I Want a Happy Ending Even as a Villainess

Chapter 7

“Excuse me, I’m trying to find the orphanage, but I can’t seem to locate it. Could you help me?”

“Oh, it’s not this way, but through the outer path…”

The knight paused for a moment, seemingly considering something.

“Would you like to follow me?”

He seemed to think that guiding me directly would be better than giving directions. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I followed closely behind him.

After leaving the temple and walking a bit along a narrow path, we came across a wall covered in vines.

Opening a black iron gate in the wall, we entered to find low brick buildings lining the path. The orphanage was buzzing with the sounds of children.

“You can enter through that door,” the knight pointed to the door of a small building that looked like an office.

Smiling, I thanked him and knocked lightly on the office door. After receiving permission to enter, I carefully turned the doorknob. Inside, a priest with gray hair was busy reviewing some documents.

“I heard the orphanage here needs volunteers, so I’ve come to help.”

The priest blinked slowly at my words, then cleared his throat and spoke.

“Due to recent unfortunate events, we are not accepting volunteers whose identities are unclear.”

He was asking for proof of who I was. I handed him my family’s seal, which I had brought just in case. As the woman from the Crescent Duke’s family, I was the only one with this seal, so he should recognize me as Lilith.

The priest seemed to recognize my identity, as he pulled out a few sheets of paper and placed them, along with a quill pen, in front of me. Name, residence, desired volunteer period… It was a typical application form.

“Edeline.”

I wrote that name in the blank space for my name.

This name… it was the one I used in my English class in my previous life. Well, it’s still my name, right?

I didn’t expect special treatment at the temple just because I was a noblewoman, and hiding my identity seemed more beneficial anyway.

Do good deeds while keeping my identity hidden. Good deeds are more effective when they become known through others’ words.

Of course, I wouldn’t hide it completely; I’d let it slip subtly. While truly good people might conceal their deeds, I had a purpose for my actions.

‘They say that when someone who has committed nine bad deeds does one good deed, it has a huge impact.’

The expected outcome was quite satisfying.

“Could you please keep my family and name confidential?”

The priest nodded in understanding.

“Ah, please wait a moment.”

As I finished signing all the documents and was about to leave the office, the priest called out to me. He quickly wrote something on another sheet of paper and said,

“Due to the current atmosphere at the temple, we are assigning guards to nobles. Would you be okay with that?”

A guard… just for volunteering at an orphanage?

Seeing my puzzled look, the priest continued seriously.

“It’s difficult to handle the aftermath if something bad happens.”

“Oh, yes, that’s fine.”

If a noble were to get hurt while volunteering, it would indeed cause a major alarm at the temple.

Entering the adjacent building, I found three other volunteers. Of course, none of them were dressed like me.

I removed my hat and silk gloves, put on a stained apron, changed into low-heeled shoes, and wore thick gray gloves, rolling up my sleeves. I looked quite comical.

I chatted lightly with the other volunteers and grabbed some cleaning tools before heading outside. There was a lot to do at the orphanage, so we all split up to handle different tasks.

Assigned to clean the outer walls, I turned towards the outside. Not far away, I noticed the knight who had guided me here standing idly.

‘Hadn’t he left?’

As I stared absentmindedly, the knight, sensing my gaze, strode towards me.

“Let me carry that for you,” he said as soon as he reached me, taking the heavy cleaning tools from my hands. He hadn’t just been waiting around for me to come out.

“Ah, so you’re my guard knight?” I asked.

“Yes, it’s an honor to meet you,” he replied, his eyes crinkling in a kind smile. Despite his gentle demeanor, his presence exuded a solid and dignified strength befitting a knight.

His light brown hair caught the shadows of the leaves, making it appear darker. His gentle eyes sparkled, making me realize that the glint I saw earlier wasn’t just a trick of the light.

“You can call me Lake,” he said.

“Nice to meet you, Sir Lake. I’m Edeline,” I responded.

He hesitated slightly before saying my name. Sensing why, I quickly added, “Please, just call me by my name.”

“…Yes, Edeline.”

I smiled back at him as he firmly called my name.

We retraced our steps, opening and closing the black iron gate. The vine-covered wall, bathed in the greenish sunlight, created a serene atmosphere.

