I’m Not A Saint Though?

chapter 6

“Hey! What in the world are you doing?”

Staring blankly at the crowd, I finally came to my senses and demanded an explanation.

The lion wagged its tail and replied in a nonchalant voice, “Come to think of it, it’s been over a thousand years since I lived in that cave.  I don’t have anywhere to go.”

“Why don’t you have anywhere to go? You can go back to where you originally lived!”

“If I go back to my hometown, all my friends will be dead. Wouldn’t it be too lonely to live in a place where I don’t know anyone?”

“What kind of worry is that for someone who’s lived alone in a cave for a thousand years? And if you’re lonely, you can make new friends!”

The lion scoffed at my words.

“What kind of friendship can I have with youngsters?  Forget it, I think I’d rather stay with you, someone I can talk to.”

Then, it added something that made me aghast.

“Since you dragged me out of the cave, it’s only right that you take responsibility for the aftermath. Isn’t that right?”

“Ha, what kind of nonsense is that? I never dragged you out of the cave in the first place! How could a mere human like me break the restriction placed by the Goddess?”

I tried to reason with it desperately, but the lion buried its head in the ground and covered its ears with its paws.

“I don’t know, I don’t know! Anyway, I came out with you, so you’re responsible!”

Just like a seven-year-old child throwing a tantrum.

I was so dumbfounded that I could only gape.

Meanwhile, the crowd continued to plead with me.

“Saintess, save us!”

“Lift the curse from this Empire!”

Even amidst the deafening cheers, I only blinked blankly.

The only thing on my mind was,

‘Damn it, this damn lion! I’m going to ××× and ××××, and ×××× it!’

Curses, and more curses.

***

While I was cursing, the situation only escalated.

Even the Emperor, who had been holed up in the Imperial Palace and hadn’t shown his face, came running after hearing the news.

“Lady, what in the world is going on! Is it true that you’ve been chosen as the Saintess?”

The Emperor, who had climbed up the cliff with the help of his attendants, asked urgently without even taking a breath.

Thinking I had to set things straight now, I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“Your Majesty, that’s not it…!”

But I couldn’t do it this time either.

*Growl—*

The damn beast lying at my feet sprang up and roared loudly.

As if reminding everyone of its presence.

Did its tactic work? The Emperor’s eyes widened as he asked, “Is, is that the lion, the Goddess’s Representative?”

“It appears so, Your Majesty.”

At the Chief Attendant’s reply, the Emperor looked at the lion with wonder.

“Huh, how could this be… I’ve heard that a thousand-year-old lion lives in this cave, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in person.”

Then, the lion, puffing out its chest as if showing off, started rubbing its large head against my leg.

The Emperor couldn’t help but admire, “Oh, the Representative is very fond of the Lady.  Truly a woman chosen as the Saintess.”

A sense of despair washed over me at his reaction, which showed he firmly believed I was the Saintess.

‘Oh, crap…’

At this rate, I would be stuck as a fake Saintess.

‘I need to do something quickly…’

But no matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t come up with a way to overcome this crisis.

Who would believe me when the lion, known as the Goddess’s Representative, was deliberately orchestrating this?

‘It’s not true, Your Majesty. This damn beast is putting on an act. It’s trying to burden me with its retirement…’

Just as I was inwardly lamenting my frustration, the Emperor looked at me with sparkling eyes and asked, “But how did you become the Saintess?”

“…Huh?”

“If you were chosen as the Saintess, there must have been some kind of sign. I heard that the hail stopped when you came out of the cave, but I don’t know if it has completely stopped, and I can’t confirm you as the Saintess just because the lion is fond of you.”

‘…Oh my god.’

I covered my mouth in surprise.

Hadn’t everyone been clamoring about the return of the Saintess just because the lion was lying at my feet, no, just because I came out of the cave with the lion?

So I naturally assumed it would be the same this time, but it seemed the Emperor was indeed the Emperor.

‘I always cursed him for being a foolish and incompetent Emperor… I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I misjudged you.’

With tears welling up in my eyes, I quickly opened my mouth before this golden opportunity slipped away.

Or rather, I tried to.

“Saintess? That’s absurd, Your Majesty!”

If only someone else hadn’t spoken first.

‘What, there was another sane person?’

I thought everyone in the world had turned into an idiot, but fortunately, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

I turned my head in relief, but…

But.

“Son of a…”

I couldn’t help but harden my expression again.

Because the owner of that voice was none other than the trash, my biological father.

‘What is he thinking?’

It definitely couldn’t be anything good…

As I narrowed my eyes, trying to gauge his intentions,

“That unfilial, no, that wench, no, no, that child, a Saintess? That’s preposterous, Your Majesty!”

“Preposterous?”

“Yes, Your Majesty! I assure you, that child has no such ability. If there were any signs of a Saintess, wouldn’t I, her father, have recognized them?!”

The trash, ranting passionately, glared at me.

“She must have run away cowardly because she was afraid of dying. That child is not a Saintess, but a disgrace to the Empire, Your Majesty!”

I burst out laughing in disbelief.

If it were known that someone chosen as the Goddess’s Beloved had run away because they were afraid of death, the Empire wouldn’t stand for it.

Yet, for him to make such a claim meant he was expressing his determination to kill me no matter what.

‘How could a father…’

I clenched my fists to calm my trembling body, fueled by rage.

I gripped them so tightly that my short fingernails dug into my flesh, drawing blood.

But despite my efforts, the trash continued to rant.

“This is a sin she should never have committed, as a princess of the Empire, and as the former heir of the Veloce family. Please make her pay for her sins, Your Majesty!”

He even added the ridiculous excuse that as the Duke of Catalon, he couldn’t condone such disgrace, even if it was his own daughter.

The trash’s actions snapped the last thread of my reason.

‘So, that’s how it is.’

Then I wouldn’t just sit back and take it.

Consumed by rage, I opened my mouth in a smooth voice, “Your Majesty. I, Shaen Veloce, have received a revelation from Goddess Hedel.”

“What? A revelation?”

The Emperor, who had been listening to the trash’s plea with a confused expression, widened his eyes and asked.

I slowly nodded.

“Yes, the revered Goddess has personally accepted me as her daughter and bestowed upon me the glorious mission of aiding the crumbling Empire.”

“Oh! Is that true?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After smiling briefly at the Emperor, I continued speaking with a somber expression.

“Also, the merciful Goddess told me the reason for the vacancy in the Saintess’ position.”

“Is that true? What did she say the reason was?!”

“It’s… too horrific to speak of…”

I covered my mouth as if I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

The Emperor urged me with an impatient expression, “What is the reason that you can’t speak of it! I’m prepared, so tell me.  Hmm?”

Even at his urging, I repeatedly opened and closed my lips, agonizing the Emperor, before finally speaking cautiously, “The Goddess said it was due to her wrath over the change in the bloodline of the Saintess.”

“What? A change in your bloodline?  Does that mean you’re not of the Dukedom’s blood?”

The surroundings fell silent at the Emperor’s words.

It was only natural, as I was of the noblest bloodline in Catalon, second only to the Imperial family.

But for that bloodline to have changed…

As everyone stared at me in shock, I slowly shook my head.

“No, Your Majesty. I am undoubtedly of the Dukedom’s blood. It wasn’t my bloodline that changed, but…”

Then, after a brief pause, I stretched out my index finger and pointed somewhere.

“His.”

At the same time, question marks floated above the heads of the crowd.

Because my finger was pointing at the trash, my father.