TVWRL Chapter 6
The Kinsteria Empire wasn’t a place where astrology had greatly developed. People mostly enjoyed daily horoscopes as a form of entertainment. Thus, neither the Myaria Order nor the royal family paid much attention to the field. It might seem out of place for me, with no special abilities, to suddenly take up astrology. But given that I was now part of this book, there was no profession more suitable for me. I wanted to ask,
“What could be a more fitting job than this, knowing the past and future of all the characters as well as their appearances?”
‘If you have a more suitable job, feel free to recommend it. Haha.’
Furthermore, my past experience with astrological training in my life as Chan-mi had provided me with the professional skills I needed for this job. This approach was truly a divine secret, a top-tier one at that.
‘Who knew I’d be using what I learned from Korea’s top shamans like this?’
Indeed, learning something always pays off. I vowed never to stop learning until the day I died. Once I decided on my profession, I checked Adeline’s financial situation. Everyone knows self-employment requires money; passion alone won’t make it. Given that Adeline had enemies everywhere, I doubted she could get a loan. Fortunately, she had received substantial support from nobles since childhood and was in a position to be independent. I was almost moved to tears by the wealth she had saved up.
I had to respect her abilities.
‘Adeline, thank you so much. I’ll live my life well enough to applaud you for it.’
***
Ah, my thoughts are wandering again. My priority should be my independence.
‘That sly High Priest. He ran away again. His methods are getting craftier. Why is he so clingy when I’ve said I won’t be the Saintess?’
He was as persistent as an ex-boyfriend. I couldn’t understand why a high priest that secretly controlled the Kinsteria Empire would act like this toward a mere side character.
Knock, knock.
While I was in agony, there was a knock on the door.
“Yes, come in.”
An attendant from the temple entered.
“Lady Adeline, it’s time for lunch.”
“Alright.”
Today was the day I had lunch with the high-ranking priests. Naturally, the High Priest would be there.
“Why did he run away if we were going to meet so soon? Sly old man.”
I hurriedly prepared and headed to the small banquet hall.
***
Leona had arrived early and was greeting the priests. Her radiant presence among them seemed natural, like a familiar beauty I had seen many times before. Her bright demeanor as she interacted and conversed with everyone might have made Adeline in the novel jealous of Leona’s cheerfulness. After all, Adeline had also dreamed of becoming a Saintess. The essence of being a Saintess was the love and respect received from people.
Perhaps she wanted to be a Saintess like Leona. But I was different. The more Leona monopolized the temple’s affection, the more grateful I felt.
‘Leona, the protagonist, you’re truly a benefactor.’
I hoped people would become more enamored with Leona and quickly abandon me. It would be even better if they forgot about me entirely due to partial amnesia.
***
“Please, this way, Lady Adeline.”
Following the servant’s guidance, I sat in my designated seat as the High Priest entered. Everyone stood to greet him. Wine was quickly poured into the glass, and the High Priest raised his cup.
“May the blessings of the Goddess Aria be with us.”
Everyone, including myself, raised our glasses, toasted, and drank the wine. The meal continued in silence, and as we finished our dessert, the High Priest tapped his glass with a fork to draw attention. Naturally, everyone’s gaze turned to him.
“As you all know, we must begin preparations for the Goddess Aria’s birth festival. I expect everyone to do their best in their respective roles.”
“Yes, High Priest.”
The birth festival of the Goddess Aria was one of the three major events of the Myaria Order. It was an event that brought in the most offerings and donations, so the Order meticulously prepared for it. Since it was a highly profitable event, the Myaria Order, known for its love of money, put a lot of effort into it. Therefore, the priests handcrafted everything used in the festival, claiming it was a dedication to the goddess.
It was an event prepared with the priests’ souls poured into it. I recalled reading about this part in the novel, imagining it with interest, as it showcased the grandeur of the Myaria Order. It had seemed like a grand event when I read about it, but the thought of actually preparing for it made me feel overwhelmed.
‘What did Adeline do during this time? While staying here as a Saintess candidate, I haven’t done anything myself. Can I manage this?’
The thought of having to handle everything myself made me feel like I was back to being Chan-mi.
‘I shouldn’t be disheartened by this. I should see it as an opportunity.’
After all, I would meet the High Priest often while preparing for the festival, so I decided to carry multiple resignation letters with me.
