The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 63

Delusion (2)

I stepped into the small church.

As I entered and closed the door, the commotion outside vanished, and a familiar silence settled.

The scent of incense, old wood, and faint dust mingled, tickling my nostrils.

It smelled less like something sacred and more like an old, well-maintained villa.

Or perhaps it was because, having been with Estelle back then, I had come to realize that even the Saintess wasn't as divine as she seemed.

Sunlight streamed through the high stained-glass windows.

Fragments of red and blue light lay languidly across the floor and the long, old wooden benches.

No one was there.

As it always was.I slowly walked down the central aisle.

The sound of my heels hitting the wooden floor echoed unusually loudly.

I placed my hand on the long bench in the front row.

Warmed by the sun, a lukewarm warmth could be felt.

The touch was smooth.

I had spent a lot of time here with Estelle.

She would peck at fruits she claimed to have gotten from somewhere, while I would lie with my head on her lap, staring blankly at the ceiling.

At least back then, there was no one I could lean on besides Estelle.

It wasn't that I had come to dislike her, but perhaps the memory of having been with her and burning to death wasn't exactly pleasant.

But now, that sight was nowhere to be found.

Only I retained the memories.

Seraphina's words about wishing I would die every day, Levina's words that I was expelled from the Edelgard family, and everything else that happened while Estelle was gone, all these memories remained only with me.

With such thoughts, I made my way to the narrow wooden staircase leading to the second floor.

With each step, the stairs creaked softly.

I recalled that Estelle hadn't lived here before I started staying in this place.

Nevertheless, the inside of the church was incredibly clean.

Not a speck of dust had accumulated on the benches or on the altar.

Upon reaching the second floor, a familiar space appeared.

I stood by the window and looked outside.

The peaceful scenery of the academy came into view.

Quite a few pleasant memories flashed through my mind.

And bad endings too.

Though I wondered if there had ever been a good ending.

After standing there for a long time, I turned to go back down to the first floor.

I was halfway down the stairs.

The sound of the church door opening was heard.

I stopped midway down the stairs.

It was a girl who entered.

A pristine white priestly robe, red eyes.

Her face wasn't clearly visible due to the backlight, but her silver hair, shimmering slightly in the sunlight, was distinct.

It was Estelle.

She closed the door and stepped in, then murmured to herself without looking in my direction.

And then she bolted the door.

Clack.

A heavy sound echoed through the church.

"No one would come to a church like this at such an hour. Right?"

Her voice was light and cheerful, yet it held a chilling edge.

"Because I just started coming to church."

I shrugged and replied slyly.

Just as I always did with her.

"So, a student who starts attending church just as the Saintess moves her residence, you say."

But Estelle's red eyes scanned me with an unfamiliar gaze, as if seeing me for the first time.

Rather, as if with even more suspicion.

Estelle slowly walked towards the altar, looking around.

With each step she took, the sound of her footsteps echoed in the empty space.

"It's truly strange. Not a single person has ever visited until now."

Saying that, she stopped in front of the altar.

Then, slowly, very slowly, she turned her head and looked up at the second-floor stairs.

Our eyes met.

A feeling of familiarity, and somehow, longing.

But her red eyes held no such emotion whatsoever.

She stared intently at me.

Then suddenly, as if without realizing it, she seemed to take a step closer towards me.

It was a very subtle movement.

But she immediately seemed to collect herself, and instead, took a step back.

A faint look of confusion crossed her face.

Without a word, I slowly descended the remaining stairs.

At the sound of my footsteps, her brow furrowed slightly.

Estelle remained strangely motionless.

She stared at me as if to see right through me, and then opened her mouth.

"You… Hmph. So that's it."

Instead of finishing her sentence, a hollow laugh escaped her lips.

The laughter was far from pleasant.

"Right, lately, I have, well, killed quite a few of you."

No sooner had she finished speaking than her figure vanished from my sight.

No, it hadn't vanished.

She had approached me at a speed my eyes couldn't follow.

In an instant, a powerful impact struck my chest.

CRACK!

As my body was sent flying backward, I heard the sound of the old wooden stairs I had been standing on shattering.

The vivid sensation of sharp wooden splinters digging into my back.

"Ugh...!"

I slammed into the floor.

