The Saintess Is Too Good at Lying - Chapter 46

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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 046
To be precise, the next morning, I nearly fainted upon seeing a familiar pair of earrings resting on my bedside table.
“Nora, Nora. Look at this.”
“What is it, Saint?”
“Do you remember these? The Cassini Noblewoman donated them at the Charity Bazaar. I used to wear them often when I was younger.”
“Oh my, I do remember!”
Nora asked with a startled expression.
“But why are they here?”
That was the greatest mystery of this entire situation. Who on earth had placed them on my bedside table, and how?
“The person who won the bid back then was wearing a black robe, so we couldn’t identify them at all, remember?”
“Yes, they were completely concealed. Could they have been an assassin?”
“The Cassini Mansion’s security isn’t that lax. Besides, why would an assassin leave only earrings? If they made it this far inside, they should have stolen something.”
No matter how I thought about it, the answer eluded me. Then Nora clapped her hands.
“Since Cassandro has been continuously guarding your door, perhaps he might know something?”
I summoned Cassandro at once. He entered with his usual measured composure and bowed respectfully.
“You called for me.”
“Is it true that you guarded my door all night?”
“Yes.”
“Then you must have seen who entered my room?”
“No one entered.”
I showed him the pair of earrings.
“When I woke this morning, they were on my bedside table. Unless these earrings sprouted legs and flew through the window.”
“…That is indeed peculiar.”
“No, this isn’t something to dismiss so casually. Someone secretly placed these in my room. It not only demonstrates a security flaw in the Cassini Mansion, but my safety could have been compromised. So why are you being so unnaturally composed about it…?”
As I rambled on, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. I fell silent and stared intently at Cassandro.
…It couldn’t be, could it?
“Nora.”
“Yes, Saint.”
“Would you step out for a moment?”
Nora seemed momentarily flustered by the sudden request, but she complied. Once alone with Cassandro, I pointed to the black curtain hanging on the wall.
“Could you take that down for me?”
Cassandro’s face remained expressionless, yet I sensed a subtle hint of discomfort.
I took the black curtain from him and attempted to rise from my seat. Cassandro quickly steadied me.
“Thank you.”
I exhaled softly and spoke to him.
“Just stand there for me.”
Then I suddenly unfurled the black curtain over him. The enormous fabric billowed and completely enveloped his massive frame.
He resembled a sculpture awaiting exhibition. I gazed at his silhouette, where every contour of his body was visible, and stifled my gasp.
Then I carefully lifted the fabric just enough to reveal his eyes. A pair of brilliant ruby-red eyes gleamed luminously before mine. A sigh escaped me.
“So it was you all along, Cassandro.”
It was an extremely abbreviated response, yet he didn’t ask what I meant. Had he resigned himself to it? I found myself bewildered and asked.
“What? Now that I think about it, it’s actually funny. Did you really believe you could hide something with this height and build until the very end?”
“…Perhaps?”
Perhaps, my foot!
“Until now, I’ve hidden it rather well, haven’t I?”
That much is true.
“But in the end, I was discovered, wasn’t I?”
“I said I was being careful.”
“That’s an excuse now?! There isn’t a single person in this Manor taller than me.”
As I stood there slack-jawed at his feeble excuse, Cassandro glanced at me and asked.
“Are you displeased?”
“About what?”
“That you’ve reclaimed a cherished memento.”
At those words, my mouth snapped shut.
“You bid on it for me.”
“It’s not something I would have use for.”
“Of course not. I assumed that gentleman would give it to his daughter. Or perhaps a lover.”
“To me, the Saint is someone equally precious and dear.”
What a guilty man. He speaks such dangerous words so casually. Perhaps it’s because he’s a Holy Knight and I’m a Saint.
But what dwells within me is a thoroughly worldly soul. My heart nearly began to race.
‘Justitia would have preferred to hear such words.’
Then perhaps she wouldn’t have yearned so desperately for the hollow affection of a brother and fiancé.
