TRSTD 01

Chapter 01

“I guess they still haven’t found the Saintess.”

A man’s voice rang out particularly loudly inside the bustling restaurant.

“Starting my day by reading an article in the morning paper about the Saintess beating up bastards was my daily routine. Now what joy am I supposed to live with?”

The man, his face slightly flushed from alcohol, let out a deep sigh as if lamenting and agreed with his acquaintance’s words.

“You’re telling me. Just looking at that article made me feel full even without breakfast.”

“Come to think of it, the Imperial Family is issuing a continent-wide bounty, right?”

The body of a woman who had been quietly eavesdropping on the table next to hers shuddered violently. Even though no one was looking at her, she grabbed the edge of her hood and pulled it down to cover even her nose.

“They say even the Empire’s Three Great Duke Families have mobilized all their manpower.”

“They say her family, Bellins, is also searching day and night, so she’ll probably turn up soon.”

Finding it uncomfortable to listen to any more of this conversation, she finally left the restaurant, and a bundle of papers was abruptly thrust out in front of her.

“Hello!”

A newspaper boy who had been waiting at the entrance for a customer to emerge grinned brightly.

“Aren’t you curious about the missing Saintess?”

“No.”

Was her answer too resolute? The boy’s gaze wavered rapidly.

“I’ll take one copy anyway.”

Feeling too sorry for the boy’s shocked expression, she purchased the newspaper—the very newspaper she hadn’t bothered to glance at once during her escape—using that as an excuse.

“Hah…”

A hollow laugh escaped her lips as she saw the words written on the front page of the newspaper.

“Ten days since the disappearance. Countess Bellins finally collapses.”

Seeing news of a completely unexpected person, the woman looked at the article several times before reading on to the back page.

There was nothing but worry about the missing Saintess and the current search status. Her identity was not written anywhere.

I thought they would announce it the day after I left.

Well, considering their public image, they probably haven’t revealed their real daughter yet and are just putting on a show of searching for the fake daughter who disappeared.

The others who were supposedly frantic to find her would be in a similar situation. Thus, with the intention of shedding all remaining attachments, she opened to the very back page of the newspaper, and her expression instantly stiffened.

In the only snippet of text that didn’t contain the story of the Saintess, a very familiar name was written.

“Wherever you are, I will definitely find you. Arina. —Your future husband—”

Her small body shuddered with goosebumps crawling up her spine. She hastily closed the newspaper and looked around bustlingly.

“What kind of messy situation is this because I lied about being married for no reason…”

With a small complaint and a long sigh, the woman’s body slowly turned in the direction of the blue sea.

“……”

She knew that if she went there, everything she had built up would undoubtedly collapse like a sandcastle, but she stepped forward without hesitation.

Because only this way would all the warped things return to their original places. Therefore, she could not reverse her choice now.

“I need to hurry.”

A smile tinged with heavy sorrow appeared on the murmuring woman’s face before being quickly composed.

“Let’s make it that child.”

Misfortune and good fortune always seem to arrive at once, like two sides of a coin.

For instance, like the misfortune where the smartest girl in the orphanage was not adopted by the middle-aged couple who adored her.

Or like the good fortune where the director, who sold off a child slated for adoption with a single pointing finger from a stranger of a noble they saw for the first time, pocketed 200 gold.

They always brought about unfair results.

“Why her, of all people?”

To the tearful question of the girl who had been overflowing with happiness until this morning, the unidentified man replied calmly.

“I only chose her because she uses her head relatively well among the dull orphans.”

Count Bellins crushed the things the girl loved mercilessly with ice-cold words. And he asserted:

“Until we find my missing daughter, you must perfectly pretend to be Aria Bellins, the young lady of the Count’s family. If your identity is discovered or you run away, neither you nor the orphanage will be safe.”

“…I understand.”

Clenching her trembling hands tightly, the girl imagined her future.

It would surely be a miserable, terrible, and agonizing life.

And Arina’s prediction hit the mark precisely.

“How can you bring in some beggar from somewhere and suddenly tell me to call her my daughter? Are you in your right mind saying that right now?”

“For the sake of the engagement with Acklin, you must accept it even if you hate it!”

“This is deceiving both me and that child!”

“If the engagement itself is established, Acklin said he would wipe out our debts. You don’t want the family to be ruined like this either, do you?”

“Even so… I simply cannot accept this.”

Despite her husband’s coercion, Countess Bellins stubbornly rejected the girl. The same went for the young master of Bellins, who was the same age but had to be called her older brother from then on.

They thoroughly ignored her as if she didn’t exist even when she was right in front of them.

Even if the wife and the young master were like that, even the Count who had brought the child himself—whenever she approached first to speak—would glare at her with eyes saying, ‘You of all people,’ and routinely walk away.

Though they were unfair and painful days, Arina had to endure. Because only then would the people she loved be safe.

“To think you solved this problem even though you’re only ten years old. Truly amazing.”

“The young lady has a natural musical talent.”

“What an incredibly elegant and gorgeous dance line!”

Desperately trying solely for their sake to pull off a perfect double, the Count, out of fear that she might be discovered, claimed his daughter was sick and never sent her out into high society.

The only time she could show her face was when she met her fiancé, Lord Acklin.

Contrary to the rumors of him being harsh, Lord Acklin was gentle with Arina.

Rather, the other side showed favor toward the marriage, and Countess Bellins, finding this displeasing, chased her off to the temple to tear them apart.

