Chapter 9
The Retired Saintess Raises House Prices Episode 9
Episode 9
Since I kept glaring at him with obvious resentment, interest flickered across Raphael's face.
“Not afraid of me, not surprised. It's like you even resent me. But we've never met before.”
“Count Winters. Whatever your reason for grabbing a saintess, personal contact with one is illegal. Should I call a Holy Knight?”
“I told you screaming means death.”
“Whatever. Why are you interrupting during work hours anyway?”
Even while caught by this guy and talking, time was ticking away.
If it dragged on much longer, the diligent Holy Knight Captain might come searching around the mansion.
Then escape plans would be over.
“You're on duty, so why are you wearing clothes that aren't a saintess's? Ones absolutely reeking of grudges from the dead, at that.”
Quit badmouthing the vintage shop.
Grudges my ass—maybe stubborn stains, but hot water washes those right out, you jerk.
I couldn't feel any grudges from the dead anyway.
Even with his weird protagonist buff of regressing, Raphael Winters from this world must sense grudges or evil spirits.
But? I know nothing about that crap.
“Move.”
“Where are you trying to go? Already devoured? Saintess. The steps you're taking aren't your will. You're moving as that clothing desires... Ugh.”
I couldn't move much with the sword in front of me, but I could still kick his shin lightly with my foot.
Raphael's brow furrowed briefly before relaxing, and he smirked sleazily, looking intrigued.
“......Not just any saintess, then. I was right about what I saw.”
“You won't explain what you saw, won't sheathe your sword. What do you even want to ask me? Holding someone captive and monologuing on your own whim.”
Anger made personal attacks spill out nonstop.
“No friends, huh, Count? Struggling with relationships? Can't empathize or understand what others say? Atmosphere chills when you speak up? Everyone gets lively only after you leave gatherings? No clue how to mingle?”
His expression hardened with each jab I threw.
Looked like I nailed every one.
Knew it. I spotted it from the novel.
You were a mess from the descriptions. Drowning in self-pity like you bore all the world's loneliness and sorrow alone, unable to forget your first love, gradually forgetting human emotions as time passed, joy, sadness, anger—feeling nothing amid endless regressions until you went mad...
Something flashed through my mind like lightning.
Raphael Winters went mad from endless regressions.
But it wasn't like that from the start.
He'd tried to change the past.
In the book, the male lead Raphael Winters' first regression happened after Lady Selendia Dawson—the girl he guarded with his life as her escort knight—died.
He challenged it countless times to save her but failed every time.
After hundreds of regressions, Raphael killed Selendia Dawson with his own hands and moved forward.
No guilt or love for her remained anymore.
His emotions had festered and rotted from endless looping lives.
After that, he became a monster who lost his humanity, wasting time without even knowing why he regressed, until he went insane.
He must've thought ending the world would end the regressions too.
But why did this ultimate cynic protagonist suddenly grab me?
He worked his lips for a while before finally speaking.
“How were you in that spot?”
“No idea what you mean.”
“The position you stood in during the title conferral ceremony.”
“I was an upper-rank saintess, so that's where I stood.”
“That wasn't your spot.”
Ah.
Raphael had already gone through the conferral ceremony multiple times.
He'd never seen me there before.
The spot I'd taken must've belonged to someone else originally. She'd been pushed aside because of me.
In his identically repeating life, Raphael had spotted the one difference: me.
Maybe even hope for changing the past and moving forward.
“How did you do it?”
“Become an upper-rank saintess? I prayed diligently.”
I played dumb and tried shoving him, but this door-sized man didn't budge easily. That's when Severino's voice came from the front of the mansion.
“Saintess Shuana. Are you alright?”
Mikhail was looking for me.
Oh no. Too much time had passed. I should've reached the village entrance by now.
......Today was a bust.
I looked straight up at Raphael and said,
“I don't understand why you're doing this to me, Count. Please sheathe your sword. I planned to wear this dress and perform a purification prayer to drive out the stale grudges and evil spirits.”
“Looked like you were planning to run.”
“Must be a misunderstanding.”
As I turned to go back in, Raphael added from behind me.
“Do you want to leave the Temple?”
I turned back with a beaming smile.
“Of course not. I'm happy under the great god's arrangements.”
With that, I reentered the mansion.
Damn. Missed my escape timing.
Mikhail's pounding on the door echoed through the entire mansion.
“Saintess! Saintess Shuana!”
“I'm praying! Wait! I'm still fine!”
I hurriedly yelled back, stripped off the dress, and changed into my original ornate upper-rank saintess robes.
The moment I knelt neatly in the middle of the living room, the mansion door opened as if on cue.
Severino gripped his sword tighter upon seeing me and asked cautiously.
“......Are you alright?”
Put the damn sword away first, jerk.
Why were so many people shoving swords in my face today?
My escape plan had failed, so I wasn't thrilled, but not getting caught was a relief at least.
I mimicked the Great Saintess with a compassionate smile and sighed in relief.
“The prayer's done. Seems like a grudge dwells in this dress, but my power alone isn't enough to purify it.”
“Surviving unscathed is impressive enough.”
“It's thanks to Moandalla watching over me.”
“Let's go. You've prayed longer than scheduled.”
“Got so absorbed I lost track of time.”
I pretended my numb knees buckled as I stood.
Glancing at the door on my way out, there wasn't a single scratch.
Mikhail had pounded like he meant to break it down and twisted the knob violently while I changed.
As if the mansion had a will of its own, protecting me from him.
Something's definitely here.
On the way back to the Temple, I said to Severino,
“That mansion is too dangerous. But that's exactly why it must be purified.”
“You overdid it today, so you should rest for a while.”
“No. I can't do that. Weren't saintesses born to purify the world by God's will? I can't shirk my duty.”
Mikhail Severino looked at me in surprise, then nodded briefly.
“Come with me next time too.”
“I'd be grateful if you did.”
Next time, I'll definitely bolt.
Back in my private upper-rank saintess room, as I undressed, a small note fluttered to the floor.
It was from Raphael Winters.
