Chapter 33: Apologies and Apple Candies
A Sweet Past
Rewind to yesterday, right after showing Isidora Divine Descent.
I dragged Orphe by the arm toward the shop.
He followed silently, letting me pull him along.
Even a slight tug could’ve broken free, but when he thinks he’s wrong, he lets you vent until you’re done.
‘Not a thing’s changed since we were kids.’
Back when we were nobodies.
Even now, Orphe’s simple, but as a kid, he was absurdly so.
If someone wronged him, he’d confront them, no matter who.
Not his intention, but he was a notorious troublemaker in our village.
Plenty pointed fingers, saying a serf’s son didn’t know his place.
Naturally, that led to crossing paths with me, the landlord’s daughter.
Thinking back, our first meeting was a disaster.
“Hi! I’m Erdike! I’m gonna marry a prince and be a princess!”
“No, you’ll be a priestess.”
A single-digit-aged girl, and he just had to argue.
Sure, he was the same age, but still.
Like any girl, I dreamed of marrying a prince, but his words crushed that, and our historic first meeting ended in a scuffle.
I won, by the way—Orphe was scrawny back then.
Our bad start flipped one day.
A syrup made from sugarcane, treated like weeds by farmers.
Hardened into candy.
Given to serfs to keep them working, it was transformed by a brilliant court chef.
A dessert the princess ate after meals.
That rumor sparked a candy craze across the kingdom.
Fruit-flavored candies sold like wildfire, and sugarcane fields, once worthless, skyrocketed in value.
Orphe’s family benefited.
Though serfs, they could buy and sell land, so they’d been saving scraps of weed-filled plots for their freedom.
The rest is obvious.
People think Orphe drew the holy sword and earned freedom through the temple, but it was the sugarcane boom.
His father sold fields, started a candy business, and soon owned the region’s top candy workshop.
The kingdom later regulated skyrocketing sugarcane prices, but Orphe’s family rode the wave to success.
After that, Orphe brought candy as an apology whenever we fought, and it became a habit—I reach for candy when I’m bored.
When I became a saintess and entered the temple, hearing I couldn’t eat snacks broke my heart.
Later, I learned senior priests secretly indulged, so I kept a stash too.
“So many kinds now?”
Orphe looked puzzled at the shop’s candy display.
Before he drew the holy sword and left for knight training, there were maybe four or five flavors.
Not that he’s a candy guy.
I smiled, brushing my hand over the display.
“C’mon, Orphe. Your parents work hard making new flavors.”
“They do?”
I laughed at his simple reply.
He’s never cared about farming or the workshop.
Always swinging sticks, acting like a future knight.
Him actually becoming one sets him apart from other boys.
I picked up a candy in light brown wrapping.
“Buy me this.”
“Bitter-sweet? I thought you liked apple.”
His words brought back childhood memories.
After fights, he’d bring apple candies as apologies.
Always two, shared between us.
I loved that sweet vibe, so I’d fake being mad sometimes.
“You used to fake being mad to get them.”
“You knew? How?”
He shrugged, as if it was obvious.
“Your eyes.”
He pointed to his brow.
“When you’re really mad, your eyes crinkle.”
“You’re staring at a girl’s face that closely?”
Embarrassed, I turned away.
“You did it then too. At the entrance ceremony, when you were on top of Saintess Isidora in the park.”
Why bring her up now?
My good mood crashed.
“What did she do to make you that mad?”
You’re asking me?
“You’re asking me?”
I didn’t mean to say it out loud.
I didn’t want him to see me like this.
“She followed you to the temple you were staying at and even shared your room!”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Huh?”
Hearing the truth, I bolted from the shop.
I was so mad at myself, I couldn’t stay.
Like the temple taught, jealousy’s powerful but ugly when it controls you.
I’d shown my ugliest side.
A Shameful Realization
Realizing it was all my misunderstanding, shame overwhelmed me.
Acting high and mighty, saying it was Dominic’s request?
Recalling yesterday, I wanted to die of embarrassment.
I waited outside the cafeteria for Isidora.
I had to apologize immediately.
