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Winter cast its furious chill.

Frost settled atop blood that had not yet dried, and white puffs of breath escaped fragile, faltering lungs that seemed on the verge of stopping altogether.

The harsh cold pierced to the bone.

It was the perfect season for death. Corpses frozen solid do not decay quickly, after all.

Until they were tossed into a large pit, they did not emit the unpleasant stench of rot—how convenient.

Especially when the one to die was a sinner unlike any the world would ever see again.

A villainess who served the evil god and plunged the empire into despair.

For Sirien Eilencia, such an icy winter was a fitting end.

“That vile wench. She didn’t offer a single apology to the end.”

“My brother died because of that filthy villainess!”

Thud. Blood splattered as a stone struck her.

It was a stone hurled by an enraged crowd. It struck the sinner’s brow, rolling across the execution platform smeared with dark blood.

No one could tell whether the blood on the stone came from the sinner or was already there on the execution ground.

The sinner, Sirien Eilencia, did not turn to look at the one who had thrown the stone.

She had no eyes to see them. Her eyes had already been gouged out by the hands of an inquisitor.

Where once crimson irises should have been, only roughly bound bandages remained.

Ellis stood closer than anyone to witness Sirien’s final moments.

With just a few steps between them, Ellis saw the utterly pitiful state Sirien was in.

The once-proud and dignified bearing was gone, leaving only a broken body reeking of blood.

She had chosen silence, even as she was told the torture would stop if she confessed everything.

Her mouth had produced nothing but harrowing screams throughout the merciless torment.

No, she had spoken. Just once.

On the day the inquisition declared Sirien Eilencia “broken,” Ellis had been allowed to see her.

The Sirien she had known would have coldly dismissed her, but the response she received was unexpected.

– “Sirien Eilencia, the date of your execution has been set. Do you have any final words? If there’s something you want, I’ll grant it, as long as it’s within my power.”

– “The bracelet… Please give me back my bracelet. The one I was wearing.”

– “If it contains any divine or magical power, I cannot return it.”

– “It doesn’t. It’s just an ordinary bracelet. Please… Let me have it with me, at least until I die.”

The bracelet turned out to be just as ordinary as she claimed.

It was hard to believe such a plain object had once adorned the Duchess of Eilencia.

Despite its age, it was well-maintained, as though it had been cherished for a long time.

When Sirien received the bracelet, she wept with joy.

She stroked it a few times, as if confirming it was hers.

– “Thank you… Could you put it on for me? I can’t see anymore.”

– “Of course. Was it precious to you?”

– “It’s the only treasure I have left.”

Seated on the cold prison floor, clutching the bracelet tightly, Sirien looked pitiful.

Bloody tears seeped through the bandages, staining them a deep red, and trailed down her pale skin.

To Ellis, her appearance was both unsettling and strangely poignant.

“The sinner, Sirien Eilencia, is hereby sentenced to execution by beheading… Her head and body shall be displayed… All titles and properties are revoked…” ŕ

The bracelet remained clasped on her wrist, even now, as she knelt before the executioner’s block.

She showed no resistance, no sign of protest. She simply bowed her head slightly, as though resigned to her fate.

As the verdict was read, she occasionally touched the bracelet with her fingertips.

“Any last words?”

“Hah. As expected. Proceed!”

Ellis couldn’t bring herself to watch as the executioner’s blade fell.

In that final moment of death, Sirien Eilencia’s voice came, faint as a whisper.

Her final words: “It’s cold.”

[Saint■ess, ■ha■■ms are ■■■pure! ■■■ ??

[Sirien Eilencia]

The icy blade grazed the nape of my neck a few times, testing its mark.

The executioner seemed to be a young boy, judging by his shaky breaths and uncertain grip.

The blade that touched my skin was terribly dull, and the boy had no experience, not even the faintest semblance of it.

It seemed unlikely he would sever my head with a single stroke.

But it didn’t matter.

Swish—Crash!

Death found me soon enough.

As expected, it wasn’t a clean death. Agonizing pain flared from my shredded neck.

Fortunately, the pain didn’t last long.

It took five attempts to sever my head completely, but I felt nothing after the second.

My body grew light, and for a fleeting moment, I noticed the bitter cold of winter.

Razen… I’m so cold. Where are you?’

I can’t see anything. The world is pitch black, and I’m scared.

Please, hold my hand. It’d be even better if you hugged me from behind.

I’m so cold right now. I miss your warmth.

…Ah. I remember now.

I’m sorry. If only I’d done better, I wouldn’t have lost you.

If I hadn’t, maybe it wouldn’t be this cold. It’s all my fault.

But could you forgive me, just this once?

I can finally see you again. If you’re angry, I don’t think I’ll be able to bear it.

I’ll be there soon.

‘Oh, the bracelet… I can’t let it get stained with blood….’

* * *

The Last Day of the Festival

For once, Sirien overslept.

Though I was usually the early riser between us, this was rare even for her.

She must have stayed up all night, having mentioned a late meeting yesterday.

When she didn’t wake even past lunchtime, I decided to wait outside her room.

I’d never understood why people of the old days liked books so much, but in moments like this, there was nothing better to pass the time than reading.

