Chapter 115
The plan I originally devised was something like this,
I would stick around Saintess Bianca to suppress her [Charm Monopoly (SSS)] skill, and gradually reduce her popularity. Thus, the presence of Princess Sahar and Aracelli would increase.
It had been more than two months since I came here. And I think I’d done quite a lot of work in that span of time.
Just the other day, Princess Sahar successfully became an ‘incarnation of justice’ after wrapping up the [Fallen Angel] episode. And Bianca’s popularity plummeted further thanks to Aracelli’s brilliant debut.
That accident wasn’t the only one, there were also quite a lot of other events that took place since then. and each time, I thought I was pretty successful in shaving Bianca’s popularity.
However, not everything in this world would move according to my plan.
My current method wasn’t enough to make a significant dent in Bianca’s popularity which she had built for a year after her transmigration. Her popularity around the Empire was as high as Eiffel Tower, as she was loved by virtually everyone.
And in order to bring her down, I need a more efficient way.
As someone who lived in Korea, and had watched 9 o’clock news for the last 30 years. There were several methods that I could think of, such as, spreading false facts, nasty rumors or even fabricating a non-existent story that could affect Bianca’s daily life.
However, I couldn’t use those methods. In order to reestablish Princess Sahar as ‘Child of Goddess’ and at the same time, reducing the power that Bianca held as a Saintess, so that she could not use ‘regression’, I need something more political…. But I simply couldn’t think of anything right now.
At first glance, the protagonist hunting mission might look like just another mission with slightly better rewards. However, it actually had a tremendous risk that follows along. Which is, it was almost impossible for me to return to Earth if I failed the hunt.
Excluding the hunt of Supreme Dharma, the other missions that I received so far always had a high success rate. But lately, the success rate has become quite frustrating. In particular, in this mission, Saintess Bianca was the worst protagonist I ever met.
I had to admit, for someone like me, who only trained my hunting skills throughout my life, Saintess Bianca, who was quite skillful in terms of politics and fame management, was like a four-dimensional wall that could not be overcome.
“Knight Yoo Seodam?”
“Yes?”
I turned my head towards Bianca who called me. Even though right now I was enjoying the sight of cherry blossoms together with a beautiful woman at the lakeside, I couldn’t help but feel miserable.
“Have you thought about the suggestion I told you before?”
“Ah.”
Some time ago, she asked me to be her guardian knight. In other words, she asked me to abandon Princess Sahar. And if I do that, Princess Sahar would cut my body into two parts. Am I crazy enough to accept something like that? Of course not.
“I’m sorry to say this because of our relationship, but I’m sorry, I cannot abandon my master.”
“Ah….. I see. Seeing how loyal you are, I think you are a true knight of this era.”
The two of us really have no interest in each other. We just approached each other in order to use each other. It was obvious to tell just by looking at her bloody eyes.
So, the quite tense date continued. However, someone with pale countenance suddenly appeared from the bush.
“It seems like both of you are enjoying your date…”
It was Emperor Serael.
For a second, thanks to his sharp eyes and bright red lips that look like he just finished drinking blood, I thought he was a vampire. But in the next moment, I was already kneeling on my knees with my hand crossing to my chest. And said in a mechanical voice, “I see the Highest Sun of the Empire.”
This was the etiquette to greet the Emperor in this country.
Serael slowly looked between me and Bianca before spitting out some words
“Are you happy?”
“…….!!”
Bianca’s complexion quickly turned pale. I also started sweating as I had a hard time enduring this thrilling atmosphere.
‘Oh my God.’
Even in romance-fantasy genre, jealousy between one male-lead and the other was nothing but a common cliché. There should be no cases where other male-lead intrudes during a ‘date’ like this. Moreover I was not one of the male-lead, and Bianca was someone who was completely protected by protagonist correction.
I think this development was the result of me breaking the protagonist correction.
“Yo..Yo..Your Majesty. Well, this is…”
Seeing the confusion on Bianca’s face, an idea suddenly came to my mind.
It’s a very, very dangerous idea, but if I pulled it right, there’s a chance it would have pretty good effect.
If I did something wrong, I may be in trouble… But there’s no other way left for me. It was make it or break it now.
I tried to hide the cold sweat that ran on my body and said.
“Your Majesty, Saintess Bianca and I are lovers.”
“…What?! That, what are you talking about!”
Of course, it was a lie. There’s no way we were lovers when we didn’t even have any interest in each other. We only enjoyed meeting each other on a date. But, like people said, politics could only be won by those who instigate and fabricate.
“Why do you…? Saintess Bianca, have you forgotten your promise at that time?”
“Oh, no. No, that’s not it… But did we have anything going on between us??”
“Then! what about all the time we’d spent together?”
I wonder what her answer will be?
When I lifted my head and looked at the emperor, he was also looking at me with a terrifying expression. After that, he looked at Bianca. If the situation had been the same as before, Serael would have felt endless love for Bianca no matter what happens. But because of my interference, the [Charm Monopoly (SSS)] skill couldn’t work properly. So, his feelings should be in a mess right now.
“Bianca… Is that true? What the knight said, is it true?”
“It’s not true, Your Majesty!”
Whether it was true or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. The important thing was that the Saintess was caught having a date on the lakeside with me. and it was obvious that there was no need to talk about whose words were more credible.
“Saintess…. Were all the times we’ve been together is nothing but a lie?”
In addition to that, what if I act like an abandoned dog?
“Ah, ah….”
Looks like my gamble worked rather well.
* * *
The plan completely changed.
In every mission, I had always been pursuing the safest and most effective way. But now, I had to take a completely different approach, a high risk and high return.
