The Saintess Is Too Good at Lying - Chapter 75

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

The Saint Is Such a Good Liar! Episode 075
[It’s the Truth]
“You don’t really mean that.”
Clarissa spoke with a skeptical tone. But I shook my head and countered her.
“I do mean it.”
Why wouldn’t I want to become a Saint? Was I actually a heretic? The suspicion from last time reignited.
* * *
Lumiel didn’t paint me in a negative light at that tea party. She simply spent the time quietly expressing to everyone that she had no intention of becoming a Saint.
I approached Lumiel first and kept the conversation going, so people would naturally assume our relationship had improved again.
“Today was lovely. Let’s meet again soon.”
“Please take care on your way home, Miss.”
As I said goodbye to Clarissa, I spotted Lumiel heading toward her carriage. Without thinking, my pace quickened.
I really needed to probe deeper into Lumiel’s true intentions.
“Wait.”
I reached out and caught the carriage door before it closed behind Lumiel.
Lumiel looked at me with a startled expression.
“Shall we ride together? We’re heading to the same place anyway.”
Lumiel hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a smile on her face.
“Of course. Please, get in.”
Nora and I sat across from Lumiel. The carriage lurched forward, and Lumiel spoke brightly.
“It feels nice riding in the same carriage like this. It really makes me feel like we’re living in the same house.”
“It does.”
I nodded absently, then fixed my gaze on Lumiel and asked.
“Why don’t you want to become a Saint? I can’t understand it.”
“As I mentioned, it’s not my place to——”
“What if I were to die in some unforeseen accident one day?”
Lumiel blinked once.
“Then you would have no choice but to become a Saint.”
“Don’t say such frightening things.”
“No one knows what the future holds.”
At those words, Lumiel laughed.
“Well, I’m sure nothing like that would ever happen to you.”
“Why are you so certain?”
“Because you’re the Saint. The Archbishop is there, and I——”
Lumiel’s words trailed off.
“I would never let you die like that. It would be far too painful and heartbreaking.”
“It sounds like you love me very much.”
“I do. You’re more precious to me than anyone else.”
Lumiel smiled softly and extended her hand toward me.
“We’re sisters now, after all.”
A soft hand gently squeezed mine, then released it after caressing it a few times.
“So please don’t burden yourself with unnecessary guilt. I’m truly fine.”
“Lumiel.”
The question escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
“Are you a heretic?”
Lumiel looked at me as if she’d misheard. I stared at her intently and demanded an answer.
“Please answer me.”
Lumiel laughed as if it were absurd and shook her head.
“No.”
I immediately activated my lie detector using 1% of my gauge.
[It is the truth]
My heart sank. What? When did she start telling only the truth?
“I see. Well, I suppose that makes sense….”
In truth, it had been an absurd assumption from the start. After all, she was a Saint.
“Why would you ask such a thing? Do I look like a heretic to you?”
“It was just a joke. Now that I’ve stepped down as Saint, I suddenly feel like making frivolous jokes.”
“A lighter heart is a good thing, isn’t it?”
Lumiel smiled without showing any particular displeasure.
After that, I had nothing more to say and simply gazed out the window, while silence settled over the carriage all the way until we arrived.
Sergio, who had been in the garden, looked startled when he saw us both descending from the carriage together.
“I didn’t expect you to arrive in the same carriage.”
“We were heading to the same place. I was also concerned about Lumiel’s health, so I worried.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Saint.”
As he finished speaking, Lumiel began to cough.
Sergio sighed and draped his jacket over Lumiel’s shoulders.
“I told you not to go out today.”
“But Madame Belloran invited me. How could I refuse….”
“Your heart is too soft, that’s the problem.”
When he said that, Sergio’s expression suddenly became complicated, as if he doubted his own words.
Perhaps he was thinking that it might not actually be true? It was quite an intriguing shift.
“You should go inside and rest.”
“Yes, brother.”
Lumiel entered the manor first, and I was about to follow when—
“Wait.”
Sergio stopped me.
“Nothing happened, did it?”
“No? Of course not.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
Suddenly, a strong wind blew past us.
It brushed by briefly, and Sergio’s eyes slowly narrowed. He lifted his hand and slowly stroked my hair.
“A leaf.”
He offered a brief explanation, then rubbed his fingers beside my head. I couldn’t see it from my angle, only heard the soft rustling sound.