“Don’t even think of setting foot here until you become the Saintess.”

The Saintess was the highest rank a female cleric could attain. It required vast divine power as well as corresponding achievements and public support.

Arina poured extraordinary effort into breaking the pride of Countess Bellins who had cast her out, and at the same time, to cultivate the power to oppose them.

She cultivated divine power day and night, chewing and swallowing paper to cram theology into her head.

Defying opposition from those around her, she even volunteered to participate in subduing magical beasts, thereby winning the trust of the high nobility and the imperial family.

Such efforts brought about wonderful results.

Showing prominence from the age of fifteen, she became the Saintess at the tender age of twenty-one.

With the wealth and fame that followed, her family finally treated Arina affectionately as a daughter, boasting that she was their pride.

Disgusted by the attitude that had changed so easily, she prepared to leave the family, but she was blocked by an unexpected wall.

“Unfortunately, this is not mere overwork, but symptoms caused by a disease called ‘Baraka’.”

‘Baraka’ was an incurable disease with a staggering mortality rate of 95%, where excessive use of divine power ruins the heart, making one unable to control their power and causing intermittent berserk states.

She had suspected the disease ever since she was mentioned as a candidate for the next Saintess, but she had brushed it off, thinking it couldn’t be. The disaster brought by such complacency destroyed everything she had.

“Though it was only for half a year, you successfully fulfilled the duties of the Saintess. Therefore, I hope you peacefully enjoy your remaining time.”

When she finally quit being a clergyman at the Pope’s suggestion, the real ‘Aria Bellins’ appeared as if waiting for it.

Naturally, the family banished Arina, who no longer had any utility as a double, to the annex under the guise of convalescence.

In a place where the only caretaker was a single maid, Arina slowly died amidst indifference and neglect.

The only pillar of support for her during that time was Lord Acklin, who had continued his engagement with her for ten years.

Even though the real one had appeared and he no longer needed to maintain a relationship with Arina, he continued to accept her letters and sent bouquets of flowers instead of replies.

Grateful to him, Arina mustered up the courage to say she wanted to meet him, even if it were for the last time, and received a reply for the first time.

In it was the news that her fiancé had died of illness and a necklace he had left for her.

In society, various stories circulated about his death, including rumors that he was the child of the 1st Empress who had died in an accident decades ago, and that the 2nd Empress, learning of this, had disposed of him.

However, for Arina, whoever he was, the reality that she had no one left to lean on was simply despairing.

Perhaps bothered by something, Aria tormented her terribly every single day, even as she lost that last shred of warmth.

“You catch a terminal illness precisely because you, a fake, covet my place.”

Saying that, Arina felt a sinister aura within the eyes flashing toward her. Having killed countless magical beasts, she could instantly discern the true identity of the real daughter.

Aria Bellins was, in fact, a devil wearing human skin.

She didn’t know how she had been consumed by a devil, but she couldn’t let her continue living in the mortal world pretending to be human.

So, mustering her courage to tell the truth, the Count and his wife threw her to the floor and beat her nearly to death.

“Even though your usefulness was gone, we let you stay comfortably at home. How dare you insult my daughter?”

“I told you so. Such a thing shouldn’t have been brought into the house.”

“Drive that ungrateful wench out immediately!”

“Father, Mother.”

The one who saved her as she was dragged out of the mansion like a criminal to be chased away was her older brother, Noel Bellins.

“Since there are eyes around, let’s send her off to some countryside until Aria’s existence is officially announced.”

Noel thus rescued her, lent her a carriage, and gave her a pouch filled with gold coins.

Arina expressed her gratitude to him over and over again and innocently boarded the carriage. And then, her heart was pierced by a poisoned arrow that abruptly shattered the window.

Regrettably, those who attacked her were the elite knights of Bellins.

“We’ll take care of the corpse, so you guys go and report to the young master that it has been handled.”

Only then did Arina realize that all of this was Noel’s scheme, and spitting up blood, she regretted her life up to that point.

I shouldn’t have lived like this.

The moment tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, a brilliant light flashed around her, and someone’s voice rang in her ears.

—What is your wish?

At the wicked voice mixed with laughter, Arina intuited. The entity speaking to her now was not her god, but a devil that would corrupt her soul.

However, already filled with resentment, she shouted toward the ominous entity that had come to her.

“Make them feel the pain I suffered—!”

As she desperately appealed while coughing up mouthfuls of blood, a warm warmth gently closed her eyelids as if comforting her.

—As you wish.

With those words as her last, Arina drew her last breath.

“Lady Aria, you’re awake!”

“……”

At the unexpected miracle, Arina was confused.

“Why am I here…”

Murmuring thus, she looked at the back of her smooth hands and blinked her eyes rapidly.

Aren’t there the scars left by that woman or the marks from when I was chased out?

To her, lost in thought as she looked at her body, flawless without a single wound, the assistant cleric said cautiously.

“A healer just came by. According to him, the cause of Lady Aria’s collapse wasn’t mere overwork…”

As he hesitated, Arina involuntarily cut him off.

“It might be due to a disease called Baraka.”

“…!”

Watching his startled reaction, she calmly recited the lines she could never forget.

“An incurable disease where excessive use of divine power ruins the heart, ultimately leading to death.”

“H-Hah…”

“They said you only have one year left to live upon onset, right?”

The sight of the assistant cleric about to tumble over in shock was clearly reflected in her red eyes filled with vitality.