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

**Volume Two, Chapter Nine: Those Who Are On Your Mind Are Really Unfortunate** Author: Han Tang Returns Updated: April 21, 2025 Word Count: 4,027 --- This woman is truly... Wenny's mouth twitched as he looked at the smiling silver-haired girl in front of him. Why did he feel like he was being teased like a puppy by her once again?? No, he must not get angry; he needed to keep his cool. Though he kept telling himself this, if possible, he would really want to become Vannesa and punch the top of this petite little bun's head with all his might. Wenny took a deep breath. Forget it, if he got angry, wouldn't he just be letting Aesphyra ruin his character once again?? Sometimes he really wondered if Aesphyra had a system too, perhaps called the "Destiny System" or "Lacking Morality System," and he was her top supporter. Otherwise, how could he explain why this green-eyed girl loved teasing him, a grown man, and found joy in it? Alright, he should've known this would happen—going out with Aesphyra meant not only was there no virtue to gain, but he would end up having his character shattered by her. Unbelievable that he, Wenny, a grand master of the arcane arts, also had insurmountable obstacles?? Maybe he owed Hajisha something in a past life. No wait, he really did owe Hajisha something in his past life—a life. Aesphyra, however, didn't care about Wenny's reaction at all. She poured herself a cup of tea and sipped it elegantly, engrossed in her thoughts. "Sorry to keep you waiting; the heart-shaped omelet rice and original flavor pudding you've ordered are here!" Soon enough, a maid named Phili brought them their meals. "With the power of a maid, BIUBIUBIU~ may the omelet rice become delicious~" she added some maid magic to the omelet rice for the guests. This maid, Phili, looked newly recruited; her actions were clumsy and she wasn't very skilled, but it was precisely this shyness and purity that made her charming. Her attitude was earnest. Despite not grasping the true essence of maid café work and not being able to fully express herself, she managed to impart a feeling akin to that of a shy apprentice maid, exuding beauty like an unripe fruit. Critiqued by Wenny in his mind, he wasn't commenting arbitrarily. His assessments were made from a very professional vantage point, having had some experience in the field. Hence, he dared to make such evaluations. Nonetheless, her service skills were truly lacking, which could lead to unexpected incidents. "Ah! I'm terribly sorry! Master, please forgive this careless maid!" Just as expected, Phili attempted to refill Aesphyra's cup, and as she lifted the teapot, she lost her grip, causing the tea to spill onto Aesphyra's sleeve. "I'll wipe it for you right away..." Hurriedly, Phili extracted a handkerchief to tend to Aesphyra's sleeve. Phili was very anxious; she was merely a child from a civilian family, working part-time at the maid café just to make ends meet. Most of the customers here were affluent nobles or the children of commercial tycoons, whom she couldn't afford to offend in the slightest! Yet, as she moved to wipe Aesphyra's sleeve, her wrist was gently held back. "No rush, I am more concerned about whether Miss Phili burned herself, okay?" Aesphyra gently held Phili’s slender wrist, examining the skin carefully. Her silvery lashes cast a delicate shadow, and her vibrant eyes, like soft feathers, played on the heartstrings as they traced Phili's hand. "Ah!" A red hue swiftly spread over Phili's face. Her cheeks were so warm that it was terrifying, and she dared not lift her gaze to the silver-haired girl before her, fearing that one glance at those captivating, liquid eyes would lead her into a new realm from which she could never return. How did she manage to be this seductive?? Wenny clicked his tongue in admiration on the side. That bad habit of being a lady's charmer was acting up again. Any pretty girl and she couldn't resist getting close to her. After observing Aesphyra's actions, he finally understood how Aesphyra managed to bring all the heroines under her wing, utterly devoted in the original story. To those naive, romantic heroines, such an approach was an overwhelming advantage—who wouldn't fall for it?? Even as an onlooker, Wenny was almost entranced, let alone the one being directly flirted with. Her allure was irresistible to both men and women. Stay calm; she's just a capricious, flirtatious flirt! Falling for her gaze is walking into her trap. "The issue seems minor," Aesphyra stated, attentively studying every inch of Phili's skin. She blew gently on her hand and retrieved a disposable tissue she always carried, using it as a makeshift bandage to tie a bow on Phili's hand. "And you?" judging by the poor little maid with olive hair, she was already thoroughly dazzled. "Me? This temperature is nothing to me," Aesphyra replied, showing her sleeve to Phili. Though hot tea had been spilled on her wrist and sleeve, now the tea had evaporated, and her skin was as flawless as ever, unmarred by burns. Did she cast magic in that instant?? Wenny frowned. Indeed, the room's temperature seemed to have briefly risen, though it lasted less than a second and went unnoticed by all. That the tea spillage happened accidentally, and Aesphyra reacted swiftly with magic to evaporate the liquid? Such terrifying reflex speed could only be attributed to muscle memory, perhaps?? Wenny leaned back, as the main protagonist's golden aura continued to leak through these subtle manifestations. A flustered Phili swiftly left, rather like someone caught off guard. Poor little maid, likely now has her heart stolen by this captivating paramour. Wenny sat silent with his tea for a long time. Damn, that level is way too high, how could he ever compete?? "Shall we eat, Wenny? Does the food here not suit your taste?" Aesphyra smiled at Wenny. "No, I was just marveling at your skillful flirting techniques. How many have you charmed to hone them?" Wenny asked after a moment of silence. "Well~ I just naturally understand a girl's heart." "Come off it, it's obvious you've had loads of experience flirting," Wenny quipped. "Fallen