The Fate of the Stars. It was a very old book that the author’s name on the cover page was blurred and the first page was ripped out. Some other pages were also falling apart, and if she wasn’t careful, they would be easily torn.

It told the usual story of a girl summoned from another world to became the saintess and slay the demon lord.

It all began four years ago with an oracle witnessed by Malaya. The head priest of the Church of Light, Zion, declared that the world had spoken to him. “A new demon lord will be born in five years. He will cause havoc and chaos, as well as misery and pain.”

The people were terrified by these statements. They were well aware of the terror instilled by the demon lord throughout Sahaya’s history.

However, the oracle did not end there.. “But don’t worry, a saint will be summoned from another world and appear in the Imperial Palace’s Sacred Lake of Light, with hair as black as the serene night sky and eyes as sparkling as the universe itself, she will become the light that will save the world from the evil clutches of the demon lord.”

And the following year, during Malaya’s second year, Hyun Jae appeared just as the oracle expected, just as the book expected. Prince Aadel was the first to notice her, and as ridiculous as it may sound, they fell in love at first sight.

That was why Malaya became disinterested in the book at first. She is not opposed to love at first sight, but she prefers stories with a foundation and development, particularly those involving romance. However, because the story was for a book review, she painstakingly read the book until the very end.

But when Malaya arrived here, according to the reports she received after the oracle was declared, the prince always visited the lake when he woke up every morning, during his lunch, and even before he went to sleep.

Though it was forbidden to leave the school, he was able to go back and forth without anyone noticing because he also had some talismans. And the higher-ups just let him do what he wanted because they are too afraid to be on bad terms with him.

‘Fated encounter with my a**. If he did that every time, he would definitely meet the saintess.’ Malaya couldn’t help but shook her head at this ridiculousness. This was the first reality she saw.

{First Reality: The Male lead is dumb with only looks to have. But oh well, thanks to his efforts he succeeded in making the saintess fall in love with him.’}

Now that she came to the world of that very book, it’s not that bad that she had read it. That was where she distanced herself from the prince and to everyone else. Well, not that she had friends, to begin with, other than her family, Rein, and Dorris.

Everyone in the academy looked at her with disdain for being magicless. But she couldn’t care less that much. They were all just a bunch of spoilt children after all.

Malaya’s one favorite spot in the academy was the small cottage inside the tiny forest at the back of the academy. She accidentally found the place back when she was experimenting with the teleportation talisman.

And a few months after the saintess was summoned on a sunny day, where Malaya chose to skip classes, she found an unwanted person inside the cottage.

“Hmm. Someone is crying?”

Malaya walked without any sounds to check who trespassed her lovely cottage. And she was surprised to see that it was no other than the famed saintess and the one who would bring her doom flag, Cheong Hyun Jae.

“I-I don’t know what will I do? I’m such a bad person for falling with someone who is already engaged?” She kept weeping. “But I can’t help it! Why is he so kind to me? Even if we just met! And Lady Malaya,” More tears came out from her eyes as she sobbed louder.

‘She felt bad for me?’

‘This was something out of the novel. So she kept regretting and was well aware that the prince had a fiance and she felt very bad for it.’

‘In the novel, it made Hyun Jae appeared to be also a fool in love, who does and reasons that everything is for the so-called love. Even though it really becomes unreasonable. But I guess a book can only tell some parts. There is still so much left needed to be discovered deeply.’

Malaya was going to call her out but she froze when she heard Hyun Jae’s next words.

“I feel so bad for her! But-but instead of me too… I wish the prince just chose George or Kristopher,”

‘Eh.’ Malaya felt like half of her mind stop thinking. The second reality she found about the saintess was that she is a…

“That would be hotter! Imagined the charming prince Aadel together with the aloof George or the prince being with the jolly and funny but actually sadistic Kristopher!”

{Second Reality: The.Saintess.is.a.complete.fujoshi.}

Malaya accidentally coughed with this surprise.

“Wh-who’s there?!” And now Hyun Jae was well aware of her presence.

“You don’t have to feel bad for me.” Malaya smiled trying to compose herself.

“La-lady Malaya!” Hyun Jae stood up a bit flustered. She immediately wiped the tears from her eyes. ‘Did she heard everything I said?’ Hyun Jae felt cold sweats forming her back.

‘That’s so embarrassing!’

“Care to join me to eat these cookies?” To change the awkward atmosphere in the air, Malaya raised the lunchbox Dorris prepared for her that day.

“Ye-yes! I would be honored.” Hyun Jae straightened her back.

“You’re funny.” Malaya chuckled.

“You don’t need to be so formal or stiff around me. We are just around the same age. Please have a seat.” Malaya gestured to the other side of the bench. Hyun Jae immediately sat up. Malaya started undoing the cloth tying her lunch box.

“So you really love my fiance?” Malaya asked.

“That!…Ah…Yes! I’m so sorry!” Hyun Jae panicked.

“But you also love him to be with other men?” Malaya tilted her head as she picked one cookie and started munching it.

“Of course ye…I mean no!”

