The Villain’s Ending

Coloring (12)

"I'll help you. Though I don't know if I'll be of any use."

She tilted her head slightly.

It was as if she were chewing over the meaning of my words.

Her lips parted slightly, then closed again.

Then, she smiled brightly like a child.

She seemed genuinely delighted.

"What do you mean, 'of any use' or not?"

Estelle leaned her head on my shoulder.

Her hair tickled my cheek. She smelled of wine.

"Just having you by my side makes me feel like I can do anything."

Saying that, she took my hand.

It was a warm and soft touch.

Her fingers slowly stroked the back of my hand, then my palm.

It felt like she was playing, or perhaps checking something.

It wasn't ticklish, nor was it unpleasant.

"Your hand is cold. Is it always like that?"

"Just, a little."

"Shall I warm it up for you?"

Estelle wrapped her hands around mine.

Then, she brought my hand to her cheek.

"How is it? Warm, isn't it?"

She whispered with her eyes closed.

Instead of answering, I focused on the sensation of the back of my hand touching her cheek.

Her finger slowly traced my face.

Following my brow bone, down the bridge of my nose, and hovering above my lips.

Estelle always liked to caress things like this.

Although we had only been together for about two months, whether it was fruit, food, tobacco, or alcohol, she always touched them with her hands at least once.

"Thank you."

A smile played on her lips.

There was no reason to refuse the offer.

If I could escape this tiresome hamster wheel and live a different life, even for a short while, that would be enough.

At least for now.

"Alright. Shall we go then?"

After finishing dinner, Estelle took me outside.

As we opened the church door and stepped out, the cold night air enveloped us.

We crossed the academy grounds in silence, under the night sky.

The streetlights cast long shadows.

Our shadows intertwined and then separated, repeatedly.

"Night is truly wonderful, isn't it? I can wander around and no one recognizes me. During the day, everyone calls me 'Miss Saintess,' and it's... what should I say? Uncomfortable, or perhaps annoying."

"So, where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there. You've probably been there a few times yourself, haven't you?"

The destination was the Grand Cathedral.

Though it was night, the cathedral's spire glowed softly under the moonlight.

As Estelle entered the Grand Cathedral, the congregants and priests who recognized her bowed their heads in greeting.

As if on cue, they all bent at the waist in unison.

"We greet the Saintess."

Their voices were filled with awe.

No one found Estelle's appearance strange.

Even though she appeared late at night, accompanied by a man of unknown identity.

It seemed to be her usual routine to come and go as she pleased.

A priest glanced at me and asked.

He was an elderly-looking, bearded man.

His eyes held blatant wariness.

"Miss Saintess, this person is-"

"He's my guest."

Estelle answered concisely.

The priest asked no further questions and quietly retreated.

He backed away, his head bowed.

We walked down the Grand Cathedral's central aisle.

Perhaps because of the high ceiling, each step felt as if the building itself echoed.

Click. Click. Click.

On either side, enormous pillars stretched towards the sky, and the stained-glass windows filling the walls shimmered with a mysterious light under the moonlight.

"How is it? Isn't it magnificent?"

Estelle whispered.

Her voice was filled with playfulness.

"If they built something like this, I thought they'd at least take care of the people living around here. We're taught from childhood that the God we believe in is such a being, aren't we? Overflowing with love, mercy, all that. Right?"

She turned her head to look at the stained-glass window.

It depicted a benevolent-faced God warmly embracing a small child.

However, in Estelle's eyes, that image seemed to be seen completely differently.

"At least, it wasn't built for a dying commoner child.

They call it God's house, but does God really care about such extravagance?"

She was smiling.

Casually, indifferently.

But her eyes looked somewhat hollow.

Like someone who hadn't slept for a long time.

"That's when I first learned that without money, you couldn't even receive God's grace, you know?

Some bastard said that divine power was only accumulated for the noble ones.

Later, I found out that bastard was a madman who used to fool around with boys behind closed doors."

As she passed, the priests and congregants standing on either side of the aisle always seemed to bow their heads or move away.

Not a single person tried to make eye contact with her.

Estelle didn't even look at them.

She simply treated them like air, as if they didn't exist.

"Is it always like this?"

"Ah, yes. Lately, it has been."

"You're a bit different from the Saintess I know."

"Different, indeed. Perhaps if you spend the night with me, your thoughts will change again, won't they?

Because there's a lot I want to show you."

Estelle chuckled.

Her laughter echoed through the high ceiling.

She passed down a corridor, then entered a room and came out, tilting her head.

After that, she headed to the very back of the Grand Cathedral, in front of the altar.

Estelle casually perched herself on the altar.

And called out to a passing priest.

"Just a moment."

The priest had a youthful-looking face.

At Estelle's call, he rushed over frantically.

"Where's Perion?

I haven't seen him today."

