"Ah..."

Her blue eyes, reminiscent of a clear autumn sky, blinked slowly. It was truly Evelina looking at me.

"Hello?"

Without realizing it, I greeted her in response to our eye contact. However, Evelina's expression changed. The initial curiosity that seemed to question what was happening vanished from her face, replaced by an icy glint that could make anyone shudder with its coldness.

Then she spoke.

"What are you doing?"

"Pardon? Oh... I apologize."

Caught off guard by her abrupt question, I took a moment to gather my thoughts and offered an apology. It was clear that she was angry with me; her expression conveyed that unmistakable fury. There was only one reason she would give me such a look.

"For using your body as I please."

"Pardon?"

In that instant, unable to comprehend Evelina's words, I questioned her while she stared back at me, laughing scornfully.

"I pushed you into my body."

"What are you talking about?"

Evelina had put me inside her. It was a thought that had never crossed my mind. I stood there in silence, unable to grasp the situation, as she took a step closer to me. She scrutinized my body and then looked back at hers, speaking in a voice tinged with confusion.

"How about indulging in the pleasures of life once you've died? I don't mean running wild or anything like that."

Was I dreaming? Evelina's words reached my ears clearly, but my mind failed to comprehend them.

If I ever met Evelina's soul, I had thought she would be furious with me. Or perhaps she would be afraid and weep at the incomprehensible situation. Yet the real Evelina, whom I had finally met, only irritated me.

"To be honest, I had some expectations. I deliberately chose the most pitiful soul among those who are visible. I thought, 'Oh, if someone like this uses my body, it will undoubtedly deteriorate more than me. Since life is already lost once, I might as well recklessly enjoy this bonus life,' you know? But..."

Approaching me, Evelina grabbed my chin. Her body was much taller than my original one, so I had to tilt my head to meet her gaze.

"You've been unnecessarily diligent, haven't you? Playing a prank?"

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Her eyes now held a flicker of anger.

"I've been watching what you've been doing inside me. But..."

"Wait."

I raised my hand to stop Evelina, who was about to continue speaking. Her face was filled with irritation, as if she were asking how I dared interrupt her. Nonetheless, I managed to silence her.

"You brought me here?"

"Yes."

"It wasn't a coincidence... You chose me?"

"Yes. Aren't you grateful?"

Until now, I had thought that all of this had happened by an unknown coincidence. That's why I always felt sorry for Evelina, who suddenly had her body taken away. But it turned out that everything she wanted had been this.

"Why did you do that?"

I couldn't understand. I didn't want to know how this was possible, nor did I need to. I simply wanted to understand why Evelina had done this. Without answering my question, she merely smiled. The sight of her smiling infuriated me.

In the realm of books, and to top it off, within the body of a doomed fate, I had initially felt despair. I wouldn't have been able to do anything out of fear if it hadn't been for the ability to see Evelina's memories.

"Having memories doesn't make it any easier."

The situation was dire, enveloped in the worst circumstances imaginable. Everyone despised the saint and those who approached were merely seeking to fulfill their own desires. Moreover, I almost fell victim to the advances of an unknown man. And yet, in the midst of such a predicament, I was expected to be grateful?

"When have you ever roamed around with such a splendid physique while still alive? Therefore..."

"My physical appearance may have been pleasing, but..."

Unable to contain my frustration, I interjected with a sharp voice.

"The situation is far from favorable!"

My discontent-filled words elicited a cackling laughter from Evelina, resonating loudly.

"I am the saint, after all."

"..."

"While everyone may harbor dissatisfaction, they can only ponder and dare not bring harm to the saint. No matter what one does, they can only complain. For that is the position of the saint, a being whose very existence safeguards the continent against malevolent forces."

At that moment, a wicked thought crossed my mind.

I wanted to speak to Evelina right then and there, to inform her that her ostentatious charade was futile, that this place was merely a realm within a book, and that her cherished position as the saint would be usurped by Iris once she appeared.

Yet, I remained silent.

When I lost all my powers within the book and was no longer a saint, I recalled the image of Evelina. How she had died, proclaiming herself a saint as if consumed by madness. In the current situation, provoking Evelina would serve no purpose other than to invite trouble.

However, remaining silent infuriated me. I yearned to retort to her words with any response.

"Yet you threw eggs."

Unable to conjure a suitable retort, I spoke those words, and Evelina's face contorted.

"Come to think of it, why didn't you punish Latvan? The Grand Knight couldn't even protect the saint. And it happened during a ceremony where the highest precautions should have been taken. In that case, he should pay for his sins with his life."

With each word spoken by Evelina, her voice oozed with disdain. Her suggestion to slit his throat was no jest. The regret of missing such a perfect opportunity gnawed at me, causing my body to tremble.