PSTBW 02

Chapter 2

I felt sorry for Olivia Rose Este and reached out my hand without thinking.
But before I could touch her, she quickly slapped my hand away.

“I don’t like you! Don’t touch me!”

Then Olivia turned around and ran toward her cottage.

‘…Of course. A simple apology like that wouldn’t make her forgive me.’

I sighed deeply as I watched her small back disappear.
It was foolish of me. I only said sorry because I didn’t want to die.
There was no real feeling in that apology, and a child who had been hurt so much wouldn’t accept it easily.

‘How can I make Olivia forgive me?’

I stood in front of her cottage for a long time, thinking hard, but no answer came.

After about thirty minutes, I walked back to Evangeline Roxanne Este’s residence—her own cottage in the south.
As I climbed the stairs to my room, I saw a maid standing in front of my door.

“Lady Evangeline,” she said.

It was the same maid who had tried to lock Olivia in the attic earlier and got scolded by me.

I looked at her with a stiff face.
“What is it?”

“Pardon? My lady, why are you suddenly speaking so politely?”

I realized my mistake and quickly changed my tone.
“No, um… never mind. What’s going on?”

“Ah, Father Claude sent you a letter, my lady.”

“A letter? To me?”

Why would Claude—the man who was Evangeline’s secret lover—send a letter now?
Trying to stay calm, I took the letter from the maid and opened it carefully.

Inside was a short message, written in smooth handwriting.

[To my lovely Saintess, Evangeline,

I need your help with something important. Let’s meet and talk. I’ll wait for you at our usual place two hours from now.

– Your loving Claude.]

I stared at the letter in silence.
I didn’t know what kind of “help” he needed, but I was sure that helping him wouldn’t do me any good.

Should I go… or not?

After thinking for a while, I made up my mind.

‘Actually, this is perfect. I’ll meet him and end things once and for all. I can apologize to Olivia later.’

Feeling more confident, I folded the letter and handed it back to the maid.

“Thanks for bringing this. Tell Father Claude I’ll meet him.”

“Yes, Lady Evangeline.”

“Help me get ready to go out.”

“Of course, my lady.”

With her help, I changed into an outdoor dress while thinking about how to deal with Claude.

About an hour later, the maid and I left my room.
She led the way through the corridor and out of the building.

After a few minutes of walking along the outer wall, we stopped in front of an old stone building that connected to the outer castle.

“Father Claude will arrive soon, Lady Evangeline,” the maid said. “I’ll wait over there until you’re done talking.”

“All right.”

I leaned against a nearby tree.

A few moments later, a man came out of the building and walked toward me.
He wore a white priest’s robe with red crosses on the shoulders and had short gray hair brushed back. He was handsome—but the kind of handsome that made you uneasy.

When he saw me, his face lit up.

“Oh, Evangeline!”

He ran to me and hugged me tightly.

I gently pushed him away.
“…Claude?”

“Yes, my love.”

Ah, just as I thought.

I nodded slightly and crossed my arms to keep some distance.
“I got your letter. You said you needed my help. What is it?”

Claude smiled smoothly and leaned close to my face.
“Oh, my beautiful Evie, why so serious? We can talk after a kiss.”

I turned my head away from him and forced a smile.
“You’re the one who said it was urgent. So, tell me—what’s going on?”

He sighed dramatically.
“Fine, fine. You’re not in the mood today, I see. All right.”

Then he whispered near my ear.
“This morning, I got a message from one of our spies. Duke Nigel Clyde Este has finished subduing the monsters in the Tesania Forest. That means we need to move our plan up.”

“Plan…? What plan?” I asked slowly.

Claude gave me an annoyed look.
“What do you mean what plan? Of course—the plan to give Olivia that potion to make her magic go wild!”

“…What?”

“Before the duke comes back, we have to make the girl’s magic explode. That way, she’ll lose her human form and turn into a monster.”

“…A monster?”

Claude laughed softly.
“Why so shocked, my sweet Evie? Isn’t that what you’ve been doing all along—breaking her heart little by little so she’d lose her humanity?”

“…”

“When she turns into a monster, only the duke will be strong enough to kill her. And while he’s fighting her, we’ll pretend to help him—but really, we’ll curse him too. Once both of them die, you, the duchess, will inherit everything. We’ll be rich and free!”

Claude grinned like a madman, clearly proud of his wicked plan.

‘What… the hell?’

I was frozen in shock.
So that’s what really happened behind Olivia’s rampage in the original story… no wonder she lost her mind.

‘He’s insane.’

I knew then—I couldn’t just break up with this man.
I had to make sure he could never cause trouble again.

I looked straight into his eyes and said firmly,
“About that plan, Claude… I won’t do it. I can’t hurt that child anymore.”

“What? What are you saying?!”

“I’m serious. And also…” I took a breath. “Let’s end this. You and me.”

His face twisted. “What?”

“I’m breaking up with you.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“No. I’ve never been more clear.”

“Are you serious, Evangeline? Tell me why! What did I do wrong?”

“There’s no reason. I just don’t want to see you anymore.”

Claude laughed bitterly. “Ha… unbelievable.”

He grabbed my shoulders roughly, his eyes burning with anger.
“Don’t lie to me! Tell me the real reason! You’re leaving me for that beast, Duke Este, aren’t you?”

“What? No! That’s not true!”

“Liar! Just admit it—you’ve fallen for his pretty face and his title! You think you can win his heart now? He knows exactly what kind of woman you are—a shallow, fake saint!”

His words were full of rage and hatred.
Even though I knew they weren’t meant for me but for the old Evangeline, I couldn’t bear it any longer.

I slapped him hard across the face.

Smack!

Claude’s head snapped to the side.

I glared at him coldly.
“I never realized what kind of person you really are, Claude.”

He scoffed. “Ha.”

“I’ll say it again—we’re over. Don’t do anything stupid. And don’t ever appear in front of me again.”

I turned and started walking away.

But as I reached the edge of the garden, I heard his low, angry voice behind me.

“You really think I’ll let you go that easily?”

Before I could react, Claude rushed forward, grabbed my wrist, and yanked me back toward him.