A saintess? She's just a bad woman.

Page 138

Saint Karina had seen those strange fish-shaped desserts on some children's hands before.

She was from the Lorian Empire, where people rarely ate such desserts. However, Curtis was a local, and she had seen far too many delicious foods. Local specialties were simply what the people of that country ate every day; these only worked for foreigners, not for locals. Therefore, Saint Karina figured Curtis probably wasn't interested.

The stall owner probably made that recommendation because Santa Karina is a white-haired girl, belonging to the category of foreigners.

"No. Only kids want to eat taiyaki. I'll try your goldfish game instead. Whether I'm a pet or not... it doesn't matter."

Curtis probably didn't want to hurt the girl.

She prefers playing games to eating.

“I used to sneak out at night, when time was tight and I didn’t have time to play games. It’s good to play this today.”

But... she doesn't need ugly goldfish as pets.

"I'll give it a try."

Seeing Curtis gesture for Saint Karina to give him money, the capricious princess, forgetting all about carrying cash, preferred to have her servants or other people who flattered her give it to her. To her, this was a matter of prestige.

Although she scoffed at this childish approach, Saint Karina couldn't help it and didn't want to spoil her fun.

After she paid, the stall owner girl handed her several paper net bags in the manner of a knight.

"The fate of my poor, deserted stall is in your hands!"

Influenced by the imposing manner, Curtis nodded solemnly.

Since returning from the Black Forest, although she is still a bit willful, she is no longer as arrogant and disdainful of ordinary people as before.

Saint Karina's education was very successful, especially in raising lovely girls.

At least in Curtis's case, this case was very successful after practical training.

then--

"Ah! How could this be? I was sure I had caught him!"

Curtis did indeed successfully catch the fish in the water.

But when she picked it up, the fish had already thrashed its tail against the paper bag and, in free fall, with a splash, fell back into the water.

It even splashed a huge amount of water, deliberately getting some onto the floor tiles next to Curtis, as if mocking him for being inferior.

The fish swam leisurely in the water, its tail swaying, before returning to its group, to its school of fish.

"It's all because of this net; it's so fragile!"

It was the lament of a loser.

"Did you have fun?"

"Hmm... I don't know if I should describe it as happy. Anyway, this game is really annoying. These goldfish are much more agile than I expected. What have you been feeding them? They seem like engines with a motor."

"You don't suspect me of cheating, do you? I assure you, I absolutely did not. I just fed them regular fish food, just like the previous vendor did. This game is completely fair and square."

The stall owner claimed to have been a knight in the past, but she was probably proud of her former knighthood, so she would never resort to any underhanded tricks or schemes.

She doesn't need to make money from this stall. She's young, skilled in martial arts, and doesn't need to support her family through this game. There's no need for her to lie.

"You didn't succeed because this game requires skill. You have to tilt the net, not put it flat into the water, and you have to be quick. If you drag it out for too long, the fish will tear the net and go back into the water."

"Well, I see..."

Curtis did not apologize. She might feel ashamed for misunderstanding the stall owner, but apologizing was too difficult for her at the moment.

The only person she could apologize to is probably Santa Karina, and even then, only under duress.

Curtis was an eccentric person; at least, she stopped complaining and became serious again, staring intently at the sink.

She was probably thinking that all she had left was a net, and she hadn't even caught a goldfish, which was embarrassing.

She rolled up her sleeves, followed the stall owner's instructions, made adjustments, and then—

"Hey!"

She made cute sounds.

A gentle breeze carried the aroma of taiyaki, which Curtis had mentioned earlier, but she ignored it. Her focus was on the fish in the center of the three fish, which was probably involved in a love triangle and had been lingering in the same spot for a long time.

It was stuck between two other fish, looking like a pitiful little wife. In that case, it would be very difficult for this fish to escape.

This is exactly the right target for catching goldfish.

then……

The fish still hasn't come up.

Because Curtis stretched his arm out too far, he lost his balance and bumped hard into the sink.

"Clap."

The splashing water landed on her clothes, face, and hair.

That was terrible; she was completely soaked.

"Are you ok?"

"Not good either."

Curtis had a bitter look on his face.

