I Became the Villainess in an Anticlimactic Novel - Chapter 17

Kelber, who was lying next to me with his chin resting on my lap, opened his eyes to look up at me, as if he was happy to hear my voice. He closed his eyes again as I continued to pat his heads, occasionally whining and sniffing with his nose.

“Going home.”

“Oh… so you live in the East. Whereabouts in the East?”

“…”

He remained silent. 

Did you want me to guess or something? The capital of the Bakarta Empire lay more in the northwest than in the center, so when it came to the ‘East’, it encompassed quite a large amount of territories. There were such a large amount of areas that it became quite difficult to guess.

“It’s a place you’d like.”

“Me?”

Why is that? Is there a beach? Or a place with a beautiful night view? Are there a lot of restaurants? Or maybe there are a lot of attractions there too?

“A place with a good view of the galaxy, and lots of animals.”

“Wow, really?”

Then yes, you’re right! A place I’d like! Of all the scenic views, I especially liked looking at the night sky, and among all the things I liked, I especially liked animals as well.

“I really want to go there at least once.”

“You can come.”

“Psh, how could it be as easy as that?”

I had to get certified as a saintess, find the cheat, and flee as well… hmm, well, fleeing the country is temporarily on hold.

t/n: i’m changing the translation of spirit previously to cheat since i’m not even sure if it is a spirit and cheat is more ambiguous.

Regarding that, I was going to speak to the high priest about that after my confirmation as saintess. Wouldn’t you believe a prophecy of invasion if it was given by god? Or would I be punished for using god’s name in vain? But wouldn’t that be better than suffering from the demon invasion anyway?

“If you’re the owner of that thing, then…”

Lecht said softly to me, who was still lost in my own trivial thoughts. 

“I’m thinking of taking you there.”

“To your house?”

“Yes.”

The look in Lecht’s eyes as he gazed at me deepened for an instant. A spark appeared in those golden eyes I liked so much. 

“Lecht and the butler as well. Are you inwardly Lunarism fanatics?”

“…”

“Since I’ll monopolize your house if it really turns out that I am the saintess you know.”

Even though it felt like it was a result of fanaticism since I was the saintess, completely devoid of romantic air, it still didn’t feel too bad.

“That’s fine though. A believer like Lecht should be monopolized as much as possible.”

Even though he had a cold expression on his face, there would be no one else who could take care of others so well. He was also skilled in martial arts, so he’d protect me if anything happens.

Huh…? Come to think of it, didn’t I have Lecht…?

At that moment, a brilliant thought flashed through my mind.

“Lecht!”

I quickly reached out and clasped his hand. Lecht looked at me with wide eyes as Kelber suddenly woke up with a whine, perhaps because he was startled by the sudden noise.

“If I’m confirmed to be a saintess, you’ll protect me, right?”

“…”

“No matter what happens, you’ll protect me, right?”

To think that I was so anxious about the invasion with such a talented person by my side! How pathetic! 

Although I felt bad since it felt like I was taking advantage of his abilities by capitalizing off the fact that I was the saintess, Lecht was a fanatic believer anyway, so as long as he was, it should be fine. It didn’t seem like he’d hate it either.

“If something dangerous happens, or even if the whole world is overturned on its head! Even so, protecting the saintess can surely prove that you’re an extremely devoted believer, right?”

I gently fanned his ego and devotedness to the faith and eagerly held his hand in order to prevent him from hitting me if he caught onto what I was saying.

As I looked at him with twinkling eyes, he, who was speechless for a while, slowly stretched out his hand that was not being held by me. His hand touched my face and slowly swept my hair back, like a stream of water flowing backwards. The feeling of his fingers brushing through my blue hair was warm.

“I will give my all just to protect you.”

His replying voice was much deeper than usual. He combed his fingers through my hair and whispered in an ardent voice, as if he had been completely soaked in salt water.

“Whether it be my life or my soul.”

My heart began to pound in an instant at his expression that had softened slightly, different to his usual cold expression. 

No, I didn’t mean for you to stake everything like this though…

His words which were clearly very burdensome came to me in a bewildered flusteredness. As a believer, those words were just onces of faith to the saintess, but I kept assuming it to mean something different because of his languid voice.

Badump, badump, badump, badump, badump. My heart, you’ve worked hard today as well.

“Nothing will harm you with me by your side, so don’t worry.”

It was the moment I gained a reliable escort knight. 

But of course, the fact that I felt more of a ticklish and heart pounding feeling rather than a reassured feeling was a secret I kept only to myself.

* * *

“Saintess—! Our pretty saintess has arrived—!”

A cheerful voice calling to me echoed through the streets as soon as I got off the carriage.

“This way, Saintess! We’ve got the best room here, all cleaned up and blessed already!”

Wait, cleaning is understandable, but is it necessary for it to be blessed?

“We’ve also prepared the fruits that you like! Oh, you must be hungry so should we have dinner first? Vegetables, meat, fish, everything is possible!”

I burst into laughter at those words that seemed to belong to a hawker at a street market.

This feels surprisingly good after you get used to it though? Feeling happy over the affection that they poured on to me, I laughed and followed after them.

“As long as I can eat together with the priests, anything is fine.”

“Heok! Please give me a warning if you’re going to say something that will make my heart race!”

“Huhhhh… As expected, the saintess’s words can even heal hearts…”

Now I could roughly figure out each of their temperaments. A priest with many tears, a priest with a loud voice, and a priest who prefers to show through his actions rather than words. Although they were all at different ages, apparently they had been appointed as priests in the same year. 

When I entered the lodging, the high priest, Lydia, was there waiting for me as well.

“Am I late?”

“That’s not the case. I just arrived in advance since I had something I had to prepare.”

