Even thinking back, the request her sister had made was unreasonable.
She had explained it clearly…
Ashley had shown a little sulkiness, but still…
Ariadne thought she had understood and left.
Of course, there was one thing Ashley had said while leaving that had stuck with her:
“If you don’t grant my request, sister, I’ll really die.”
[…]
“I’m serious. Sister. I might really die.”
“Ashley, you can’t say things like that.”
Ariadne had thought such ridiculous threats were still cute. She believed Ashley couldn’t possibly be serious.
She couldn’t understand the weight of her sister’s life outside, living as a “saint.” She thought it was just whining… but that night, Ashley truly threw herself into the lake.
All because I didn’t grant that one request…?
Ariadne still couldn’t believe it.
To take her own life just because she hadn’t gotten what she wanted?
It felt like time itself had slowed down.
Biting her lips unconsciously, she prayed her sister would survive.
Fortunately, Ashley Blairus survived after drifting in and out of critical condition for several days.
Her survival was a blessing to everyone—except one person.
Ariadne.
After Ashley woke up, a nightmare began for Ariadne.
Smack—
Her head snapped to the right. The blow was so strong that her vision flickered.
“….”
Tears welled up in Ariadne’s eyes as she held her cheek.
It wasn’t because of pain.
It was because her father’s treatment of her felt unbearably cruel.
“Go apologize to Ashley immediately!”
The shouting pierced her heart.
The reason she had been hit was because of what Ashley said after waking up.
The moment Ashley regained consciousness, she burst into tears, saying, “I didn’t want to live because my sister didn’t grant my request.”
The manor erupted into chaos.
If anyone in the empire who revered the saint heard those words, Ariadne’s life could even be in danger.
Her father used that as leverage, pushing Ariadne into a corner.
“If His Majesty ever finds out that you were the reason Ashley did that, I couldn’t possibly handle the consequences. If you apologize, Ashley will just pretend it was an accident when she stumbled. Go now and apologize.”
“….”
Ariadne stared blankly at her father.
Apologize? When she hadn’t done anything wrong?
“Ariadne!”
“….”
Apparently, Ashley wanted Ariadne to apologize.
Otherwise, she threatened to tell everyone that she attempted suicide because of her sister.
Ariadne was dumbfounded.
“Just go apologize! One sentence is enough.”
“I—”
Holding her still-sore cheek, Ariadne quietly spoke.
“I haven’t done anything wrong… and you’re telling me to apologize?”
Her father’s face twisted even further.
“Why are you being stubborn! How hard is it to apologize!”
He said forcing her to apologize was the best thing he could do for her as a parent.
Yet when Ariadne didn’t move, he struck the adult daughter across the cheek.
Ariadne knew her father’s behavior was wrong.
He didn’t ask a single thing about the circumstances of the night Ashley tried to kill herself, nor about Ariadne’s side of the story. He only listened to Ashley and demanded an apology.
Shouldn’t a parent listen to both sides?
But of course…
Ashley Blairus was the saint everyone adored. Even her parents were no exception.
Ariadne’s words stuck in her throat.
“….”
When had things gone so wrong? she wondered.
Still, she thought her family would love her, even just a little.
She had fulfilled every duty as the eldest daughter.
She thought she could earn love this way.
If her father demanded something, she endured it.
If it meant sacrificing herself for the saint, she didn’t hesitate.
Still, she wanted her family to treat her as family.
“But… I guess that’s not the case.”
To her father, Ariadne was nothing.
To him, only the saint Ashley mattered—more than anything.
What was so special about a saint anyway?
The meaning was simple: a woman blessed with special powers. Nothing more.
In the empire, some were born with the rare gift of healing.
In the past, half the population was said to have this power at birth, but not anymore.
At most, one or two per generation.
And among those living now, Ashley Blairus was the only one who had manifested it.
Naturally, she gained the title of saint, and everyone admired her.
So for her to attempt suicide… it was a huge, unprecedented event.
Ariadne could understand her father’s attitude—but still…
She finally resolved to cut this dreadful tie for good.
People blinded by the saint, who couldn’t see anything else—those could not be called family.
Overnight, she became a villainess.
“Father… I’ll just leave the Blairus Manor myself.”
Ariadne said it without hesitation.
If she must become the villainess, she would accept that fate.
She smiled faintly, thinking, I’ll live as the villainess you want me to.
Chapter 01
Ariadne spoke the words and stared blankly at the Count.