I couldn't breathe properly.

It felt like several of my ribs were broken.

The metallic taste of blood spread in my mouth.

I knew she wouldn't be glad to see me, being strangers, but I hadn't expected something like this to happen.

When I struggled to lift my head, I saw Estelle smiling.

She slowly approached me, who was convulsing on the floor.

A playful smile still lingered on her face.

"The attempt was good. With that much, you could probably manipulate most priests as you wished."

She crouched in front of me and gently brushed my hair back.

Her touch was tender, but her red eyes gleamed coldly.

"I almost, just for a moment, fell for it too. Really!

It's a good thing I usually don't see anything, but if I did see something..."

Whispering that, Estelle gripped my chin with her fingers.

Then she turned my head from side to side, meticulously examining my face.

"But truly. You're really similar. There's nothing alike, yet why, as soon as I saw you..."

I had seen that expression of hers before.

When I used to follow Estelle, she would always make that exact face right before dealing with a priest she didn't like.

It seemed I would probably die at this rate.

I struggled to open my mouth.

"From Edelgard, cough! Levina..."

At that instant, Estelle's fingers, gripping my chin, faltered.

She remained silent for a moment.

Then she stared intently at my face, and her brow furrowed.

Her hand slowly traced my face.

Cold fingers brushed my cheek, passed my eyes, and lingered on my lips.

"Ah, that's right. You do resemble Levina."

Estelle mumbled incoherently.

Her red eyes were trembling severely.

She looked like someone who didn't know what she was doing, or what she should be doing.

With that sight, my vision blurred.

And when I opened my eyes again, thankfully, I wasn't back in my room.

Instead, Estelle's face was right before me.

It was close enough to feel her breath.

As soon as she confirmed I had opened my eyes, she gasped in surprise and pulled back.

It was her usual playful expression, but her cheeks seemed slightly flushed.

"You're awake."

She cleared her throat once and then asked, pretending nothing was wrong.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Fortunately, I don't seem to be."

Beneath my head, instead of a hard wooden floor, I felt a soft and warm sensation.

It was her lap.

As I tried to sit up, Estelle lightly pressed down on my shoulder.

"Stay still. You're probably not fully healed yet."

When I glanced down slightly, I saw that my neatest uniform was tattered, ripped in places, and covered in dust.

"By the way, you're that famous Levina's sibling, aren't you?

I've heard a lot of stories, but you don't look like what the rumors say."

Estelle playfully ruffled my hair as she spoke.

"What, surprised I look more decent than you thought?"

"Yes, I am surprised. I asked Levina several times to show me that scoundrel, but she never did."

I didn't reply to that.

"More importantly, you really didn't use any dark magic or anything similar, did you?"

Estelle's voice became serious.

She placed a hand on my forehead, and once again, meticulously examined my face.

Her red eyes seemed to peer deep into mine.

"Usually, they appear blurry. Most of them. Levina too.

But you, strangely... you appear distinct."

Estelle mumbled to herself, as if unable to comprehend.

Her hand slid from my forehead to my cheek, and then to my chin.

It was a cautious touch, different from before.

"And Levina, there's no way that woman would send someone on her own accord."

"That's a lie."

"What?"

Estelle's expression changed to one of bewilderment.

"Otherwise, you would have killed me."

At my words, Estelle's mouth gaped open for a moment, as if she had lost her words.

Then, in an instant, she clenched her fist and placed it on my chest.

But after glancing at my face, she let out a long sigh and unclenched her fist.

"So, why did you come looking for me?"

Lying on her lap, I looked straight up into her red eyes.

"Help me."

......

Estelle did not reply.

The playfulness vanished from her face.

She merely stared at me, as if unable to comprehend.

I continued speaking.

"I'll stay by your side and keep you company. Please help me."

At my words, Estelle's eyes widened ever so slightly, just a tiny bit.

She wore a somewhat entranced expression.

And her lips slowly parted.

"......Ah."

After a moment of blank distraction, she replied in a very small voice.

"......Hmm. If it's something I can help with."

It was a short, almost inaudible reply.

It sounded as if it had slipped out against her own will.

Estelle, even after speaking, looked down at me blankly, with an expression that showed she didn't know why she had given such a reply.