When the Villainess Died, the Male Lead Went Crazy - Chapter 115.1
Anais and Phileal decided to explore deeper into the temple, so they descended further. They chatted amiably. Whenever Anais was fascinated by the light illuminating the surroundings or the decorations inside, Phileal would patiently wait and walk beside her.
They descended several floors in silence.
“There’s a painting here.”
Anais noticed a painting on the wall. From a distance, it appeared to depict a person, but up close, it was something entirely different. It was captivating yet disorienting, creating a sense of confusion and disarray in the viewer.
“Anais.”
“Huh?”
“That painting is a sacred relic.”
“Really?”
“It seems it was created to block intruders.”
Phileal said this and then shared some of his energy with Anais. As Anais regained her composure, she stared intently at the painting.
“But why is it only affecting me?”
“I’m dizzy too. But I think it’s because I’m more focused on you than on that.”
Anais was initially irritated by what she perceived as Phileal’s patronizing behavior, treating her like a fragile child. However, his gentle words soon reassured her.
“Anais, I guess worrying a lot is part of my nature.”
“You’re similar to me in that regard. I used to worry about unnecessary things too, but now I’m not sure. I just let things be.”
Phileal, feeling pleased by Anais’s words, gently stroked her hair. Anais found it awkward yet comforting, as if it was a gesture of camaraderie.
“Phileal, I was betrayed by those I believed to be my friends.”
Phileal realized she mentioned this because she considered him a friend. It made him happy to think that he had moved from being a guarded figure to a friend. He smiled warmly and met her gaze.
“That’s why I’m so grateful for your kindness, and on the other hand, it scares me.”
“Scared that I might betray you?”
“Yes.”
Anais’s candid response pleased Phileal even more.
“If I were to betray you, what would I have done? Sacrificed you and absorbed your power, perhaps?”
“That’s what you would have done. And then you would have mocked me.”
“I would never mock you, Anais. Among everyone I’ve met, you’re the most amazing.”
“Me? Are you not seeing things clearly?”
“No, I saw it accurately.”
Phileal’s words made Anais slightly embarrassed. It was the first time he had complimented her like this, and it felt awkward and blush-inducing, as if someone else was praising her.
“You took hits for me, and despite the Emperor’s cold treatment, you kept speaking the truth.”
“That happened because of my mistakes.”
“It was done out of goodwill.”
“How do you know that? Only someone who truly understands the situation between Kylian and me would know… Wait, you?”
“Yes, I read that journal several times.”
Hearing that Phileal had read her journal made Anais feel a bit disoriented.
“You’ve read my entire journal? Did everyone read it as a public document?”
“Not exactly. I only looked at it because it was supposed to be delivered to the Emperor. I intended to give it to Leviathan, but he disappeared, so I couldn’t. Instead, I read it in place of the High Priest. So, aside from me, no one else has seen it. Oh, except the Saint, I suppose.”
“Is that supposed to be comforting…Yes, I see, it’s comforting from you.”
“Yes.”
Anais forgot her irritation at his cheerful expression.
“Who else has seen it?”
“Well, once it was in the Emperor’s hands, it was out of my jurisdiction, so I didn’t keep track.”
When Phileal removed his hand, Anais began to gently stroke his hair.
“Ugh….”
He was surprised as she pressed down firmly while stroking.
“Is this your way of showing affection?”
“No. It’s affection mixed with dislike.”
Phileal appreciated this more because he understood why she was behaving this way. She couldn’t stop herself from showing affection but was also venting her frustration.
They continued their way to the lowest level of the temple, unaware of what Lilith had hidden there.
* * *
“What is this?”
Duke Percival was in the prison when an unexpected visitor arrived.
“This is all I could think of.”
It was Leviathan. He had drained the vitality from the guards, rendering them unconscious, and was now turning the key to the prison cell.
“What are you doing?”
“Phileal went with your daughter.”
Duke Percival had anticipated that much. The sudden disappearance of the Saint and the Second Bishop, who used to accompany her, was no surprise. The fact that the Saint no longer visited the prison confirmed his suspicion.
The Second Bishop, Phileal, was quite affable and even treated Duke Percival, Anais’s father, with warmth. Although Duke Percival had been wary of Phileal, he changed his attitude once he realized that the Saint’s body was inhabited by Anais.
Phileal, perceptive as ever, noticed Duke Percival’s shift in attitude and occasionally provided updates about Anais and conversed with him.
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