The Count’s expression immediately darkened, and he spoke in a sharp, cutting tone.
“You’re not going anywhere. Stay in your room.”
He drove the command like a stake into Ariadne, reinforcing his authority.
“Do not think of going anywhere until I give the order.”
In other words, she was forbidden from doing anything until she had apologized to her sister.
Ariadne didn’t reply. She simply turned and left the Count’s study.
“Wh-what! What did I even do right!”
Behind her, she heard the Count’s voice filled with anger, but she ignored it completely.
Originally, she had intended to check on Ashley’s condition, but now, faced with a sister demanding an apology, she felt she had nothing to say. So she decided to return straight to her room.
As Ariadne left the study, the servants who had been stationed there glanced at her.
It seemed that rumors were already circulating.
That she had driven Ashley to attempt suicide.
If the rumor were true, wouldn’t that make Ariadne the villain of the century?
But it wasn’t true.
“Hah.”
She deliberately met the eyes of the servants. Only then did they hesitate and lower their heads.
Even though she knew the rumor was baseless, it was impossible not to shrink a little under the judgmental gazes of so many people. She couldn’t go around explaining to everyone that it was a misunderstanding—after all, everyone would trust Ashley, the saint, over her.
Since she had already decided to live as the “villain,” enduring the unkind stares of so many was not easy. She quickly left and returned to her room.
Once inside, she closed the door and leaned against it.
Her heart ached in a strange way.
All it took was a single rumor, perhaps not even true, and everyone had turned against her. She had known Ashley’s influence was immense, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so suddenly.
“Hah…”
Ashley’s influence was also tied to the emperor’s longstanding illness.
The middle-aged Emperor of the Empire had been suffering from a mysterious illness for years, and no skilled court physician had been able to cure him.
The only thing that had any noticeable effect was the saint’s healing power.
Although it couldn’t completely cure the illness, Ashley’s healing eased the pain and weakened the symptoms enough for the Emperor to live a normal life. She was therefore regularly summoned to the palace to care for him.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Emperor relied heavily on her.
In that sense, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable that the Count had reacted so angrily.
Ever since Ashley had alleviated the Emperor’s illness, the Count’s influence among the nobles had grown enormous—more than that of many marquises and dukes.
“If anything really happens to Ashley…”
If she could no longer care for the Emperor, the losses would be immense.
Yes, Ariadne could understand all of that…
Even if everything was perfectly arranged in this way, she still felt a sting in her heart. Yet she had no intention of avoiding reality.
“I’ve done nothing wrong.”
She took a quiet, deep breath, straightened herself, and pulled away from the door.
There was no time to linger. Staying near Ashley would only worsen public opinion. She decided to leave the Count’s estate as quickly as possible.
No matter what others thought, as long as she herself was unharmed, it would be fine.
It might have seemed sudden, but this was actually a very wise decision.
There was no way she could remain at the Count’s estate, pretending everything was normal, after being falsely accused of almost killing the saint.
They would continue to treat her like a criminal—her family, the servants, and even the nobles who revered the saint.
Better to embrace the role of the villain.
She thought ahead.
“It’s better to leave. Let them curse me while I’m gone.”
Even as she thought this, her cheek still burned from the slap, an ache she could not ignore.
She slowly walked to the mirror.
The reflection before her was a sight to behold—though not in a good way.
“My, my…”
Her cheek was swollen bright red, almost pitiful. This wasn’t just a mild bruise.
A clear handprint marked one side of her face.
“Couldn’t he have hit a little softer? Ow… it stings.”
She touched it and flinched at the sharp pain.
“This will take days to heal. At this rate…”
Even while looking in the mirror, she continued planning. She didn’t want to remain at the estate, ignored and humiliated, accused of being responsible for Ashley’s suicide attempt.
“When’s the right time…”
She began to plan her departure from the Count’s estate.
Judging by the Count’s temperament, the sooner she left, the better.
“Tomorrow… yes, tomorrow Ashley will go to the palace to see His Majesty.”
It just so happened that tomorrow was one of Ashley’s regular visits to the palace.
“And my father will accompany her as well.”
Normally, on days when Ashley went to tend to the Emperor, the Count’s estate was silent as if no one were there, because all the important figures of the family would go to the palace. Ariadne herself would usually go along.
But now, she realized, there was no way they would take her with them. Ashley needed to be in perfect condition, and Ariadne’s presence would only get in the way.
