I Reject the villain’s ending.

Episode 9

‘No, you’re the only man I’ve ever touched!’

I cried out.

If anyone heard me, they’d think I’m the ultimate troublemaker and I’m going to screw every man in sight.

I don’t need any more man to cross me and then get tangled up in a tangled web and come after my head.

I tore my gaze away from the guardians and shook my head in annoyance, and their mauve gazes met mine, then fell.

I sighed inwardly.

‘What in the world has happened to my image to make you so wary of a handsome man at the mere mention of the word “handsome”?

Sure, I flirted with Iros whenever I could, and I’d run my hands over his hard muscles, but I wasn’t the kind of girl to flirt with a handsome man I didn’t even know.

‘Huh. I want to go back to my room already.’

‘Didn’t you say you’d be attending prayer meetings from today onwards?’

‘Pink, resolutions, and reality are two different things.’

‘Why don’t you just say you want to get rid of it all? You said no red flowers for ten days, and I thought it would last this time.’

Hearing Iros’ sigh, which was somehow laced with disappointment, I said bluntly.

‘Okay, okay. It’s so hard to be a good boy. When the hell are we going to start praying?’

My unannounced arrival at the prayer meeting caused everyone to stumble and make minor mistakes, and the prayer time got later and later.

In the end, the prayer didn’t start until thirty minutes past the appointed time, and I meekly endured the long prayer time.

After the tedious and sleep-inducing prayer, people quickly left the prayer hall, taking notice of me.

I stood up from my seat as the room deserted.

Iros, who set with me, followed my lead.

Our destination was the two guardians.

Shield and Wisdom.

Guardians of saints and temples, yet they had never come to see me, never acknowledged me as their master.

‘Nice to meet you, I’m Sierra Elgraton.’

‘…It is a pleasure to meet you, Saint. I’m Diane Emore.’

‘…….’

Smiling brightly, Dian returned the greeting a beat too slow, and Wisdom shook her head with a scowl and turned away.

Diane glanced back at her, then bowed low as she and the priests left for the conference room.

Left in the prayer hall, I remained silent, smiling, before turning to Iros, who stood behind me.

‘Pink, did those handsome men just run away from me?’

‘Pfft.’

‘Are you laughing?’

Pink’s eyes widened and she whirled around to see Iros’s grim face, as if he’d never laughed before.

‘Of course not, how dare I laugh at a saint.’

‘I didn’t ask if you laughed at her.’

Iros snorted, glanced at the ticking clock, and strode briskly to the conference room.

‘Phew, I don’t like this one or that one.’

‘Phew.’

* * *

Iros raised a hand to cover his mouth as he burst out laughing, watching Sierra’s back as she stomped off in a huff.

Mei was watching her from behind, looking at her with an affectionate gaze that seemed to smell like violets.

Mei’s cheeks flushed and her mouth dropped open at the sight of Iros’s honeyed eyes on Sierra and the pretty curve of his mouth that he couldn’t hide.

‘Well, well, well, I forgot something, so I came back for it, and it’s a spring day?’

Mei laughed hysterically, quickly grabbed her handkerchief, and ran out of the prayer hall.

Just when I thought the season was spring, it seems spring has come to those who love it too.

* * *

Meanwhile, there was an uncomfortable silence in the conference room. It was caused by a newcomer to the meeting.

‘What are you looking at? Oh, no, not that. Why are you looking at it?’

‘Sister, you are attending a prayer meeting followed by a regular meeting.’

‘Yes, I’m trying to be a good saint from now on.’

As she smiled, the priests in the room seemed to curse under their breath.

‘I can see what they’re all thinking.

It was kind of funny to see their faces fall as they crossed their arms and smiled.

It’s funny how something like this fills me with satisfaction as if I’m some kind of evil woman with dark dreams.

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

As I stretched and leaned back, something tapped me on the back of the head.

‘……?’

I looked up to see Iros staring down at me.

Even from this angle, nothing was humiliating about him, only his high, rounded nose and long lashes.

A handsome man is a handsome man.

‘When did you get here? You looked like you were busy laughing at me.’

‘You must be mistaken.’

‘Hmph. I don’t believe it.’

Whispering that it was real, I pulled my head away from Iros’s hard abs and sat up straight.

I glanced around the desk to see everyone staring at us, mouths and eyes wide in shock.

I scowled and said sternly.

‘Why do you look at me like that, did you want me to pluck your eyeballs out?’

‘Hiccup!’

‘Oh, I’m sorry, another momentary outburst of temper.’

He repeatedly muttered, ‘Good thoughts, good words,’ and laughed wryly.

The priests were even more horrified, and they shook pitifully like puppies caught in the rain.

Diego, the high priest, saw the scene and cleared his throat.

‘Please take a seat, everyone. Since we’re all here for the first time, I’ll call the meeting to order.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Iros, please take your seat.’

At Diego’s words, Iros, who was standing behind me, hesitated for a moment.

