The Saintess Is Too Good at Lying - Chapter 62
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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 062
‘No, there’s no need to overthink this. From Lumiel’s perspective, she probably assumed I would never willingly give her what she wanted. After all, she wouldn’t know how kind I truly am.’
I had just finished my thoughts and was about to leave when it happened.
“Wait a moment.”
Sergio caught me again. I turned around, feeling slightly annoyed.
Sergio suddenly dropped to one knee in front of me, plucked a rose from somewhere, and pinned it back onto my dress.
“It looked like it was about to fall off.”
I stared at his unexpected gesture in confusion, and he offered that explanation. I thanked him politely and returned to the Banquet Hall.
I really should find another balcony….
“Justitia.”
Oh, I need a break too!
I forced a smile and turned to see Alfonso approaching in a crimson tailcoat, his footsteps deliberate and measured.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you for quite some time.”
“I, on the other hand, have had an impossible time finding Your Majesty.”
“You were looking for me?”
A faint smirk played at the corners of Alfonso’s mouth. His expression suggested he found that unlikely.
So he did see through it after all.
“Of course. Who else would I have come here to see?”
Still, I intended to continue acting like the real Justitia.
Then Alfonso would grow more distant and want to break off the engagement.
‘I’ll hold out saying I can’t do it, and break the engagement right before the affection gauge hits 100%.’
As expected, Alfonso let out a somewhat exasperated laugh and took my hand.
“We should dance.”
With that, he led me to the center of the Ballroom.
Though others were already dancing, all eyes turned to us the moment we appeared.
Alfonso glanced at my dress and spoke.
“You’ve received quite a few roses?”
“Well, I’m soon to be of the Barion Faith, after all.”
“I know. I’m not saying anything against it.”
Alfonso lifted the corners of his mouth slightly as he continued.
“But I noticed some rather impure roses mixed in. Why did you accept them?”
He was referring to the rose an attendant had given me anonymously earlier.
“As you know, refusing a rose would be impolite….”
“Did you need a secret admirer?”
“Your Majesty.”
I furrowed my brow. Why was he suddenly acting like a jealous husband?
“I don’t understand why you would harbor such a misunderstanding. I received it anonymously as well.”
“A misunderstanding.”
Alfonso laughed as if he’d heard the most amusing story.
“I have made many misunderstandings, it’s true. I thought you loved me.”
“….”
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
I laughed and shook my head.
“Your Majesty, why such an unfounded misunderstanding? Did it really bother you so much that I received roses from another man?”
“Well, there’s no reason it should.”
Alfonso’s eyes narrowed slightly. The expression looked distinctly odd.
“There really wasn’t. I’m a generous person, after all.”
Ah, so that’s why he had no qualms inviting a woman who wasn’t his fiancée into his bed.
“But now it’s starting to bother me. What should I do about it?”
“Please don’t worry. I will remain faithful to Your Majesty for life.”
“Of course you will.”
Alfonso’s lips curved into a long smile.
“But that would only be possible if you had the opportunity, wouldn’t it?”
What? Was he saying he wanted to break off the engagement? Already?
In that moment, the dance ended.
Following custom, I bowed my head to him in greeting, but Alfonso suddenly seized my hand and pulled me toward him.
As my eyes widened in surprise, I saw Alfonso kneeling before me in my field of vision.
The music had stopped, and I could feel everyone’s gaze turning toward us.
Among them, Alfonso withdrew the rose that had been placed in the Flower Hall.
It wasn’t just a rose—it was a rose-shaped brooch made of ruby. My heart began to race with unease.
“Justitia.”
He slowly rose from his position and pinned the rose brooch to my left chest as he spoke.
“Let’s get married.”
Exclamations erupted from all around, but I had to work hard to hide my bewildered expression.
In stark contrast, Alfonso wore a triumphant, self-satisfied look.
‘…Why?’
If I’d managed to hide my true feelings flawlessly for seven years, shouldn’t the normal response be to feel a chill and break things off?
“Aren’t you going to give me an answer?”
Meanwhile, Alfonso pressed for a response. His gaze, subtly askew, seemed to ask what I would do now.
Why did I feel like I might try to back out now that my true feelings had been exposed? I grasped Alfonso’s hand with a radiant smile.
“I’m so happy, Your Majesty.”
If a lie would suffice, then there was no reason I couldn’t say I loved him.
* * *
“Saint, congratulations on your marriage.”
“It was so romantic just now. How could you propose like that?”
“The trend in proposals will change. The rose is so beautiful, Saint.”
Congratulations poured in. Lumiel was among them.
“Congratulations, Saint.”
The face offering those greetings was truly innocent. It was so free of any negative emotion that everyone marveled at it.
“So that scandal from before was just a passing incident, I suppose. Otherwise, how could she be so composed?”
“True, the engagement was made when we were far too young. His Majesty has surely grown closer to the Saint, having spent considerably more time with her of late.”
“Shh, everyone please keep your voices down.”
…I’d already heard everything.
My eyes met Lumiel’s directly. I was the first to break the awkward silence, forcing out a strained laugh.
“Thank you for your congratulations, Lady Lumiel.”
“Of course I must congratulate you. The two people I love most are getting married, after all.”
The warm words that passed between us created a harmonious atmosphere. Then the conversation shifted.
“Oh, now that I think about it, I saw Cassini Duke earlier. There were no roses in the Flower Hall, were there?”
“Lady Lumiel, you did receive roses from the Duke, didn’t you?”
“Ah….”
Lumiel’s expression turned peculiar, and she shook her head.
“No. I didn’t receive any.”
“Really?”
“But then why would the flowers….”
“I’m not sure.”
Lumiel glanced at me subtly before speaking.
“Could it be that the Saint received them instead?”
“Me?”
The absurd suspicion drew an involuntary laugh from me. Normally, I would have lied and denied it….
‘Besides, I’ve already filled today’s gauge anyway.’
Just as I was about to deny it, my status window appeared.
[Additional rewards available]
[Daily gauge limit increased]
[Daily gauge limit temporarily increased from 1% to 2%]
The moment I saw that, a lie spilled from my lips without my consent.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Everyone’s eyes widened as they stared at me. Simultaneously, my own mind snapped back into focus.
Not with the thought ‘Why did I do that?’ but something else entirely.
‘It feels oddly like the status window is manipulating me.’
When I normally filled my lying gauge to its limit, I never felt this way.
But now, every time I resolved not to lie, the status window seemed to shower me with additional rewards. As if it were deliberately coaxing me to deceive.
‘It doesn’t matter if it helps me, but how does the status window even judge what’s beneficial?’
“Saint.”
At that moment, Lumiel called out to me in a flustered voice.
“Did you receive roses from my brother?”
Thanks to that, my thoughts didn’t linger.
Right, whether the system manipulates me or not—what does it matter? I’m going to log out of this world soon anyway.
‘Just keep your promise. Fill the gauge to 100%, and you’ll send me home.’
I gazed at the status window intently, then nodded.
“Yes. He gave them to me as a wedding congratulations gift.”
[Lie Gauge increased by 0.5%]
[Current Gauge: 52.6%]
At that moment, I couldn’t have imagined what kind of ripples this lie would create.
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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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