The Saintess Is Too Good at Lying - Chapter 78

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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 078
[You can become a child for one week. However, 5% of your gauge will be deducted.]
[Do you accept?]
…The status window had never intervened like this before.
As I stared at the status window with bewildered eyes at this unprecedented situation, it flickered once more.
[This function can be used whenever you wish.]
Well, that’s a relief. Transforming into a child right now would be inconvenient.
‘5% of the gauge….’
There was no need to deliberate.
I had no intention of using children as bait to save what I could obtain in five days. Surely the real Justitia wouldn’t want that either.
“Saint?”
Formoso called out to me cautiously, noticing that I had suddenly gone rigid and motionless.
Only then did I realize my hand had remained clasped in Formoso’s all this while. I offered a faint smile and gently withdrew my hand from his.
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll follow the Archbishop’s guidance.”
I lied with a bright smile. Formoso’s expression finally eased.
“Then you’ll refuse to stay at the Cathedral…”
He knew me well.
“I’ll station Holy Knights at the Cassini Mansion. This matter could put you in danger.”
“No, I don’t need that many people. Didn’t you say this was to be conducted in secret?”
When I shook my head, Formoso frowned as if he had anticipated this response as well.
“But moving about entirely alone without even a single Holy Knight…”
“I won’t do that. Just give me the Knight Commander.”
“…You mean Knight Commander Cassandro?”
“Is there anyone stronger than him in Scalia?”
When I asked with a matter-of-fact tone, Formoso’s expression grew troubled.
“He’s the perfect fit for this mission. If too many of us move about together, we’ll certainly draw suspicion.”
“Even so, just one person…”
“Knight Commander Cassandro is the Pope’s sword. Surely you’re not doubting the Pope’s judgment?”
At the mention of the Pope, Formoso had no choice but to fall silent.
He remained quiet for a moment before finally opening his mouth with a sigh.
“Very well. If that is truly your wish, Saint.”
“Thank you for respecting my decision.”
I rose from my seat with a bright smile. Formoso’s expression grew slightly disappointed at my apparent eagerness to leave.
“It seems you didn’t particularly wish to see me.”
It was absurd. Why would he think I’d want to see him?
“That’s not true.”
I lied composedly to placate him.
“You’re someone I’ve spent seven years with. How could I not wish to see you?”
“Saint.”
“So please stop asking me to return to the Cathedral. If you bring up that subject again, I’ll leave.”
I cut him off firmly.
“My desire to meet with the Archbishop is a separate matter from returning to the Cathedral. I’m no longer a Saint, so I have no reason to go back.”
At my resolute words, Formoso looked genuinely disappointed. I gazed at him for a moment, then laughed.
“You visit the Cathedral every week to pray. Was that not enough for you?”
“The distance between the Pulpit and the pews is not insignificant.”
“There’s nothing to be done about that. That position was originally mine, after all.”
I nodded at him and ended the conversation there.
“Then I’ll see you again on the next prayer day, Archbishop. Take care.”
I left the Reception Room immediately and headed toward where Cassandro was.
He bowed his head when he saw me. I studied him carefully before speaking.
“Can you tell me why you met with that woman back then?”
“That is….”
“Tell me. I’m an insider in this matter now.”
Surprise flickered in Cassandro’s eyes. Did he think I would refuse? I asked with a smile.
“Why that expression? I’m not so unjust as to turn a blind eye to children being kidnapped.”
“Of course, you are a just person, Saint.”
Well. If you were Justitia, perhaps, but I’m not—I felt a bit embarrassed.
“I simply thought you wouldn’t want to become entangled with the Cathedral again.”
“That’s true, but you said this is something only I can do.”
Formoso certainly knows how to handle people. Once he puts it that way, there’s no refusing.
“What testimony were you trying to get from that woman?”
“She claimed to have seen the whereabouts of the children that day, so I wanted to ask her for details.”
“But there was something suspicious about that woman.”
I narrowed my brows and relayed what Nora had told me.
“Either way, I interrupted her during the conversation, so she should have been displeased, but she laughed after we left. According to Nora, she even had a relieved expression—a satisfied one, even.”
Cassandro’s brows also furrowed at my words. I spoke seriously.
“Is it possible the Criminal deliberately approached you?”
“That may well be the case. I was thinking too simply.”
“Don’t blame yourself. You were grasping at straws, Captain.”
He’s an earnest man by nature, and with so few clues, he would have done anything to extract information from that woman….
“…If you hadn’t come here, were you planning to have dinner with that woman?”
At the sudden question that tumbled out, Cassandro stared at me. I added hastily.
“No, I just… was curious.”
“A single dinner wouldn’t be impossible to arrange.”
“Huh?”
Look at this naive man. Did he really think it would end with just a meal?
“What if that woman took you to a tavern? Can you drink well, Captain?”
“I’m not incapable of it.”
“Ah, is that so? Then there would have been no problem even if you went to a tavern?”
“Of course not.”
Cassandro answered calmly.
His eyes even held that look of “what problem could there possibly be,” which inexplicably irritated me.
I forcibly suppressed my lips that threatened to spring forth like a coil and muttered.
“I’m sorry for intruding uninvited. We could have arranged dinner tomorrow evening instead of tonight.”
“I would not have accepted an invitation to dinner tomorrow evening.”
“Why not? Do you have another engagement tomorrow as well?”
“Because I realized that woman had no intention of sharing information.”
Cassandro added, looking at me.
“That’s what you said, Saint.”
“That’s….”
It was true, but was it really okay to trust me so blindly without any evidence?
“I could be wrong, you know.”
“You have never been wrong once.”
That made no sense. A hollow laugh escaped me.
“Come on. I’m only human. You trust me too much.”
“That is precisely why you deserve such trust, Saint.”
My throat tickled at a level of faith I’d never received before.
It felt like some dormant allergic reaction was surfacing, so I cleared my throat a few times unnecessarily. Yet the itching persisted.
“…I’m not a Saint anymore, I’m telling you.”
As I turned my gaze away and murmured softly, Cassandro fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“You said you disliked the title Cassini Noblewoman….”
“Justitia.”
I looked at Cassandro and made my request.
“Call me by my name. I think that would be better. There will be many occasions when I need to go outside from now on.”
“But to address you so casually by your name….”
“There you go with ‘Saint’ again.”
I narrowed my eyes in protest, and Cassandro let out a short sigh before nodding.
“Understood, Lady Justitia.”
“Good, Sir Cassandro. I’ve told the Archbishop that he needs no guards besides you. So stay at the Cassini Mansion for the time being.”
“Understood.”
“Aren’t you worried about being alone? The Archbishop seemed to think he needed multiple Holy Knights.”
“I alone am sufficient.”
Perhaps because he’s the commander of the Holy Knight Order… it doesn’t sound like mere bravado.
“Of course I trust your skills. But if an opponent you cannot defeat in combat should appear,”
I told him with a serious expression.
“We do our absolute best to escape. Don’t you dare send me ahead to pick a fight with some evil horde, and then say ‘oh, we shouldn’t have fought.’ Understood?”
“Why must we do that?”
“In the Holy Kingdom, they teach you to perish alongside evil rather than flee, but I absolutely despise such nonsense. If we can plan for the future, why stubbornly settle things right there?”
I frowned deeply as I impressed this upon Cassandro.
“Either you’re going to perform some melodramatic scene with me, or you’re going to listen to what I say. Got it?”
“Don’t worry. Escaping is my specialty.”
What? Is he trying to reassure me with a joke?
But Cassandro’s expression was quite serious, so I decided to play along and take him seriously.

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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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