Chapter 75

Since the last time I spoke with the Young Lady of Marquis Winder, the script had undergone a massive overhaul.

The initial draft provided by the High Temple was scrapped entirely.

Instead, we reinterpreted the original scripture from a completely different angle.

We showed that demons, divine messengers, and humans didn’t necessarily have to be hostile to one another—they could actually become friends.

‘Anyone quick-witted enough must have noticed by now.’

The devotion the demons showed to humans was, in fact, the magic circle recently developed by the wizards at the Round Table.

However, it was crucial not to make that point too obvious. We couldn’t leave any room for the High Temple to find fault with it.

Just then—

‘Huh? Who is that?’

I put on a slightly surprised look a moment too late.

A man was standing by the entrance, though I wasn’t sure when he had entered the theater. He was looking in this direction with a satisfied smile.

For some reason, his appearance looked extremely familiar.

‘When I went to Brianna’s house before…!’

I had seen him in the drawing-room portrait.

That man, who looked just like Brianna, was none other than the playwright, Joseph.

‘Thank goodness, it looks like the playwright is pleased, too.’

My fleeting sense of pride didn’t last long as my gaze shifted toward Rebecca.

Her previously relaxed face was completely contorted.

While everyone else was standing and applauding, she remained stubborn, sitting alone in her seat.

And judging by the way her knuckles turned white as she gripped the chair’s armrests…

It seemed she was truly infuriated!

‘Hmph, serves you right!’

Pretending to know nothing, I bowed politely to the audience.

Clap clap clap!!

The applause grew even thunderous.

‘Hee-hee.’

With my head lowered, I curled the corners of my lips upward. It felt as refreshing as chugging an entire bottle of cold sparkling water.

***

Afterward, a reception was held for the main cast of the play.

Parents and guardians had gathered together, showering their children with endless praise.

Among them, the person making the biggest fuss was…

“You were amazing this time, May!”

Unquestionably, it was Adrian.

Adrian laughed brightly and scooped Maybel up into an embrace.

“Really?!”

“Yep! I think our May was the best out there.”

“Woow!”

Overjoyed, Maybel wrapped her arms tightly around Adrian’s neck. Then, she whipped her head toward Sabina, her eyes sparkling like lanterns.

“Sister, how was I?”

Sabina also nodded her head right away.

“Hmm? You were the best, of course!”

At that confident answer, a radiant smile bloomed across Maybel’s face.

Watching them, Sabina unconsciously clenched her fists tight.

To be honest, though she felt guilty toward Maybel, Sabina hadn’t been able to fully concentrate on the play.

Because…

‘…Adrian was too close.’

She had been painfully conscious of Adrian sitting right beside her.

His breathing, his low-whispered voice, and even the tender gaze he used to look at her.

‘Right, I guess I…’

She could no longer turn a blind eye to it.

‘I really do have feelings for Adrian.’

Sabina stole a glance at Adrian from the side.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, Adrian was entirely absorbed in coaxing and doting on Maybel.

Sabina gently bit her lower lip.

‘Then… what about Adrian?’

At that exact moment—

“Pardon me, but may I have a word?”

A chilly voice echoed through the room.

As if cold water had been doused over the crowd, the surroundings fell instantly silent.

And for good reason—the owner of that voice was none other than Saintess Rebecca.

The gentle expression she usually wore was nowhere to be seen; her face was now completely frozen in a rigid scowl.

“…”

“…”

The crowd kept their mouths shut, nervously glancing around.

“It was a good play. It seems Playwright Joseph put a lot of effort into it in many ways.”

Starting off in a cold tone, Rebecca cast a sidelong glance at Joseph.

Joseph flinched in response.

Her opponent was the High Temple’s Saintess; he had no choice but to shrink back.

“However, I believe the content of this play was adapted from a section of the scriptures.”

Rebecca raised her chin haughtily and continued.

“I can’t help but feel that it has strayed a bit too far from the original text.”

In that instant—

“I gave my permission.”

A sharp, icy voice cut through the air.

Elizabeth, the Young Lady of Marquis Winder, was already staring at Rebecca with a frosty gaze.

‘Whoa.’

Maybel’s mouth parted slightly.

To think that the remarkably gentle Elizabeth would show such a sharp reaction—and against the High Temple’s Saintess, no less!

Maybel hadn’t expected her to show her anger so blatantly; she thought Elizabeth would, at most, display subtle displeasure…

“I was planning to let this slide quietly, but I didn’t expect the Saintess herself to speak up like this.”

The Young Lady of Marquis Winder continued coldly.

“I heard that the High Temple explicitly offered a direction for adapting the script.”

“…Young Lady Winder?”

“I’d like to ask you instead. This play was strictly planned by the Marquisate of Winder.”

The Young Lady looked directly into Rebecca’s eyes.

“If you were going to interfere with the content to this extent, shouldn’t you have asked for my understanding in advance?”

“…”

Rebecca’s amber eyes trembled violently.

Yet, the Young Lady didn’t stop speaking.

“I only agreed to adapt the scriptures. I never gave permission to alter the story into something harmful to children.”

“Harmful content?! This was strictly based on the scriptures…!”

“Do you truly believe it isn’t harmful?”

The Young Lady shot back in a razor-sharp tone, staring at Rebecca with a calm, unyielding gaze.

“Even though the divine messenger tears the demon to shreds inside the play?”

“…That is…”

“At the very least, I do not believe children should be playing the lead roles in such a violent production.”

Rebecca bit her lower lip tightly.

“I reviewed the contents of this play myself. So if there is any issue regarding it…”

Standing tall and straight, the Young Lady brought her point home.

“Please address me directly, not Playwright Joseph.”

“…”

While Rebecca stood there unable to offer a rebuttal, the onlookers lowered their voices and began whispering amongst themselves.

“My goodness, I’ve never seen the Young Lady of Marquis Winder so furious before.”

“I know, right?”

Unfavorable murmurs blended into the crowd.

“Actually, my child mentioned that the play’s content was a bit scary…”

“Yours too? Mine even cried, saying they didn’t want to participate in the play.”

At those hushed remarks, Rebecca’s expression hardened completely.

‘Ha, how annoying.’

The situation was overwhelmingly disadvantageous.

Everyone gathered here had ties to the Winder Marquisate. Even if they weren’t all nobles, they were influential figures from various walks of life.

“…We shall discuss this another time.”

In the end, Rebecca turned away as if fleeing the scene.

Watching her retreating back with a cold stare, the Young Lady of Marquis Winder soon turned back to her guests with a smiling face.

“Apologies for the brief commotion. Thank you for your understanding, and please enjoy the reception with a light heart.”

“Not at all.”

“Think nothing of it, my Lady.”

The atmosphere brightened back up in no time.

People chatted and laughed, enjoying the reception cheerfully.

Among them, there was not a single person… who worried about the Saintess who had fled the scene.