I Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble, Nothing More Than the Hero’s Foil: Since the Hero Can Only Bring Misery to My Favorite Heroine, I’ll Use My Game Knowledge and Over-the-Top Effort to Rewrite the Scenario and Make Her Happy. - Chapter 3

Selvia’s Perspective

“Are you alright, Lady Selvia? The welcome banquet will begin shortly…”

“Yes… I will attend the banquet. Could you leave me alone for a little while?”

“Of course. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to call.”

With a polite bow, the butler Lancelot quietly exited the room.

Now alone in the room I had been shown to, I began to regain some composure.

That said, my emotions were still in turmoil.

“I can’t believe Brother Cain would go so far as to defy Prince Leon just to protect me…”

I had always worried whether Brother Cain would accept me again after our engagement was annulled and I was branded a false saint.

But not only did he welcome me warmly, he outright rejected Prince Leon’s commands to harm me…

Tears welled up in my eyes just thinking about it.

I needed to calm myself quickly. The welcome banquet, where the entire Schwarz family would gather, was fast approaching.

Carefully, I ensured there were no people around. It seemed safe.

“Summon [Passionflower].”

With a silent prayer, a delicate flower of blue and white appeared in my hands—a passionflower, known for its potent calming effects.

Breathing in its enhanced fragrance, I finally managed to steady my emotions.

This ability was the power of the Saint of the World Tree, which awakened in me a year ago: the ability to summon and control any plant at will.

“Saint Selvia, your role is to bring famine and ruin to the Atlas Empire while granting abundance and prosperity to our kingdom. That is why I made you my fiancée. You should be grateful!”

Those were the first words Prince Leon spoke to me when I arrived at the royal palace.

He intended to use the powers of the Saint of the World Tree as a weapon in his war against the neighboring empire.

But I couldn’t abide by such a thing.

The power of the saint is a gift from the gods, meant to save and nurture all people. To use it for mass slaughter was unthinkable.

More than anything, I wanted to be with Brother Cain, whom I loved deeply.

So, for an entire year, no matter what was done to me, I refused to use the powers of the saint. I let everyone in the palace believe I was a fraud.

I hoped that if I were seen as a false saint, Prince Leon would annul our engagement and I could return to Brother Cain.

Sure enough, people began to ridicule me as a deceiver who had tricked Prince Leon.

It was all going according to plan.

But then…

“Selvia. Even as a false saint, you are beautiful. Rejoice! Though I cannot make you my queen, I will allow you to be my mistress. For a viscount’s daughter, this is the highest honor imaginable, is it not?”

To my horror, Prince Leon declared that he would make me his mistress.

Worse, emboldened by drink, he tried to force himself on me.

“Brother! Brother Cain!”

In my terror, I cried out the one name I held dearest.

“What is this? I offer to take you, and yet you call out for another man?”

I wanted to scream that the only man I loved was Brother Cain.

But I couldn’t. If I did, it might put him in danger.

Summoning all my strength, I resisted Prince Leon, glaring at him with all the defiance I could muster.

“You dare defy me? How dare you spurn the kindness I have shown you!”

To Prince Leon, sparing a so-called false saint was an act of charity.

“No one has ever humiliated me like this! You wretched woman—I will make you regret this, false saint!”

Enraged, he stormed off.

Shortly afterward, during a royal banquet, he publicly denounced me as a fraud and annulled our engagement.

“I’m sorry, Brother Cain. It’s all my fault.”

In that moment of panic, when Prince Leon tried to assault me, I had shouted Brother Cain’s name.

Because of that, Brother Cain had been dragged into this mess.

The guilt threatened to crush me.

Prince Leon likely believed that forcing Brother Cain to harm me would be the ultimate revenge.

But even so…

I couldn’t help but feel happy.

Despair and joy swirled within me.

After all, Brother Cain still loved me, just as I loved him.

“So the meaning of the letter I sent him… it truly reached his heart.”

On the eve of my departure to the royal palace, I had sent Brother Cain a letter.

Since I wasn’t allowed to see him in person, it was the only way to say goodbye.

Of course, the contents of the letter were subject to royal scrutiny, so I couldn’t express my true feelings directly.

“Brother Cain, I will become Prince Leon’s fiancée. Please take care of yourself.”

Inside the envelope, I slipped a single white petal of baby’s breath.

The flower’s meaning was eternal love.

“Brother Cain, no matter what happens, I will love you forever.”