Even an uninteresting book was better than sitting idle.

It was only when I had finished one book cover to cover that Sirien finally emerged.

“Good morning…?”

“It’s not morning. How tired were you that you ended up taking a nap during the day?”

“Not that bad, really. I just went to bed late. Did you wait long outside?”

“Not really. Take your time.”

“Thanks.”

Sirien rubbed her eyes, still not fully awake.

Her slightly disheveled hair and the sleepy smile on her face were so endearing that I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Soon, the maid assigned by the baron arrived, and Sirien returned to her room.

When she came out again, all dressed and ready, she looked even more beautiful than yesterday.

The cheerful smile on her face was lethal to my heart.

Ever since that kiss on stage, I had been painfully aware of every little thing she did, and my heart wouldn’t stop racing.

“You must have been bored waiting. Shall we go?”

“Sure.”

Our first stop was, of course, the dining hall.

No matter what, neither Sirien nor I ever skipped a meal.

We’d once been so desperate for food that we had to debate eating monster meat.

Throughout the meal, I felt as though I were in the eye of a storm.

Eating with Sirien, spending an ordinary moment together—it all felt strangely tense.

Her lips, slick with a light sheen of white from the soup, captivated me as she sipped another spoonful or chewed on a small piece of meat.

The way her mouth opened slightly and then closed as she chewed was impossible to look away from.

Those lips had once been on mine.

Not just touching but exploring, intertwined with my own.

Even though time had passed, the memory of that heat hadn’t faded—in fact, it only seemed to grow stronger.

“Razen, you don’t seem to have much of an appetite today. You didn’t eat much.”

“No, I’m fine. I was just… lost in thought.”

“Are you feeling unwell? Should I feed you next time?”

“Ugh. No, thanks. I’m not a child.”

After the meal, as we walked toward the village, Sirien continued to toy with my emotions, teasing me in her own way.

“Why? I think I’d like it if you fed me when I’m sick.”

“…That’s different.”

“Hehe.”

Her playful laughter.

Even such a small joke made my throat feel tight.

The entire way to the village, I felt as if my heart were being squeezed.

I was scared, of course.

But nothing good had ever come from putting off a decision.

I had to muster my courage.

“Sirien, there’s a place I want to visit before we go to the festival. Is that okay?”

“Sure. I don’t mind.”

Just a short walk from the village where the festival was held, there was a small forest.

It was painted in shades of yellow and red.

It was late autumn, and the fallen leaves formed soft mounds underfoot, crunching softly as we stepped.

A gust of wind swirled some of the leaves into the air.

One landed on my head, and Sirien gently plucked it off.

She lightly tapped my cheek with the leaf, smiling all the while.

“So, what is it you wanted to say, bringing me all the way out here?”

“Well, this seems like the perfect spot.”

Behind Sirien, the forest trail stretched wide.

We’d stumbled upon this place during a walk through the baron’s territory in spring. Back then, the trees had been green, and the wildflowers blooming beneath them were stunning.

Now, with the magic of autumn fading and the cold of winter creeping in, the vibrant foliage framed Sirien like a painting.

“First, take this. I wanted to give it to you myself.”

At the festival, I didn’t purchase anything extravagant.

What I hurriedly ran to get was a simple white scarf. Winter was approaching, after all.

I wanted to make sure Sirien wouldn’t feel cold.

While I wrapped the scarf around her, Sirien remained silent.

But there was something I needed to say.

“I’ve thought about this a lot. I know it’s not something you took lightly, and I couldn’t respond carelessly either.”

“Mm. I’m happily waiting.”

“I still don’t know if I even deserve to do this. I think it’s far too much for me. You… you could have had a much better future.”

Sirien parted her lips slightly, as if to speak, but stopped.

She was holding back, probably for my sake. Her kind heart hadn’t changed.

“Even now, that thought hasn’t left me. Can I really be so selfish as to want you? I couldn’t come up with an answer.”

In the original story, Sirien’s final words before her death were that she was cold.

After the execution scene, she was never mentioned again, but her end was undoubtedly tragic.

So, this scarf was like a vow to myself.

A vow that I would never, under any circumstances, let Sirien meet such a fate.

No matter how cruel the malice of this world or the shackles of fate might be, I swore to protect her.

If necessary, I’d sell my soul. Even if I were to be cast into the deepest pits of hell, it wouldn’t matter as long as Sirien was safe.

So, I hoped, just this once, my greed could be forgiven.

“You once said you would grant my wish. But I don’t want to rely on a wish. I’ll face this head-on, fair and square.”

I knelt before Sirien on one knee.

We didn’t need a grand setting, like a coronation ceremony from the past.

All we needed was each other. That had always been enough.

We didn’t need extravagance or grandeur—just time spent together.

I had always been honest with Sirien, so now, the only thing I needed was courage.

“I love you, Sirien Eilencia. I’ll give you everything I have. Please, officially become my partner.”

[TL: Join Patreon to support the translation and to read up to 4 chapters ahead of the release of "I Became a Childhood Friend With the Villainous Saintess" and 5 chapters ahead of the release of "I Accidentally Created a Villainous Organization": /Jade43 ]