I’m Not A Saint Though?

chapter 12

At my words, the Emperor’s upturned lips instantly plummeted.

“Ah, right. There was that.”

Stroking his beard with a complicated expression, he let out a low sigh.

“I already ordered an investigation into that incident on my way here. But since it’s such an old case, it seems like it will take some time.”

“…”

As I remained silent with a hardened expression, the Pope spoke up.

“That’s a serious matter. Goddess Hedel’s heart seems to have finally softened, but if the matter of dealing with the culprit drags on… I fear it might incur the Goddess’s wrath once again.”

“But what can we do? We can’t proceed with punishing a Duke of the Empire without evidence.”

“You’re right, but I’m worried about the citizens. They’ll think all the disasters are over with the Saintess’s appearance, but if another disaster occurs, how heartbroken they will be…”

The Emperor furrowed his brows at the Pope’s worried words.

‘I thought I could finally relax.’

With the return of the Saintess, the hundreds of petitions that had been flooding in daily had stopped, and the complaints of the citizens that had reached even the Imperial Palace had subsided.

It had only been half a day, but that half day was like spring arriving after 13 years for him.

‘But to have to go back to those dreadful times!’

Reading his transparent thoughts, I clicked my tongue inwardly.

‘And this is the Emperor.’

The future of Catalon seemed bleak with someone who only cared about his own well-being occupying the throne.

But for now, the Emperor’s selfish nature was quite welcome to me.

With downcast eyes, I fueled his selfishness.

“I’m more worried about Your Majesty than the citizens.”

“Me?”

“Yes, as His Holiness said, if the disasters start again, the citizens’ unrest will intensify. If it had continued without stopping, it would have been one thing, but if it stops and then starts again, the sense of loss will be doubled. They’ll probably go mad trying to find the cause.”

“…That’s likely.”

“It will only take a moment for the cause to be revealed. Countless people heard my words on the cliff about the current Duke of Veloce being the culprit who invoked the Goddess’s wrath. Perhaps it has already spread throughout the entire Empire.”

“…”

“Ultimately, the citizens will demand the Duke of Veloce’s punishment. But if Your Majesty postpones the punishment due to lack of evidence, the citizens’ resentment will be directed towards you.”

Lowering my head with a distressed expression, I then lifted it again.

“They will all cry out in unison.”

Taking a deep breath, I looked directly into the Emperor’s eyes.

“Incompetent Emperor!”

“Wh-What?”

“An imbecile who can’t even resolve a matter with a clear culprit!”

“I-Imbecile?”

“A parasite who sucks up the citizens’ taxes without doing anything!”

“P-Parasite…”

The Emperor’s face turned pale with each word I uttered.

Regardless, I poured out everything I had bottled up inside.

“A useless human who only knows how to eat and defecate!”

“A pathetic Emperor who hasn’t achieved a single accomplishment in his 40 years of reign!”

“The biggest blockhead in Catalon’s history!”

“A disgrace to the Empire!”

“A piece of human excrement!”

“It would be more helpful if you just bit your tongue and died!”

“Just abdicate to your son and die alrea—!”

“St-Stop! Stop it!”

As I continued to spew insults without filtering my words, the Emperor covered his ears and shouted.

“Th-Those last two remarks sounded like you were just venting… I hope that wasn’t the Saintess’s true intention?”

The Emperor asked, looking at me with teary eyes.

‘…He’s sharp.’

Realizing my mistake, I discreetly withdrew my index finger, which had somehow extended towards the Emperor, and shook my head.

“Of course not. I’m just speaking out of concern.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. How much criticism have you endured all these years, Your Majesty? The Duke of Veloce is the one who committed the wrong, so why should you, the wise and great Emperor, be subjected to such…”

As I sobbed, dabbing at my eyes with my sleeve, the Emperor gritted his teeth.

“Yes, thinking about how I’ve been the citizens’ scapegoat for 13 years because of that bastard…!”

Trembling all over as if recalling the hellish past, he then relaxed his body and sighed.

“But I don’t know how to reveal his crimes. It’s been 13 years.  Even if I investigate now, I don’t know if there will be any evidence left…”

The Emperor stroked his chin with a frustrated expression.

I seized the opportunity and spoke, “Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I, Shaen Veloce, have just received a revelation from the Goddess.”

“What, a revelation?”

“Is that true, Saintess?”

