The Heroines Are After My Fortune

11 – b*tch vs Psycho – 2

After confirming my identity, the red curtains at the party entrance parted to either side.

Sparkling chandeliers, young ladies in vibrant dresses, a small but elegant fountain at the center of the hall—the lavish party atmosphere crashed over me.

“Lord Aiden Roen, head of the Roen Merchant House, and Lady Elena Roen are now entering!”

The trumpets blared out the announcement, and that’s when it truly hit me just where I was. I plastered on a casual smile and walked forward slowly alongside Elena. Our appearance caused a murmur amongst some of those present, and soon, people began stepping forward to greet us.

“Baron Aiden, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am the third son of the Borne viscount family of the north…”

“I would love to have a talk with you later. Our family also runs a small merchant business—“

I greeted them all with a smile, but since it was only the minor figures who had arrived, their words were going in one ear and out the other. More than that, I was watching the eyes of the men as they glanced at Elena. *Damn*, below the barony, lower those eyes.

“Elena, you practiced your dancing, right?”

“Yeah, I did… are you going to dance with me, oppa?”

“Alright, let’s take a turn.”

To escape the tiresome rush of greetings, I decided to take this dance with Elena. Seeing her looking pleased, I grinned, just as a low murmur rippled through the ballroom.

This atmosphere—it clearly meant some big shot had arrived.

“The Saint, Dimona Eloi, of the Papal See is entering…!!”

The trumpeter’s voice, naturally amplified by the arrival of such a figure, filled the ballroom. Realizing it wasn’t the time for dancing, I turned my gaze towards where she was entering.

‘…Wow.’

Shining blonde hair, clear blue eyes—an appearance that made you think ‘beautiful’ the moment you saw it, like a sculpture come to life. Her body possessed curves that couldn’t be hidden by the nun’s habit, yet she radiated a pious aura that discouraged any impure thoughts. I realized that day that a person could be sacred by their very existence.

But I know her true nature.

That woman is a madwoman.

‘…By day, a benevolent saint. By night, a tyrant who manipulates the Papal See as she pleases.’

If you heard this, you might ask if it’s just good image-making and acting, but it’s not a matter of that.

Saint Dimona has ‘dual personalities.’

Both her warm, saintly demeanor and her ruthless cruelty are her true selves. It’s just that this is a secret known only to a very small group within the Papal See, which is why it’s unknown to most.

It’s easy to overlook because she usually possesses a benevolence that wouldn’t shame the title of a saint, but the dark side of the saint—referred to as ‘that personality’— cannot be so easily dismissed. To be a little dramatic, every bit of the Papal See’s tyranny from the source material could be attributed to the orders of ‘that personality.’

So, my course of action is clear. What is it, you ask?

‘Don’t get involved.’

She’s too dangerous for me to approach, drawn in by her beauty. With that decision made, I took a sip of my wine.

“…Eh?”

While glancing at her from the corner of my eye, it seemed like my gaze met hers. The moment our eyes met, she started walking towards my direction. It can’t be, it can’t be, I thought…

“…Baron Aiden Roen, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Saint Dimona Eloi.”

Regrettably, her aim was, indeed, me.

“Aiden Roen. It’s truly an honor to meet the Saintess.”

I bowed in return to Dimona’s polite greeting, a sickening churn rising in my gut as this utterly undesirable situation unfolded.

‘…Still, the Papacy is after the Roen family’s assets.’

First, they were sending the Saintess to Yulne, and now to me, it seems. Why else would she, out of all the people in this banquet hall, approach me first for an introduction?

Some might think, even if she has two personalities, marrying a woman of such high status, beauty, and figure is a total win. But living in close quarters, skin to skin, could be a different story, no?

I’m a man too. If she had just one, normal personality, I’d be weeping tears of gratitude for the Papacy’s benevolent gift and doing 108 prostrations right then and there before going to the altar. But the problem, as always, is the split personality. If I were to displease ‘that personality’ within Dimona, I’d be done for.

Even if it’s the wedding night, if she finds something disagreeable and gives the Papacy a call, the Holy Knights would come pouring in, saying, “Drown in holy water!” and literally dunk me.

Marriage to her is like a poisoned chalice, that’s what it is. Best to talk, and then get out of the way if I can.

“Elena, excuse me for a moment.”

