"Daisy, I'm glad you're settling in," Evangeline said. "So, have you spoken with them?"
"Yes... The butler mentioned that the lady ordered all the children's needs to be taken care of." Daisy dipped her head. "Thank you."
Yesterday, when Evangeline had informed the butler about Daisy's return, his eyes had nearly bulged from their sockets. He probably assumed Daisy would never set foot on these grounds again—not after everything Evangeline had put her through.
And when she'd mentioned bringing three children along, he'd asked in a trembling voice if she'd kidnapped them.
_I've been here for quite some time, and yet my reputation as a villain still clings to me like a second skin!_
The butler had only calmed down after she explained the entire situation. _What, you don't like it when a villain performs good deeds?_ she'd nearly snapped. But Evangeline was a well-mannered girl who respected her elders, so she'd bitten her tongue.
"Madam, you have a letter from Sir Gabriel," announced a servant, presenting a silver tray.
_Should I open it or not..._ Evangeline hesitated, then tore open the envelope with trembling fingers. As always, the letter was written in elegant, flowing script. Nothing extraordinary: Gabriel was inviting her to tea at two o'clock.
She checked her watch. _There's still time._
"We need to get ready!"
She'd wanted to wear something simpler, but first impressions mattered. She needed to make a good one—especially today.
With the help of three maids, she quickly transformed herself. When she'd first arrived at this estate, she hadn't even possessed a personal maid. Now she had three!
_It seems I'm doing a decent job playing the heroine of a romance novel._
"You're absolutely stunning today!" Kanna exclaimed, clasping her hands together. Evangeline was already a beauty befitting her villainous reputation, but today she was especially radiant.
Daisy, her former maid, knew her craft well. She'd even unearthed jewelry Evangeline hadn't known existed—delicate pieces that caught the light like captured stars.
When she was finally ready, a knock sounded at the door.
"Madam, Sir Gabriel has arrived."
Evangeline descended to the living room with Daisy in tow. Gabriel rose to greet her, and the sight of him made her breath catch.
_Wow... he's devastatingly handsome._ She straightened her spine. _And I look good too._
The man—who always seemed utterly impenetrable—bowed with practiced grace.
"Lady Rohanson, I hope you had a restful night?"
_No, I didn't sleep a wink_, she thought bitterly. "Thanks to your consideration, I had a wonderful rest," she said aloud, her smile perfectly composed.
"I'm glad to hear it."
Evangeline settled into the chair across from him, and Gabriel resumed his seat. She stole a sideways glance at his face. He was as calm and unruffled as yesterday—not a single crack in his composure.
_Did he actually believe Daisy? Or is this all an elaborate act?_
_No, I can't afford to relax. This could be a trap._
"I've sent the children to the Temple orphanage, as agreed," Gabriel began, launching into his report. "Troy will remain at the estate for now and assist with household duties. Don't worry—ten children aren't that much of a burden."
So he was starting with business. Evangeline found herself oddly disappointed.
"This is Daisy's shelter pass." He produced a small card and a folded map. "Security is strict there, so you cannot enter without it."
"...Thank you," Daisy said quietly, accepting the items with reverent hands.
Troy, it turned out, hadn't spent a single coin of the borrowed money. Today he'd set out to repay the debt, accompanied by one of the holy knights.
_Very clever_, Evangeline mused. _No moneylender would dare cheat or threaten someone escorted by a knight of the Temple._
Once the investigation into the orphanage and the basement was concluded, Troy intended to transfer the shelter to the Temple's oversight.
"The priest who collaborated with Merai will be defrocked today," Gabriel continued.
The remaining buyers were aristocrats and merchants—the Temple was unlikely to punish them directly. But Gabriel mentioned he would report their involvement to the imperial court.
_They probably won't face serious consequences... this is a world ruled by nobility, after all. But perhaps, thanks to the protagonist's intervention, they'll receive at least some punishment._
"Merai faces the death penalty. Her crimes are too severe to warrant leniency."
_They won't burn her at the stake_, Evangeline noted silently. _They'll simply take her head._
One would lose his position; the other would lose her life. The punishments for the same crime varied dramatically, but Merai's offenses were clearly more grievous.
"The death penalty..." Daisy whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I will inform you of the exact execution date once it is set," Gabriel said gently.
"That won't be necessary," Daisy replied. Her voice wavered. After all, Merai had raised her. This couldn't be easy.
Evangeline had anticipated that Gabriel might mention the children's arrangements—which was precisely why she'd brought Daisy along as a buffer. _If I'd known the conversation would take this dark turn, I would have brought Kanna instead!_
"That concludes the Merai matter. I'll keep you informed of any developments."
"Thank you for your diligent efforts," Evangeline said. If Gabriel hadn't appeared yesterday, she would have been forced to handle all of this herself.
