2-15 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

**Volume Two: Chapter 15 - Please Pardon Any Offense** "Actually, what is it?" Vannesa tilted her head, feigning confusion. "...", Mirexia remained silent, and after a long pause, she reluctantly muttered, "I apologize, I've been acting strangely lately. I don't even understand why I am like this." "If my recent behavior has troubled you, please don't be bothered by it," Mirexia added, lowering her eyes. She feared that Vannesa would be repelled by this version of herself and distance herself. In truth, Mirexia detested herself, unable to comprehend why she behaved this way, why she instinctively craved these feelings. Mirexia was caught in a fog of self-doubt. Now that the matter was laid bare, she was remorseful about her actions and could not fathom why she entertained such frivolous and shameful thoughts. As the princess of the Camella Kingdom and its future queen, how could she do something that betrays the public's expectations? "Princess Mirexia, really, don't you understand what I mean by now?" Vannesa turned towards Mirexia, drew closer, and boldly lifted the chin of the golden-haired girl with her delicate fingers. "Why would I be troubled by it? Aren't you my childhood friend, my Mirexia?" Mirexia's gaze was locked, leaving her no escape. She could only stare directly at that face, as beautiful as a spring blossom, her eyes drowning in their peach-colored depths. 'Virtue +70.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,504.’ "In any case, I could never dislike you." Vannesa enunciated each word carefully, her voice serene like a gentle stream. The alluring pink eyes and the enchanting pools of emotion that filled them, evoking a mother's unconditional and pure love, enveloped Mirexia completely. The warmth flooded over her, tempting her to submerge without struggle. "I know Princess Mirexia has always been a diligent child, carrying burdens not meant for her, trying to shoulder the nation's expectations by sacrificing her personal feelings and desires since childhood. Only coming of age has she taken on a country's mantle." Vannesa softly caressed Mirexia's cheek, her tone gentle like a goddess counseling a penitent believer seeking redemption. "There’s no need to be troubled by these matters. It’s perhaps a blessing. Where once you were like a tireless machine devoid of personal sentiments, I worried you'd malfunction someday. Now, you're embracing a human’s vulnerability and warmth." "Every person possesses both a polished side and a shadowy, hidden one—quite ordinary. We mustn't expect anyone to have a heart entirely free of blemishes, for only 'divinity' achieves such perfection." "Ultimately, actions matter over intentions. Even those deemed pure and blessed by the goddess have a shadowed side, so long as it harms no one, they remain the devout.” Listening to Vannesa’s soft words, Mirexia felt the darkness and ice wrapped around her slowly melt away, illuminated by the glow radiating from the cherry-haired girl. The sacred aura of the girl, with a warmth like maternal love, encompassed Mirexia, forgiving any whim or fault entirely. Raised as the future queen of Camella, under the tutelage of court mentors, Mirexia appeared formidable and charismatic, confidently leading in adversity. As a queen, showing vulnerability was never permitted privately or publicly, a critical lesson from her court mentors on royal principles. Yet today, she found herself wanting to confide in and lean on this girl, sharing her years of hardship and suppression. Vannesa recognized this, guiding Mirexia into her embrace. Warmth enveloped them, a soft collision of limbs. Mirexia’s typically composed and detached demeanor relaxed like a thawing glacier, losing its resolute strength. The hard ice melting into gentle waters, leaving only tenderness. In that moment, she felt once more the longing for maternal affection, desiring to indulge in a loved one's embrace. What was unattained in youth was fulfilled now. "But, so many rely on me, expect me to lead, yet I harbor these bizarre thoughts." Due to their difference in height, Mirexia's chin rested on Vannesa's fragrant shoulder, breathing in the scent of lavender and white camellias that soothed her anxious heart. "You've misunderstood, Mirexia. Leadership separates public duty and private life. No one knows how past saintesses and emperors managed their personal affairs, but it never stopped them from being praised leaders of history." "Understand that people focus on your public deeds and abilities; achieving greatness is about merging benevolence and power. Everything else? That’s your personal aspect. You're human, not a machine. You also have needs and pressures to mitigate." Vannesa gently patted Mirexia's shoulder, comforting her. "Isn't that so?" "So, no need to feel guilty. It's human nature, after all. You, Princess Mirexia, have sacrificed so much for the kingdom's hopeful gaze. You've done enough. Surely, you're allowed a personal life? No one will criticize you for that, nor has the right.” Vannesa's gentle voice, like a sacred tune, dispelled the unease clouding Mirexia's heart, like a guiding light through her fog of confusion. Under Vannesa's guidance, Mirexia seemed to loosen her fixation on the issue. 'Virtue +50.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,554.’ Though it was a tacit understanding between them, it was a veil lifted today. Now plainly revealed, Mirexia felt comforted by Vannesa’s assurance, though slightly embarrassed. "But, such behavior is..." "Princess Mirexia, it’s merely a way to de-stress. Everyone has different ways to unwind, and what is deemed 'normal' is subjective." "As long as it doesn't inconvenience others, why should it matter?" "Princess Mirexia has always been obedient, overwhelmed with work, deprived of personal time. Coping with such stress isn’t easy. Being a ‘bad’ child occasionally is quite reasonable, don’t you think?" Truth be told, Vannesa hadn't expected Mirexia to hide her feelings so deeply but realized it was perhaps understandable. Over time, the demands of public office, academics, and the psychological burdens of responsibility created immense pressure on Mirexia. This stress accumulated without release, and under such high-pressure conditions, her resilience was remarkable as she avoided a mental breakdown, making her quirky habits understandable. "...Is that so?" With Vannesa's guidance, Mirexia stopped wrangling with herself. Most importantly, she understood that Vannesa wasn’t repelled by her behavior. 'Virtue +50.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,604.’ "Thank you, Vannesa." "Oh, come on, didn’t I say before, no need to thank me?" Vannesa teased playfully. "Princess Mirexia, do you want to keep hugging a bit longer?~" Upon hearing that, Mirexia immediately let go, her cheeks still tinged with a noticeable pink hue. 'Virtue +30.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,634.’ "You know, I think this is quite fair." "What's that?" Mirexia asked, confused, as Vannesa explained with a mischievous smile. "Earlier, even though it was a secret between us, it was just your secret that I knew. But now, we both hold secrets of each other, not that we’d go around sharing them. Isn’t that a better balance?" "Now we truly have shared secrets, right~?" "However," Vannesa continued, her tone shifting to one of playful mockery, "even though I believe any peculiar habit that doesn't breach moral standards deserves respect, who would've thought Princess Mirexia's little quirk was this?" Her voice held an elegant teasing edge, reminiscent of a pure-hearted saintess unveiling herself as a cheeky little demon. 'Virtue +20.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,654.’ Mirexia said nothing, her usual calm demeanor had already faltered, leaving only the bashful embarrassment of a girl discovering love for the first time. "Puh, Princess Mirexia, you work so hard all the time. As your friend and childhood companion, I just wish for you to have a healthy mental state." "After all, if stress isn’t managed, it keeps piling up, right? If I knew about your troubles and did nothing, only for my childhood friend to break down from stress one day, I'd feel deeply guilty," Vannesa quipped with a tilt of her head. "So, tell me, Princess Mirexia, boldly now, what do you want me to do~?" "..." Mirexia remained silent, her face still blushing like a rosy peach, her real emotions inscrutable. 'Virtue +50.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,704.’ Vannesa watched the golden-haired girl with folded arms and a smile, while Mirexia remained sternly silent. Vannesa, accustomed to Mirexia’s personality, knew it wasn’t her being cold. Quite the opposite, her emotions were too overwhelming and complex for her face to display. "Well, expecting Princess Mirexia to choose for herself was my mistake," Vannesa mused, tapping her head in realization when Mirexia didn’t speak for a prolonged moment. Mirexia watched but decided against speaking up. Consistently, at pivotal moments, her words and heart diverged, showing that articulating her emotions was her greatest challenge. She recognized her issue but remained unable to change this trait. "It can’t be helped," Mirexia thought as Vannesa, not growing frustrated with Mirexia’s stubborn nature, sat down on the sofa with a deep breath. "Vannesa?" "Princess Mirexia, pardon me. What I'm about to do might not conform with etiquette because of you," Vannesa stated with a slight smirk, resting her chin on her hand and closing her eyes. As she reopened them, her gaze gained a chill and aloofness reminiscent of an empress gazing upon her domain. She looked intently at the girl before her, as if peering down from a height. Mirexia's heart clenched; merely under Vannesa's gaze, her almost withered heart began to throb wildly. Unconsciously, she placed a hand over her chest. 'Virtue +100.' ‘Current Virtue: 10,804.’ "Why are you just standing there?" Vannesa asked, her chin still supported by her hand, surveying her friend with a commanding presence. The pink-haired girl seemed to sit on more than a mere sofa; it resembled a throne. "I haven’t granted you the right to stand, Mirexia," Vannesa continued, idly examining her nails, her voice casual yet elegant. Even if this was merely an act, her innate grace shone through effortlessly. "Kneel before me," Vannesa commanded, each word deliberate. "?!" As royalty, being ordered in such a way would ordinarily be a vast insult to Mirexia. Yet, from Vannesa, whom she trusts and holds special feelings for, her heart raced instead of taking offense. "Didn't you hear me? Kneel," Vannesa's steady gaze moved from her fingers to Mirexia’s face, full of pressure. "...", a strong impulse tingled through Mirexia’s scalp. She held her chest, her posture shifting, obediently transitioning from standing to kneeling on one knee. Despite this, Mirexia’s face displayed reluctance, seemingly full of defiance, even as her smooth movement betrayed her true willingness.