"Pudding, I want to eat more..."
I looked wistfully at the empty glass jar. Seeing this, my nanny chuckled and gently wiped my mouth.
My nanny was already my captive, so her touch was very kind.
"If you wish, I'll have them bring you half a portion more. But if you eat too much, your teeth will rot."
"Hmm... okay, then. But instead..."
"Yes, young lady?"
"I want to thank the person who made this!"
"Oh my, the chef will be very happy."
I nodded with a bright expression, but in truth, I was smirking inwardly.
This was all part of my devious and frightening scheme.
The chef was a very important person in the household. If I got close to the chef, at least my meals wouldn’t suffer even if Raine showed up.
'Even though Raine later wins the chef’s favor...'
I suddenly recalled a scene from the original story.
—
["Jeff, this is called tteokbokki. It's three times tastier with sausages!"
"Saintess... this is..."
"Hmm? What's wrong, Jeff?"
The chef of the Driblyane household, Jeff, wiped away his tears.
He couldn't help it. The recipe presented by the saintess Raine was something he knew well. It was none other than... a recipe from the late Ariadne.
"Lord, how happy you were to eat the dish your daughter made. But since Ariadne passed away... I haven't made it again."
"Oh no..."
Raine's eyes widened in surprise.
Memories of Ariadne, which had been forgotten, came flooding back. Her jet-black hair and turquoise eyes that resembled bronze.
Ariadne, who always looked at her with contempt, had constantly interfered with her meetings with Kiraxis.
It was a long time ago, but for Raine, who had no memories during her sealed period, it was as vivid as if it happened yesterday.
'Could it be that Ariadne also came from the same place as me to this world?'
In shock, Raine staggered slightly.
"Thank you for reminding me of a long-forgotten memory. I will work hard to make it delicious, sniff..."
"Sorry for making you cry."
Raine barely managed to keep her composure and smiled warmly as she hugged Jeff.
"If you make tteokbokki, the lord will surely be pleased. We must help him find strength!"
"Yes, indeed, Saintess."
"Oh, please. I'm no longer a saintess. Just call me Raine."
With a bright smile, Raine stepped back to observe the busy kitchen.
However, she was very anxious. She had used her remaining wishes to naturally exist in the Driblyane household.
'Now I have no way to cope.'
If Ariadne hadn’t actually died, or if she came back from the dead...
'What should I do then?']
---
Even recalling it now, it's really a shocking and dreadful plot twist.
'But I have no intention of being easily driven out of this comfortable household just because you come, Raine.'
I lifted my head and looked at the ornate hallway. It was as beautiful and luxurious as the royal palace, making me covet it even more.
"Hurry up!" I commanded, riding atop John's head, as I strode confidently down the hallway. Whispers followed me.
"Is that the new saintess?"
"Rumor has it she can predict the future. I find it hard to believe."
"But to have an albino represent Driblyane... that's a bit..."
"Shh, or you'll be cursed! They say she can't humanize because she used too much power bringing spring!"
Haha. Just as planned.
I can't humanize because I'm an albino, but I can hide this weakness with 30% truth and 70% rumors.
Initially, many people disliked me. Their murmurs and gazes weren't pleasant.
But that atmosphere in the household completely changed after I warned them about an impending attack.
"My brother was at the front line where the attack was predicted! He survived because she warned us!"
"She warned us a day before the attack, so everyone evacuated in time and even managed a counter-attack!"
"How did she know? We're so grateful."
It took less than a day for the rumors to turn in my favor. Within two days, people's gazes became extremely friendly.
After that, when I acted friendly, the reaction was completely different.
My ultimate cuteness attack, showing my belly!
When I used my skill, [Roll Over]—
"Oh my, Florin is so cute that I hit the wall and ended up facing the next room. What should I do!"
The maids whose family members were saved by my information giggled and praised me.
When I used my skill, [Wiggle Ears]—
"Huff, huff. Just once... can't I just touch you once?"
The knights, whose comrades were safe thanks to me, clutched their chests, struggling to breathe.
My fluffy tail and round ears, combined with my slightly plump body, were irresistible. It’s hard for anyone who isn’t an albino hater to hate me.
'To be honest, it was always a fine line between hating me or finding me adorable.'
If they wanted to hate me for not being able to humanize, they easily could have.
'But now the rumor that I prevented the attack has spread far and wide.'
Moreover, rumors were circulating that Kiraxis, one of the household’s top powers, decided to become the heir because of me. No employee had the guts to hate me under these circumstances.
'Strictly speaking, it's not that they find me cute, but they find the power and status surrounding me cute.'
It doesn’t matter. After all, the one who spread the false rumor that I was a saintess was none other than the family head himself.
I recalled the night when I was secretly summoned by the family head after the urgent news came in.
"There cannot be two saintesses under the sky."
The family head, with his hands behind his back, continued quietly.
"I do not believe you are a saintess. In fact, I don't believe in the concept of a saintess. I do not believe in the existence of gods."
"But... since you have brought benefits to the family, whether you are genuine or just lucky doesn't matter. From now on, you are the true saintess who woke up with spring. I will spread the rumor that the saintess sealed in the Holy Empire is a fake and that you are the real one."
'Wow, he's really like a villain...'
Ladies and gentlemen, you are witnessing the moment where the real becomes fake, and the fake becomes real.
"Thanks to you, Kiraxis has decided to become the heir. That alone is beneficial, but you have proven yourself even more valuable."
Now the family head looked at me like... yes, exactly. Like I was a treasure chest.
I instinctively felt that my value had risen significantly.
"This is a gift. Take it and eat."
"Macarons...!"
Then he handed me a box containing twelve colorful macarons!
"I thought of you, so I brought them from the royal palace."
"Thank you!"
He even brought snacks for his granddaughter-in-law while on an outing!
I shared them with everyone yesterday, and my nanny scolded me. She was worried that eating too many snacks would rot my teeth.
Her words were based on genuine concern, so honestly, I liked hearing them.
'Anyway, people will now expect me to continue preventing attacks.'
If I had to keep that up for long, my cover would be blown.
Fortunately, with the arrival of spring, both nations would soon enter a peace agreement.
When the time comes to take care of the devastated country... I'll naturally gain fame.
"Welcome, young lady."
"Jeff!"
"Haha, the kitchen is a dangerous place, but your visit brings energy."
Soon, I arrived at the kitchen.
At first, Jeff was very wary and reluctant to let me into the kitchen. But when I praised his desserts down to the molecular level, he quickly warmed up to me.
"I was just baking some macaron shells. Would you like one?"
"Yes!!!”
What a treat!
My nanny strictly controlled the amount of snacks I could have. Since I can't humanize, she recommended I eat only as much as is safe in my animal form.
'Sorry, nanny. Secret snacks taste even better...'
Embracing the pink macaron shell flavored with raspberry syrup, I became the happiest marten in the world.
