In fact, Evie thought she could be locked in the tower because of the accident she caused in the banquet hall. That’s the greatest punishment the high nobility of Tienda could inflict on Evie.
If another commoner of Tienda, a servant or merchant, had insulted Count Zion Laurel like Evie did, they would have been imprisoned, exiled, or in the worst case, executed.
But Evie was different. Being part of Manyanya Tower, she could only be punished by the tower’s master, so even Duke Laurel couldn’t lay a hand on her directly.
‘So he should be causing a ruckus with the tower master by now, but somehow there’s an eerie silence on this side.’
‘Could it be that the Count intervened?’
Evie, with a tentative thought, recalled the proposal that Count Laurel had thrown at her three days ago.
“So I intend to take care of you from now on. As sincerely as possible.”
“However, there is a condition. Give up becoming a holy maiden.”
The Count had surprisingly said these words.
Thanks to that, Evie had to ponder night and day whether the glass handed to her by the Count was a toast or poisoned drink.
If that was true, the Count might have stopped his brother from punishing Evie.
Of course, it could still be true if it was a lie. As it turns out, the Duke and the Count might be on the same side, trying to prevent this humble commoner from ambitiously reaching for the position of the holy maiden through sweet words.
As all sorts of guesses and doubts swirled in her mind, Evie quickly shook her head and repeated the conclusion she had come to long ago.
‘It doesn’t matter if it’s real or a trap. I’m going to refuse anyway.’
Evie had already decided to reject the Count’s offer.
Because she couldn’t accept the condition of giving up on becoming a holy maiden.
This was true even if the Count acted as her guardian rather than a footwiper.
Evie had to become a holy maiden no matter what, so the Count’s offer was completely ineffective. It only added the burden of refusal.
‘Come to think of it, tomorrow’s the day.’
The day the Count said he would hear her answer. Simultaneously, tomorrow was also the day the purification ceremony would be held in Manyanya Tower.
Already worried about the next day, Evie burned the note in her hand with a weary heart.
However, the next note made Evie just as tired.
“Many are responding to the speculation that Zion Laurel and Evie Ariate already know each other.”
“They were not acting like strangers, surely they met in Bise,” one noble said, making me want to knock out his front teeth as he spat while speaking.
“Small suspicions that the two are in a romantic relationship, or that the incident at the banquet hall was a lovers’ quarrel.”
“There are even rumors that Zion Laurel visited Evie Ariate’s residence, spreading doubt.”
‘A lover, who on earth…’
Evie laughed incredulously.
Yes, she knew such talk would come. It’s the most fun and juicy story. But she didn’t expect they would craft such an elaborate past, claiming they met in Bise.
Evie snickered at the absurdity and then stopped laughing as she looked at the next note.
“A few young ladies emphatically assert that Evie Ariate doesn’t suit Zion Laurel.”
This, too, was content to just laugh at, but a specific expression used in that note reminded her of the Count’s words.
“More than anything, it doesn’t suit you. The holy maiden, not at all.”
Three days ago, Count Philip Morris spoke with a rather indifferent face. He spoke as if discussing an eternal, unchanging truth, without a shred of doubt.
Evie didn’t show it then, but she was quite upset.
“I know, it doesn’t suit me.”
Evie bit her lip, recalling the Count’s cold face.
The Count was right. Evie was the most likely candidate for a saint, but that was only obtained by pretending to be the saint that people wanted.
In reality, Evie’s nature and sincerity were far from the noble illusion of a saint.
Still, she had struggled to fit herself in for the past two years, and the Count spoke to her with utter indifference.
“If you’re sick of the hardship, it might be better for you to live as my ward instead of a saint.”
He said.
“It’s funny, without knowing anything.”
Evie smirked at the Count’s arrogance.
The Count seemed to believe he was bestowing great wisdom, but it was a big mistake.
What the Count offered on the condition of giving up being a saint were things Evie could obtain if she wished.