‘This is quite fun. She is now panicking more. Shall I tease her more?’ Malaya grinned as she looked at Hyun Jae. But then she noticed that there was a chocolate stain in Hyun Jae’s uniform. ‘I see.’

{Third Reality: Malaya found out that the saintess was still getting bullied even if she didn’t do anything.}

“What happened to your uniform? ” Malaya asked.

“Ah. This. It was nothing. I just spilled some chocolate drink on myself. I’m already used to this.” Hyun Jae said with a dejected tone.

‘Getting used huh?’ The life of Hyun Jae back on Earth… She was a high schooler who was also got bullied by her peers. That was also the clear reason she fell in love with Aadel who showed her what is kindness for the first time.

‘Sigh. That is why I dislike her character setup. She’s too cliche for my taste. A bullied heroine who depended on the people around her to protect her. But meeting her now in real life. I somewhat feel bad for her. Maybe that’s because she’s a real human now too. And not only that, she’s the only one here that comes from Earth. This is maybe what they call a sense of camaraderie since we are both earthlings.’

“Here have some!” Malaya stretched her arms and gave her a cookie. Hyun Jae looked at her with hesitation. “If you don’t accept it, I’ll get mad,” Malaya said with a pout.

“Ah! Yes. I’ll accept it!” Hyun Jae said as she received the cookie and started chewing it. Malaya replied with a cheery hum as she started to eat another one.

“Are-are you not mad at me, for loving your fiance?” Hyun Jae asked.

“No, because I don’t love him.”

‘That is a quick answer!’ Hyun Jae was surprised in her mind.

“If you love him, I’ll support you no matter what for your happiness,” Malaya added as she smiled at her. Hyun Jae looked at her with sparkling eyes. ‘What is she an angel in disguise? I didn’t know that she is such a kind person!’

“But there is an exchange,” Malaya paused for a bit then continue. “When you got bullied act like I’m the one who did that.”

Hyun Jae looked at her with confusion. “Why will I do such a thing?! I will never do…” Malaya pressed her index finger to Hyun Jae’s mouth, to quiet her down.

“You don’t need to know the reason. In return, you will get your prince, I’ll keep your secret.” Malaya smiled sweetly at Hyun Jae. “You can do that right?”

“Ye-Yes. I will.” Hyun Jae gulped as she nodded her head in agreement. ‘What in the world did I just agreed upon? An angel? No, maybe she was definitely far from that.’

‘Now about those bullies, I think that guy would be able to help.’ Malaya thought as she watched Hyun Jae eating.’

—⚓⚓⚓—

Hyun Jae was cut off from her trance when she remembered how she met Malaya for the first time. ‘It was already three years now huh?’ She looked once again to Malaya who was already sitting comfortably on the wooden stool there.

“Did you say you needed food? I brought you some here knowing that you will skip classes after that incident. Are your arms alright?” Hyun Jae asked with worry. Her eyes held concern.

‘In all the nobles she met, Lady Malaya surely is a peculiar one. But because of this, she tends to get into trouble.’ Hyun Jae is not a fool. She is aware of how Malaya was treated in school. ‘Aish. Why am I the one who was getting frustrated over her? And the person on the topic is just smiling and chilling and always acts as nothing happened. Or I don’t know if I can call this an act, it looks to me she doesn’t care at all.’

Malaya saw how Hyun Jae’s expression from worry to annoyance then back to worry. She just laughed at it. “Don’t worry, I’m so used now getting my arms being frozen. Even after these three years, we’ve been doing this, you still worry a lot.” Malaya leaned her back comfortably to her seat.

“And whose fault is that?” Hyun Jae sat beside her with a guilty expression then sigh. ‘No, it’s completely my fault why Lady Malaya is in this predicament.’ 

“Just snap out of it!” Malaya pinched Hyun Jae’s cheeks.

“Ow. Ow…” Hyun Jae protested but Malaya was just laughing more. 

“And besides that will be the last thing he will be able to do that.” Malaya let go of her cheeks this time now.

“What do you mean by that?” Hyun Jae asked with confusion.

“Nothing really. I’m just glad we became friends after all this time.” Malaya simply answered.

‘I will not be able to go to school after tomorrow. The reason why I had so much homework during the break is that I covered even the activities and tasks for this whole month. This might be the last chance I will get to talk to Hyun Jae, too, this peacefully. The next time we will see each other again is in the condemnation event.’

After another hour at staying at the hut…

“And you see, these two knights were so cute together…” Hyun Jae squealed beside her as she continued her talk while Malaya just continued to pretend to listen.

‘I wonder… if we don’t have a label of being a heroine and villainess, can we become freely as best of friends?’ Malaya shook her head at these silly thoughts.

Malaya glanced at Hyun Jae who was now drawing something in her notebook. But she immediately retreated her gaze when she saw something not appropriate. ‘She reminded me so much of my friend back on Earth. I wonder, Riza… “how are you now?”

“Did you say something?” Hyun Jae asked as she stopped drawing.

“Nothing. Thanks for bringing me this food here again.” Malaya smiled as she swallowed the egg rolls Hyun Jae brought her.

“Hmm. Delicious!” She squirmed with delight.