When the Villainess Died, the Male Lead Went Crazy - Chapter 84
The next day, Anais found herself in a difficult situation with the Empress and her lady-in-waiting. They were now in the Empress’s palace, and Anais, unable to comprehend the Empress and her lady-in-waiting’s hostile glares, could only watch.
“Oho, do you think it’s appropriate to just stand there idly, ignoring what Her Majesty has graciously granted?”
Lucy Lambert, a confidante of the Empress, threatened Anais. The threat, however, seemed trivial to Anais. Although she carried the Empress’s authority and appeared to wield great influence, in reality, the Empress seemed devoid of any emotions toward her.
There was nothing as precarious as loyalty based solely on personal allegiance.
“Thank you. But why this dress?”
“Did you forget that today is the eve of the founding festival? How foolish can you be?”
Disregarding Anais with a disdainful look and a mocking tongue, the lady-in-waiting laughed. Then, as if the Empress was tired of Lucy’s antics, she turned to Anais.
“Wear that.”
“Why should I?”
“Because tonight, only you will attend to me.”
“Why bother?”
“It’s about what’s around your neck. Hoping to activate it again?”
Anais felt the cold touch of the silence magic necklace around her neck.
“Stay quiet for the day, and I’ll undo it.”
Anais didn’t trust the Empress’s words. She was capricious and disliked Anais. However, Anais had no choice at the moment.
“Understood.”
“Good, then.”
Anais was dismissed to her room by the Empress, taking the blue dress provided by Lucy Lambert.
***
Kylian was displeased when Phileal arrived to see him. He had been uneasy lately, wondering if Phileal was plotting something with Saint Lilith.
However, Kylian trusted in the divine power Phileal possessed. Moreover, the markings on him revealed how much the God of Death valued him.
The mark of the pentagram is evidence of being a servant of the God of Death. Its visibility indicates the extent of divine favor.
Leviathan had the mark inside its mouth—a sign of affection concealed enough to be hidden in the mouth, despite the usefulness of divine power.
The High Priest of Prest with the pentagram in his eye, Phileal, who had the mark on the back of his hand, must be someone cherished by the God of Death. Moreover, Mephist, who had risen to the position of High Priest, also had the mark on the back of his hand during his days as the bishop. After ascending to the position of High Priest, the mark had transferred to the eye.
“My request shouldn’t be difficult, Your Majesty.”
“Why are you making such a request?”
“Purifying Lady Anais’ body is not a bad thing. But why does Your Majesty want to resist?”
“Think of the attitude I witnessed from the second bishop. The second bishop was the one who sided with the Saint who caused the separation between me and my wife.”
Kylian believed that the reason for conflict between him and Anais was Lilith, who manipulated him and kept him away from Anais.
Of course, he was the one most responsible for being swayed and causing his beloved wife to die.
He couldn’t forgive Lilith, even if she was the reason his wife came back to life.
“The current Saint Lilith is not the one Your Majesty knows.”
“This nonsense again? Why do you side with the Saint so much? Are you planning to marry her after getting excommunicated?”
“I don’t want something like marriage.”
“Swear by the God of Death.”
“I swear by the God of Death that I do not want Saint Lilith.”
Kylian fell silent at Phileal’s calm statement.
Phileal truly did not want anything like marriage. The reason his beloved mother passed away was because of him. If he hadn’t been born, his mother wouldn’t have married his father, or even if she did, she would have left.
“Order purification from the God of Life.”
Knowing his family history made Phileal dislike Kylian even more. There were similarities between them. Just as Kylian thought of him as an obstacle, Phileal also saw Kylian in the same light. That’s why Phileal often found Kylian uncomfortable.
“How can you trust that person?”
“Make him swear. The God of Life has kept him alive so far because of his abilities.”
Kylian disliked Phileal even more. He seemed a bit lacking next to Anais but quickly reverted to his original snake-like demeanor in front of others.
“When I purified her last time, my wife fainted.”
“As a result, she became healthier. Even without receiving energy for a few days, she stayed awake.”
“But….”
But she no longer looked at him with the bright eyes like the old Anais, briefly after purification. The eyes that had returned briefly after purification were now clouded again. It seemed as if there was no affection at all.
“No, let’s do that.”
“Yes.”
Although Kylian felt uneasy about Phileal, he thought he could do anything if his wife would look at him like she used to.
Every night, when the Empress fell asleep, the High Priest of Life decided to purify her.
* * *
It was the eve of the founding festival.
Anais stood in her room holding the dress the Empress had given her. She couldn’t be sure if she should really wear the dress. It was quite fancy.
Anais had never worn such a glamorous dress in her life. There were a few occasions when she wore a dress out of necessity, but she was more comfortable in her suit.
“It doesn’t suit me?”
“No.”
Kylian had looked at her strangely before. Anais recalled that his expression at that time had a subtle flush.