Twentyyearold Evie had already received marriage proposals from several young nobles.
Among them were pathetic fellows eyeing Evie’s popularity and ability, as well as sincere young men who truly adored her.
By extending her left ring finger, Evie could have joined a noble family.
But Evie didn’t. Becoming a saint was the only thing that mattered, even if she failed.
Five years ago, Evie, who was living in Bis’ orphanage, caught the eye of the tower owner and came up to Tienda at the age of fifteen.
But Evie’s first step into Tienda’s social world was two years ago, at the age of eighteen.
In the three years between, Evie stayed not in a comfortable mansion somewhere in Tienda, but deep underground in the Manyan Tower.
She thought Tienda was only a paradise, but the place Evie arrived at was a hellish abyss even more dreadful than the slums and prisonlike orphanages she had passed through.
But when she realized she had stepped wrong, it was already too late.
Evie was trapped in the basement of the tower and had to slave for Tienda’s nobles.
Trying to escape from the dark slums and prisonlike orphanages, she ended up stuck in an even worse underground hell.
Yet Evie did not falter.
As she had cried out as a child, she endlessly longed to become a significant person, and so she risked everything.
“Becoming a saint?”
“Funny. Alright, try it. If you succeed, I’ll let you go as you wish.”
“If you fail, though, you’ll live down here forever. With that ragged dog.”
There, the tower owner accepted Evie’s offer. The sight of a child without anything boldly placing a bet was cute and amusing to him.
For the tower owner, it was a whimsical joke, but for Evie, it was a onceinalifetime opportunity.
Becoming a saint meant that to Evie.
Wanting to become a significant person was Evie’s own way of saying she wanted to live like a human being.
“That’s enough, stop thinking.”
Evie slapped her cheeks with her hands, then shook off her heavy mood and unfolded the note cheerily.
“Evie Ariate is blatantly flirting with the Count, so uncultured, as if to prove she’s from Bis!” One young lady showing her inferiority complex said.
“Hmph.”
Evie burned the note as soon as she saw it. Not satisfied, she set fire to the remaining notes on the tray as well.
Ahaha, burn it all!
Enraged by the ugliness of the world, the saint candidate Evie Ariate eventually set fire to the tray.
As a bonfire arose, an unexpected reprimand came from the door.
“You’re playing with fire at your age?”
At the tired voice, Evie turned her head.
Dressed in a black coat, DS was standing at the door, having returned at some point.
“Oh, you’re back?”
Evie flapped her hands to put out the fire on the desk. Of course, it was to no avail.
DS approached, taking off his gloves, and then covered the blazing tray with the lid that matched the silver tray.
Certainly, here is the translated passage:
A moment later, the fire went out and the smell of soot filled the air, and Evie turned with a sheepish look on her face.
“Investigation? Did you find out anything?”
DS had left the mansion for the past three days to find out about Evie’s curse.
So Evie looked at DS with hopeful eyes, and the competent butler answered rather confidently.
“There was a substantial harvest. I am tracking the one who cast the curse.”
Male lead first thought she played hard to get, only to realize she
really disliked him
Short intro:
What she can’t stand the most is the streets full of effeminate men, especially that so-called top beauty whom she avoids at all costs.
Shen Yaoxing looks at Jiang Mingyue, who keeps approaching her with coy shyness.
Shen Yaoxing: Bro, don’t be like this, I’m really about to throw up!
She fears nothing in heaven or earth, except for him getting close to her.
*
At first he thought she was just using the trick of feigning indifference to attract his attention. Later, he learned that she truly despised him.
This dealt a heavy blow to Jiang Mingyue, and he vowed to make her, like everyone else, fall at his feet in worship!
***
Synopsis:
Before transmigrating, Shen Yaoxing only wanted to find a reliable man to spend her life with. Who knew that after transmigrating, she would become a reliable woman herself…
A forced misandrist, highly skilled, and reliable female lead
vs.
An initially aloof and arrogant, later morbid, obsessed male lead
_____
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