Walking slowly along the shallow dirt path, a cool breeze played with my hair. Inside the walls, the orphanage was filled with the sounds of people, but outside, it was nature’s domain.

The harmonious chirping of birds and the rustling wind sounded like quiet music. Today felt really good.

But a few hours later…

“I’m going to die… I’m really dying…”

As soon as I finished cleaning the seemingly endless outer wall, I staggered to a nearby shaded rock and collapsed onto it like a zombie.

The cool spring breeze now felt weak, unable to cool my sweat. The pleasantly warm sun suddenly felt like the scorching summer heat.

Cutting away unsightly vines, sweeping the path clean with a broom, scrubbing off graffiti with a rag—just doing these tasks made my whole body ache as if it were being torn apart.

“It seems my body really isn’t used to manual labor,” I thought, realizing once again how fragile this body was.

“If you don’t mind, would you like some water?” Lake asked, smiling as he handed me a water bottle.

“Oh, yes, thank you.” I eagerly took it and gulped it down. I was so close to collapsing that I couldn’t care less about maintaining any noble decorum.

“Ah, I feel alive again,” I exclaimed cheerfully. Lake laughed and sat down next to me. I promptly removed my dirty apron and stifling gloves, placing them beside me.

Finally, I felt free from the chains that had bound my body. Sitting still, the gentle breeze now felt cool again.

I glanced at Lake. Though we had only exchanged a few words while cleaning, he struck me as a person of integrity, politeness, and humility.

Just watching him, I felt my fatigue melting away and my spirits lifting. It was as if he were a human tonic.

“Sir Lake, you’re a temple knight, right?”

“Technically, I belong to the Holy Knights.”

“The Holy Knights?” I repeated, eyes widening in disbelief.

Temple knights primarily guarded the temple, whereas the Holy Knights, as paladins, used holy magic to protect the empire.

Chosen directly by the high priest and requiring the emperor’s approval for appointment, they were a rare and highly esteemed group. In summary:

‘He’s a very important person!’

What a stroke of luck! It was like a pumpkin rolling down a hill straight into my lap.

“Hahaha… I often hear that it doesn’t suit me.”

“No, it suits you perfectly!”

This was true, regardless of my ulterior motives. Even from our first meeting, and even now, he was truly impressive.

“Thank you. It’s a bit embarrassing to hear such a compliment for the first time.”

“Do others not say the same?”

Lake scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Most people say I’m inexperienced and unreliable.”

“That can’t be true.”

If he wasn’t a holy knight, then who could be? His actions, appearance, grace, demeanor, voice, and the resolute look in his eyes—he was the epitome of a perfect knight.

“My younger sibling used to say that as well.”

He shrugged his shoulders as he added this.

“But she’s too shy to give compliments.”

“Is it a younger brother?”

“A younger sister.”

“Your sister has a good eye!”

I exclaimed as I moved closer to him. The space between us closed in an instant. Lake met my fiery gaze with a silent smile.

Oh, was I too enthusiastic? Clearing my throat, I quietly sat back in my place.

“How old is your sister?”

“She had her coming-of-age ceremony last year.”

Despite my blatant attempt to change the subject, Lake kindly answered.

Last year’s coming-of-age ceremony… that made her my age.

I was instantly drawn to the idea of having a peer. The mansion had a stifling atmosphere, leaving me with no one to talk to.

Living in the mansion felt like an endless mental discipline. I hadn’t had the chance to go anywhere, and thus, I had no friends.

‘A normal friend.’

It was a heartwarming term.

“I’d like to meet her sometime.”

Lake’s face lit up with a smile.

“My sister would be delighted to meet someone as lovely as you.”

As he said this, he pulled out a pendant hidden under his armor. Opening the round pendant, it revealed a portrait of what seemed to be his family.

Two parents were holding two young children. Lake pointed to the child on the right.

“Her name is Olivia.”

“What a beautiful name…”

As I said this, my lips suddenly felt like they turned to stone.

Wait, what did he say her name was? I slowly turned my head to look at Lake, struggling with the shock. He didn’t seem to notice my odd reaction.

Olivia.

That meant Lake’s sister was the heroine of the original novel.