Chapter 8 : Let’s give a gift to a good child

Joanna’s steps toward the church were unbelievably light.

Honestly, wasn’t it a hundred times easier to love and connect with people rather than kill them?

Besides, Joanna was a well-known umchin-ddal (a perfect daughter from a prestigious family) in the city.

She was a beautiful young lady, skilled in both academics and martial arts, taking after her father and mother—though they didn’t share a single drop of blood.

Her diligence was widely known through word of mouth among early risers.

On top of that, her gentle heart and smile, capable of melting anyone’s heart, made boys her age feel flustered.

And that was the problem.

“Hello. If you don’t mind, may I have a—”

“Ah, hello!!”

“Uh, excuse me?”

Children who had followed their parents to the church were startled by Joanna’s presence, as if she were an invasive species in their ecosystem.

People naturally want to befriend someone moderately outstanding, but when faced with someone too perfect, they panic.

The children who received Joanna’s greeting instinctively bowed at a 90-degree angle and ran away.

Joanna was left bewildered as they disappeared before she could even try to stop them.

‘Did I do something wrong? No, I definitely followed proper etiquette.’

She hadn’t done anything wrong.

You couldn’t blame her for being so exceptional that the children found it intimidating to approach her.

After a few more failed attempts to connect with the children, Joanna wandered over to a fountain in the church garden.

Carefully spreading out a cloth to avoid dirtying her clothes, she sat down and sank into thought.

‘Why are they so afraid of me?’

First, Joanna examined her appearance.

Maybe there was something weird stuck in her hair or on her face that had startled the kids.

But no, everything was as usual.

Looking at her reflection in the fountain’s water, she found nothing amiss.

Golden hair that shone like sunlight, brilliant eyes, and flawless, unblemished skin.

Just to be sure, she turned her face left and right, using the water as a mirror.

She looked as polished as ever.

“Wow, I’ve never seen anyone that pretty in my life!”

“They say she’s Lord Messela’s daughter.

Did you see her smile just now?

I thought my heart was going to drop.”

“Maybe I should’ve tried talking to her when she greeted us?”

“Are you crazy?

She’s obviously living in a completely different world from us.”

Nearby, a group of children whispered amongst themselves, stealing glances at Joanna from afar.

Boys and girls alike were mesmerized by her beauty.

She looked just like a princess from a fairy tale—how could they not fall for her?

And naturally, only a prince could approach a princess like that.

At least, that’s what the commoner boys thought as they quickly gave up on the idea of speaking to her.

What about the noble children, then?

“F-Father, may I speak with that young lady?”

“Ahem!

Sir Clove’s daughter hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet.”

“But still…”

“I hear that Sir Clove’s daughter is a well-mannered young lady.

Why don’t you present yourself as more mature first?

Then she may open her heart to you.”

The noble children’s hopes were crushed by their parents before they could even try.

Joanna’s potential marriage prospects were already a common topic in high society.

But discussing marriage for a girl who hadn’t even reached adulthood yet?

‘Sir Clove is a rising star trusted by the city’s leadership—and he’s not even thirty yet.’

‘Lady Messela is a major player in the city’s social scene. That family has endless potential for growth.’

‘If I could arrange a marriage between my child and Miss Joanna… wouldn’t our family be set for at least the next fifty years?’

In the empire, marriages happened fast.

Among nobles, it was even more extreme—some arranged engagements before the children were even born.

So, noble families with sons were determined not to let this guaranteed-success marriage opportunity slip away.

“If you want to court Lady Joanna, you must work very hard!”

“But I’m already struggling with imperial history studies and swordsmanship training—”

“Then give up on Joanna.”

“I—I was taught that weaklings can’t win a beauty’s heart!

I’ll train even harder!”

A knight marching into battle never neglects his armor.

With steely determination, the noble boys glared at each other, setting their hearts ablaze with newfound rivalry.

Well…

‘Seriously, what is the problem???’

The one who took the initiative would have the best chance.

Messela stepped out of the orphanage with light footsteps, satisfied with another fulfilling day of volunteer work.

‘Today was another rewarding day.’

There was nothing more joyful than the bright smiles and happy laughter of children.

Carrying an empty basket, she smiled as she made her way toward the church.

By now, Joanna should also be having a wonderful time…

“Miss Joanna?”

“M-Mother, you’re here.”

Messela stared at Joanna in surprise.

In one corner of the church garden, Joanna was sitting alone on a bench near a fountain, looking utterly dejected.

Concerned, Messela approached her.

“What’s the matter, dear?”

Joanna glanced up at her mother, then quickly looked away.

The fact that she was alone meant something had happened.

But Joanna just shook her head.

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Then why are you sitting here all by yourself?”

“The children kept avoiding me. I think there’s a reason, but I don’t know what it is.”

“Hm…”

Messela fell into thought.

Could it be that the children were ostracizing Joanna because it was her first time visiting the church?

‘…No, that doesn’t make sense. What kind of boy ignores a girl this pretty?’

Messela was confident in her own looks.

