Chapter 258: The Reason

"Sure enough, it’s you, Liya."

Within this warm holy light, Muen let out a soft sigh.

The world was such a strange thing.

In just these past two days, he had faced the most terrifying existence in this world, and also experienced the most beautiful thing that one would never wish to leave behind.

He had met the most exalted ruler of this nation, and that very same night, was stabbed by an unknown assassin.

And now—

Before him stood the girl who would one day be revered by countless believers, whose status would surpass even that of himself, the son of a duke; the future Saintess of the Life Church, who was also the fated protagonist’s closest childhood friend...

Yet here she was, in a tiny little Lower City restaurant... playing the violin for coin?

And of all people, it just had to be him, the yellow-haired villain, who caught her?

Damn it, it really felt like his DNA was stirring, like he was about to blurt out: “Liya, you wouldn’t want Ariel to know you’re secretly doing this kind of thing, would you?”

...

"I... I’m not Liya!"

The "performing lady" still refused to give in, protesting sharply:

"Who’s Liya? I don’t know anyone by that name. Y-You’ve mistaken me for someone else!"

"Is that so?"

Muen didn’t say much more, only quietly looked at her.

Looked at her.

Though the mist still veiled her face, so that Muen couldn’t make out her features nor meet her eyes directly, she suddenly seemed to develop an extreme case of social phobia, her delicate body trembling violently.

She shook and shook—shaking even harder than when she first saw him. Her hands, still channeling holy light, nearly trembled right into Muen’s nostrils.

"Liya..."

Muen sighed again. Before her flustered movements became indecent, he pressed her hands back against his chest, speaking helplessly:

"There aren’t that many coincidences in this world. You should probably start accepting reality."

"Uu..."

Liya sniffled hard, letting out a pitiful whimper as if giving up struggling:

"Wh-Why... Why is it like this? I was so careful... I deliberately chose somewhere far from the Academy, even disguised myself like this... So why do I still run into someone I know, and worse, get recognized?"

The mist veiling her face faded away, revealing her pure, cute little face.

Her eyes were red and misty—so pitiful it tugged at the heart.

"Maybe it’s because you’re too kind. Even knowing it might expose you, you still acted to help just now."

Muen smiled faintly, then his expression turned serious. He fixed his gaze on her eyes and said solemnly:

"So now, at last, I can speak to you properly. Liya, thank you for saving me earlier."

"Saving you? Even if I hadn’t, you would’ve had your own way to deal with it."

Liya pouted, her watery eyes darting over Muen’s chest, which had nearly healed:

"And that wound on your chest wasn’t even serious. Using holy light on it was a complete waste. Give me my holy light back!"

"Uh..."

Muen’s expression turned a little awkward. He chuckled dryly:

"I was going to say that, but you acted too fast. You can’t blame me for that."

"Hmph, Ariel was right—you really are a bad person!"

Liya glared fiercely at him, even raising her pink little fist to thump against his chest.

But her tear-streaked cheeks puffed up with anger only made her look all the more adorable.

That supposedly angry punch carried no strength at all, instead delivering Muen an exquisite sensation.

"Mm..."

Seeing Muen actually savor it, Liya seemed to suddenly realize just how intimate her action must look to others. She snatched her hand back as if shocked, her face flushing crimson like overripe fruit. She bowed her head, no longer daring to meet his eyes.

Muen almost died from the cuteness.

"Ahem, um, Liya..."

But he quickly reined himself in, feigning seriousness as he looked at the girl before him and asked:

"It may seem nosy, but as a classmate, just in case, I have to ask... Why are you here, at this time?"

Though Muen appeared to be wandering aimlessly right now, in reality, Saint Maria Academy should still be in the middle of normal class hours.

Especially since not long ago all of Belrand had been under martial law, and the Academy had even reactivated the First-Layer Grand Rite, which had originally been closed.

Ordinarily, aside from someone special like Celicia, other students shouldn’t have been able to leave so casually.

Surely Liya hadn’t been booted out like him, courtesy of Teacher Meladomir’s little foot.

"Uu..."

Liya peeked at Muen timidly, then lowered her head even further.

"I... I can tell you, but... but you can’t tattle to the Academy, and you can’t repeat anything I say to them."

"Of course."

Muen gave a righteous smile. "You can rest assured—I would never stoop to the vile act of using someone’s secret to threaten them."

"Really?"

"Truer than a pearl."

"Swear it on the Goddess."

"I swear upon the great Life Goddess."

Muen raised four fingers, solemnly declaring:

"I will never reveal what Liya is about to tell me, or else let someone hack me to death with a hatchet."

Reassured, Liya let out a tiny sigh and whispered, faint as a mosquito:

"I... I came out through the secret passage Ariel found..."

"A secret passage?"

How could there be a secret passage under the Grand Rite?

Muen froze, but quickly pieced it together.

What Liya meant wasn’t some physical passage.

It must be that soul-state teacher of Ariel’s, who had discovered flaws in the First-Layer Grand Rite and carved out a hidden way through.

After all, the First Layer of the Rite was just a derivative of the Eternal Clock—barely even the outer rim—so having flaws was natural.

But for someone in a mere soul state to notice and break them... it proved that Ariel’s teacher was far from ordinary.

Naturally. She was the protagonist. If she couldn’t even leave the Academy, how could she possibly act out her role?

"As for why I’m here..."

Liya practically buried her head in her chest, stammering:

"F-For... for money."

"Money?"

Muen blinked, stunned.

Recalling her earlier behavior, he blurted out:

"Are you... that short on money?"

"Uu..."

Liya didn’t answer.

But Muen saw her face was so flushed that even her neck had turned red.

The answer was clear enough. The reason she was playing in this restaurant was because she needed money.

But that only deepened Muen’s confusion. How could Liya be short on money?

Even if she was undergoing her so-called mortal trial, on the surface she was still the daughter of a minor noble. She shouldn’t be so strapped for cash.

And in the original novel, she’d never been so destitute as to need to work for money herself.

Unless...

A thought struck Muen. He looked at Liya, suddenly realizing:

"Liya, the reason you’re short on money... it’s because of Ariel, isn’t it?"

"Uu..."

Liya let out her usual soft murmur.

She didn’t agree—but neither did she deny it.

"I see... So it really is because of Ariel."

Muen leaned back in his chair, tilting his head to look up at the glowing stones in the ceiling. A crooked smile tugged at his lips, as he felt that the world was becoming ever more bizarre.

—The fated, heaven-defying protagonist herself... was once again broke?