Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

Although I spoke boldly, I couldn’t help feeling the tension washing over me like a wave.

After all…

‘The public worship hall is as big as a stadium!’

This spacious outdoor space was filled with hundreds of people.

There were even some familiar faces from social circles in the seats for nobles.

As I was clutching the curtain with a tense face, a large hand landed on my head.

“Don’t worry too much. This is just to shut up the heretics once and for all.”

When I told Dad that I would be having a paternity test in front of everyone today, he smiled slightly and said:

-Finally, the moment has come to legally deal with those flies.

From the moment the High Priest proves my legitimacy, those who had been speaking groundlessly would receive punishment close to the crime of insulting nobility.

Undoubtedly, the Rayes Ducal family would sweep them all away like fish in water.

“Father, we should call those lawyers we met last time again.”

“Yes, we need to make sure we can deal with every single one of them without exception.”

The three men who looked exactly alike were already discussing future plans as if the paternity test was over.

‘They must have had a lot pent up.’

As much as me.

“Saintess, Duke. The worship will end soon.”

Count Heilo said so and handed white robes to me and Dad.

The believers’ robes for nobles were made of pristine white cloth with delicate gold embroidery.

When we returned after changing into them, the worship had already ended, and the High Priest was asking the believers who were about to leave to wait a moment.

As the believers looked questioningly, the elderly High Priest began:

“Until now, the temple has been watching the ongoing debate about the two saintesses.”

As if it was the first time he had officially brought up this topic, people started to stir.

“However, including the fact that the Rayes Saintess has even received threats from the Sole Saintess Faction, we have decided to put an end to the atrocities of those heretics that are still endlessly increasing. Most believers will know that I have the ability to discern bloodlines.”

Although it wasn’t well known publicly, it seems it was well known within the temple.

There were occasionally people who came to the temple asking for paternity tests.

“Could it be…”

“Are you saying the High Priest will determine if Duke Rayes’s daughter is really the Duke’s child?”

“That’s absurd. If the result shows they’re not blood-related, the temple will have to bear all the repercussions.”

“The old man must have gone senile…”

Despite the murmuring voices of the people, the High Priest signaled to me hiding behind the curtain without wavering.

“Just a moment, Saintess.”

As I was about to go out in front of the people hand in hand with Dad, Count Heilo called out to me.

“It’s a golden crown. Let’s put this on.”

The count placed a golden crown shaped like tree branches on my head.

It matched well with the white priestly robe.

“Thank you. Well then, I’ll be going.”

As Dad and I entered from behind, the crowd was even more shocked.

Some nobles who had been speaking ill of me hurriedly bowed their heads in greeting the moment they made eye contact with Dad.

“Until now, the claims of the heretics have been as follows: The Rayes Saintess is not the Duke’s real child. Her manifestation of sacred power is also borrowed from an unrighteous force.”

The High Priest walked up to where Dad and I were holding hands and smiled kindly.

“If we prove that the Saintess is the Duke’s real child, all controversies will end.”

And soon he raised both hands and stretched them towards me and Dad.

A dazzling light began to envelop our vision.

A gentle breeze arose from his wrinkled hands, and a golden cup filled with transparent holy water appeared.

The High Priest handed a thin dagger that appeared next to it to Dad.

He cut his palm without any hesitation and let the blood drop onto the holy water.

A red haze rose, and soon the color of the holy water turned red.

-If a direct descendant of the same bloodline drops a drop of blood in the holy water, the color will change to blue.

I recalled what the High Priest had said.

‘Now if I drop my blood too…’

I took the dagger from Dad’s hand.

He who had cut his own palm without any concern looked at me worriedly when it was my turn.

I made a small wound on my palm and let a drop of blood fall onto the holy water.

The blood began to mix with the red holy water.

And soon, the color changed.

“…!”

“Th-This can’t be!”

“…It’s not possible.”

To purple.

He had said it would turn blue if we were parent and child, and purple if we were strangers.

“…”

I couldn’t speak.

As something I had never doubted until now was denied before my eyes, I even felt like the ground was collapsing beneath me.

“D-Dad…”

Was I allowed to call him father anymore…?

As I looked at him with a confused expression, soon warm arms embraced me.

“Calm down. It’s alright. No matter what happens, you are still Duke Rayes’s daughter…”

“But I’m, I’m not your daughter, they say. Then how do I have silver hair, and how can I use healing magic…?!”

And even bear the chronic incurable disease of Duke Rayes’s daughters…

The High Priest beside us also had a pale expression, as if this was unexpected.

“Everyone, step back.”

At that moment, Count Heilo walked in front of us.

He spoke with his back to me as if protecting me:

“An unrighteous force has intervened in this sacred ritual.”

‘Unrighteous force…?’

He began to recite a prayer with his hands clasped together.

Starting with his fine golden hair fluttering, a gentle breeze began to rise throughout the wide space.

He was the most likely candidate for the next High Priest.

“Found it.”

As his faint muttering voice was heard, a terrible scream came from among the people.

[Arrrghhh! Aaagh!!]

It was a beastly scream, not human.

The person who was screaming while clutching their head, covered in a white priestly robe, was soon dragged in front of us by the holy knights on standby.

Even while being dragged, they didn’t stop screaming as if in great agony.

“What is your identity?”

Count Heilo raised a sharp sword and removed the man’s hat.

“…!”

The man’s form was constantly changing. Sometimes it took human form, sometimes snake form.

It seemed to be trying to return to its original form, suffering from the count’s power.

[How dare mere humans!! Arrrghhh!]

Just hearing those words, it seemed the snake form was its true appearance.

“This being used trickery to make the color of the holy water appear different. It couldn’t contaminate the holy water itself, but it covered it with a layer.”

‘So… this reptile cheated, is that what you’re saying?’

I felt relief for a moment.

And soon anger surged.

How should I make it pay for reviving that heart-dropping sensation I only felt when riding rollercoasters at amusement parks after so long?

‘How to make it pay? I should make it suffer as much as possible.’

I approached the snake that wouldn’t easily open its mouth even to Count Heilo’s interrogation.

“Saintess, it’s a ferocious being. It’s dangerous!”

“Don’t worry. I’ve become more ferocious.”

I summoned the Blood Sword after a long time.

The Blood Sword was sharply honed.

The reptile, seemingly sensing the terrifying aura in front of it, stopped screaming and flinched.

I smiled slightly and began to strike the reptile, reinforcing the Blood Sword.

[Gack!]

It let out a painful groan and returned to its original form.

It was a very large black snake.

“Wait, you!”

I said with wide eyes.

“Aren’t you the Master’s pet snake?”

[Ugh, n-no! What nonsense, how could I be that senile magician’s pet snake!]

“But you look exactly like the snake I saw in the cage in the Master’s study.”

[It took some effort to destroy the cage that guy sealed. I couldn’t just sit still after overhearing what the red-haired magician said!]

By red-haired magician, did it mean Lihid?

The snake had come to interfere after learning that I was having a paternity test today.

‘But why?’

“Wait, that snake…! It was definitely the familiar that Saintess Senia used to carry around!”

The young priest Cael who had guided me stood up abruptly and said.

“I can’t forget… Because she scolded me while threatening me with that huge snake.”

The child said, sniffling.

‘Senia’s familiar…?’

But no matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem like a familiar.

First of all, familiars can only communicate with mages, but this one wasn’t like that.

‘Rather…’

Seeing the black energy swirling around, it looked more like a demonic beast related to black magic.

“Tell me. Did Senia send you?”