Chapter 21

While doing so, the carriage slowly came to a stop.

It seemed they had returned to Alec's mansion.

With his help, she got down from the carriage, and Sally, looking puzzled, came to greet them.

"Welcome back so early. Is something the matter?"

"The talk can wait. I need help with Lane's change of clothes."

"Yes, I understand."

At Alec's words, she nodded, though still bewildered.

"And... "

Just as Sally was about to say something, a voice came from inside the mansion.

"Welcome back, brother. You were quick."

The voice was followed by the appearance of a tall, slender woman with a striking resemblance to Alec.

"Riene, you're back?"

Alec exclaimed in surprise at the sight of her.

"Yes. I was angry at that saint, but I thought you were in trouble."

It seemed she was Alec's sister, Riene.

"But it wasn't necessary. Where did you find such a beautiful person?"

She smiled and turned to Lane.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Riene. Thank you for being my brother's partner today."

Her smile left Lane momentarily spellbound.

"No, I'm Lane. Thank you for all the help, Alec."

After exchanging greetings, they returned to the mansion, and Sally helped Lane change.

"I'll help too. It's a shame to take off such a beautiful dress, but dresses are so uncomfortable."

Despite her beautiful appearance, Riene was a friendly and kind woman.

"The same dress can change impressions so much. I often give a harsh impression, so I envy women with a soft aura like Lane."

Being complimented by Riene, who had a striking beauty that anyone would notice, made Lane blush and look down.

"Such modesty is also appreciated. Lane, you'll surely be popular in the capital."

"That's not true..."

Lane laughed awkwardly.

She had a fiancé, and she had never been praised by a man in her village.

"Where did you meet my brother?"

After the two of them helped her change, they sat in a spacious parlor where Sally served tea.

Though she had no intention of telling anyone, she found herself confiding everything to Riene, who listened sincerely and patiently.

"That must have been tough."

After hearing everything, she smiled kindly, much like Alec.

"Randy isn't a bad kid."

It seemed Riene also knew about the boy they had met in the alley, and she looked troubled as she spoke.

"Still, it's the worst. After making you wait for five years, he broke the engagement unilaterally without even an apology. And to make you the villain with such a baseless accusation."

Just then, Alec, who had apparently changed, entered the room. Riene frowned at the sight of her brother.

"It's your fault, brother. Why did you choose someone like that for the demon king's party? He must have thought he was special."

"Riene?"

Alec seemed a bit bewildered by the sudden accusation but eventually nodded quietly.

"Yes. I thought the same. When I first met Ada, he was skilled with a sword, but more importantly, he had a strong sense of justice. He was determined to defeat the demon king and bring peace to this world. I never thought he would change like that."

"Ada wasn't always like that. He used to be a crybaby, lacking confidence, and I had to protect him as a child. That's why I was shocked."

Lane also defended Alec, wanting to make it clear it wasn't his fault.

"Maybe it's the saint's fault."

After listening to the two of them, Riene muttered.

"If he was weak in the past, he must have had many complexes. If his fiancée was the one protecting him, it would be even more so. Perhaps he was flattered by a seemingly weak saint who said he was the only one she could rely on, and that made him overconfident. Some women are good at manipulating people."

Lane remembered the saint, Aki.

Because she was a saint, Lane had assumed she was kind and compassionate. She even thought she didn't want to trouble the innocent Aki.

But in reality, Aki was a worse person than her childhood friend, Meg. She had enjoyed watching Lane being insulted by Ada.

"To think such a woman is a saint."

Riene, who had returned to her hometown after a conflict with the saint, muttered.

"I warned Aki that she would lose her powers as a saint if she continued like this, but she won't listen."

Even though the demon king had been defeated, many monsters still roamed. The thought of the saint losing her powers, even knowing what kind of person she was, was frightening.

"Still, for Clarence and Noah to doubt Lane. It's obvious she's not that kind of person, and she's with you, brother. If Lane were really like that, you would have seen through it."

Riene, who seemed to know Clarence and Noah, was indignant on Lane's behalf.

But to Lane, they were people of such high status that she would never have had the chance to speak to them. Even if they doubted her, it didn't particularly bother her.

"I won't have the chance to see them again."

Honest, Lane said, and Riene chuckled.

"That's true. Don't worry about it. So, what will you do now, Lane?"

"I don't plan to return to the village. I'll look for work around here."

Alec added that he would vouch for her and that she could stay until she found a job.

"That's good. Instead of saying you'll stay until you find a job, why don't you stay here permanently?"

"No, I can't impose on you that much."

"I don't think of it as an imposition. I'd be happy. We even have similar names, and we could be like sisters, couldn't we?"

Riene's eyes sparkled, and Lane could tell she was genuinely welcoming her.

"Then, let's decide on Lane's room right away. We need to buy some essentials. Brother, I'll go shopping with Lane tomorrow, so keep your schedule clear."

"...Alright."

Alec nodded, looking a bit exasperated but also very kind.