Episode 64

Volunteer activities are conducted in the wide open space between the temple and the orphanage.

When I arrived, the area was already bustling with children and priests preparing for the event.

I walked straight towards the orphanage director standing amidst the crowd.

“Hey, isn’t that…”

“Isn’t that the one… with Diana’s healing power…”

As I walked across the clearing, the children’s gazes bore into me sharply.

Almost two months had passed since I left for the Duke’s estate, yet it seemed no one had forgotten about me.

‘Whether they look or not, it doesn’t matter.’

I thought indifferently.

In the past, I would have hunched my shoulders and lifted my head even higher in response to their whispering.

But having gone through everything once already, the disdainful looks from the priests and children seemed merely amusing.

Arriving at the center of the clearing with an unaffected expression, I tapped the shoulder of the middle-aged woman who had her back to me.

“Huh? Who is…”

“Hello, Director.”

“Gasp! You, you are…”

Maybe because it had been a while, she greeted me with wide eyes.

“Be-Belze.”

“Yes! Have you been well?”

I answered with a bright smile, and the woman quickly scanned me from head to toe.

It seemed she was trying to gauge what kind of treatment I was receiving at the Duke’s estate.

‘She hasn’t changed at all, this woman.’

The orphanage director wasn’t the type to hit or abuse the children like the temple people.

However, she could be worse in a way, as she showered affection arbitrarily and then pretended not to know you.

“Oh, our Belze! So young, yet already able to use healing powers! How admirable!”

When my healing power first manifested, the director treated me as the most special child in the orphanage.

But when Diana arrived, that daydream was shattered.

“Oh, our Diana! So good at healing, and such a sweet and diligent child!”

“Director, my arm hurts because of you.”

“Didn’t you hear me? You get into fights and pinch and hit your friends every day! Did I teach you that?”

‘…Could it have all started with this woman?’

The inferiority complex towards Diana that led me astray.

Lost in thought, staring at the woman.

“I heard you went to the Duke’s estate.”

When she finished her inspection, the woman looked at me with a sour expression.

It seemed my appearance was less impressive than she had expected.

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

‘Tsk. No wonder you’re still just an orphanage director.’

The cream-colored dress I wore might have looked plain, but its price was anything but ordinary.

In fact, none of the clothes Edwin and the Duke bought for me were ordinary.

‘Well, even if she recognized and fawned over me, there’s no going back to being on good terms.’

Ever since she subtly ostracized me by comparing me to Diana, this woman was out of my life for good.

“Director, where should I go for my booth?”

My only purpose for calling her was to check in and get my booth assignment.

I was about to move on after stating my business when she grabbed me.

“Belze! Have you been well? Your face looks much better.”

It seemed she wasn’t completely oblivious.

She quickly noticed how much healthier I looked.

I smirked.

“Yes, I’ve been very well!”

“Re-really? I heard the second young master is about your age. Did he treat you well?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief. Belze, you caused so much trouble… I was really worried when I heard you went to the Duke’s estate.”

The director continued to pry into my situation with a friendly facade, clearly not wanting to miss a chance to connect with the Duke’s household.

Naturally, I didn’t give her the answers she wanted.

“Wow. Is that so.”

I responded soullessly.

“Hmph! As if she’s really doing well. She’s probably on the verge of being kicked out for throwing tantrums. Don’t you know her personality, Director?”

“Exactly. Just look at how she’s dressed… Even though she went to the Kallios Duke’s estate, which is supposed to be so powerful, she’s not being treated any better than anyone else.”

Two familiar women approached from behind the director, their voices dripping with sarcasm.

They were lower-ranking priests who helped take care of the orphans. Though my memory was fuzzy because I was so young, I remembered that they didn’t get along well with me.

Actually, there weren’t many priests who did get along with me, so it didn’t matter much.

“If she gets kicked out, won’t she just come back to the orphanage?”

“Exactly. It doesn’t look like she came with anyone.”

The female priests, confident that my position in the Duke’s household was poor, criticized me without holding back.