I couldn’t face her or Orphe in class otherwise.
Luckily, I didn’t wait long.
I saw Isidora leading her group.
Orphe beside her stung, but a sinner like me had no right to complain.
Then.
Orphe spotted me and ran over.
Isidora and her group looked my way, surprised.
He grabbed my wrist, pulling me to a corner outside the cafeteria.
Too shocked to speak, I only managed words in a secluded spot.
“What’s this about?”
“What were you doing there?”
Orphe, still doubting me.
Because I’m a saintess of the God of Jealousy?
I didn’t ask for this role.
Holding back tears, I forced out words.
“I was going to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
“Yes! To say I was wrong to Saintess Isidora!”
Tears streamed down my face.
Apologizing to the girl he likes while being doubted by the guy I love—this situation was too much.
“I messed up, so I wanted to apologize…”
Orphe wiped my tear-soaked cheeks.
“Sorry.”
Why are you apologizing?
I’m the one who misunderstood and acted crazy.
“Yesterday, you left so angrily, I thought you’d hurt Saintess Isidora.”
“…What am I, a psychopath? You think I’d do that after hearing the truth?”
“I said yesterday, when you’re mad, your eyes crinkle. Your face looked like that before you ran off.”
…I was mad at myself then.
He caught that in a split second.
“So I thought you were still mad at her. Sorry again.”
“No, it’s fine.”
My tears slowed.
Strange how an apology can shift your mood.
“Go. Saintess Isidora’s waiting.”
“No, I was only heading to the cafeteria to meet the prince for something.”
“…Really?”
He nodded.
“Then I should go. To apologize for before.”
I wiped my eyes and turned.
Orphe grabbed my shoulder.
“Wait.”
I turned back, and he held out a fist.
Puzzled, I opened my hands as he gestured.
He placed two apple candies in them.
“I said I wanted bitter-sweet.”
“Share them with Saintess Isidora.”
He closed my hands around the candies.
“Like we used to.”
A Sweet Apology
Erdike handed me an apple candy with her apology.
…A pun?
Her expression didn’t seem like a joke.
“I heard from Orphe.”
What did he do to change her overnight?
“It was all my misunderstanding. No excuses. I’m sorry.”
For the first time, I looked into her eyes.
Those trembling, fearful red eyes.
Erdike no longer felt scary.
With a heart capable of admitting fault and apologizing, she wasn’t a psycho or monster—just human.
“Now hit my cheek.”
“Huh?”
‘Oh?’
“We’re not kids; a candy won’t cut it. It won’t make up for everything, but if it eases your heart—”
Slap!
I landed a crisp left-handed slap.
Mutual consent bypasses restrictions.
“You didn’t let me finish!”
“Oh, I thought you already gave permission.”
‘Yup, you okayed it first.’
I laughed at her reaction.
“Phew, fine. It’s my fault.”
“Not very saintess-of-obsession-like—pretty straightforward.”
‘Thought you were a delusional fishbrain.’
She crinkled her eyes at my words.
“What? You think I’m petty?”
“No way. You glared at me since the entrance ceremony, but owning your mistake impresses me.”
‘Petty’s right, though. Thought my head would explode.’
Ugh, restrictions.
Let me tease a bit.
Erdike shot me a fierce look but quickly softened.
“My fault, so no excuses. But stop hanging around Orphe. It causes misunderstandings.”
Honestly, I don’t want to either.
But her karma makes me want to mess with her.
Time for some teabagging.
“Relationships aren’t up to me.”
‘Not doing what you say.’
“What?”
I flashed a bright smile.
“Orphe comes to me first. It’s up to his heart, not mine.”
‘Main heroine or not, I’m settling my grudge first.’
As expected, Erdike’s face flared red-hot.
“Y-y-you…!”
She finally screeched.
“You harlot!”
Ahh, refreshing.
That’s how you troll.
Her trembling arms showed her barely holding back.
I left, smiling.
“I’ll enjoy the candy.”
‘Later.’
I unwrapped the apple candy and popped it in my mouth.
The sweet taste of victory spread across my tongue.