Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 30
“But still, you never know.”
“No, she can’t. Only a fool gets bullied like that.”
Mary was mocking Lani, who was being tormented by the saintess.
She thought Mary was her closest friend, but she wasn’t. Just yesterday, she had offered words of concern, and now she was laughing at her.
Lani clenched her hands on her skirt. Maybe there was a way out of this situation.
With a deliberate noise, Mary and the other maids stopped their conversation.
“My goodness, Lani. Are you okay?”
“What happened exactly?”
Their voices sounded concerned, but none of them actually approached Lani.
Anyone could offer words of concern.
“Uh, I just threw up. My stomach felt bad.”
She smiled awkwardly, covering her dirty clothes as if embarrassed.
“Really? You threw up? Are you feeling okay?”
Mary asked with a seemingly concerned tone.
“Yeah.”
She smiled foolishly as she walked past them into her room. Glancing back, she saw Mary covering her nose with a sneer, and the other maids were covering their mouths, laughing.
‘Ah, I see.’
Her thoughts were not mistaken.
Lani smiled faintly. She needed to wash up and change into clean clothes quickly.
‘And I need to see the Saintess.’
* * *
Irene left the dining hall and walked slowly, then gradually quickened her pace and ran into her room.
Approaching the bed, she began to hit the pillow and then gasped for breath. Just as she was about to swing her fist again, someone gently grabbed her hand.
“Let go.”
“I will if you stop harming yourself.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Even minor things are dangerous for your body now.”
Eventually, Irene relaxed her hand, and then Burt let her go.
“What’s the matter?”
“I just can’t understand it.”
Irene sighed deeply and moved to sit on the sofa.
“What don’t you understand?”
“People tormenting other people.”
At those words, Burt knelt on the floor and looked into Irene’s eyes. The faint smile on Burt’s lips was displeasing.
“Why? Didn’t revenge feel sweet?”
“Sweet?”
Irene bit her lip. Repaying the past torment felt anything but joyful. It was merely revolting.
“…It was disgusting.”
“Revenge is always like that. The sweetness of revenge is just an illusion. So, are you thinking of giving up now?”
Burt asked if she was considering giving up on revenge.
Give up on revenge?
Irene chuckled.
“How could I possibly give up?”
The things she had suffered in the past remained as scars etched into her body and soul. The idea of forgetting everything and living happily as a saintess now was impossible.
If that were possible, she would have forgiven everyone long ago.
“Whether it’s sweet or not, I won’t stop seeking revenge.”
“Do as you wish. I’m just here to follow you, as long as you don’t die.”
She didn’t like this man. Yet, there was no one more suitable to assist her in her revenge. They had no choice but to walk this path together.
“As long as I don’t die.”
Irene mulled over Burt’s words, organizing her thoughts. The road ahead was long, and she couldn’t afford to be shaken by such trivial matters.
As she sat quietly with her eyes closed, a knock sounded from outside.
Knock, knock.
A clear knocking sound followed by a servant’s voice.
“A maid requests to see the Saintess.”
“A maid?”
“It’s Lani! Lani, Saintess!”
The dry voice of a woman interjected. She was the first maid targeted for torment.
Hearing that voice, Burt stood up beside Irene, positioning himself protectively, just in case.
“Let her in.”
“Yes.”
No sooner had the knight’s voice faded than the door opened, and a thin woman entered. She seemed clean, perhaps having bathed and changed clothes since their last encounter.
“Saintess!”
Lani immediately cried out and prostrated herself.
“I have something to tell you, so I came to see you.”
Her voice was rough, yet it didn’t tremble.
What could this be about? Irene looked down at Lani, who lay prostrate on the floor.
“Speak.”
“There are those who speak ill of you behind your back.”
“Hmm, and what do they say?”
Irene asked with an intrigued voice, prompting Lani to quickly divulge.
“They say you’re from a lowly back alley. There have been complaints before about having to take care of a child marked by an ominous sign.”
It was a tired story, one she had heard too often to be moved by anymore.
But coming from Lani, the story took on a different significance.