We sat around a large table and made plans for the future. It was about the procedures that were needed to certify the saintess, specifically regarding tomorrow’s itinerary where we would be going to the temple.

In any case, I was still going to the temple, so the destination had remained the same, but somehow, it had become a trip with a very different resolution from what had been decided at the beginning of the trip.

Of course, it’s not like I hated it. Naturally, it was fine.

“And that guy said, ‘Well, the saintess ate his soup first’! That’s wrong, she clearly had my bread first!”

“By dipping the bread in the soup, obviously the soup hits the tastebuds first!”

“She obviously went to grab my bread first! Then obviously my bread would come first! The soup is also impossible to eat without my bread!”

“Pfft, were you guys still fighting over that?”

I was here with these cheerful people who showered me with affection over every single little action of mine.

“Miss, here’s a napkin.” (Tanma)

“Woof!”

There’s also a butler, who takes care of me like this, and also an adorable Kelber who only follows after me.

“It’s hot since it won’t cool off. Drink this.”

There’s even Lecht, a believer who’d even risk his own life to protect me, so how could I not be happy?

* * * 

The mountain road from Chivan Village to the temple was even steeper than I expected. There wasn’t a separately paved road, nor was there a road formed by the frequent commute of people.

Due to this, it was such a rough climb to the extent that even believers who had heard of the abandoned temple didn’t come and find it, thus leaving it neglected.

“Kyaaa!”

“Woof!”

Lecht grabbed me when my feet slipped on something that was collapsing. Although I was a little flustered since what he had grabbed onto was my waist.

“Thanks.”

“It’s dangerous.”

He tightened his grip on my waist as if he was trying to say it was alright, even if I fell again. In a daze, I swayed in his arms in an ambiguous state, one that wasn’t fully in his embrace, nor was it one where I was pushing him away either.

“It’ll be uncomfortable to walk like this…”

That was the only thing that came to my mind as an excuse.

Well, I truly meant it, to a certain extent at least. How am I meant to walk if you hold me like this? It’s impossible to walk backwards like this too. 

While I was being indecisive about this and that, Lecht released his grip on me. Although it was a pity that the warmth disappeared, before that feeling could even settle in my heart, Lecht suddenly kneeled on one knee with his back toward me.

His back was the widest back of a man I had ever seen. I wasn’t so slow that I didn’t understand that his gesture clearly implied for me to get on his back.

“You don’t have to do this…! I can walk by myself.”

Of course, even though I had slipped at a rate of five times per minute, I still hadn’t fallen yet. 

I tapped him on the back to indicate for him to get up, but he didn’t budge.

“Get on his back, Miss.”

Tanma said softly as he approached me.

“It’s fi…”

“Oh, you fell? What if you sprained your ankle!”

He spoke with a loud voice that wasn’t appropriate for the situation, one sentence after the other. As soon as he did so, one of the priests who had gone ahead shouted.

“What did you say?! Our saintess sprained her ankle?!”

“Argh!!! This damn mountain ridge!”

“That’s why we said one of us should carry you!”

I glared at Tanma at the sight of them panicking all over the place. He did that on purpose. Just listen to them! However, Tanma was just smiling proudly, as if my glare didn’t even sting his eyes.

“The priests are worried. Please get on.”

Tanma guided me to Lecht’s back with both hands. It’s not like you can say ‘Please get on the carriage’. Can a butler do that? Isn’t Lecht your boss? What if you get in trouble later?

Words of protest bubbled up my throat, but only a sigh escaped from my lips. I should’ve felt annoyed, but his smile was so pleased that it felt embarrassing for me to get angry.

“Then, excuse me.”

I covered Lecht’s back with my body. I felt warm, as if I was lying on a fluffy sofa, his cool scent enveloping me. 

He rose up from his position with his hands under my thighs and my knees. He supported me firmly so that no strength would be exerted from my arms, which were hanging around his neck.

I was worried that he’d be able to feel my heart that was touching his back speed up. However, I didn’t want to move away and lose the warmth that was transmitted through the touching of our bodies. 

With every step he took, we moved up and down slightly, his body temperature giving me a sense of stability that went beyond warmth.

“This is nice…”

Since he was giving me a piggyback ride anyways, I rested my face against him. As I buried my cheek into the nape of his neck, his refreshing scent permeated deeper into my lungs.

“I feel like I’m only ever receiving things from Lecht, so I’m sorry.”

“Not at all.”

He immediately responded to my small apology.

“There’s absolutely no problem with this.”

At the quick reply, I smiled and whispered.

“Why? Is it because I’m the saintess?”

Lowering my head further, I buried my face further into his neck.

“Even though I didn’t expect it from you, you’re surprisingly religious.”

The fact that he’d be extremely faithful in trusting god with such a serious and cold expression wasn’t consistent at all. Just based on the aura he exuded, I didn’t think he’d be someone of extremely strong faith. It was more likely for him to be a god. 

I guess it’s lucky for me to be Lunarism’s saintess, otherwise I’d receive the same treatment as Linden, right? Would you change my treatment to that if I was confirmed not to be the saintess?

Although I didn’t think that would happen, I became upset for no reason. Although it’s touching when someone who normally isn’t nice treats you warmly, a person who changes after being good to you for a while is even worse.

“I hope I can quickly confirm that I’m the saintess soon.”

I hoped that even this slight anxiety would disappear quickly. As if he was cheering my heart on, I felt Lecht’s arm which was holding me tighten its grip a little. 

“So that I can use Lecht as an escort knight.”

When I added that on at the end playfully, I could hear Lecht smirk— no, laugh.

After that, it was silent. There was only the sound of the rustling of fallen leaves as we stepped on them, all the way until we arrived at the temple. 

But there was no awkwardness at all.