Afterwards, although the stall owner offered to give Curtis a towel, Saint Karina didn't bother her, and since the towel wouldn't dry the water, she used her drying magic to dry the water off Curtis's body.

The two left the goldfish stand, intending to look around elsewhere.

238. Homegrown flowers are not as fragrant as wildflowers.

After that, I visited a few more stalls.

However, Curtis only looked; he didn't try to play or buy anything.

"It's too hot, I don't want to shop anymore."

Curtis hasn't eaten anything since he woke up.

She hadn't gotten up much earlier than Santa Karina, and although Melville said he had prepared lunch, she planned to eat with Santa Karina.

The two did not dine at the mansion. The marshmallow Curtis had bought earlier contained only a few spoonfuls of white sugar, and his stomach was now empty.

"Okay. What would you like to eat?"

"Let's go somewhere with air conditioning."

So they chose a chain coffee shop called Bacchus on the street and selected a private room on the second floor in the middle.

It wasn't that she was afraid of being recognized or didn't want to eat in the lobby; rather, Curtis said she didn't want to dine in the same space as commoners. It seems she was surprisingly stubborn in this regard.

Saint Karina didn't care about this; the private room only cost an extra silver coin compared to the main hall, as a usage fee.

She has plenty of money and doesn't care about this little bit at all.

So the two booked a private room, and when the waiter told Curtis it was a couples' room, Curtis immediately became interested.

It seems that she is not indifferent on the surface, but rather quite concerned.

After ordering their food and drinks, the food arrived quickly, with two servings of omelet rice and pastries served promptly. Curtis and Santa Karina ate the omelet rice first to fill their stomachs, and then simply enjoyed the rest.

For a fee of one silver coin, you can stay in the private room until dinner time. At that time, the waiter will ask if you would like to pay more or order other dishes.

With no particular purpose in mind, the two naturally found themselves with nothing to do.

"Saint Karina, what's so good about that woman?"

A simply dressed, long-haired blonde girl in magical disguise leisurely stirred her coffee with a silver spoon, glancing at the young woman opposite her out of the corner of her eye.

The woman was very elegant and very beautiful.

White hair and blue eyes are Curtis's focus.

She thought Saint Karina looked so beautiful and pleasing to the eye, while finding Tiss incredibly unattractive.

She simply couldn't understand what was so appealing about the daughter of a fallen nobleman. If she wanted to have a deeper connection with a woman, why didn't she go to her?

Her long, smooth, lustrous hair was a rare and noble fiery red. Was it reasonable? Was it appropriate for him to leave the princess alone in her chambers while he favored another woman?

Santa Karina and she never reached home base because of various other things.

Curtis sometimes wondered if he was cursed, that he was always getting stuck in that kind of situation.

Even if the interaction between illusions or consciousness is very real, upon waking you will feel the sheets are slightly damp, leaving behind a lot of indescribable water, and your body will feel incredibly light, as if you are floating on air. That is not truly becoming an adult.

Thinking back to when he first accepted the adventure mission, the impoverished woman was pale and haggard, and had even forgotten to wear lipstick before leaving home; her lips were too pale and bland, and she seemed to be in a bad mood. Curtis wondered how Saint Karina could have taken a liking to such a noble lady.

Curtis, in any case, didn't think much of it. She wasn't really trying to help; she was just watching Santa Karina tinker around to pass the time.

Through various inquiries, Curtis learned that Tiss was the granddaughter of the Earl of the Capital—Tiss Graham, who had inherited her grandfather's title. However, the title was merely an empty shell, as the family's wealth had gradually declined in recent years due to her father's mismanagement.

Her family business was already on the verge of collapse while her parents were still alive.

After her parents passed away unexpectedly, leaving her with only one daughter, Tiss, her business partners betrayed her one after another, ending their cooperation. Her cash flow was almost broken, and if she did not receive support from the capital bank of the Toran Empire, she would have to declare bankruptcy next month.

The salaries of the household servants, the wages of the small companies under my name, the payments to the vegetable merchants, the expenses for renovating the mansion... none of these have been paid yet.

The Graham family's finances were deteriorating and could no longer withstand the strain. Some loans were also due and they urgently needed funds to repay them.

