"It has always been that way from the very beginning, it always has been—"

Relying on the soundproof barrier, Eileen's voice rose uncontrollably. She gripped the edge of the bed tightly, her eyes bloodshot, making her look like a vengeful ghost, but she didn't care at all.

"Do you think I want to be friends with you, Dolores? I've hated you ever since I met you!"

"..."

Faced with Eileen's emotional breakdown, Ruan Qing'an remained much calmer. He looked at Eileen coldly with his leaden eyes, silently watching her collapse and complaints, each word sounding like a sob.

She was making accusations as if she were a victim.

But unfortunately, her hands were stained with blood...

Ruan Qing'an stared coldly at her, recalling the original plot and the original owner's memories. To prove Eileen's kindness, there was indeed a flashback scene where the original owner and Eileen were friends, but now it seemed—

She countered, "So, it seems that your appearance back then was all planned in advance, wasn't it?"

“Are you saying that you got lost after leaving the Lancaster family and I took you home, or that you were afraid of thunder in the manor and shivering alone in your room when I came to keep you company, or—all of this, Dolores?”

As Ruan Qing'an listened to Eileen's every word, he simply lowered his eyes.

The original owner of the body, Dolores, had always protected Irene as if she were protecting the Lancaster family, all because of the things Irene had mentioned, things that Dolores never forgot and always remembered.

It was because the original owner was afraid of being alone, and Eileen happened to be her only friend, but now it seems—it was all fake.

Eileen stared intently at Ruan Qing'an and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you dare ask, Dolores?"

"It's all fake, they're all lying to you..."

"I've hated you ever since I met you. Your so-called loneliness and your self-perceived pitifulness are all so ridiculous, like... mocking my having nothing!"

Eileen roared, panting heavily as if releasing all her pent-up emotions: "Dolores, do you think it's an accident that everyone hates you?"

"No, even without me, you're still a pathetic wretch who doesn't deserve to be loved or liked!"

"Your so-called loneliness is all your own fault!"

They are clearly the perpetrators, yet they condemn them like victims; they clearly enjoy all the privileges brought to them by the Lancaster family and Dolores, yet they feel genuine disgust and loathing...

Ruan Qing'an lowered her eyes, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips.

If the original owner were really here, she would be so angry that she would strangle this ungrateful wretch who only ascended to the position of Holy Maiden by relying on her family.

The atmosphere was silent and deathly still...

After venting her emotions, Eileen calmed down a bit. Only then did she notice that Ruan Qing'an hadn't replied. A silent fear and panic welled up inside her: "You, you—"

Ruan Qingan finally looked up at Eileen, his fingers gripping the edge of the bed.

“I have no intention of arguing with you, Eileen, but what I am about to say comes from Dolores Lancaster.”

"What……"

Eileen was a little stunned, but Ruan Qingan did not explain.

Ruan Qingan simply said, "You really have nothing, Eileen. You're right because you live in the slums. You grew up relying on the charity of the rich and scavenging scraps."

Immediately, Eileen's expression changed: "Dolores, you—"

"You lack superior material conditions, you lack noble moral character, your mind is empty, and you are cunning and deceitful."

Ruan Qing'an completely ignored Eileen's expression and continued, "Eileen, you have nothing, not even a kind heart, but I have to admit that you and the person behind you are indeed very cunning. You have become a friend of the Lancaster family."

"And then, you have everything."

Upon hearing this, Eileen's face turned ashen and she looked extremely unwell.

037 couldn't help but ask: [The person behind the female lead is... could it be the mission taker who arrived in this small world a long time ago?]

Ruan Qing'an nodded slightly: "Yes, Eileen did do these things in the original text, but her initial encounter with the original owner was indeed an accident. However, the original owner's memories are different from the original text. Everything proceeded smoothly, which undoubtedly shows signs of human intervention."

"Moreover, from the moment she insisted on seeing Aldrich, it was obvious that someone was guiding her behind the scenes. Most importantly, Eileen wouldn't have thought of these things when she was still in the slums."

037 suddenly realized: [That's right, only someone with a god-like perspective could so accurately grasp people's hearts and implement plans!]

As if she had been told, Eileen's expression changed slightly.

She clenched her fists so tightly her nails almost dug into her flesh: "Dolores, is it fun to slander me? Who's behind me?"

"What do you mean by 'because Lancaster has everything,' Dolores? You can look down on me, fine, but what gives you the right to deny everything I've worked for? Do you think the saintess of the Church of Light is so simple?!"

"All the hard work?"

Ruan Qing'an finally couldn't help but chuckle, his voice filled with sarcasm: "If you weren't from the Lancaster family, would you even be literate?"

"You have the opportunity to test your magical talent and become a magician?"

"You can use connections to get into the church and then become a saint?"

"You are knowledgeable and reasonable, and then you use your status as a saintess to spread your grand principles of benevolence and gain a so-called good reputation?"

Ruan Qing'an paused, his smile completely vanishing: "Even those nobles who praised you highly, after learning that you and I had fallen out, did they still offer you any support or praise—Eileen, none of them."

"Having left the Lancaster family and Dolores Lancaster, what gives you the right to stand here and spout such nonsense?"

"..."

Eileen tried to argue back, but her voice caught in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single word. She stood there, looking embarrassed.

She didn't think it was her problem.

She felt that Ruan Qing'an was deliberately trying to trample on her dignity.

But no matter what Dolores did, or how people treated her maliciously, Eileen could not do it—because Dolores was truly kind to her from the bottom of her heart and never mistreated her in the slightest.

Ruan Qing'an lowered his eyes and said softly, "Eileen, you alone are not worthy of saying a single harsh word. You have no right to do so."

For a moment, Eileen was speechless after being rebuked.

Her face turned ashen, and after a long pause, she abruptly changed the subject: "No matter what, you will pay the price for your arrogance, Dolores."

"Since I dare to let you mess around, I'm naturally not afraid of you."

Ruan Qing'an chuckled, extended her slender fingertip, and pointed at the air. Instantly, black lines appeared in the air, twisting and sealing off her entire body, but she remained calm and unhurried.

"Eileen".

"Let's make a bet."