The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 77

Kayden’s excessively quick movements made me smirk internally.

He must really dislike getting involved with me.

“I’ll be going now.”

I immediately tried to leave, but Kayden grabbed me.

“Saintess, I’d like to have a conversation with you.”

“Hmm? I’d prefer if we just pretended not to see each other.”

“…If you leave now, the High Priest will find out.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“I don’t want to disappoint the High Priest. Please talk with me for just a moment.”

I almost reflexively rejected Kayden’s request.

But after a brief moment of thought, I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make him owe me a favor.

“You owe me for this. Understood?”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

After that, silence hung between us for a while.

Well, I wasn’t particularly curious about Kayden, and he probably felt the same way.

Eventually, Kayden forced out a question.

“Saintess, are you participating in the hunting competition?”

The sheer lack of sincerity in his question left me dumbfounded.

Of course, women could participate in the hunting competition…

But could he not see that I was wearing a dress?

All the other noble ladies and madams who planned to participate had arrived wearing hunting attire from the start.

Did he seriously think I’d enter the forest dressed like this and start hunting animals?

“Do I look like I’d participate in the hunting competition?”

“For some reason, I get the feeling you don’t like hunting very much.”

“That’s right. I don’t like taking lives purely for entertainment. If I take someone’s life, there has to be a purpose behind it.”

I talked about killing all the time, but…

In reality, I was more cautious about taking lives than other demons.

In a way, it was an un-demon-like trait.

At first, Zachary used to be surprised by that part of me.

“…You spared them.”

“Taking lives without purpose is something a monster would do. I don’t kill without purpose.”

Then, I realized I had just made a mistake.

‘That didn’t sound very saintly…’

And it definitely wasn’t something a noblewoman raised in a ducal family should say.

I briefly wondered what I should do if Kayden became suspicious.

But it was a pointless worry.

“…That sounds strangely familiar.”

“Hmm?”

Kayden’s voice wavered for a moment. I sensed the oddity and glanced at his face.

His expression remained as calm as ever. But he couldn’t completely hide the tremor in his voice.

“Young Lady, do you perhaps like the color red?”

Hmm? That was a random question.

Red was actually my favorite color.

Other demon lords used to joke that I liked it because my enemies’ blood was red, but that wasn’t the reason.

It was simply because my hair was red, and that made me fond of the color.

Being the only red-haired demon in the Demon Realm was a small source of pride for me.

“I don’t dislike it.”

Since I wasn’t sure what he was implying, I gave a vague answer.

“I see.”

Kayden replied in a voice that sounded somewhat disappointed.

Silence settled between us once more.

“Well then, I’ll be going now.”

I was growing bored of the conversation and was about to leave when Kayden beat me to it.

With a slight bow, he walked away.

The moment he left, I quickly headed for the tent. I didn’t want to get tangled up in anything bothersome. But the moment I stepped inside, I ran into the Duke, who was reviewing documents.

Upon seeing me, he adjusted his reading glasses and asked, “Where have you been wandering off to?”

“Am I not allowed to go anywhere?”

Feeling annoyed by his reprimanding tone, I shot back.

“That’s not what I meant—never mind. You’re old enough now, so I trust you won’t cause any more trouble.”

Did he not realize that saying things like that only made me want to cause trouble?

If a demon truly set their mind to causing trouble… jaws would drop to the floor in shock.

I considered it for a moment but decided to hold back. Instead, I sat down in an empty chair and asked the Duke something that had been on my mind for a while.

“Hey, Father. Why do you and Gabby get along so badly?”

“…Your way of speaking is truly problematic.”

The Duke shook his head before answering my question.

“Gabriel is still immature. That’s the reason.”

“Father, blaming others isn’t a good habit.”

Blaming others might be a virtue for demons, but isn’t it different for humans?

I gave the Duke a pointed remark. Of course, Gabby’s behavior was far from mature.

But considering the Duke’s actions, it didn’t seem like Gabby’s hatred for him was entirely his own issue.

Was it because of what was said in the carriage earlier?

“What you said in the carriage earlier. That you weren’t by Mother’s side when she passed—”

“—Isabella. Go out and socialize with the other nobles.”

The Duke abruptly cut me off.

Huh?

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.

Why was he suddenly saying that?

Seeing the Duke’s attitude, I could understand why Gabby was so eager to commit filial impiety.

“You’re of age now, yet you don’t have a single friend in high society.”

Hearing that, I suddenly felt the urge to defend Isabella.

What was so strange about not having friends? It wasn’t a requirement.

“I do not associate with those beneath me.”

“…I have many documents to review, so leave now.”

The Duke shook his head and returned his attention to his papers.

I didn’t want to stay in the same space as him any longer, so I walked out.

Standing outside the tent, I muttered curses at the Duke under my breath.

Gabby’s dream was to remove the Duke from his position and banish him to some remote estate, wasn’t it?

I suddenly felt like supporting Gabby’s dream once again.

“Um, Lady Isabella.”

While I was seething alone, a familiar woman approached me shyly.

I hesitated when I saw her. She looked familiar… but I couldn’t recall her name. It started with “Na”…

“Are you Nana?”

“Oh my goodness! I never expected you to give me a nickname!”

The woman beamed at me.

I made a grim expression. That wasn’t a nickname…

But what was her name again?

After thinking hard, I finally remembered.

“Nadia. You’re Nadia Clement.”

“Kyaa! You remembered my name!”

What… What was this?

The way she reacted so dramatically to everything I said made her seem somewhat unhinged.

But…

‘Aren’t friendships important in human society?’

Helping Isabella make a friend to improve her reputation wasn’t a bad idea.

Daphne. Ethan. Look at me working so hard for your descendants.

“Hmm. Yes. Have you been doing well?”

“Yes! Have you been well too, Young Lady?”

Nadia looked much brighter than before. She smiled bashfully and added, “It’s all thanks to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you suddenly became the Saintess! Ah, of course, it wasn’t sudden. I always knew you were destined for greatness!”

She… knew?

Was she mentally sound? For a moment, I questioned the sanity of the first friend I had chosen for Isabella.

“After that, my parents banned my older brother from going out. They remembered how he slandered you.”

“Ah.”

Now I understood why Nadia was so fond of me.

“Lately, they’ve been planning to send my brother abroad permanently.”

Hmm. She looked genuinely happy about it.

Well, after some consideration, I decided Nadia wouldn’t be a bad friend for Isabella.

Just then—

“Bella!”

From a distance, Nigel ran toward me, calling my name.

A man dressed as a servant shouting what sounded like a nickname for Isabella while rushing toward me…

That wouldn’t help Isabella’s reputation at all.

I frowned, preparing to scold Nigel.

But before I could—

Boom! Kuuuuung!

A loud explosion echoed across the hunting grounds.

I turned toward the source of the sound.

The trees at the entrance to the forest had collapsed miserably. As I scanned the area for the cause—

One by one, black, mucus-covered creatures began emerging from the fallen trees.

Monsters.

Wasn’t the capital supposed to be monster-free?

I tilted my head.

Was this a special game prepared by the event organizers?

Before I could decide, Nigel reached my side, his face pale as he surveyed the scene.

I whispered in his ear, “Human culture has really evolved. Hosting such an exciting hunting competition.”

“…Bella, please. You can’t seriously think that’s what’s happening!”

Nigel gritted his teeth and whispered back.

Hmm? So this wasn’t part of the event?

Ah.

Now I understood why everyone around me looked so terrified.

“Aaaaah!”

Screams erupted everywhere.

“Monsters! Monsters!”

“Aaaaah! Help me!”

The monsters moved slowly, but they were undoubtedly surrounding the people.