_He's practically an angel!_
_How did he accomplish so much in a single night? Meanwhile, I couldn't even close my eyes... That's what it means to be a protagonist—always working late, never resting._
Having finished his report, Gabriel took a leisurely sip of tea.
_Well, now he's going to begin_, Evangeline thought, her heart hammering against her ribs.
_What will he say? Surely he won't start splashing me with holy water and screaming, "Begone, demon!" That's hardly his style. Perhaps he'll simply behead me on the spot? Or drag me to the dungeons..._
She was wound so tight she was ready to die. But Gabriel continued to stall, as if savoring a dramatic pause.
"And yesterday, I visited you quite unexpectedly..."
_I despise when people drag things out!_ she thought desperately. _Just say it already!_
"...because I wished to ask you to become my partner."
"Please, just don't kill me—"
"Partner?"
"What does that mean...?"
_What?!_ Evangeline's mind short-circuited. _Is he asking me on a date?! Is he inviting me to attend a ball together?!_
She had steeled herself for interrogation, for accusations, for violence. She had not prepared for romance.
_Is he serious? Is he going to pretend he doesn't know the truth about me?_ she wondered frantically. _Or is he simply waiting for the perfect moment to expose me? I refuse to live in constant terror! I'd rather confess everything myself. In situations like this, the best defense is offense._
"You're saying this knowing I'm not the real Evangeline?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.
Gabriel's gaze lowered, his long lashes casting shadows on his cheekbones.
_Is he trying to charm me with that look?_
_He knows nothing about souls possessing one another!_ Evangeline's thoughts raced. _Any normal person, upon learning that another soul had inhabited a dead girl's body, would assume I was a demon or a ghost! Especially a holy knight!_
"Yes." Gabriel's finger traced the rim of his teacup. "I know everything."
_So he's asking me this, fully aware that I've inhabited someone else's body..._
Embarrassing as it was to admit, she suspected he was more smitten with her than she'd realized. He was willing to accept her regardless of what she truly was.
_I did flirt with him a little_, she conceded. _But honestly, he's too easy a target..._
All her sleepless worrying had been utterly pointless. _What exactly was I so afraid of?_
"To be more precise," Gabriel continued, "I would like you to accompany me to the upcoming ball."
"Why so suddenly?"
She asked out of genuine curiosity, but his answer was unexpected.
It seemed her magic circle for summoning spirits had become known in high society.
Gabriel was clearly concerned about its potential misuse—and rightly so. The priest and the orphanage director had already exploited it for their own ends.
_He probably wants to use me to identify suspicious individuals_, Evangeline reasoned.
"But why would you need me to catch spirits?"
Of course, she couldn't allow her magic circle to be used without her permission. _Especially since I have no idea how to use it properly! How do these people manage to summon spirits at all?!_
_What if I possess no spiritual ability whatsoever?_ A terrible thought struck her. _Perhaps anyone can draw a circle and call a spirit—and I'm simply a failure? Maybe Gabriel approached me precisely because spirits don't manifest in my presence?_
"When you're nearby, the drawing's influence weakens," Gabriel confirmed her worst fear.
Evangeline's eyes burned with the threat of tears. _Well, that's just perfect! Not only am I ignorant of the plot and plagued by a glitchy translation system, but I'm also spiritually incompatible! I'm supposed to be a villain, not some cosmic reject!_
"And also..." Gabriel added, his voice softening, "this arrangement will help deflect suspicion from you."
_He's right..._ This was the world of romance novels, and she was the villain. She would be suspected of everything, even if she remained completely passive.
If she hadn't been at the orphanage, she would have been blamed for every crime. Donau had accused her of ordering his kidnapping. Her magic circle had been discovered in Daisy's shelter.
_At least standing beside Gabriel will make me appear less guilty. He's a holy knight with an impeccable reputation, after all._
"Then I accept. With pleasure."
Besides, Gabriel had chosen to side with her without knowing whether she was a demon or a ghost. _I will not forget this kindness._
"Forgive me, madam..." Daisy interjected timidly. "But you haven't been formally introduced to society yet..."
"What?!" Evangeline's composure shattered. "But I'm a villain! I'm supposed to be a seasoned socialite!"
---
## — The Dungeon —
The bright light gradually faded as Gabriel descended deeper into the dungeon. By the time he reached the lowest level, darkness had swallowed everything. Without his torch, he wouldn't have been able to see his own hands.
A dungeon hidden from sunlight—the perfect place to conduct dark deeds far from the eyes of God. That was why the Empire possessed so many basements, and the Temple was no exception.
Gabriel made his way toward the prison cells where criminals were held and interrogated.
"Bishop Javnaia?"
"We meet again."
They were already waiting for him in the gloom. Two priests, Bishop Javnaia, and a middle-aged woman draped in a white veil greeted Gabriel with unsettling warmth.
"Commander of the Knights," the woman said, her voice carrying an edge of something unreadable. "It's been quite a while."