The Saintess Is Too Good at Lying - Chapter 85

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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 085
We began walking toward the heart of the Temple, where human sacrifice preparations were undoubtedly underway somewhere.
“There!”
But before that, we discovered an exit first. Following the light seeping in from outside, we emerged into a sparse Forest that greeted us.
“I never imagined a Temple would be hidden in a place like this. Operating from such a remote location explains why it’s remained unknown until now.”
“Justitia.”
Cassandro spoke to me then, his voice grave.
“It would be best if you escaped first with the Children.”
“Suddenly? Weren’t we supposed to uncover the mastermind together?”
“Once your safety is secured, I can fight with greater peace of mind.”
His words held no fault, so my mouth fell silent. He was right—in my current state, I would only be a burden while he fought.
“Since we can share vision, having you with me is no different from you being elsewhere. Please don’t think me discourteous….”
“I understand.”
I answered readily, and Cassandro asked carefully.
“Are you not upset?”
“Why would I be? Everything you said is right. Even I can see that if you’re worrying about me while fighting, you won’t be able to concentrate fully.”
Though the saying goes that unity brings survival and division brings death, we had Children who needed to be safely extracted, so fighting separately was the correct choice.
“Still, I’d appreciate it if you remembered our agreement to flee if things become dangerous.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
Cassandro nodded.
“I will certainly come to retrieve you, so please remain in a safe place.”
“Very well. Then I’ll go retrieve the Children.”
Before we parted ways after dividing our tasks, I checked my vision-sharing connection with Cassandro once more.
But whether because he had returned from child to adult or time had passed, the vision-sharing had disconnected.
I furrowed my brow and spoke to him.
“We need to reactivate the sharing. The connection has been severed.”
As I looked at Cassandro, he blinked slowly, then gradually lowered his head toward me.
He, who stood so much taller than I, slowly cast his shadow across my face.
Like a tree with dense foliage, a pleasant fragrance similar to his own drifted toward me.
Our foreheads touched carefully. The softness of skin meeting the hardness of bone beneath created a peculiar sensation.
As I slowly rubbed my forehead against his, he flinched slightly, and his breathing deepened. The fragrant herbal scent seemed to grow stronger as well.
‘…This is too close.’
When he was a child, I hadn’t thought much of it, but now that I had returned to my adult form and our foreheads touched, I felt inexplicably more tense.
Part of it was surely because his body had grown so much larger than before.
The moment I took a shallow breath, I saw through Cassandro’s eyes.
The Justitia he saw appeared smaller and more fragile than what I saw in the mirror.
So this is how Cassandro sees me.
Briefly fascinated, I slowly pulled away from Cassandro.
He gazed at me with his usual expressionless face.
“It’s done.”
“….”
“I wish you safe travels, Your Grace.”
“Please take care of yourself.”
We exchanged a few words of encouragement and parted ways.
My heart began to race.
Though we hadn’t been discovered yet, I had no way of knowing when the Criminals would come for the children.
‘I wonder what Cassandro is doing.’
He was trudging down a path we hadn’t taken. Nothing had appeared yet.
‘It’s like a split screen on a monitor.’
This was my first time actually using the shared vision ability, and I found it oddly fascinating.
Cassandro came to a halt. He then pressed himself flat against the wall.
‘What is it? What’s happening?’
The shared vision worked like a CCTV—I could only see, not hear. But from the way he’d stopped, it seemed he’d heard voices.
Slowly, he moved deeper inside.
The crimson carpet spreading across the floor announced that we’d found the space we were looking for.
It was a dimly lit chamber with white masks affixed to the walls at regular intervals, and a massive altar-like structure stood at its center.
Beneath it lay a coffin, and there was an enormous stone statue with a goat’s head and a human lower body. The statue emanated an utterly grotesque and unsettling aura.
But what struck me as most bizarre were the robed figures sitting in a circle, their white masks obscuring their faces.
It was like watching a scene from an occult film.
‘So this really is the Demon Temple. Everyone gathered here must be a demon worshipper.’
At that moment, all the robed figures turned to look at Cassandro at once. Despite their masks, their hostility and rage toward the intruder were unmistakable.
One of the robed figures manipulated something, and the stone door through which Cassandro had entered sealed shut.
Swords, spears, axes—the robed figures brandished an array of weapons and advanced toward Cassandro. Through the shared vision, it felt as though they were coming straight at me.
I swallowed hard without thinking, my body tensing as my feet froze in place. Then the robed figures rushed at Cassandro all at once.
What unfolded next resembled a scene from a video game.
Cassandro drew a short blade from within his robes and swiftly dispatched the first robed figure to reach him.
He then seized the dead man’s weapon and began methodically eliminating the others with ease.
There was no hesitation or fear in his movements.
He moved with the practiced grace of someone who had done nothing but this their entire life.
I watched in a daze as the weapons that had nearly reached me lost their trajectory and scattered to the side.
‘So it wasn’t all bluster after all.’
I never would have imagined such ferocity from a man so quiet and taciturn.
The area beneath the altar was soon drenched in the blood of the robed figures.
As their numbers dwindled rapidly, the expressions of the surviving robed figures shifted to shock.
Cassandro, having identified the remaining figures as the leadership, slowed his pace of attack.
‘I don’t need to worry about that side of things.’
The moment I thought this, I spotted robed figures attempting to lead the children away by binding their wrists with rope.
It seemed they’d come to retrieve the children from the altar while we were making our exit.
“Who are you? How did you get in here?”
“Wait, now that I think about it, there was a girl who went missing.”
In an instant, they turned their gaze toward me with guarded expressions.
“Who are you?”
Fortunately, there were only two robed figures. If I could make it to the Altar as things stood, Cassandro would save me, but….
‘The problem is the children are here. They might try to use them as hostages.’
“W-where is this place? Why are those children tied up?”
I made my voice as pitiful as possible, and the robed figures smiled incredulously before approaching me. I feigned hesitation and allowed them to capture me, my wrists bound.
“It’s surprising you found this place so easily. Well, the more sacrifices, the better.”
“That’s right. The god will be pleased.”
What kind of god—not even a psychopath—would enjoy slaughtering children alive?
It was absurd, but I wore an expression of fear and took the lead position.
The robed figures flanked us from front and back as we walked. In the meantime, I worked my bound hands subtly, searching the back pocket for the explosive charge I’d hidden there.
‘When should I use this? It’s a bit risky here….’
-Clang! Clang! Clang!
Suddenly, a bell rang loudly, shattering the silence.
I quickly examined the robed figures, and as they exchanged glances, their eyes changed instantly.
“I knew something felt off. So there’s an intruder.”
The robed figures immediately drew their blades and advanced toward me.
Damn it. Do I really have to use the explosive charge here? Ugh, I don’t know!
“P-please spare me!”
I collapsed to the ground and ignited the fuse of the explosive charge hidden behind me with holy power.
And just as the robed figures, ignoring my pleas, swung their blades at me and the child at the very back—
“Everyone cover your ears!”
I hurled the explosive charge into the air.

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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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