146 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

146~Unnecessary Actions "Whoa!" As he recognized the person before him, Wenny was so startled that he tossed the disposable tissue in his hand and fell off the monastery bed. "Really, Wenny, that's so rude! Am I really that scary?" The silver-haired girl responsible for the scare touched her face, tilting her head adorably with an innocent expression. "What are you doing here?" Wenny tumbled off the bed, rubbed his face, and quickly checked his body. Once he confirmed he was still himself, he breathed a small sigh of relief. He thought his nightmare might have become reality. "I heard a classmate suffered an accident, can’t I drop by to check on him?" Aesphyra propped her face with a hand, cheerfully gazing at Wenny sprawled on the floor, without offering to help him up. Yes, it was still the same Aesphyra with her usual attitude towards him. Wenny's tense nerves began to relax. "So, did you have a nightmare, Wenny?" Aesphyra remarked playfully. "The minute I got here, I saw you with a pained expression, muttering things like 'no' and 'help.' Did you dream of something scary?" "I did dream of something awful," Wenny replied, glancing meaningfully at Aesphyra. No wonder he had nightmares. With Aesphyra around, he was bound to. "Shouldn't you be in the Resmir Polluted Zone clearing out beasts? Why are you back? Skipping work? Are you ready to fail the mid-term evaluation?" Wenny frowned, still shaken, too afraid to look directly at Aesphyra. "Yeah, I was too tired and didn't want to go, so I decided to skip. At worst, I'll get expelled." Aesphyra seemed utterly unconcerned. "You've completed the clearing quota?" Wenny remained skeptical. From what he knew of Aesphyra, he quickly guessed she'd already finished her target. Impossible, though. This wasn't a quick task—clearing out beasts could take at least a week! Four days minimum, even for a protagonist like Aesphyra. Had she really done it so quickly? "Wenny, do you know how long you've been unconscious?" Aesphyra's tone was leisurely, seeing through his thoughts. "No, I wouldn't know." "It's been two days." "I've been asleep that long?" Wenny frowned, realizing how unaware people are of time when unconscious. "That's right." Aesphyra sat on a high stool, playfully crossing her black stocking-clad legs. "Many sisters from the monastery thought you were on the verge of death. I happened to hear about this upon returning, so I came by to see you one last time." "Oh, so now that you see I'm alive, are you disappointed?" Wenny retorted, giving Aesphyra a sidelong glance. It was obvious she was embellishing to tease him. Though his injuries were severe, they weren't life-threatening. The sisters acted fast, provided thorough treatment, and set him on a path to recovery. Yet Aesphyra exaggerated, painting a grim picture to frighten him. "Well, maybe a little?" Aesphyra's tone was lightly mocking. "Are you here to scare me, hoping I'll die, so you can swoop in and finish the job?" "How can you say that, Wenny? I came sincerely to visit you," Aesphyra feigned hurt. But Wenny knew better—Aesphyra was a natural actress. Trusting her words or expressions was foolish. Compared to genuine and sincere Mirexia, where did Aesphyra fall short as a protagonist? Ah, the life of a protagonist. "Oh, you visit the sick, empty-handed?" Wenny shot her a glare. "Not even a basket of fruit. Did you come to visit or mock? Honestly, you could have at least picked some of the sour little oranges from the monastery's greenhouse for me." No gift was one thing, but Aesphyra was brazenly licking a lollipop as if flaunting it. Eating candy at noon? Ugh, you'll gain weight at this rate! Wenny thought to himself. "But those oranges belong to the academy. How can I just take them? Are appearances all you care about, Wenny?" Aesphyra teased, handing him the lollipop she'd been enjoying. "This is my gift. If you don't mind, Wenny," she dared. Wenny could see the sticky sheen of her saliva on it. Shooting Aesphyra a look of disdain, Wenny inwardly grimaced. If he dared take a bite, it could lead to another close brush with death. Damn green eyes, knowing he wouldn't dare cross a line, always finding ways to embarrass him. It’s infuriating! "You'll regret this one day!" "Sorry, I do mind! Ugh, can you be any more disgusting? It's coated in your saliva!" Wenny scowled at Aesphyra. "Offering your leftovers to a patient, that’s beyond ridiculous." "But I'm not teasing a cute little dog, right?" Aesphyra giggled mischievously. "Little dogs are far cuter than you, Wenny." Oh, come on. If Wenny continued this conversation, he felt his morals would degrade. Damn green eyes, don’t get too smug. One day, I'll have my revenge! Being the protagonist's chosen is nothing special! Do you think I'd be scared of my nightmare? Well... maybe a bit. But people say dreams are the opposite of reality. One day, this damn green-eyed girl will get what's coming. Ha, you better watch out! When I rise to power, you'll regret underestimating me! "By the way, how's Mirexia? Is she alright?" Wenny suddenly remembered, deciding not to argue with Aesphyra any longer. "Mirexia is fine, just a few minor injuries. The sisters checked her, no signs of poisoning." Aesphyra answered honestly, though her eyes glanced knowingly as Wenny asked. "That's good to hear." Wenny sighed in relief. "You and Mirexia are quite in sync, you know. When Mirexia finished her treatment, the first thing she asked about was you. The sisters assured her you were just exhausted, but she refused to rest, stayed by your side two days straight until she finally couldn't and asked me to stay until you woke up," Aesphyra said with a knowing smile. "I'm really curious about what happened in the Demon Realm." To others, Aesphyra's words might be innocuous. But to Wenny, they carried an inexplicable hint of jealousy. It reminded him of that dream, where Aesphyra sniped at him: ‘You’ve encroached on my territory. How do you propose to compensate?’ ‘I won’t ask much—just repay with your life.’ Remembering this filled Wenny with a cold dread, like blades on his back. "Jealous, are you? Hmph, the bond between me and Princess Mirexia from our childhood is something an outsider like you will never match. Got it? There's no room for you to come between us!" Despite the shadow cast by his previous nightmare, Wenny couldn't resist the opportunity to assert himself and poke at Aesphyra's demeanor. "Oh~~ really now," Aesphyra drawled, her voice lengthening intentionally. 'Virtue +100.' 'Current Virtue: 7504.' Good news, for once, he had managed to win against Aesphyra in their ongoing sparring, wiping away past humiliation by successfully provoking her. The bad news? He felt like he was courting disaster. "Indeed, it seems that way," Aesphyra observed Wenny with a penetrating gaze. "You're quite confident, aren't you, Wenny?" "And why not? This young master is confident, okay?" "It looks like you and Mirexia shared some interesting experiences in the Demon Realm," Aesphyra's eyes slanted like those of a cat. "Whatever happened is none of your concern. That's between me and Mirexia, not you. Why are you so interested? It's none of your business," Wenny huffed. 'Virtue +50.' 'Current Virtue: 7554.' Hmph, looks like today was his day to finally defeat Aesphyra. But why did he feel uneasy? It was as if the holy sword was getting dangerously close to his neck. "Wenny, won't you share even the slightest detail?" Aesphyra looked at Wenny expectantly. "With the way you just treated me, do you really expect me to speak to you sincerely? Dream on." "Alright, alright. If you're so determined, I have no choice but to offer a kind warning," Aesphyra played with a strand of her hair, her smile carrying a mysterious hint. "What is it?" "Be careful not to be overtaken by others." By "others"? Does she think everyone shares her dirty-minded, green-eyed viewpoint? Wenny and Mirexia had no such relationship; they were just friends, nothing more. But that wouldn’t stop him from using this to irk her. Ha, curse you more, what do you say to that? Anyway, with a new villain having stepped into his original spot, he was almost fully legitimized. If Aesphyra dared harm him now, Mirexia's opinion of her would surely plummet. Feeling increasingly like his nightmare was just a silly dream, Wenny's confidence rapidly grew. "Also, be careful with your secrets and those behind you," Aesphyra hinted meaningfully. "? What secrets? Who's behind me? What are you talking about?" Wenny frowned. "I don't even know who's supporting me, and you're saying this?" Seeing Wenny's reaction, Aesphyra didn't continue. She rose from her seat, leaving him with an unreadable expression before departing. What a perplexing person. Wenny was about to rest back on the bed when something at the foot of it caught his attention. Upon closer inspection, it was a box of desserts, with a packet of forks beside it. This was a type sold at the Carilliman Academy's fort in Resmir; someone had bought it for him. Could it be that Mirexia bought it for him? No, that didn't seem likely. Never mind that Mirexia had been by his side these past two days with no time to purchase treats; knowing her, he doubted she'd think of such details. It seemed more like something that little imp Aesphyra would do. But? Did she really buy this for him? Given her usual disdain, wishing him harm, why would she buy him desserts? Moreover, she hadn’t mentioned it before, opting instead to tease him with her previously enjoyed lollipop. Not a word before she left. Judging by the packaging, they were specifically easy-to-digest treats for patients. This was a branded cake; not cheap. "...Tsk, that damn green-eyed girl, such unnecessary actions," Wenny muttered, but nonetheless opened the dessert box. Its packaging was intact. In his early encounters with Aesphyra, he might've suspected poison, but now, it never crossed his mind. Somehow, through their interactions, they'd gradually let down their guards, getting to know each other anew. --- "Wenny, are you alright? How do you feel?" By the afternoon dusk, the princess with twin golden ponytails arrived in Wenny’s hospital room, dressed in a pristine academy uniform. "I'm fine. Just a bit hungry after waking up, that's all." Wenny glanced at Aesphyra beside Mirexia. Clearly, aware that Mirexia had been without rest, Aesphyra had made sure she took a nap before bringing her to see him. "Are you hungry? Should I get you something to eat?" "No, I've just eaten something, thanks." As he said this, Wenny shot a meaningful look at Aesphyra, who remained expressionless, as though oblivious. "Are you alright, Princess Mirexia? How's your recovery?" "I wasn't really hurt. And it's all thanks to you." Acknowledging Aesphyra's presence, Mirexia didn’t elaborate. "Also, didn't I tell you there's no need for formality?" "Uh, understood, Mirexia." Wenny scratched his head. "You two really get along so~ well~. How envious," Aesphyra chimed in, tilting her head.