for that maid, have you?" "Why do you always look at me that way, Wenny? Can't it be mere admiration?" "What are you admiring? How many times have you seen her? How well do you know her to... admire? You're just lusting after her," Wenny retorted with a roll of his eyes. "You shouldn't make such baseless accusations, Wenny. I merely appreciate every beautiful girl; they all possess qualities I love. If only they could merge into one person... Alas, that's impossible. So I have no choice but to get to know each of them." Aesphyra said with a carefree smile as if her reasoning was perfectly sound. "You are incredible. Never heard anyone argue so profoundly and eloquently for being a philanderer," Wenny muttered, resuming his meal. "So, what about Princess Mirexia? Didn't you say you liked Princess Mirexia?" "Yes, I do like Princess Mirexia very much, but unfortunately, the girl I find absolutely perfect, the one I'm most fond of, doesn't like me this way," Aesphyra paused. "...Are you even listening to what you're saying? Extremely fond? And then you mention someone you're most fond of?" Wenny was rendered speechless. "Calling you fickle isn't an exaggeration. Is there also someone who's the kindest to you, and you can't let go either?" "And when did this 'most fond' person come into existence? Who is it? A maid from here again?" Wenny asked. "Yes, though she hasn’t been working here recently. The store manager said she disappeared after just that one visit." "..." Wenny suddenly fell silent. Could it possibly be… whom she was referring to?? "So, who exactly is it? Can you tell me?" "It's a girl named Vannesa. I think I mentioned her to you once, Wenny." "...Now that you say it, I remember. But being on your mind with your fickle ways makes her quite unfortunate," Wenny frowned. He meant every word—being caught in the thoughts of this capricious womanizer was indeed a stroke of bad luck for anyone. "You say she's the one you're most fond of? I think it's hopeless for you. Give up," Wenny said while taking a bite of his pudding. "Oh? Why's that? Didn't you say you've never even seen her?" Aesphyra asked. "It doesn't matter. An explanation isn't necessary. Rational thinking easily leads to the conclusion that no normal person would fall for a fickle charmer," Wenny stated bluntly. "If I were that Vannesa, I'd keep as far away from you as possible, afraid of any association." "No, anyone who understands what you're like would choose the same," Wenny asserted confidently. "So, Wenny, do you know what kind of person I am?" Aesphyra asked, her purple eyes seriously watching Wenny. "Of course, a capricious charmer," Wenny glanced at Aesphyra. "Isn't that evident?" "So, even if I pursued you, Wenny, you'd definitely refuse?" Aesphyra teased with a captivating smile. Here we go again. She's teasing him again. Honestly, with the fate-bound protagonist's irresistible allure, Wenny was somewhat scared that one day he might succumb to temptation and take this enchantress's words seriously. Considering Aesphyra's allure, it's no surprise the original story's numerous heroines allowed her to open her crystal palace, engaging with many. Just moments ago, that maid, Phili, if Aesphyra pursued her openly, she might fall in less than an hour, willing to let Aesphyra open her crystal palace just to hold a small corner in her heart. It is the nature of harem stories, after all. With this thought, Wenny leaned back, distancing himself from Aesphyra who was leaning in. "Cut it out, I'm a man, not in your scope of interest, incapable of being chosen, thank you," Wenny continued to eat. "Pfft," Aesphyra laughed at Wenny's reaction. "Wenny, happiness lies in contentment, you know." "Huh?" Wenny looked puzzled at Aesphyra's sudden, seemingly contextless comment. Aesphyra didn't bother explaining and had already moved to the front desk to settle the bill. What's she getting at now?? Wenny furrowed his brow while chewing his food. After finishing his pudding, he and Aesphyra left the maid café together. Wenny noticed many eyes upon them from within the café and along the street. Actually, they had been watching him since he entered the café with Aesphyra. It made sense. Aesphyra, with her exceptional talent and striking beauty, was highly popular in Carylman Academy, capturing the attention of many male students—some even sent her love letters. She was always in the limelight, it seemed. However, Wenny felt that most gazes directed at him from the street weren't filled with surprise at meeting Aesphyra but rather with 'passionate' looks—ones so intense they felt like they might melt him. Damn, who was this blue-haired brat anyway?? How could he be walking alongside Aesphyra, and what right did he have to do so?? When Wenny and Aesphyra sat together inside, the envious and resentful stares were intensely piercing. If looks could kill, Wenny figured he might've been reduced to Swiss cheese already. If it were some prodigy scion or someone with wealth and good looks sitting with Aesphyra, they could handle the stingingly envious gazes as they knew their place. But this blue-haired boy, unknown and unfitting any typical conditions, provoked indignant frustration from multiple boys—and even some girls. Wenny couldn't care less. These idiots had no idea how dangerous associating with Aesphyra truly was. He also realized the implications of this meal. Someone of pure blood like Aesphyra wouldn’t normally invite a male peer for a one-on-one meal just for nothing—wasn't it a bit disgusting? She was testing to see if he was behaving himself. Aesphyra couldn't have forgotten their 'life-or-death' bond from the past. A protagonist skilled in scheming like her couldn't trust him to have changed completely based on a few incidents. She'd surely keep an eye on his behavior and give him an occasional nudge. Wenny felt vexed, wishing he hadn't indulged in this small free lunch leading to so many jealous grudges. With her enormous wealth from selling alchemical formulas, would the Fate-bound Protagonist care about a trivial sum? After parting with Wenny, Aesphyra watched his departing figure, her smile quietly fading as she fell silent for a long time.