‘I must seize this opportunity to achieve my dream of resigning.’
If all else failed, I considered ruining the event to get fired. If I caused a major incident, the Order would have no choice but to let me go.
With this resolve, the heavy feeling in my heart lightened a bit. After lunch, I turned in the opposite direction of my quarters. Just then, I heard the voice of an older priest, strict and disapproving of me.
“Lady Adeline, where are you going?”
“For a walk.”
He frowned, showing his displeasure.
“You should be purifying your thoughts and soul in preparation for the festival. How can a Saintess candidate indulge in worldly matters?”
“That’s exactly why I’m going—to purify the hypocrisy and tediousness.”
The old priest’s face reddened and twisted with anger.
“Lady Adeline! What do you mean by that?”
I know all about that person. Outwardly, he acts all righteous, but behind the scenes, the amount of bribes he takes is staggering. I leisurely lifted the corners of my mouth and spoke.
“Well, I think you already know. Anyway, I’m busy, so I’ll be going now.”
He seemed to shout something at me as I turned away, but I didn’t bother listening.
* * *
After deciding on my business, I occasionally strolled through the shopping district to check things out and conduct market research. Where would be a good location for the shop? How much should I charge for consultations? How should I decorate? I wasn’t yet familiar with the local prices, so there were many challenges. I used the excuse of learning the trade to shop a lot.
‘I’m naturally getting acquainted with the people in the shopping district. It’s all part of a grand plan.’
Today, I decided to visit a dessert shop. The moment it touched your mouth, it melted away so sweetly that you couldn’t even remember what you ate. That’s why the shop’s name was “Mirage.” This Mirage was also a place mentioned in the novel, so it felt special. Although it wasn’t time yet, this was the shop where Leona would go on a date with one of the male leads. I remembered the legendary scene where the customers melted away at the sight of their beauty.
Leona had said this back then:
“It’s really delicious. Paulian, what’s the best dessert you’ve ever had? Recommend me another one.”
Paulian had looked at Leona with a pleased expression and said:
“The best thing for me is sharing this with you right now. Nothing beats sharing with you.”
Leona had blushed slightly at his words. Remembering it made me cringe, and my face turned red.
Luckily, I got a seat on the terrace and ordered the same cream pie and tea Leona had. I observed the flow of people and counted them while marking directions and writing tally marks on paper. The location of a shop was crucial.
“Here is your order.”
The server beautifully presented the cream pie and tea in a luxurious teapot. The bitter tea and the melting pie were divine.
‘This must be paradise. I don’t care about foot traffic. I have to get my shop near here.’
While I was lost in the sweetness, letting emotions overtake reason, a strange voice interrupted.
“Lady, this character? Picture? What does it represent?”
I looked up to see a stunningly handsome man with golden hair and blue eyes. I stared at his face in admiration and quickly searched my memory.
‘Blonde hair and deep blue eyes…?’
I looked at him with a more surprised expression than when I first saw him. This man was definitely Paulian, who had delivered those cringeworthy lines in the novel. Paulian, the third son of Marquis Lint and the youngest nominee for the next Tower Master at twenty-two. One of the leading male candidates was standing before me.
‘Why is Paulian Lint here?’
He, observing my bewilderment, sat down across from me as if he were originally part of my company.
“These are unfamiliar characters. I’ve seen almost all ancient texts on the continent, but I’ve never seen such forms. What do they mean?”
His blue eyes sparkled like sapphires, making me dizzy. I shook my head vigorously. He smiled slightly, seemingly entertained by my sudden action.
‘No. I can’t lose my composure here.’
“I’m sorry. I forgot for a moment how dazzling your face is.”
“What? What did you say?”
I was so surprised that my words came out involuntarily. Paulian laughed out loud.
“That was an excessive joke.”
I collected my foolish expression and responded with a prim tone.
“Yes, it was quite excessive.”
As I replied, I muttered one more thing internally.
‘As excessive as your face.’
Paulian’s gaze returned to the tally marks I had written.
‘These characters are from the world before I was possessed.’
I couldn’t let that slip, so I hesitated for a moment. While I was lost in thought, Paulian naturally took a bite of my cream pie. It was so natural that I almost thought he had ordered it himself. Seeing the empty plate where my cream pie had been, I looked more shocked than when I saw his face.
i’d be livid