PSTBW 07

Chapter 7

“…My Lady? What brings you here at this hour?”

“I came because I wanted to spend some time with Olivia. Are you about to have tea and snacks?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’d like to join you two, if that’s all right. Olivia, would that be okay?”

I smiled kindly as I looked at Olivia.

She stared at me for a moment, then turned her head away sharply.
“…Do whatever you want.”

“Really? Thank you, Olivia!”

I looked at her flushed ears and smiled because she was just so cute.

Sophie hesitated, then asked,
“My Lady, there isn’t any tea suited to your tastes here in the annex… Is that still all right?”

“It’s fine. I can drink anything.”

I replied casually.

Then Olivia said brightly,
“Sophie! I want to have my snack out here today!”

“Yes, understood. I’ll bring the tea and snacks out here.”

Sophie gave a short bow and went back inside.

A few moments later, Sophie came back with a tray holding a teapot and a covered dish.
She placed the tray before us like a table, poured tea into two cups, and lifted the cover.

Inside was a freshly baked lemon pie.

“Wow, lemon pie!” Olivia exclaimed excitedly.

“I baked it just for you, Miss Olivia. Please enjoy,” Sophie said warmly.

“Okay!”

“Drink your tea too, dear. It’s a bit bitter unless you add honey.”

Sophie cut a slice of pie for Olivia and added a spoonful of honey into her teacup.

As she stirred, the tea’s color changed from red to blue.

Watching that, I couldn’t help but whisper, “Wow… that’s beautiful.”

“It’s Basilisan black tea, My Lady,” Sophie explained.
“Normally, people enjoy its natural bitter taste, but Miss Olivia doesn’t like bitterness. Should I add honey to yours as well?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

I wrapped my hands around the warm teacup and took a sip.
Just as Sophie said, it had a slightly bitter taste—almost like green tea.

But then—my heart started pounding violently.

Thump, thump, thump!

Cold sweat ran down my back.
And suddenly, I heard a voice echo in my mind:

[Don’t drink it! Don’t eat or drink anything here!]

Crash!

The teacup slipped from my hands and shattered.

I shouted instinctively,
“No, Olivia! Don’t eat anything!”

“Ah—!”

The piece of lemon pie in Olivia’s hand fell to the ground.

I covered my mouth in shock at my own scream.

Then Olivia swayed, her small body losing strength, and she began to fall forward.

“Olivia!”

I reached out to catch her—

—but Sophie stopped me. She caught Olivia herself and held her tightly.

Then she said coldly,
“What a shame. Just one more bite would’ve been enough.”

“What… what are you doing?”

“I guess the rumors were true—you really did betray Father Claude, didn’t you, Saintess?”

Gone was her gentle smile; in its place was a cruel smirk.

“Let her go! She’s just a child—she didn’t do anything wrong!” I shouted.

“Oh? What if I refuse?”

“Then I’ll scream. The knights will come running and you’ll be caught immediately.”

Even with my threat, Sophie didn’t look scared at all. She sneered at me.

“You can’t do that, Saintess. I put sleeping medicine in your tea.”

“What—!”

A sharp pain shot through my head, and my vision blurred.
No matter how hard I tried to stay awake, my body felt heavy, powerless.

Soon I collapsed to the floor, struggling to hold on to consciousness.

Then I heard a man’s voice.

“Is it done?”

“Yes, perfectly.”

Sophie’s voice answered with satisfaction.

“I’ll take the witch girl. Please take care of the Saintess, Father Claude.”

“Hah, this is unexpected,” the man said. “Didn’t think we’d catch both at once. I figured she’d stay locked up in her room for a few more days.”

My vision went completely dark.
Something heavy was thrown over my head, and then—everything faded.

When I woke up, pain exploded in my head.

“Ugh…”

I groaned as I opened my eyes.
Everything was pitch dark.

‘Where… am I?’

My thoughts were hazy. I tried to clear my mind.

“Ma’am? Are you there?”

It was Olivia’s small voice.

That woke me up instantly.

Then all the memories came flooding back—the tea, the pie, the drug, the kidnapping.

Damn it.

I tried to move toward her voice.

“I’m here, Olivia. Are you okay? Olivi—ugh!”

But I couldn’t move. My hands and feet were tied tightly.

I tried to loosen the fabric, but it only dug deeper into my skin.

Click—

Then, the door creaked open, and light poured in.

Sophie entered, holding a lamp.

She looked first toward Olivia—tied to a pillar—then turned to me and smiled.

“So, you’re finally awake, Saintess.”

“Who are you? Where are we? Why are you doing this?”

She chuckled coldly.

“Oh, don’t act like you don’t know. Father Anne and Father Claude already told you about this, didn’t they? You even agreed to cooperate.”

“I refused! I said I wouldn’t help anymore!”

I shook my head furiously.

Sophie just shrugged.

“Yes, you did change your mind—so suddenly. Because of that, he was put in a very difficult position.”

“He?”

Just then, a man walked in from the doorway—Claude.

He looked exhausted, his once neat priest robes dirty and torn.

“Claude? What are you doing here?” I whispered in shock.

“Hello, my dear. It’s been a while.”

He smiled crookedly, his eyes full of malice.

He took the lamp from Sophie, crouched down, and pulled away the cloth covering his face.

“…!”

A horrific burn mark—an excommunication brand—was carved into his right cheek.
It was fresh, still oozing blood and pus.

He laughed bitterly.

“See this? I got this because of you. Because you accused me of being a criminal, Saintess. Because of you, this holy face was branded and I was excommunicated!”

“…”

“I can never return to the church now. I’ve been thrown out of the temple, and everyone in this empire sees me as filth… all because of you!”