The Emperor and the Pope asked back with wide eyes, and I nodded with a meaningful smile.

‘So get to work, you piece of shit.’

How dare he try to sleep peacefully after almost killing me.

***

Meanwhile.

The Duke of Veloce was on his way back to the Dukedom with Melina, who had joined him at the carriage.

“Ha, what? I’m a bastard child? I killed my own father?  Where did that bitch come up with such nonsense?”

The Duke still couldn’t control his anger over what had happened at the cliff.

“And why is it so slow? Are the horses crawling?”

“I apologize, Your Grace.  So many people gathered for the Lady’s ritual that it’s difficult to pick up speed.”

The coachman made excuses, flustered as the Duke opened the window connected to the driver’s seat and yelled.

But it seemed to have further aggravated the Duke.

“Lady?  What damn Lady!  I have no such daughter.  What kind of daughter would falsely accuse her own father of such nonsense!  Never address that wench with the title of Lady again!”

“Yes, yes. I apologize, Your Grace.”

The coachman apologized profusely, sweating.

Still unable to calm down, the Duke flared his nostrils repeatedly.

“Calm down, Father. I’m worried you’ll get sick.”

Melina, moving to the Duke’s side with a worried expression, offered him a silver canteen.

“Here, have some water, Father.”

“Yes, yes.  As expected, you’re the only one who cares about your father, Melina.”

After quenching his thirst, the Duke clicked his tongue, looking at Melina.

“How wonderful it would be if I could put you in the Lady’s place instead of that wicked girl. You’re my daughter, who inherited my bloodline, yet you’re not receiving the treatment you deserve.  Your father is ashamed, my dear.”

“Don’t say that, Father. I’m happy just being able to live with you.”

After shaking her head with a bright smile, Melina lowered her head with a gloomy expression.

“You don’t know how hard it was when Mother and I lived alone. The village children would tease me for being fatherless, and I couldn’t even refute them…”

“What? Those brats! Who dared to tease you! I’ll have to teach them a lesson!”

“Oh, it’s all in the past. Now everyone knows I have such a kind father, so it’s alright. So please calm down, Father.”

“Sigh, my poor girl.  If it weren’t for your grandfather’s opposition, I would have brought you home long ago and let you enjoy everything. Why did he take so long to give his permission when he would have eventually…”

The Duke sighed deeply as if heartbroken.

Melina, stroking his arm comfortingly, asked, “But Father, what if my sister is really the Saintess?  She seems to have a serious misunderstanding about us. What if she retaliates…”

“Hmph, Saintess my foot. She just made up that story to cover up her cowardly escape from death.”

The Duke scoffed.

“Don’t worry.  I don’t know how she managed to charm the Goddess’s messenger, but she’ll never pass the Pope’s verification.”

“I hope so. But even if the truth is revealed, I’m still worried. Since she impersonated the Saintess, the Imperial family and the temple will surely punish her severely…”

The Duke clicked his tongue at the sight of Melina, fidgeting with her clasped hands and lowering her head dejectedly.

“You’re still worried about that wench? Have you already forgotten the terrible things she said to you?”

“She’s still my only sister…”

“Sigh, with such a kind heart, how will you survive in this harsh world?”

The Duke stroked Melina’s hair affectionately.

Melina giggled at his loving touch and then asked with a worried expression, “But what will happen to us?”

“What do you mean?”

“My sister donated all our assets without your knowledge, Father. Is there any way to get them back?”

The Duke wrapped his head in his hands with a troubled expression.

‘Cancellation…’

It wouldn’t be easy.

The Dukedom’s seal would surely be on the donation agreement.

‘I should have taken the seal from that girl by any means necessary!’

He deeply regretted entrusting Shaen with all the authority because he found it bothersome.

‘No, there’s still a chance.’

Even if Shaen held all the power of the Dukedom, he was still the head of the family.

Since the donation was made without his consent, he could try to argue for its cancellation.

“Don’t worry, your father will take care of everything.”

Relieved by the Duke’s confident tone, Melina nodded with a lovely smile.

As the two smiled at each other, the carriage, which had been traveling non-stop, slowly came to a halt.

“We’ve arrived, Father. Let’s get off.”

“Alright, let’s.”

Just as the two got off the carriage hand in hand,

“Master! Why are you so late? Something terrible has happened!”

A woman rushed towards him with a pale face.