No matter how I thought about it, Justitia would have been better off loving that man instead.
“Thank you. I feel terrible that you paid such an exorbitant price to win it.”
But as I spoke those words, I suddenly realized something astonishing.
“Did you take out a loan? You paid an enormous amount to win this.”
“There’s no need to worry. It’s my own money.”
“How much does a Holy Knight’s salary even amount to?”
“It’s wealth I possessed before becoming a Holy Knight.”
“Were you perhaps a corrupt merchant in your past life? Did you become a Holy Knight to atone?”
As I deduced this seriously, Cassandro merely laughed ambiguously. He always responds this way when it comes to his past.
Well, there’s no need to pry into it.
“But why didn’t you give it to me then? And why so suspiciously like this?”
“…I had intended to give it to you right away at first.”
Cassandro opened his mouth while subtly avoiding my gaze.
“The Temple has too many watchful eyes, so it was difficult to find an appropriate moment. And I couldn’t simply enter the Saint’s room without permission… Before I knew it, so much time had passed. I apologize.”
“No, it’s not really something you need to apologize for. So you’ve been carrying this around the whole time?”
“…Until I could find an appropriate moment to give it to you.”
Good heavens, Cassandro carrying around such a tiny earring. The thought alone was so incongruous that I burst out laughing.
“Where did you keep it? Do you have pockets? In your trousers? Your jacket?”
“…Why are you curious about such a thing?”
“It’s so amusing. Rather endearing, actually.”
“I’ve never heard such words before.”
Cassandro grimaced and pulled the curtain away. Now I could see his ears had turned bright red.
I watched silently as he repositioned the curtain back to its original place, then offered a word.
“I’m truly grateful, Lord Cassandro.”
In truth, the object held little meaning for me, but how delighted the original owner of this body would be upon returning.
‘While I’m at it, I should gather a few of her belongings to take with me.’
But the task of locating Justitia’s former possessions would have to wait.
“His Majesty the King has arrived.”
Sergio, who had ventured out that afternoon, had returned with Alfonso. Though I suspected he was merely an excuse, and the King had truly come to see Lumiel.
He’d brought an ornate peony as a courtesy visit, and after glancing at the vase already overflowing with flowers, he asked.
“Who’s been here?”
Then he reached to remove the yellow roses that had been arranged there and replace them with his own. What kind of thoughtless behavior was that?
“Please leave them as they are. Those flowers were a gift from Polia.”
“Ah, yes—she had an accident at her estate, didn’t she?”
His meticulous aftercare was impressive. His casually thrown remark irritated me, so I spoke up.
“Isn’t Your Majesty here to manage your fiancée as well?”
“What? Who speaks of a courtesy visit in such terms?”
“Your Majesty just did, moments ago.”
When I turned the logic back on him, Alfonso’s expression went blank for an instant. I smiled brightly and continued.
“Since you’re here, please sit. I didn’t expect you to make the journey all this way.”
“Your fiancée was injured—of course I came. How did you misstep on the Staircase anyway? You’re not usually careless.”
“…Well, I’m not entirely sure.”
I deliberately evaded the question, then smiled widely and changed the subject.
“More than anything, I’ve missed you. Thank you for coming.”
It was an utterly superficial remark, yet Alfonso’s reaction was unexpected. So was what followed.
“…You’ve missed me?”
What was he talking about? Justitia’s affection for him wasn’t something new. I protested in bewilderment.
“Didn’t you know I love you, Your Majesty?”
The problem was that this sounded nothing like a romantic confession—it carried the tone of “How could you not know something so obvious?”
Ah, I’d exhausted all my pretense abilities in front of Sergio. I cautiously gauged Alfonso’s reaction.
“…I know.”
Alfonso nodded with a dazed expression. I pressed my advantage and responded.
“When you love someone, you naturally want to see them.”
Alfonso nodded again, equally bewildered. Truly, momentum is everything in these situations.

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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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