So she resolved to leave the estate while no one was around.
“I’ll need money if I’m going to live alone… maybe I should take some jewels.”
Ariadne sat at a table, dipping a quill into ink, planning the details carefully.
“Money… and a place to stay. Hmm.”
While she pondered, the pain on her cheek made her purse her lips awkwardly.
“Ugh…”
At that moment, a knock came at her door, urgent and insistent.
“Miss! It’s me! Florin!”
“Yes, come in.”
Ariadne frowned at the pain in her cheek as she answered.
Florin, her personal attendant, was the only person in the estate who seemed to truly understand Ariadne’s position.
She hurried into the room, then froze in shock when she saw Ariadne’s face.
“Oh my… the Count has gone too far.”
Having already heard the news, Florin laid out a variety of medicines on the table.
“Come here. I’ll apply something to help.”
Without protest, Ariadne sat down in front of her.
“Oh my… tsk.”
Florin took a cloth soaked in cold water and pressed it gently against Ariadne’s cheek, sighing deeply.
“Ah.”
“Keep it there. The pain should ease.”
“Thank you…”
“Don’t thank me. Oh my… this is going to last for days… no, maybe even two weeks. Even when the swelling goes down, the bruise will remain. Really… why on your face of all places?”
Florin shook her head in disbelief.
“It’s okay.”
Ariadne replied calmly, which made Florin huff in frustration.
“The Count and everyone else just never listen to you. They only care about Miss Ashley. Poor you.”
Florin wiped her tears while speaking in anger. Ariadne, thankful that someone at least defended her, tried to smile, but the pain made her expression stiffen again. Florin’s words were entirely accurate.
“My father doesn’t see me as his daughter, it seems.”
At that, Florin gasped. Ariadne rarely voiced such complaints.
“Well… it’s just that…”
Florin struggled to respond. Anyone could see that the Count completely favored Ashley over Ariadne, though Ariadne was otherwise a perfect daughter, deserving of love and recognition.
“What must I do to earn my father’s love?”
Ariadne had never realized how hard it was to receive a parent’s love. Seeing Florin flustered, she quickly softened her tone.
“It doesn’t matter. Think whatever you want.”
Ariadne pressed the cloth against her cheek. She was going to leave the Count’s estate soon anyway. Though she felt sorry for Florin, this was the best choice for herself.
“Ugh… how is everything run in this house? Even the younger miss is too much! I heard everything that day!”
“Don’t say that anywhere, Florin. You’ll just get in trouble.”
Ariadne’s concern for Florin made the attendant scowl.
“Tsk! You’re shameless! Just rest. I’ll make sure no one comes in.”
“Thanks. I’ll just sleep through until tomorrow.”
“You’re not going to the palace tomorrow?”
“No. It’s better for them if I don’t go.”
Saying this, she slid under the covers.
After all, they would be gone for a few days anyway. She could plan the details later. Exhausted from nursing Ashley and the emotional strain, she quickly fell asleep.
“Ugh…”
Morning light seeped through her eyelids.
But it wasn’t the sunlight that woke her.
From dawn, a series of noisy, disruptive sounds had carried into her room.
She couldn’t ignore it and finally got up.
“Ugh… what now?”
The estate, which should have been quiet in the morning, was unusually chaotic.
On days when Ashley went to the palace, everyone usually left at dawn, and the estate was like a ghost town. But today felt different.
Bang.
The door suddenly swung open.
Florin had arrived in such a hurry she had even skipped knocking. She burst in, out of breath, speaking as if shouting.
“It’s… it’s a big problem!”
She looked worried, fidgeting nervously.
“What? What’s going on? Why is the whole estate in chaos this morning?”
Ariadne felt a strange familiarity, a sense reminiscent of Ashley’s recent suicide attempt. Something was wrong.
“T-today, Miss Ashley was supposed to go to the palace as usual—”
Florin was so flustered she could barely speak.
“Yes. And?”
“She… she tested her healing power.”
“Yes, and?”
Before leaving for the palace, Ashley always tested her healing ability. It was a simple procedure and had never gone wrong.
“Oh my… Miss Ashley’s healing power—no, her… her power… well…”
Florin’s voice dropped, approaching cautiously.
“It’s… completely gone!”
Despite the small voice, her expression was grave. Ariadne blinked in disbelief.
“What?”
It couldn’t be true.
The Empire’s only saint, and now Ashley’s healing power was gone?
