Chapter 03
Unaware of Idnia’s inner turmoil, the Archbishop who had recommended her as a Saintess candidate gazed solemnly at the crumbling chapel walls.
*”Though this land was ravaged by the Demon King’s descent, I remain the Archbishop of the Betelgeuse Archdiocese. My influence in the Papacy is not insignificant.
I have staked my entire reputation to endorse you as the next Saintess. Yes—I swear upon my office. The next Saintess can be none other than the Duchess of Betelgeuse!”*
“But… this is troubling. I am unworthy of such a divine decree. Are you certain the prophecy named me specifically? Is there truly no other Saintess candidate?”
Idnia had to ask.
If Astraea—the game’s protagonist—didn’t exist, then there would be no one to stop the world’s destruction.
And if that were the case… she’d have no choice.
Though Season 1’s final boss was the demonized Idnia, the later arcs saw demonic legions and their lords gradually infiltrating the empire, bringing calamity to human society.
Avoiding her personal doom flags meant nothing if the world ended.
If the original heroine was absent and Idnia alone had received the prophecy, she’d have to step up as the Saintess.
*”Well… The Bishop of Astraea did nominate some lowborn girl as a candidate. But that man is utterly despicable! He tormented me endlessly during seminary. That such a wretch became a clergyman is a disgrace to the Trinity Church!
Naturally, his chosen candidate cannot be legitimate. Between you and me, she’s likely his bastard child. A priest, fathering a child—scandalous!”*
“……”
Idnia stared blankly as the Archbishop badmouthed his colleague like a petty schoolboy.
‘Well, at least the game’s protagonist exists.’
Then the Duke spoke.
“This is an opportunity, Idnia.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve watched your efforts. Thanks to you, the duchy’s conditions have improved… But if you truly wish to restore our land and reclaim House Kache’s glory, attending Dunais Academy is essential. Without its credentials, even our lineage won’t suffice for advancement.”
The Duke now saw Idnia as an ambitious visionary.
“But Father, the duchy can’t function without me.”
Currently, Idnia managed the lumbermill, hunted bounties and monsters, and brought in substantial income.
Combined with the Duke’s pension, they barely kept the duchy afloat. If she left—?
“Worry not. We’ve already discussed this.”
“What?”
*”The Betelgeuse Archdiocese was once grand. Though its current state is… humble, I am still a Trinity Archbishop—not without resources.
I’ve secured funds for purifying the tainted lands and various relief projects.”*
“Idnia, these are contingent on you graduating and fulfilling the prophecy.”
“Please accept this divine duty and humiliate that wretched Bishop of Astraea!”
“How much funding are we talking?”
“For your academic expenses, 100 shillings monthly.”
Considering rural laborers earned 1 shilling daily (2 in cities), 100 shillings equaled 50 days’ urban wages—roughly 10 million KRW per month. A lavish stipend for a student.
The empire’s pension to the Duke—the hero who saved the world—was a paltry 50 shillings. The Church’s Saintess allowance dwarfed the emperor’s “generosity.”
‘100 shillings just for being a Saintess candidate? Not bad. But…’
Tempted as she was, Idnia prepared to decline.
“I appreciate the offer, but my contributions here—”
“That’s already resolved. Reconstruction plans are underway. The chapel’s restoration alone will provide jobs. Add land purification, and it’ll offset your absence.”
So the Archbishop had not only secured her stipend but also purification projects and relief programs? His hatred for the Bishop must run deep.
‘Just how badly did that Bishop bully him in school?!’
Idnia shuddered, imagining the dignified Archbishop getting beaten as a young seminarian.
‘Well, I’ve already dodged the doom flags… This might be manageable.’
Staying in the capital as a half-demon risked exposure, but hiding in the countryside wasn’t an option either.
Awakening Maiden Concerto was notoriously pay-to-win. Without the original heroine, the world was doomed.
She couldn’t idly wait for ruin.
“Very well. I’ll attend Dunais Academy and fulfill the prophecy.”
Idnia resolved to depart for the imperial capital.
Dunais, Capital of the Holy Eldar Empire
The city swarmed with students, parents, and servants ahead of the academy’s entrance ceremony.
Then, like a receding tide, the crowd suddenly parted.
“What’s the meaning of this?! Do you know who we serve? The Viscount of Troyvilly!”
“Move. Now.”
“How dare you—”
“There’s a monster coming!”
—THUD!
The earth trembled.
A giant black warhorse advanced, led by a towering warrior.
“O-Oh. Right. Let’s, uh, move.”
People plastered themselves against walls like spooked prey.
The warrior—Idnia Kache Betelgeuse—stopped before a noticeboard. One poster stood out:
“Behold the World’s Mystical Beasts! Exotic Creatures at the Betelgeuse Villa!”
“Huh. So our villa’s been turned into a zoo.”
She smirked bitterly. The Betelgeuse summer villa, once her family’s pride, now entertained the masses.
“Well, the estate is massive. Repurposing it benefits the public… Though it does rub our downfall in our faces. Almost feels intentional.”
Fallen houses make room for rising ones. Prime real estate in the capital was coveted. Turning it into a zoo? A deliberate slight.
“Master! You’re here!”
A boy darted through the crowd—Heilang, future chieftain of the Sacred Beast Tribe’s Wu clan.
The black steed Idnia led, Heipa, was revered by the tribe. The Sacred Beast clans, deemed barbarians by the empire, rejected the Trinity Church.
Yet when Idnia subdued Heipa—a beast they worshipped—and rode it, the Wu clan declared her “Chosen by the Sacred Beast,” offering their heir as her retainer.
‘A noble’s retainer should be a viscount’s heir at minimum. How far we’ve fallen.’
In better times, employing a “barbarian” would’ve caused outrage. But with the duchy in ruins, no one cared.
Not that Idnia minded. Heilang was preternaturally swift, resourceful, and already blending into capital life—judging by the cotton candy, popcorn, and zoo-branded fan in his hands.
“You’ve been to the zoo already? Crowded?”
“Yep! Even on a weekday. Tickets were pricey too.”
“When did you arrive?”
“Yesterday morning. Scouted intel and hit the zoo.”
Despite his youth, Heilang was formidable—melding into shadows, communicating with animals, and gathering intelligence effortlessly.
“The info I asked for?”
“The other Saintess candidate? Of course.”
He offered Idnia cotton candy with a grin.
“Name’s Marie of Astraea. Commoner. Her parents are farmers—not poor, but not wealthy either. Lost siblings to yellow fever.”
A deadly disease in this era, especially for those unable to afford holy healing. The glittering capital’s dark underbelly.
“How’d you find this?”
“Contacts in the Astraea branch of our tribe. Reputation-wise? Just a country girl who worked at a nunnery until she ‘received a vision.’”
“Marie of Astraea, huh…”
In Awakening Maiden Concerto, the protagonist’s default name was Marie.
Was this the original character? Or a reincarnated player like Idnia?
‘If it’s the latter, my actions might’ve tipped her off.’
Idnia realized her mistake. In dodging doom flags, she’d acted too out of character.
The original Idnia was obsessed with her engagement, scheming ruthlessly until her half-demon heritage doomed her.
For her to suddenly renounce the prince, return to the countryside, and live virtuously? Anyone who knew the game would find that deeply suspicious.
