I Reincarnated as My Favorite Villainess Saint (Magic Marza), So I’ll Use Game Knowledge to Smash Every Doom Flag! - Chapter 3

Leaving Claude dumbfounded, I elegantly turned on my heel.

As if nothing had happened, I fanned myself leisurely. The whispers around me had grown more heated, I could feel it on my skin.

“Hey, did you see that?” “Lord Ansbach turned pale as a sheet.” “What in the world?”

Curious and wary gazes stabbed into my back. It hurt. It really hurt.

(I was so scared! My heart’s still pounding like crazy!)

Hiding my inner screams beneath a perfect poker face, I navigated through the hall’s clamor. With this, the first piece was in place.

Claude would be waiting for me tonight. Desperate to save his sister, he’d take the bait of this suspicious deal.

Glancing up, my eyes met those of Crown Prince Alphonse at the center of the hall. The heroine beside him was looking at me with concern, while the prince himself wore a deep frown and undisguised suspicion.

Good. It seemed I’d been upgraded from just a “cold-hearted woman” to an “unpredictable, suspicious woman.” My actions had slightly disrupted his expectations.

But it wasn’t enough. Claude wasn’t the only key player in tonight’s condemnation. I needed to break one more major death flag.

I searched for my next target.

There he was, a young man standing slightly apart from the wall-side tables, arms crossed, his face twisted as if he’d bitten into a hundred sour bugs. Rainer von Weit, heir to the border count.

His sun-tanned skin and muscular frame seemed better suited to rugged armor than noble evening wear. His entire demeanor screamed that he had no place in such a glamorous setting.

To save his people from the “Withering Leaf Blight” ravaging his lands, he’d dabbled in forbidden magic storage. A man of integrity and strength, deeply trusted by his people yet precisely why he despised Lydia, who mercilessly cracked down on such transgressions. He too was one of my condemners.

Alright, he’s next. Just as I steeled myself to approach, my stomach let out a loud growl.

(…Now that I think about it, I haven’t eaten since reincarnating.)

Tension had made me forget, but my body was honest. An army marches on its stomach, my old boss used to say that often.

Changing course, I headed for the tables laden with food. As I approached, the nobles parted like the Red Sea before Moses, leaving the lavish spread all to me.

(This is lucky!)

Internally fist-pumping, I grabbed a plate. Vibrant terrines, jewel-like marinated seafood, thick-cut roast beef.

A silver fork brought the first bite to my lips.

(…Delicious!)

Tender meat, the sweetness of premium fat bursting with each chew. Rich sauce melting on my tongue. Hunger truly is the best spice and knowing it’s free makes it taste even better. A commoner’s tragic trait, perhaps.

Forgetting the stares, I devoured several dishes and washed them down with ginger ale. Recharged and ready.

Placing my plate down, I turned back toward Rainer. He still wore that bitter expression.

Deep breath. This opponent hated me even more than Claude did. Brace yourself.

Noticing my approach, Rainer scowled openly. His amber eyes burned with undisguised hostility.

“Saintess. What business do you have with me now?”

His tone was combative, almost like he might grab me at any moment.

“Come to report you’ve found evidence of my crimes?”

The sarcasm dripped thick, the air around him crackling with tension. Unfazed, Lydia’s mask served me well now. Hiding my mouth behind my fan, I stepped into his space.

“It’s about the blight plaguing your lands.”

My whisper reached only him. His hawk-like eyes flickered with shock.

“…What did you say?”

“‘Withering Leaf Blight.’ That’s what they call it, isn’t it?”

The decisive phrase, an informal name even the capital’s records wouldn’t know. Impossible for Saintess Lydia to possess.

I watched the blood drain from Rainer’s face. Hostility gave way to pure shock and confusion. Unlike Claude, his emotions were an open book.

“How do you know that name?”

“I’m the Saintess.”

Repeating the same convenient phrase I’d used on Claude.

As Rainer opened his mouth to retort, I gently stopped him with my fan. No more words were needed here.

“Tonight, after Ansbach’s residence, I’ll visit yours.”

“What!?”

“Show me the resolve of one who cares for his people.”

With that, I turned away. Behind me, I felt Rainer’s sharp intake of breath. No doubt he stood frozen, grappling with my meaning.

(Yes, second appointment secured! But this is totally villainess intimidation tactics…! My reputation isn’t just rock-bottom, it’s punched through to the Earth’s core!!)

Despite my inner panic, my steps remained calm and graceful.

Suddenly sensing eyes on me, I looked up to find Crown Prince Alphonse and his entourage watching me with unmistakable wariness.

Not just scorn or suspicion anymore. The look reserved for something truly unknown. For a moment, I thought I heard the faint crack forming in tonight’s icy script of condemnation.