The Saintess Is Too Good at Lying - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Saint Is Such a Good Liar! Episode 020
“It’s been a while, Cassini Duke.”
As I entered the Reception Room, Sergio narrowed his brows and fixed his gaze upon me.
Toward a man who dared to forgo courtesy even in the presence of a Saint, I offered no particular greeting and simply took the seat across from him.
“Do you have a preference for green tea?”
“Skip the tea. More importantly, you’re not actually planning to break off the engagement with the King, are you?”
How eager he was to ask. Well, I suppose he’s been occupied with placating Lumiel all this time.
“I hear the King’s affections have shifted away from you.”
I gestured with my chin toward one corner of the room.
The withered rose Alfonso had given me was arranged there as well.
“His Majesty visited the Temple last week and left it with me.”
“The King ought to do as much. He’s about to bear the stigma of infidelity, after all.”
Sergio’s brows drew even tighter.
“What a cowardly wretch. A cunning fox if I’ve ever seen one. Does he think I don’t know he’s trying to slip away unscathed, leaving my sister alone in this mess?”
“Is that so? I thought you came because you were concerned about me.”
My patience was beginning to wear thin.
“What exactly did you come here to ask of me?”
“Don’t break off the engagement.”
His words were precisely as I had anticipated, not a deviation in sight.
Yes, if he truly cared for Lumiel, this is how it should be. If I were to break off the engagement as things stand, Lumiel would be branded an adulteress.
Yet separate from that concern, my gaze grew progressively colder.
“Becoming Queen would be better for you as well. I’ve already spoken with His Majesty. Preparations for the royal wedding will commence.”
“I wish I could do that, but…”
I twisted my lips as I responded.
“The truth is, I’m afraid. What if His Majesty doesn’t truly love me? What if he’s actually in love with Lumiel?”
“Marriage is always like that. A Queen must be prepared to tolerate the King’s mistress.”
“Is that mistress Lumiel?”
Sergio’s expression turned glacial.
“Don’t insult my sister in such a manner.”
My sister—a distinction drawn to exclude Justitia. At that careful demarcation, I laughed with a chill.
“I have no intention of sharing a husband with my sister.”
“Justitia!”
“Lower your voice. What will happen if someone hears?”
I spoke with a soft laugh.
“I had no intention of breaking off the engagement, but thanks to you, I’m reconsidering. The Archbishop supports me as well, and it seems I haven’t yet cultivated the refinement to accept my husband’s mistress.”
“So this is how it plays out.”
Sergio let out a hollow laugh.
“So it was all your doing after all?”
“What do you mean?”
“His Majesty said so himself. That you deliberately sought him out when Lumiel was present. On purpose, to put her in a difficult position.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. She’s truly clever. How did she figure it out?
“That’s impossible. Divine power isn’t capable of such miracles.”
“The timing was rather convenient, though.”
“Then you should blame the person who snuck into a betrothed man’s room alone.”
“Fair enough. I’ve warned you properly, so this won’t happen again.”
Sergio sighed briefly before continuing.
“So let’s settle this quietly. Tell him yourself that it was all a misunderstanding.”
“I can’t claim I didn’t see what I saw. No one would believe me anyway.”
“If you’re going to be this uncooperative, I’ll have no choice but to believe His Majesty’s suspicions. I told him you seemed somewhat different, and you’re going to make me out to be a liar?”
So I’m supposed to cry and thank him for that? How pathetic his reasoning was.
Besides, we’d been talking for quite a while now, and I still had 0.6% left of today’s limit. A pitiful number.
Sigh, Sergio. At this rate, dealing with Formoso or Alfonso would be far more profitable for me.
As I sighed while focusing only on the status window, Sergio seemed to think he was being ignored and had a fit.
“…Justitia, are you even listening to me?”
“Of course I am.”
Maybe I should back off here. Breaking the engagement seems unlikely anyway, and I’ve already secured enough gauge.
“I can’t make the head of the noble Cassini Duchy out to be a liar. I’ll do as you wish.”
“Really?”
“Of course. It’s for family, after all.”
I saw Sergio pause. I smiled sadly as I continued.