In my past life, I would have screamed in such situations.

Then, whether it was a child or an adult, I would rush at them, biting and scratching with all my might.

‘Why did I feel so bitter and wronged back then?’

Having gone through similar situations countless times, I was just tired and annoyed.

But that didn’t mean I was just going to take it quietly.

‘The Duke and Edwin said that disrespecting me was the same as disrespecting Kallios.’

I repeated those words to myself, trying to look as innocent as possible.

“Is that so?”

At the same time, I lifted my right arm and twisted a handful of hair.

Of course, I did it on purpose.

“Th-that…!”

The director, standing right in front of me, was the first to notice the gleaming wrist under the warm sunlight.

“Belze, wh-what is that?”

“Hm? What?”

“That bracelet on your wrist!”

Even if she couldn’t recognize expensive clothes, she could spot an expensive accessory instantly.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the extraordinary bangle.

“Uh…”

The women’s chatter had stopped by now.

“Oh, this? Lord Kallios gave it to me so I wouldn’t get lost!”

I beamed and held out my wrist for them to see.

“Would you like to see it up close, Director?”

“Uh, um…”

“Here, it has my name engraved, and here! The Kallios crest!”

I showed them the engravings on the inside of the bangle.

The director’s mouth fell open, and the women’s pupils started to shake.

“This, this is… a safety bracelet?”

“Yes! Isn’t it pretty! Hehe!”

I waved my arm with the bangle enthusiastically, like a child showing off a new toy.

The atmosphere grew silent.

I didn’t need to look back to know that not just the people in front of me, but all the priests and children in the clearing were now staring at me.

I then looked directly at the priests who had been badmouthing me.

“Excuse me, priests! Could you wait a moment?”

“Wh-what? For what…?”

“When Lord Kallios arrives, I’ll ask him if I’m getting kicked out and sent back to the orphanage!”

“Huh!”

The female priests gasped.

The director quickly interjected.

“Belze. What do you mean? Is the Duke of Kallios coming here today?”

“Yes. He said he’d visit me this morning! With Edwin, I mean, the young master!”

After answering, I stared intently at the priests, who shuddered.

“Why are you asking about such things? Don’t trouble the Duke!”

“Yes, exactly! It was just a joke between us!”

Realizing the situation, the priests tried to backtrack hastily.

But I had no intention of letting it go.

‘If I’m going to be the Saintess, I need to assert myself from the start.’

Otherwise, they would definitely undermine me once I became the Saintess.

I also didn’t want to ruin the event for the Duke and Edwin.

“Why?”

I tilted my head innocently.

“I just want to know. Am I getting kicked out of the Duke’s estate or not?”

“Th-that’s…”

“You even said my clothes were shabby! Hmph, these are my favorite clothes in the world!”

“Look at her! I-I didn’t mean it like that…”

“Enough!”

Suddenly, the director stepped in and shouted at the priests who were trying to argue.

“Apologize to Belze immediately, Priest Julie! Priest Moa!”

“D-Director…”

“As priests, can’t you tell what’s appropriate to say to a child? Are you really that kind of person?”

She had no right to say this, considering she let the priests gossip openly.

But the mention of the Duke coming seemed to have rattled her.

“If you don’t apologize now, it will be reflected in your next evaluation!”

“Gasp! A-anything but that…”

“Alright, I’m sorry, Belze. I spoke too harshly.”

“I apologize. It wasn’t serious, just a joke.”

The female priests reluctantly apologized.

Of course, I didn’t accept their apology.

I simply stared at them silently, and the director hurriedly made eye contact with me.

“Oh, Belze, they’re really sorry. Our beautiful and kind Belze, please forgive them, okay?”

The hand roughly tousling my hair annoyed me.

Smack—

I slapped her hand away coldly.

“Wh-what…?”

The director looked stunned.

“Director, by the way!”

I looked at her with a clear expression.

“Are you constipated?”

“…What?”

I gazed at the brown aura swirling around her lower abdomen, her face twisted in confusion.

“Ew, that’s gross! You’re full of poop!”