‘It’s okay, you stood the whole time in the prayer room, your legs must be hurting, but sit down in meetings, there’s plenty of room anyway.’

Technically, there was plenty of room, since no one was sitting in the chairs on either side of me.

I nodded my head to indicate that it was okay, pulled out a chair, and patted it, Iros didn’t argue and complied.

Once he was seated, the meeting began.

‘Today’s agenda is the damage caused by warlocks in the Elotta region, south of the Cyanin Empire.’

‘Elotta?’

‘The region bordering the Kingdom of Eln and the Ast Academy territory.’

I muttered, and Iros explained in a low voice beside me. I glanced around and saw the grave expressions on the faces of the temples.

‘The warlocks seem to be striking more often and more frequently these days.’

‘Yes. I wonder if there’s something wrong with them.’

‘If there is a problem, do you mean that demons are increasingly contacting and contracting with warlocks?’

‘That’s a problem.’

There were sighs here and there.

It had been five hundred years since the war with the demons ended and the demons were sealed away, so there was already speculation of a crack in the seal.

The atmosphere grew somber, then harsh, heated.

‘It is said that at least twenty warlocks have been discovered in the province of Elotar.’

‘Then there must be more if we count those who are hiding from detection.’

‘Furthermore, there have been reports of them kidnapping boys and girls here and there.’

‘What kind of ritual are they preparing…….’

At the old priest’s muttering, High Priest Diego nodded.

‘I’m going to organize a raiding party and an investigative party, and I’m going to send them out, so I’d like to hear what you all think.’

Everyone’s mouths dropped open like dumbfounded mutes at Diego’s words.

Everyone lowered their eyes and averted their gaze.

I watched the scene through clenched jaws and chuckled.

‘Ahang. Are they all shutting up and averting their eyes because they don’t want to be sent out?

I often saw this scene during group work.

Silence, silence, silence, silence, silence.

In the end, after a long, drawn-out discussion, the team leader would decide on a team leader.

Just like now.

‘Since there doesn’t seem to be much of a consensus, I’m going to organize those who can spare into a martial and investigative team.’

None of them cringed outright at Diego’s words, but their faces looked uncomfortable as if something was on top of them.

‘Hmph. You mean, the raiding party is officially dispatched by the temple, right?’

‘Yes, that’s right, and by the way, Holy Lady, I’ve been meaning to tell you since earlier, that you shouldn’t be so deferential to us. You are the chosen representative of the gods, and you should show respect to the servants of the gods.’

‘I suppose I don’t deserve much respect. I see you’re all biting your nails and using bamboo shoots.’

I immediately changed my tone at High Priest Diego’s words.

Sierra was never a respectful person in the first place, and she had a bastard child complex, so she used archaic language to put people down.

It was a bit awkward to do that now that I had awakened the memories of my former life as a Confucian girl, but only if the other person wanted to talk back to me.

I smirked with my trademark arrogant expression.

For some reason, everyone shuddered with goosebumps, but I raised my hand anyway, my brain spinning furiously.

‘“I will participate in that punitive force.”.’

‘Saint!’

I had an idea. This is an opportunity.

Subdeacon Diego paused and said.

‘…You mean the Saint?’

‘Yes.’

‘I thought you said you didn’t want to do anything troublesome, hard, or tiring.’

‘I’ve changed my mind. This time it’s not volunteer work, it’s slaying warlocks, isn’t it?’

I shrugged.

‘What’s the point of having a surplus of holy power if it’s going to be used up, and I’d rather use it to beat up warlocks than do boring volunteer work?’

‘…….’

‘Don’t you think so, High Priest Diego?’

‘With your holy power, I’m sure we can get the job done quickly.’

‘Besides, no one else wants to go, so we’ll need at least one volunteer to keep things moving.’

‘That’s true, but…….’

As High Commissioner Diego nodded in agreement, Iros, who was sitting next to me, suddenly grabbed my wrist.

I turned my head to look at the tight, firm grip on my wrist, and for the first time in my life, I saw Iros’s beautiful face grimace in anger.

The anger in the air was hot, almost scalding.

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing, do you realize how dangerous slaying warlocks is, it’s not a safe place for a priestess to go?’

‘Are you angry with me, Pink?’

‘Yes. I am angry, and I want you to cancel it now.’

It was quite surprising and refreshing to hear Iros get angry because he thought I was in danger.

I’ve never seen him worry like this before, and I’m sure he’s had his fair share, but I’ve never seen him worry so intensely.

It’s nice to see an angry face, but I can’t bite my tongue when it comes to joining the lynch mob.

I put my hand over his, gripping his wrist so tightly it doesn’t hurt, and pat him on the back.

‘It’s because I have an idea.’

‘But!’

‘And if I go, you’ll automatically come along, so what are you worried about? Don’t you think?’

‘…….’

‘You’re my sword.’

At my words, Iros stared at me, his eyes wide and dazed. Like he’d just been told something he didn’t expect to hear.