“Okay, Oppa.”

Now, for business. I sent Elena off, then, with a smile, I asked her directly:

“Speaking to the Saintess is a dreamlike moment for me, but I’m not sure I’m worthy. I am but an insufficient being to be mixing words with the noble Saintess.”

I tried a bit of deflection, acting like I respected her, but was just too low-class to be talking to her. Dimona’s iron wall wouldn’t allow it.

“Insufficient? Not at all, Aiden-nim, you are quite sufficient as you are. God did not create perfect beings. I too am an inadequate human, but I am struggling to improve, little by little. Surely, that is what life is about.”

Some of the crowd reacted with sounds of admiration at the Saintess’s words. I pretended to agree, just to wrap this up and get away.

“Haha, is that so? I will take that to heart.”

“If you lack self-confidence, there is also the option of receiving a blessing.”

“I’ll go to the cathedral to receive it sometime when I have….”

“The Papacy would like to express its gratitude for the Roen family’s long-standing and generous donations. A grand blessing is planned, so would you formally come by sometime soon?”

‘Shit… I’m done for!’

If they drag me off, there’s a very high chance I’ll be writing a marriage registration with the Saintess under the ‘grand blessing’ she talked about. What would happen if I refused a marriage proposal offered with ‘a heart as vast as the ocean’ after being dragged all the way to the Papal See, the main base of the clergy?

‘Insolent b*stard, drown him in holy water.’

Even as the furious voices of the muscle-bound, tanned holy knight bros I’d never even met echoed in my head, a trumpeter announced someone’s arrival in a booming voice.

“The eldest daughter of the Este Marquisate, Lady Rhene Este, is entering—!!”

At this historic moment, the appearance of the main villainess from ‘The Lady Dreams Sweet Dreams’, my head instinctively snapped toward her. And then I saw it.

‘…………*tskk*’

This was what they called ‘femme fatale’ – it was as if she was saying it herself with her beauty. I didn’t entirely want to disparage her, but no matter how I looked, there was absolutely nothing to hate about her appearance.

Fiery red hair that seemed to burn, and crimson eyes like embedded rubies. Her black dress, intricately embroidered with vibrant designs, further accentuated her captivating figure, making it impossible to look away. And as I expected, it was just as I thought.

‘So, it’s you this time.’

Rhene approached me with a powerful gait, like a model on a runway. She raised the edges of her dress with her fingers, offering a curtsy as refined as any noble lady.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Baron Aiden. As you may already know, I am Rhene Este.”

“The pleasure is mine, Lady Rhene. I am Aiden Roen.”

Her confidence was evident in her unwavering demeanor, revealing the high self-esteem she possessed. Knowing full well how beautiful she was, even the subtle act of sweeping back her hair after the greeting was bewitching. Honestly, I could believe she had nine tails hidden beneath her dress.

‘You crazy b*stard, snap out of it…!’

She was the original work’s greatest villainess. I was nearly charmed by her without even realizing it. How much suffering had our Elena endured under this villainess’s demonic influence? I mustn’t fall for it again. Wasn’t it because Marquis Raphael Este coveted my wealth that she even approached me in the first place?

Alright, repeat after me.

Rhene is a b*tch, Rhene is a b*tch, Rhene is a b*tch…

“…………Hmm.”

While I was regaining my focus, Dimona, looking rather displeased by Rhene’s sudden entrance and intrusion between them, carefully addressed Rhene.

“Renee-nim.”

“Yes? Did you call for me?”

“I was speaking with Aiden-nim first, would you mind stepping aside for just a moment?”

“……………….”

Renee stared at Demona, as if considering, for a brief moment.

Then, she smiled sweetly and answered.

“No, I don’t feel like it?”

“…………….”

Demona seemed struck speechless.

I saw it.

A fleeting moment, the light gone from the saint’s eyes.

Though she quickly recovered her gentle smile,

‘Her personality… it changed, didn’t it…?’

The saint’s psycho persona, one she rarely showed to others, had switched on.

Instinct told me, this situation was nowhere near finished.

Truly, a clash of dragons and tigers!

A crazy b*tch and a bad b*tch, fighting over me.

No, fighting over my assets.

Every man in the banquet hall looked at me, envying me,

But I, knowing the truth, genuinely wanted to cry. Fucking hell….