Estelle asked.

"Th-that is. I'll find out right away!"

The priest stammered his reply, then scurried off somewhere.

His retreating figure was comical.

"Isn't the atmosphere gloomy?"

Estelle swung her legs and nudged the golden candelabrum placed below the altar with her foot.

"Why?"

"A few days ago, surprisingly, the Archbishop died.

He was found beaten so badly his face was unrecognizable.

I wonder if it's God's wrath."

Estelle smiled brightly, as if pleased.

"So, why did you come here today?"

"I have someone to meet. Perion."

Estelle answered nonchalantly, swinging her legs.

"I told you before, didn't I, that I was rejected when my younger brother was sick?"

Her voice remained calm.

As if she were telling someone else's story from a very long time ago.

"Do you know what that bastard said to me when I was a child? He said that since the child was pretty, I'd quickly earn the treatment fees. Or, if I lent him my younger brother for just one night, he'd consider it specially. Adding, of course, that he preferred him in his sick state."

She grinned.

"It's not for nothing that they tell you to love your neighbor and spread love.

Otherwise, who would have known that someone like me would suddenly become the Saintess and stir up the church like this?"

Just then, that same priest from earlier came running, panting.

Gasping for breath, he stood before Estelle.

His face was pale with fright.

"So, where is Perion?"

"Sir Perion is not feeling well, so he is staying at his private residence."

The priest stammered his reply.

Sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Oh, really? He's sick? Where does he hurt?"

"Th-that much, I don't know...."

"That's enough. I understand, you can go."

Estelle waved her hand dismissively.

The priest, with a relieved expression, hastily left.

Like a prisoner granted a reprieve from execution.

"Let's go. That's enough night strolling for now."

Estelle jumped down from the altar.

Then she took my hand and headed out of the Grand Cathedral.

We headed towards Perion's house.

It was a rather large mansion, not far from the Grand Cathedral.

Beyond the wall, a splendid garden was faintly visible.

All sorts of rare flowers emitted peculiar colors under the moonlight.

"He lives obscenely wealthy, doesn't he?

It seems God's grace has reached even here."

Estelle said sarcastically, entering the mansion without hesitation.

"Wait here for a moment."

Estelle stopped in front of the mansion's door.

Then she closed her eyes and brought her hands together.

Her lips moved faintly.

It seemed like she was chanting an unknown spell.

A moment later, she opened her eyes.

"Alright, shall we go in now?

I've already repented, so everything will be forgiven.

You asked for forgiveness too, so they'll probably grant it, mostly."

Estelle smiled like a child and, without hesitation, walked towards the mansion's door.

As if it were her own home.

She moved the brass knocker on the door as if to knock, but then just kicked the door with her foot.

The rather busy servants came into view.

As Estelle mumbled something, one by one they collapsed as if they had inhaled gas.

"They're not dead. Follow me, Lavin."

She slowly walked up the stairs leading to the second floor.

As I climbed the stairs, I said nothing.

I merely followed her from behind.

Her black priest's robes fluttered in the darkness.

The second-floor hallway was long and dark.

Several doors lined both sides.

From the room at the very end, faint laughter was leaking out.

Estelle stopped in front of that door.

And grasped the doorknob.

The door opened silently.

The room was filled with all sorts of luxurious items.

And on the bed, a stout middle-aged man lay with two half-naked women beside him.

"Who is it? Did I call for another woman?

I don’t recalling calling for a man today...."

Perion shouted.

He tried to quickly sit up, but, being drunk, couldn't steady himself properly.

Estelle approached him without a word.

The women who were with him collapsed into sleep like dolls with a single gesture from her.

"Sa-Saintess? H-how did you come to such a lowly place..."

Perion, flustered, tried to get off the bed.

Just then, he properly saw Estelle's face.

And his face turned white with terror.

"Y-you were the one who killed the Archbishop! You crazy, devilish bitch!"

He shrieked.

Estelle merely smiled.

She grabbed Perion by the hair and dragged him off the bed.

Then she dragged him out of the room.

Through the hallway, into an empty room.

She tossed Perion into the middle of the room.

And turning to me, she said.

"You can just watch from here.

Or if it's too difficult to watch, you can go downstairs and rest."

I said nothing.

Estelle seemed to take my silence as affirmation and approached Perion.

Leaning against the wall, I pondered, and realized that it was around this time that Estelle showed her true colors and was discovered by Kyle.

My memory is a bit hazy since I've died about twice, though.

Well, if you get caught killing those bastards involved with your younger brother, it's not a bad scene for playing the victim, is it?

Feeling like something had gone horribly wrong, I scratched the back of my head, then took out a cigarette from my pocket and lit it.

Then Estelle smiled sweetly, took the cigarette from my lips, put it in her own mouth, exhaled smoke, and said.

"Help me. So I can just see you as Lavin."