Chapter 3: CH 3

‘What kind of error is it?’

When I touched it carefully, it was still pierced through.

I possessed a character in a novel, but what the hell is this game window?

I was staring at it with a serious look and I heard a knock.

“Come in.”

Annie came in when the door opened. She held a silver tray containing fresh fruits and cookies.

“Saintess, I brought snacks.”

She brought snacks at the same time every day.

“By any chance, do you see this?” When I pointed at the window and asked, Annie shook her head with a small sigh. As expected, it seemed to be only visible to me.

“Our Saintess… I hope you get well soon.”

Annie seemed to think that I was looking at something in vain because I was sick somewhere.

“Because you’re so weak, there’s a significant obstacle to your saintess’ main job.” She put the tray on the table and shrugged.

‘It’s strange.’

I blinked and thought. There was a strange tone mixed at the end of her voice.

And come to think of it, after hearing her words, I remembered that I didn’t do anything other than eat and read books for 3 days.

Camilla, the real saintess in the novel, had been busy traveling around temples in various provinces to meet the priests and frequently present the Emperor and Crown Prince.

‘Maybe I have no official work because I’m not a real saintess.’

Being weak would just be an excuse made by the High Priest.

‘I won’t be able to do what a real saintess has to do, so why I’m stuck in the temple can be explained only with such an excuse.’

They arranged a fake saintess because a new saintess didn’t appear after the death of the previous saintess many years ago. It was to prevent public sentiment from becoming confused and to promote political stability.

When I was a little lost in thought, I heard Annie’s voice.

“And… By the way, Saintess.” I glanced at her. Her brown eyes were shining with strange light. “I said that my younger brother was injured the other day. But it turns out that he’s in debt… I think I need more help.”

I wriggled my eyebrows.

‘Why is she telling me that?’

Annie raised the corners of her lips a little and opened her mouth.

“That’s why, I’m sorry, but…”

“…”

“The allowance that Saintess gives me every month. I want you to raise it a bit more.”

Her eyes were very similar to those whom I had seen in my previous life. People who despised me as an illegitimate child of a wealthy family, but also flirted with me to take advantage of it.

Naturally, my lips twisted.

‘Ha, look at this?’

Of course, Ariel who was described in the novel was a wicked woman.

However, it was right to say that she was a woman with a pure emotional evil brain rather than a wicked woman who used her brain. She may have looked like a young chick to Annie, who must’ve lived her life as a maid while eating the eyes of her superiors.

That’s why she told this nonsense story openly.

‘But I’m not that Ariel.’

“Annie?”

She replied with a smile.

“Yes, Saintess.”

“Have I been giving you money?”

Annie, who would’ve expected, “I’ll do that,” raised one of her eyebrows at that sudden question.

“Well. Yes. You said you were worried about my brother and gave me a favor… Why are you asking again all of a sudden?”

I crossed my legs as I sat on the chair. Then I lifted my head and looked at Annie with relaxed eyes.

“How much did I give you?”

“It’s 650 franc a month. I won’t ask much but if you just raise 500 franc…”

Annie seemed to think I asked because I didn’t want to give the money. I stared intently at her without answering. Gradually, I could see Annie’s smiling face twisting awkwardly.

Ah, now I seem to know why Ariel had no money in her balance.

‘A maid’s salary should be less than 200 franc, but she paid more, 650 franc?’

Annie even asked for that to be raised.

“Turns out I’m a pushover.”

I wasn’t exactly talking about me, but Ariel.

“A pushover who’s being bullied by a maid. I’m disappointed, though.”

Her lips muscles were a little cramped at my words. After a while, she opened her lips with an awkward look.

“You don’t seem to be in a good mood today, so please think about it a little more and tell me.”

“No, let’s make it clear now. I can’t give you a penny from now on, Annie.”

I cut her off at once.

“I mean, of course, I’ll cut off the allowance.”

At those words, Annie’s eyes lit up with embarrassment. She didn’t know I would say this.

“If you’re a saintess’ maid, you’ll get paid enough. Why do you ask me for money?”

“B-But!”

Her lips trembled.

“If you’re worried about your brother’s personal affairs, bring him in front of me.” A relaxed smile formed around my mouth, and Annie was looking at me in disbelief. “I heard that there is a shortage of manpower in the temple stable, so I’ll look at your brother’s condition and tell if he seems useful.”

“Saintess!” Annie shouted with her eyes wide open.

I knew that kind of look very well. The shock you’d feel when you found out that the person you thought of below you was above you. I was tired of seeing many humans with such eyes in my previous life.

My mouth was bitter.

‘I thought it was strange for her to have an oddly disrespectful attitude as a maid, but I was completely considered a pushover.’

Ariel was acting like a pushover.

“The saintess must’ve forgotten…”

Annie opened her mouth with shaking eyes moments later.

“…You know I know that.”

I frowned at the thought of what she meant. And my face hardened at her next words.

“That you’re… fake.”

Her brown eyes were shining with self-confidence.

Only then did I notice the strange contempt and ridicule that had been hidden behind her smile. The reason for the allowance of 650 franc a month was all to silence Annie, who knew that Ariel was a fake saintess.

‘That’s right.’

Ariel wasn’t a benevolent person to pay for a maid just because she felt sorry for her situation.

‘She was just stupid enough to tremble with such a sloppy threat.’

I clicked my tongue inward.

“If I revealed that the Saintess is a fake…” Annie started threatening me with her eyes.

“Sure. Just tell.”

Yet her words were cut off by mine that popped out immediately.

“W-What did you say?”

A look of even more bewilderment than before appeared on her face.

Perhaps until now, when she said she would speak, Ariel quietly comforted Annie and raised her money. At first, it was about 300 or 400 franc. And now she was calling 700 franc.

“Tell others about it.”

“If I say it, the Saintess…!”

“Maybe I’ll be punished if I turn out to be a fake. Probably I’ll be executed.”

My calm face seemed to be unbelievable, unlike the way she was trembling so far. I continued to talk while looking at her coldly. Her shoulders trembled at the vivid form of violence in my eyes.

“Then, what will happen to the maid who hid her being a fake saintess while receiving 650 franc a month?”

“…!”

Her eyes shook violently at what I said.

“I’m still half noble, so I’ll die beautifully, but that won’t happen to a maid.”

“S-Saintess!”

“Wouldn’t you envy me in the guillotine, Annie?”

Until earlier, her eyes were shaking with confidence that she could press me. I straightened my crossed legs and stood up, facing her straight.

“Annie. If you knew I was a fake, you should’ve told them right away.”

She turned pale and took a step back. One of the corners of my lips was twisted.

“You can’t be on the same boat as mine. You’ll risk your life.”

“…!”

Life.

Only then did Annie seem to realize that she had done something really dangerous.