“Isn’t that right? You, me, and Lumiel, and the Duke. We three are family, aren’t we?”
Sergio looked genuinely shocked.
That made sense. I’d been drawing a line between us for a while now, constantly referring to him as “the Duke.”
“I suppose I misspoke.”
“…No, that’s not it.”
Sergio answered a beat too late.
“I just didn’t expect you to say something like that.”
“What do you mean? That we’re family?”
I smiled softly and continued.
“That’s what I believe. Even if I’m registered at the Temple, even if the Duke’s real sister were to appear.”
“…”
“Of course, you might not feel the same way.”
“…I…”
Sergio opened his mouth as if to deny it, but ultimately couldn’t find the words.
‘If I were really Justitia, this would have hurt.’
Of course, I find it far less distasteful when someone dislikes me so openly and without pretense.
[Current Gauge: 20.7%]
[0.3% remaining until today’s limit.]
After glancing at the gauge, I turned my attention back to Sergio, and he still seemed unable to speak.
Foolish Justitia. You gave your affection to a brother who wouldn’t even call you his sister for appearances’ sake.
“I’ll do as you say, Duke. But this won’t work if only I make the effort.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lumiel needs to help me too. For now, she should refrain from social activities and stay only at the Duke’s Residence.”
“Why should she hide when she’s done nothing wrong?”
“No matter how much I explain, someone will already see Lumiel as a mistress.”
Sergio’s jaw tightened as he suppressed his anger at those words.
What touching sibling devotion.
“She shouldn’t hide because she has something to feel guilty about, but rather appear to be reflecting on her carelessness in causing misunderstandings.”
I continued in a gentle voice.
“That way, as time passes, everyone will forget. I’ll also treat Lumiel as kindly as before, and this whole affair will become nothing but a passing incident.”
“…Can I…”
Sergio asked with eyes still full of doubt.
“Trust you, Justitia?”
For a moment, I nearly laughed. As if he had any other choice.
“Of course.”
I smiled gently at the man who still hadn’t grasped the situation and concluded.
“It’s for our family.”

* * *
A few days later, the Royal Palace issued an official statement.
The unseemly rumors circulating—that Alfonso and Lumiel were in an illicit affair—were completely false.
Furthermore, those who spread such baseless gossip would be severely punished for insulting the royal family.
If they had stopped there, there would have been backlash, but…
“I also don’t wish to see the Royal Palace embroiled in scandal any further.”
Once I began actively engaging in social activities to defend Alfonso, everyone fell silent.
“His Majesty has ultimately chosen to become engaged to me, so we must have faith in him. He values integrity, so I believe such unseemly matters won’t happen again.”
Nonsense. A sparrow will never stop visiting the mill.
In truth, Alfonso had the best way to resolve this crisis: to formally propose to me.
But he didn’t. As if he couldn’t give up the escape route of breaking this engagement whenever he wished.
He only spouted honeyed words about how I was his only true love, showing no sense of responsibility whatsoever.
Well, it doesn’t matter to me if I continue living as the King’s betrothed.
I’ll be leaving this place before the coronation anyway. Besides, the status of the King’s betrothed is more advantageous for raising my gauge.
In any case, just as I told Sergio, Lumiel appeared to remain secluded at the Duke’s Residence for a while, reflecting on her mistakes.
The embers of scandal gradually died out. I also ceased my social activities around that time.
I could have dominated society while Lumiel was away, but that was never my purpose to begin with.
‘It doesn’t match Justitia’s original image anyway, so there’s no need to force it.’
Thanks to this, quiet days returned.
I had been running around so busily that I was practically ill, so I decided to treat this as rest.
Besides, that respite ended quickly. April arrived, and the social season began in earnest.

* * *
Of course, the social season had nothing whatsoever to do with me, Justitia the Saint.
While the Saint’s social activities weren’t forbidden, I simply wasn’t the type to enjoy such affairs.
And yet….
“How have you been, Justitia?”
Alfonso suddenly appeared and broached an unexpected topic.
“What do you think about overseeing the preparations for next month’s debutante ball?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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