Ultimately, it was the existence of the Toran Empire's noble protection law that prevented violent debt collection, allowing Tiss to grow up healthy.

This turning point, which was thought to be a family marriage that could solve the immediate crisis and completely dismantle the debt, almost led to the destruction of both Tiss and her family due to her lack of social experience and naivety.

A hero saves the damsel in distress… The hero is Saint Karina, and the damsel in distress is Tiss. What a cliché plot, the problem is you're not the main character.

Thinking of this, Curtis gripped the spoon tighter and tighter, his knuckles turning white, his mood even more chaotic than the coffee with milk, sugar cubes, and other miscellaneous ingredients.

The white-haired girl sitting opposite her was the only person in the entire capital who was willing to offer Tiss help. She was very powerful, a saintess of the Lorian Empire, and held a high position of power and wealth.

If this were a novel, she would be the kind of cool, wealthy, and powerful dragon king who returns to power, the supreme ruler of the North.

The Lorian Empire is not a small, insignificant country that could be annexed by other nations at any time. It has always been a great power, even when it was plagued by treacherous officials and internal and external troubles.

They were like small countries, preferring to pay annual tribute and send their most beloved daughters as hostages in exchange for the protection of a powerful empire.

The word "most beloved" should be in quotes. Anyone slightly familiar with the inner workings of the royal family knows that the most beloved daughter is only in appearance. In reality, she is not favored and is born to a woman of low status. The clash between noble and inferior genes in her body makes her look nothing like a member of the royal family.

Although they were the daughters of kings or princesses, their lives were even more impoverished than those of peasant daughters, and they suffered constant bullying and contempt.

As a result, she naturally lacked the extraordinary bearing expected of royalty, her eyes held no pride in her lineage, and her words and actions were quite ordinary. She was low-key, reserved, and even as inconspicuous as dust or dirt.

In every situation, it is air.

Take one of the countries, that small country, for example. Every member of the Etov royal family has beautiful blonde hair, but the princess who was given away as a political bargaining chip has black hair, inherited from her mother. Only her gray-blue eyes are more like her father's.

Those eyes weren't as clear and innocent as those of girls her age; they looked calm and expressionless, almost wooden. But how could someone raised in that kind of environment be so naive? Her lack of brilliance was unavoidable; for survival, they were full of cunning and calculation, characteristics unbecoming of a girl her age.

To live is Fang Wei's only thought and pursuit.

However, there are always exceptions. Children who grow up in the mud also have their bright and shining moments.

For example, Saint Karina had read a book called "The Glorious Path of the Slave Princess." No one could understand why a hostage princess of such status would have the audacity to threaten others. Not only did she dare to threaten the prime minister's daughter, but she also dared to make some excessive demands.

For example, the story mentions that this wasn't the first time the two had met.

"Miss Dalia, what's your decision?"

"Isn't there any other way? The money... I'll find a way to pay it back, it just needs some time, yes, some time."

The young girl was struggling to survive.

After all, being the plaything of a princess held hostage by a vassal state is far too shameful. If the other party were of higher status, a legitimate member of the direct bloodline rather than an illegitimate child, it might be worth considering.

Although this princess of humble origins is no longer the same as before, she has now become the emperor of the country.

Her father, on the other hand, was accused of corruption and forming cliques, as well as of supporting another contender for the throne who failed, thus offending the current emperor. His crimes were exaggerated, and he had to pay a lot of money in compensation.

Unable to pay the damages, the father, being of advanced age, had no choice but to go to jail to pay off the debt.

Her family's decline was inevitable, but even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse, and it was still better than being a lowly illegitimate daughter. The feeling of being suppressed was really unbearable.

A check from the Capital Bank lay on the table, the amount being ten thousand gold coins. This sum wouldn't solve all the problems, but it would at least ensure a smooth cash flow for the next quarter.

A quarter is three months, and a lot can be accomplished in three months, such as finding partners to secure investment, keeping the family business running, and reducing employee turnover.

All problems will be solved as long as she agrees to become the plaything of the illegitimate hostage princess [the current young emperor].

"If you don't use your body, how will you repay the debt? Do you have any extra money at home?"

Zoina sipped her coffee, a faint smile on her face. Though she showed no contempt, Daria had the illusion that she was being looked down upon.