“Did it really not suit me?”
Anais sighed and tilted her head. Then, she began to undress from the maid’s uniform she was wearing.
As she undressed, leaving only the negligee, a mirror caught her eye. Anais found Lilith’s appearance unfamiliar. She used to envy Lilith so much, but now it was not the same.
Now, it was a priority to correct the mistakes he had arrogantly made. Kylian may not recognize her and choose to do ugly things, but she still wished for his sincere happiness. Perhaps that’s why she felt even more unfamiliar as if she didn’t deserve to become Lilith.
“Whoo.”
She put on a corset over the thin negligee. Unlike the loosely tied corsets she had seen before, this one was tightened in the front.
“Can this be possible?”
She thought it was just tightening the waist, but as she tightened the corset around her shoulders, the stays on her back hurt.
“Ah.”
She remembered how the maids used to struggle when they tightened her waist when she wore a dress before.
“Damn.”
Tightening the front was not easy either. She now had Lilith’s body, which was not her original body, and there was virtually no strength.
Knock, knock.
“Anais.”
“Perfect timing. Come in, please.”
Phileal often knocked on Anais’s door because she stayed in his room. He had other places to stay, but he preferred being here than the modest accommodation assigned to Anais after she became a maid.
Creak.
The door opened, and in that moment, Phileal shouted while covering his eyes.
“I didn’t see anything! Nothing at all! Didn’t see anything!”
He turned away, still covering his eyes.
“Since you’re here, could you help me with this?”
Anais knew that even though the negligee she was wearing was thin, it wasn’t see-through.
“You’re now….”
“Could you tighten the corset a bit?”
“I’ll call a maid for you.”
“What maid? The maid to report to the Empress?”
Phileal thought it was inappropriate to call a maid. Slowly lowering his hand covering his eyes, he turned around.
“This.”
He approached nonchalantly, but was a bit taken aback.
“This is on backward, isn’t it?”
“Ah, I see.”
Realizing there was no corset to fasten in the front, Anais casually let go of the strap she was holding.
“Is this the first time you’ve seen me dressed like this?”
“No. It’s just surprising.”
“Sorry. I thought I were used to it.”
“No. I don’t even know why I’m surprised.”
He watched as Anais adjusted the corset. Although the negligee prevented her bare skin from showing, the contours of her body were more visible than ever. He found himself captivated by the sight of her shoulder bones.
“Is tightening this enough?”
“Yes.”
Phileal was surprised at how much his hands trembled as he spoke.
“I feel like if I sacrifice you, I will become the High Priest.”
“Yes, pull it tight.”
With Anais’s casual reply, Phileal tightened the strap.
The offering to the God of Death varied in power depending on the significance of the sacrifice.
When Phileal dedicated his father, who had been an object of deep affection, he received power equivalent to a second bishop.
He thought that if he dedicated the current Anais, he might become the most powerful high priest in history. Perhaps because she saved him and was someone who made him feel emotions he had never felt before, being with Anais led him to more thoughts beyond loyalty and blind faith.
Every time he found himself contemplating higher-level thoughts, strange remnants of emotions seemed to linger, deepening his thoughts about her.
“What if you sacrifice Leviathan?”
“You can’t have priests of the same rank. It will get you excoomunicated.”
He pulled the strap even tighter. Afterward, he secured it in place.
“I’ll come back later.”
“Why did you come in the first place?”
“Oh, well…”
He momentarily forgot what he wanted to say, rolling his eyes before finally managing to speak.
“The High Priest of Life decided to purify the Empress when she falls asleep.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thank goodness.”
Phileal said to Anais, seeing her smile. For some reason, he lost his thoughts. Although Anais was considered a valuable sacrifice, every time she smiled he couldn’t think of anything which was strange.
“I’m leaving now.”
“Yes. Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”
Phileal went out and Anais put on her dress.
***
“Oh my.”
Anais thought she should have been suspicious when the Empress granted her the dress, especially looking at it now..
“No, how dare a maid wear the same clothes as the mistress!”
“Everyone, quiet down.”
The National Foundation Day ball would take place until the day itself. After returning home that day, they would have a ritual around sunset.
During Anais’s time as the Young Duke, she had never attended the National Foundation Day ball. Even if she had wanted to attend, the previous Emperor always seemed to have major incidents around this time.
“It suits you well, Lilith.”
“It’s too obvious, Your Majesty.”
Anais looked at the Empress, who was dressed more extravagantly than her, wearing the same clothes as her. The Empress had adorned herself with dazzling jewelry on top of the elaborate dress.
“Why would I bother with such things?”
The Empress laughed, feigning benevolence, and ridiculed Anais.
It was at that moment.
The door on the second floor opened, and Kylian revealed himself above the railing.
“I thank all of you who came to celebrate the National Foundation Day today.”
Anais intended to repeat the words she had said to him before she fainted.
So that he could recognize her.
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