1 - A Saintess, a ML, and an Intrigued Alice

'Who do you love more, your mom or your dad?' A common question that comes up in between friends. Most shake their heads and smile plainly, refusing to speak. 'I don't know' 'I love them both' 'I can't decide'. Although they must favor another more, they refuse to speak. They're afraid of being perceived as 'inhumane' or 'cruel'. But what happens if you force them to? It will be quite entertaining to watch, no?

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I giggled and watched the horrific expression on the girl's face as she watched her parents dangle over the edge of an endless abyss. The so-called 'Saintess'. Her white, pure lacy veil dirtied, her flowing dress with gold flowers carefully embroidered onto it, stained with blood and soot.

"Who do you love more? Your father, your mother, or... your God?" When I went to visit her chambers, I asked her one simple question. And I got a harsh slap in the face in response. "How dare you, a commoner, speak to me, the White Saintess?! Guards, drag this peasant out of my chambers at once. Hmmm, and afterwards, schedule an appointment with the Marquis. I'll need to... check up on his health." My tyrannical smile grew wider when I thought of what happened in the Temple just a few hours ago. I looked down at her tear-stained face. Her original haughty attitude was replaced with pitiful and desperate groveling.

The 'pure' and 'faithful' saintess, kissing my feet. Looking at the horror-stricken image caused a rush of excitement to build up in my heart.

"Hmmm... very well. Since you have entertained me, lovely White Saintess... I will let you save them." I laughed and leaned forward. I handed her a box. "That blue one, your father. And that red one... your mother!" I pointed to each button engraved onto the simple wood, and fanatically watched as her bright eyes dimmed and her hatred started to fester. Her eyes shook and the box fell to the floor with a dull thump.

"So... who would you choose to save, Ariel, hmmm? Your dearest mother, who raised you, fed you, and cared for you... or your father, who leads the house, commands you to work, and beats you harshly?"

I rolled and sat down before casually whispering in her ear, "Who... Do you need more?"

"Ariel...! Don't you...! I am your father! Obey me, save me! Get rid of that useless wench, she means nothing! I am your FATHER! ARIEL!"

"Ariel... I hope you'll be happy..."

Their harsh screams and heart-wrenching silence was drowned out. Ariel's eyes shook with confusion. I smiled happily. "Who will you choose~"

A few moments of deafening silence was broken by a slight clicking sound of a blue button being pushed gently. I frowned. As expected, even bitches can't escape the brainwashing society has put them through. Even when her father abused her and her mother, she still... haaah... so predictable, so boring.

One rope was tightened, and one loosened. Her father had a crazed, victorious leer on his face before it twisted to a shocked stare as the rope slowly clenched harder around his neck. His face soon changed to red, then blue, then deep purple. Her mother slumped to the floor and started panting in panic before looking at Ariel with eyes of disgust.

"Wh-why...? I pressed the blue button... he wasn't supposed to die... so why..."

I cocked my head and stood up again, before saying, "...Why? Because it's more fun that way~"

I casually moved to the side, allowing her mother to approach. She staggered and fell to the floor, but persistently crawled to the place where Ariel sat. "Y-you... you bitch! I raised you, I cared for you, but you chose that abusive asshole over me?!"

Shouts rang out and slaps were heard, but within the chaos, I simply ambled out of the desolate dark room with a cheeky, childish smile on my fair face. If not for the crimson blood splattered on my face, one could have mistaken me as an innocent young child, playing in the fields.

"That was fun, I guess."

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(A/N: ??? POV.)

A few weeks later...

Today I sneaked out of the palace. I'm honestly sick of all of those damn nobles talking behind my back. When I become emperor, I should kill those annoying pests that are bothering me. While I'm at it, I should kill that lowly brother of mine.

I stepped out into the streets with a grimy patched-up black hood covering my face, looking both ways before swiftly moving forward to the commercial section of the Capital. There was no time to lose, I had to make the most of my freedom. Letti could only prevent people from noticing my absence for so long, after all.

"Boy!" An old, pink-haired man with a distinct bald spot on the top of his head waved me over. I glanced at him from my side vision and hesitantly followed his beckoning.

"Young man, have you heard? The White Saintess..." I tuned his rowdy prattling out once he handed me a small five page newspaper, with the headline, 'The Saintess of Lellenor Committing Suicide in the Square!'. My hidden face slowly revealed a small scowl. The topic should have directly impacted the influence of the Imperial Family, so why wasn't I notified? I shook my head and turned away, disregarding his disgruntled shouts that demanded I pay him.

My scowl deepened as I realized how critical this piece of information was. I was probably overreacting. Such a thing was unlikely to occur, and even if it was possible, the Temple will take in a new saint shortly. But still, the Saintess was an indispensable way for the Imperial Family to control the denizens of the empire from revolting. Without the 'mascot' of the Vistelan faith preaching about aristocrats' 'purity' and 'god-chosen power', the commoners could stage a rally, perhaps even channel their rage towards the Imperial Family as a scapegoat, and try to usurp the throne in resentment.

I growled and increased my speed, making a beeline for the palace. In the midst of my hectic behavior, I flew straight into a soft object. I fell to the dirt floor and grimaced from the dull, aching pain spreading on my now-bruised ass. What the- why didn't I sense this girl's presence?

I looked up in bewilderment, only to find a hand extended out to me. "Are you okay?" The crisp, clean voice asked.

I nodded gruffly in response, standing up by myself. I didn't bother to talk with the stranger whose face was obscured by the searing sunlight of the afternoon, and simply skittered away with the thoughts of, It must have just been my careless mistake. There's no way someone could have concealed their presence from me, I'll leave it be. I have more important things to take care of.

I failed to notice the slightly amused stare coming my way from the girl whose face I did not see, nor the slight chuckle escaping from her thin, red lips.

----

(A/N: Alice's POV.)

The cloaked, tall child jumped away as soon as he stood. It seems he wasn't interested enough in my lack of presence to stop and glance at my face, hmmm. That's quite bizarre.

Too bizarre.

In all my years residing in the world called Griffon, there was one important skill I have nurtured and cultivated.

That skill was to understand the difference between Earth and this disordered novel fantasy world. And the most important part of that skill was... to be able to know, at a glance, who was a side character... and who was a main character. So the instant I put two and two together: they seemed a bit too elegant to be a commoner, if I disregard their rude behavior and stupid nature, they should be a high-ranked noble, at the very least, and at the very most, royalty.

The claim may seem to be a bit too far-fetched. Just an eccentric little teen with a black hood on. A weirdo, a cosplayer, maybe even a pervert, but a prince? That's a bit... Well, I guess common sense was never my strong suit to begin with, anyway.

In any case, he seems to be quite interesting. Should I look into this little teen? Even if I can't use magic at the moment, I still... had my ways. Hmmm... looking into this main character could spell destruction for me. But the worst case scenario is only death and maybe a bit of torture, and I was never patient to begin with, so...

Let's see what this will lead me to, 'kay?