But Joanna, who was even more beautiful than she had been in her youth?

There was no way boys would ignore her.

If anything, they’d be desperate just to make eye contact with her.

‘Oh. I see now. She’s too beautiful.’

Messela instantly figured out the problem.

There were times when someone was so overwhelmingly beautiful that they became untouchable.

It was no surprise that the children found Joanna intimidating—her mere presence exuded an air of nobility.

After thinking for a moment, Messela lowered herself to Joanna’s eye level and spoke.

“It seems that you’re simply too beautiful, which makes the children find you difficult to approach.”

“Is it really that bad?” Joanna asked with a puzzled expression.

Before meeting Dantalion, when she had been nothing more than a slave, she had been an utterly unremarkable girl.

Neither her face nor her body had been anything special, which was precisely why she had been able to preserve her purity…

“I can guarantee you that once you come of age, there will be enough men wanting to marry you to circle the city several times.”

“That sounds like an exaggeration.”

“It’s not.”

With a sudden grip, Messela grabbed Joanna’s shoulders.

Startled by her mother’s unusually assertive demeanor, Joanna swallowed dryly.

Messela was a dominant figure in high society. There was no way she would underestimate the value of beauty.

“Listen carefully.

Every boy who met you today is going to dream about you tonight.

Some of the girls might, too.”

“But if they keep running away from me, what’s the point of being beautiful—”

“Tsk!

That just means you haven’t learned how to use your charm properly!”

Messela closed her eyes, visualizing an ideal scenario.

Joanna, dressed in a simple white dress, playing with a group of six-year-old children.

As she humored their whining and playful demands, one mischievous child splashed her with water from the fountain.

Joanna, drenched, stumbles backward with a surprised expression before breaking into a radiant smile…

Flash!

“There’s nothing to worry about!

I’ll make you the most popular person in the city!”

“There’s really no need for that…”

“Don’t think of it as a burden!”

Could she at least ease up on that intense gaze?

Joanna looked at Messela with an expression of quiet reluctance.

After returning home, Joanna washed up and headed to her room.

As soon as she opened the door, Noir flapped its wings lightly in greeting.

“Caw!”

“Noir, did you have a good day?”

She stroked the creature’s head and offered it a peanut.

After enjoying her touch for a moment, Noir pecked at the peanut, cracking it open and eating it.

Once it had filled its stomach with a few peanuts, Noir opened its third eye and gazed at Joanna.

In response, Joanna knelt down politely in front of it.

“Today, I visited the church with Messela.

I don’t intend to pray to other beings, but as Lord Dantalion instructed…”

Ever since Noir had joined her household, Joanna’s day always ended this way.

She didn’t necessarily believe that Dantalion was listening—she just wanted to recount her day through a prayer.

“I’ve decided to help, but personally…

I wish I were a bit more eloquent.

If I could even slightly learn how to speak like Messela…”

“Caw?”

Noir tilted its head.

As a young mystical creature, it couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of her words.

Seeing this, Joanna chuckled and lightly tapped Noir’s beak.

“That’s all for today’s story.

Make sure to deliver it properly to Lord Dantalion, okay?”

“Caw!!”

Noir spread its wings as if to say, Leave it to me!

After circling Joanna’s room a few times, it flew out the window.

Joanna watched it disappear into the night before heading to bed.

And…

“Eloquence, huh…?

If she lacks the ability to speak persuasively, it could hinder her ability to preach morality.”

Dantalion, who had been listening through Noir, nodded in agreement.

Since ancient times, those who spread morality and religion had been known for their eloquence.

Even if Joanna wasn’t at that level, she needed to meet at least the minimum standard.

“Giving her a suitable gift might not be a bad idea.”

Rising from the sofa, Dantalion pondered the best approach.

Sitra, who had been listening to Joanna’s prayer alongside him, looked at him with a skeptical expression.

“What exactly are you planning to give her?

You do know you can’t give her anything too powerful, right?”

“You think I wouldn’t consider that?”

“…”

Sitra gave him an incredulous look.

Did he really think the power he had already bestowed upon Joanna was ordinary?

Right now, her inexperience made her seem unremarkable, but once she started unlocking her full potential, very few would be able to stand against her.

“So, what are you planning to give her?”

“Just a… reference book.”

“A reference book?”

Dantalion nodded.

He couldn’t give her more power, but sharing a bit of knowledge was perfectly reasonable.

“The underworld is full of people who sinned with their tongues.

I’ll just extract some wisdom from one of them.”

Fraudsters, demagogues, cult leaders, politicians—

Hell was filled with those who had damned themselves through deceitful words.

As Dantalion contemplated his plan, Sitra pulled out a phone and searched through the list of sinners in the deepest layers of hell.

As it turned out, there were two particularly notorious individuals currently imprisoned there.

“Oh, this works out nicely. There happen to be two guys who left a huge mark in that field.”

“Two of them?”

“Yeah. And they’re both from your homeland.”

Dantalion tilted his head.

Just who could they be?