This method certainly had a high risk. I could be buried by the male-lead both literally and politically… But what can I do? I had no method left, it was either sink or swim.
So I’ll use it. The fastest way to bury a celebrity, a scandal!
On top of it, it was an ‘infidelity’ scandal.
“Really? Is that true? To think Saintess Bianca is having an affair…….”
“I told you it’s true. Fyuh… and it wasn’t only one or two times.”
“Shh. The knight over there was also managed by the Saintess-nim…”
Of course, since the Saintess wasn’t married yet, it couldn’t be called an affair, but that was why the whole thing was rather exciting for the bystanders.
A Saintess who must stay away from men, actually had secret encounters with numerous men? In an empire where there’s no news and no games, could there be any gossip more interesting than this?
“Ah! You know, I saw Saintess Bianca having a date with the Tower Master too….”
“Seriously? I heard she also went for a walk to Sahalen Garden with the Pope?”
Only after the rumor spread like a wildfire did Aracelli told me that all the male-lead had noticed Bianca’s relationship even before the rumor started.
“What? You told them? You crazy…..”
“Yeah. I did that because Professor kept making me do something weird.”
“I mean, I’m aware that I was a little bit out of the line, but how could you tigger those crazy-for-love bastards…?”
At first, I was very taken aback. But after pondering about the situation, it could certainly be used. I am someone who was very tough and persistent and knew how to eat the rice cake that was given to me.
‘Let’s spread the rumor more.’
The main purpose was to do some damage to Bianca’s fame by using people’s mouth. And the real goal was to get the rumors into the ears of the ‘male-lead’.
Bianca, who they thought as their own woman, turned out to be playing around with five guys at the same time. It was natural the fire fell on the feet of the male-lead.
“Tsk tsk. I know it would turn out like this.”
“There was no woman around her. Did she try to fill it all with men?”
Even such insignificant facts that are usually taken for granted become a delicious prey for the bystander. I thought about it once again and became certain. Rumor breeds another rumor. And as the rumor spreads more, people will no longer care for the ‘fact’.
People literally bite on everything because It was something they enjoy.
I didn’t feel sorry towards Bianca at all. Because, it was exactly the same things she did to Princess Sahar. She just… reap what she had sown.
“Hmmm…….”
On my way back to the duchess residence, a single note was delivered to me. On it, beautiful writing could be found.
[Please come to this place at the time when the sun sinks in the clouds!]
It was a note from Saintess Bianca.
The location of their meeting would be the third temple which is located on the outskirts of the capital. It was a desolate place which was rarely visited by people.
This place was prepared by Bianca to meet me. Perhaps because of the rumors that were circulating all over the empire, she tried to find me rather quickly.
‘I was wondering where she hid, but she was there?’
Well, in this situation, it was natural for her to find me first. However, I still didn’t know what her purpose was.. Is it perhaps to rely on me? or to reprimand and scrutinize me?
She called me ‘secretly’. And, in common sense, it would be normal for me to go ‘secretly’ unless I want to die in a fight between the Emperor, the Tower Lord, the World’s Best Swordsman, and the Pope.
But unfortunately, I wasn’t a normal knight, and I had no intention of meeting her ‘secretly’.
I walked with very imposing steps until just a few meters away from the meeting location. Then, I pretended to ‘sneak’ and entered the secret meeting place of her and me.
In this temple which was built around 100 years ago, I could see vines growing on the walls and also moss-like things between the pillars that are broken in half.
With the hue of setting over the horizon, the black-haired lady really received a lot of buffs for her appearance today.
“Saintess, you are here. I really miss you.”
Saying that, I approached Bianca and stroked her cheek.
This scene could have been a very, very romantic scene.…….. If it weren’t for the four male-lead who suddenly appeared.
“Huh…Huh..?”
Saintess Bianca took a step back. Her eyes bulged as wide as the Pacific Ocean.
They appeared in the temple very quietly.
The Tower Master was floating in the sky, the swordmaster sat on the broken pillar with stern expression, the Emperor confidently opened the front door and slowly walked in, and the Pope was leaning on the statue of the goddess.
…..Wow. I put great effort into the scene earlier because I was afraid that they weren’t the male-leads. But look at them, do they think it’s cool to be so pretentious and openly show-off their powers like that?
“Ah! Your Majesty the Emperor? Even Your holiness, the Pope?”
I acted like I was seriously taken aback and stepped back. Then, I slipped my hand into the handle of the ether blade.
From here and on it has become really irreversible.
“Saintess, didn’t you promise me your love?”
“You’re talking bullsh*t, Pope. She decided to look only at me. If you say some bullsh*t again, I’ll cut your lips.”
“Bianca…. My fiance. Just what the hell happened? Were all the brilliant and beautiful memories that blossomed between us… Was it all false?”
“Tower Master. Saintess Bianca has not blossomed memories with you, so please quietly withdraw.”
Bianca’s complexion became paler at every ticking moment. The four male-leads poured out their energy and the atmosphere quickly became bloody.
[Warning! A strong clash of probability is expected!]
[The protagonist hunter is advised to leave promptly!]
I swallowed my saliva. The Saintess was slowly stepping back as she muttered something.
I couldn’t hear what she said in detail, all I could hear was “Yes. I have to start over…” and she was looking somewhere.
I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I couldn’t let it be. When I took out my ether sword to stop her, someone pointed a sword to my neck.
It was the World’s Best Swordsman, Sodier.
“Where are you going?”
“…..haha.”
I laughed wryly. I feel like I’m going to be caught up in the dog fight too.