“Lumiel has no intention of becoming a Saint.”
Sergio continued in a low voice.
“But your own wishes remain unchanged? I’m curious whether you’ll continue living in this estate or if you want to dissolve your engagement with the King.”
“Yes. Both.”
“Understood.”
I expected him to ask whether I didn’t love Alfonso, but he didn’t seem particularly curious about that.
“Aren’t you going to ask why?”
“If I ask why, will you change your mind?”
“No, I won’t.”
“Then there’s no point in asking.”
Sergio spoke matter-of-factly, then glanced at my shoulder.
It was a neat gray off-shoulder dress—one I’d worn reluctantly after Nora’s persistent urging.
“You look cold.”
“It’s summer, brother.”
“Even so, evenings are chilly. Let’s go inside.”
As we walked toward the Manor, Sergio suddenly asked a question.
“You’re not uncomfortable staying here, are you?”
His remark, clearly mindful of Lumiel, caught me slightly off guard. Since when had he become so considerate?
“I’m fine.”
I shrugged as I answered.
“Thank you for asking. It feels nice to be cared for.”
“You say the strangest things.”
With that, silence settled between us. We returned to the Manor without speaking, and before Sergio could retreat to his room, I stopped him.
“I remember.”
I watched his puzzled expression and spoke.
“Our date promise.”
His expression grew peculiar for a moment before he nodded.
“I’ll tell you the date once I’ve decided.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
I smiled softly before returning to my room and lying down on the bed. It had been a tiring day, but a fulfilling one.
I’d restored Justitia’s reputation, confirmed my unwillingness to return as a Saint, and most importantly….
‘So I’m not a heretic after all.’
Then what was it? The reason I rejected divine power and refused to become a Saint.
I grew curious for a moment, but quickly concluded it was pointless speculation.
‘As long as I’m not a heretic, there’s no need to return as a Saint.’
My heart felt refreshed. The vacant position of Saint was no concern of mine. The Barion Faith would surely receive another divine revelation.
* * *
“Well, that’s how it should be. Yes, that’s right.”
The child blew their nose into my hand, and I casually washed it off in the water before finishing their face wash.
“Alright, next.”
After washing each of the children lined up in a row, their faces were all clean and fresh.
“There we go, everyone looks presentable now.”
I chuckled and roughly ruffled the last child’s hair, but their expression soured.
Oh, did I pat too hard?
“Did that upset you, Luca?”
“….”
“I’m sorry. I thought you liked having your hair ruffled.”
The child hesitated before speaking.
“I do like it.”
“Then why the long face? Something bothering you?”
“Are you not coming here anymore?”
The child, barely seven years old, gazed up at me with round, earnest eyes. I was caught off guard and asked back.
“What? Why would you ask that?”
“Everyone says you’re not a Saint anymore….”
“Ah.”
They must have overheard people talking when they went into the city. I gave the child’s head a light tap.
“I told you before—you’re too young to be going out alone. What if you got lost?”
“Sniff. You’re really not a Saint anymore?”
“That’s right. But you can still call me Saint if you want. And I’ll keep coming here.”
The child’s eyes widened at my words.
“Even though you’re not a Saint?”
“Does this place only exist for Saints? Am I not allowed to come here if I’m not a Saint?”
I asked playfully, and the child quickly shook their head. I gently ruffled their hair again as I spoke.
“I’ll keep coming.”
So I’d stepped down from being a Saint, but I couldn’t just abandon the children I’d seen every week. That would be unforgivable.
After that, my daily life didn’t change much. Others were equally stubborn, so we remained at a stalemate.
Do as you wish. I’m not going back, and I’m not getting married. Let’s see how long they can hold out.
“Then I’ll see you all next week. Goodbye.”
After finishing my volunteer work as usual, I went to the most popular cafe in the city these days with Nora. She’d been talking about it for days, so I had no choice but to take her.
“My goodness, the macarons here are really delicious! How can the shells be so crispy?”
“They’re that good?”
“Yes, yes! It’s the kind of taste the King himself might enjoy.”
They were priced accordingly. I watched Nora’s excited expression and let out a soft laugh.
“If you like them that much, we could get some to take home….”
“Oh, isn’t that Cassandro over there?”
The name I hadn’t heard in a while caught my attention. My head turned without thinking.
“…It really is?”
It was indeed Cassandro. And he was with a strikingly beautiful woman.

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