How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

“The High Priest?”

It reminded her of the timid old man she met at the temple. 

She read the letter her maid gave her. The text in the letter said that the fund was raised by selling the jewels she gave, and all the priests and priestesses were grateful. He wanted to thank her and also ask her how to spend the money, so he asked her to visit the temple today.

“I need to get permission from Her Majesty.”

She put down the letter and sent the lady-in-waiting to the Empress to convey the high priest’s request. She changed her dress while the answer came back from the Empress. Fortunately, the Empress allowed her to go out for a while.

The high priest asked her directly, so she must have had no reason to refuse.

Just like last time, she got on the carriage heading to the temple with only Nell accompanying her.

* * *

When she returned to High Temple after five days, it felt quieter than before. As soon as she arrived, the priest guided her inside. She left Nel and walked down the corridors of the temple.

The priest continued to take her somewhere along the maze-like corridors. After a long walk, they arrived at a small chapel at the far end of the temple. When she opened the door and went inside, a familiar man was waiting for her.

Grand Duke Terence Gar in a black military uniform.

“His Highness the Grand Duke.”

She was surprised by the appearance of the Grand Duke, but it was not very unexpected. Because the High Priestess, who was so afraid of Eve, couldn’t have called her to such a place. And in the original work, the High Priest followed the Grand Duke’s orders well. Of course, not because he liked the Grand Duke, but because he had his weaknesses.

“Come this way.”

The Grand Duke took the lead and walked past the chapel and into the corridor. At the end of the hallway, narrow enough for one person, was a small door. As he opened the door in the wall, a bright light poured in. It was a large balcony. There was a white balustrade carved out of marble, and four pillars supported the roof.

She followed the Grand Duke to the railing and was amazed at the scene before her. The scenery of the islands was seen under the steeply falling cliffs.

This was the end of the hill.

The entrance of the hill had a gentle slope, and the opposite end had a steep terrain like a cliff. There was a small waterfall next to the balcony. The water that flowed from the center of the temple passed through the aqueduct and fell down the hill. Half of the waterfall was covered with white ice, but clear water flowed endlessly under the translucent ice.

She realized why the Grand Duke had come here. In this position, no one would be able to overhear our secret conversations.

The Grand Duke, who had been standing for a moment watching the flowing water, turned around and asked,

“Were there any lies in what you said to me in the chapel that night?”

* * *

Terence watched his fiancée in front of him as he questioned.

Eve quietly shook her head.

“No, I didn’t lie.”

Terrence looked at the waterfall again, lost in thought.

It could be a coincidence once or twice. However, if the same thing happens three times, it was difficult to dismiss it as a mere coincidence. Let’s just say it was a coincidence that Terrence himself matched the wedding outfit she had only been thinking about in her head. Let’s say that there was an astronomy genius who surpassed the academy’s astronomers around the princess, so she figured out how. However, even in the game with his younger brother, the fact that the card the princess said came out was hard to see as a coincidence or a premeditated event. Moreover, those two cards were the last two cards that Terrence himself discarded randomly without thinking.

‘Just in case, I checked all the other card hands after the game, but nothing strange happened.’

The people who played the game together were the two most trustworthy people in the world, Kamion, his henchman, and his younger brother, Rot. They couldn’t and wouldn’t fool him.

How would she manipulate the randomly selected cards?

Terence asked Eve again.

“Summarizing, the princess suddenly regained her holy power right after her engagement ceremony, and are we the only two who know this right now?”

“Yes.”

“And according to the vision the princess saw, His Majesty killed the princess-”

“It was a plan to kill me and frame His Highness as a murderer. From what I’ve seen, it’s definitely been successful.”

Terrence listened to Eve’s explanation and nodded.

‘I almost got into trouble.’

If that really happened, he would have had a hard time getting out of it himself. No way, few people would think that the Emperor would lay a false charge on him, even sacrificing his own daughter. Terrence himself could not have imagined that the Emperor would use such a vile trick.

While he was feeling disgust mixed with admiration for the Emperor, Eve, who was watching him carefully, asked.

“Are you believing me now?”

Terrence smiled lowly as he watched the clear water flow down the hill. It was amazing, but there was no way to deny it now.

“It’s amazing, but I can’t help but believe it.”

Now he had no choice but to accept it as true.

Terrence was quick to judge and quick to act. As soon as he made up his judgment that it wasn’t false, he made the decision to keep this woman by his side and use her powers.

“If the princess helps me with her abilities, I will help her too.”

“That word…”

“It means that we will protect the safety of her princess.”

It’s funny, but now protecting the safety of the princess has become important to him too. She said that if the princess suddenly died, he would be accused of being a murderer.

Eve seemed relieved after hearing that, and expressed her gratitude with a small smile.

“Thank you for accepting the deal.”

Terrence did not take his eyes off Eve. Under the bright sunlight, Princess Eve looked confident and elegant unlike before.

‘Was this the original impression?’

It was clear that she was Eve, whom he had seen for a long time, with her graceful and sophisticated features, white skin, and blue eyes, but somehow she seemed like a completely different person.

‘Well, it’s not just the atmosphere that has changed.’

Up until five days ago, Terrence had thought Eve lacked the intelligence to think higher-order. However, after appearing with a bouquet of flowers at the temple, Eve began to show a completely different side than before. He did some research, wondering if she was really someone else, but there was nothing suspicious about it.

‘I wonder if she’s been acting all this time.’

Or did she regain her intelligence while regaining her holy power? In fact, he didn’t know much about Eve. Because he had never dealt with Eve seriously before.

Previously, Eve was just a troublesome and irritating princess. She was not even worth taking seriously, he thought. But he felt completely different now.

Terrence looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“There is nothing to be thankful for. It’s just a business relationship.”

He continued his speech calmly, without much inspiration.

“The top priority right now is to have a safe wedding and take the princess to my mansion. It would be difficult for the Emperor to use his hand there.”

After he said it, he regretted it a little. He didn’t think it was an overly harsh word. It was too harsh a thing to say to his fiancée, though she had become his business partner. However, Eve seemed not to have been hurt in the slightest, she rather assured him with a smile.

“Yes, I like it. Oh, don’t worry about marriage. When time passes and safety is secured, I will divorce you as soon as possible.”

“What?”

Terrence turned his gaze to Eve in disbelief. What did he hear? Divorce?

* * *

She thought that if she brought up the topic of divorce first, the Grand Duke would welcome it. After he’s out of danger, he’ll want to marry the girl he likes after all. But the Grand Duke frowned and repeated the question.

“Do you want to divorce me?”

She calmly looked up at the Grand Duke and said.

“Yes, I want to get divorced and live in a quiet place. Do not worry. I will only use my abilities for the sake of Your Highness for the rest of my life.”

All she wanted was to get out of the imperial palace, to be safe and have a chance to be self-sufficient. She could have been willing to marry this frighteningly handsome man for a while, if only she could have the chance to live safely and freely.

If she used her foreknowledge for this man even after they divorce, he’d protect her as promised. This man would keep her around as long as it’s useful.

‘Instead, if I become useless, He’ll kill me mercilessly.’

For her, the only hope was that Eve’s powers of foresight would last forever.

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Translator Note:

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