SWGL 10

Chapter 10

The moment I stepped into the banquet hall of the royal palace, I became so busy receiving greetings from the nobles that I barely had time to think.

“Happy sixth anniversary of your engagement, Saintess. Has it really already been six years?”

“Yes. Time really does fly.”

Originally, King Alfonso’s fiancée had been Rumiela, who disappeared seven years ago.

But after Rumiela disappeared and I was chosen as the new Saintess, I naturally inherited her position as his fiancée as well.

Saintess, Cassini’s daughter, the king’s fiancée. Every one of those positions had originally belonged to Rumiela.

No wonder people so easily believed that Justitia would be jealous of Rumiela.

“Now that you’re coming of age this year, you’ll be having your wedding soon, won’t you?”

“That’s right. Once you have your coming-of-age ceremony in May, you should get married right away.”

“It wouldn’t be good to leave the position of queen vacant for too long.”

“Wedding preparations don’t happen overnight, so shouldn’t you start hurrying things along?”

Everyone was getting ahead of themselves, but I merely smiled quietly.

Normally, wedding preparations would have begun at the start of the year, but because Alfonso kept putting them off, they hadn’t even started yet.

So this was how obvious a man could be when his heart was wavering toward his former fiancée.

“Saintess!”

Right then, Rumiela appeared before me with a bright smile.

She was dressed in a fresh light-green dress, like the tender sprouts of spring, and greeted me cheerfully.

“You look absolutely beautiful today. You look just like the goddess of spring.”

“Thank you for the compliment. You look like a spring fairy yourself, Lady Cassini.”

“Haha, you flatter me. More importantly, what were you all talking about so happily?”

The people who had been chatting so smoothly suddenly shut their mouths as if their lips had been glued together.

It was understandable. Rumiela had once been the king’s fiancée.

From Rumiela’s perspective, she had finally returned only to find that her fiancé had abandoned her and become engaged to another woman. Naturally, it would be awkward to discuss it in front of her.

“Marriage.”

In the end, I took the plunge for the sake of the others who were at a loss for words.

“It’s the sixth-anniversary party of my engagement to His Majesty.”

“Ah……”

Rumiela’s expression turned bitter after hearing my answer. She looked almost like someone who had had her lover stolen from her.

The expressions of those around us became even more uncomfortable.

“I see……”

If only I could just give that bastard to her.

Unfortunately, if I wanted to raise the lying gauge, I had to look like a woman who wanted to marry the king.

“Six years……”

That didn’t mean I could openly show that attitude in front of Rumiela, though. It would probably damage Justitia’s image.

‘Ah, right.’

A good idea suddenly occurred to me. I quietly looked at Rumiela, who had a wistful expression on her face, and asked,

“Is it all right for you to talk about this?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean the engagement with His Majesty. You were his real fiancée, not me.”

Everyone looked at me in shock. Rumiela was no exception.

She seemed completely unable to believe that I would bring up such a subject, and was momentarily rendered speechless.

I continued casually.

“There’s no need to be so surprised. Is there anyone here who doesn’t know that after I became the Saintess in your place, I also inherited your position as His Majesty’s fiancée?”

“S-Saintess.”

“You must have been most troubled by that when you returned. You might have felt betrayed, and if you still have feelings for His Majesty……”

I lowered my eyebrows sadly as I spoke.

“I think I really need to consider whether I’m right to remain in this position.”

“Ah, Saintess.”

Rumiela exclaimed and tightly grasped my hand.

“Please don’t say that. It sounds as though the Saintess stole my position……”

I had never said anything that blatant, but she was interpreting it that way all on her own.

For a moment, I was too dumbfounded to say anything, but Rumiela continued.

“Of course, I was surprised. How could I not be? My beloved fiancé was suddenly about to marry another woman.”

Strictly speaking, Rumiela had disappeared when she was thirteen, so I wasn’t sure whether she had actually been ‘in love’ with him.

Well, Juliet had experienced a passionate romance at that age too, so I supposed I could let it slide.

“Even so, how could I possibly break apart the engagement the two of you have maintained for six years? The Saintess must love His Majesty very much as well…… Isn’t that right?”

“Yes…… That’s right.”

I swallowed my disgust and forced the lie out.

“I love him very much. But you were first, so if you want me to break up with His Majesty……”

“Oh, that’s not what I want.”

Rumiela sighed and suddenly pulled me into an embrace.

“I would never want to cause you such pain, Saintess. Of course, I still love His Majesty, but……”

“Please make it clear, Lady Cassini. If you wish to reclaim your position as his fiancée, then no matter how much I love His Majesty, I would have to give him up with tears in my eyes.”

“No, Saintess. Please don’t say that. My love shouldn’t make someone else unhappy.”

“……Is that so?”

“Yes. I don’t want to hurt someone else.”

What a tragic heroine.

I slightly twisted the corners of my mouth and murmured,

“I suppose I should remember those wonderful words you just said.”

“Which……”

“That you don’t want to hurt someone else.”

I looked straight at Rumiela and continued.

“You’re absolutely right. They say that if you make tears fall from someone else’s eyes, blood tears will fall from your own.”

[Lie Gauge increased by 0.5%.]

[Current Gauge: 2.6%]

At this rate, wasn’t Rumiela practically my cheat code for raising the lying gauge?

“Saintess.”

Just then, a servant from the Central Palace cautiously approached me. He then whispered in a voice only I could hear.

“I have something to tell you. Forgive my impertinence, but……”

“Please, go ahead.”

“……His Majesty will not be attending the party today.”

The sudden news left me momentarily stunned. Seeing my reaction, the servant hurriedly continued.

“I apologize. But His Majesty suddenly became ill……”

“I see. Understood.”

“His Majesty asked me to tell you that he is truly sorry.”

I gave him a faint smile to show that I understood.

Everyone around us was clearly curious about what had happened.

I honestly told them while deliberately furrowing my brows as though I were saddened.

“His Majesty won’t be attending the party today.”

“What? Why……”

“It seems he suddenly fell ill. He has been working so hard lately, so I suppose it can’t be helped.”

“Oh my, what a shame.”

“I heard the Central Palace has been lit up until dawn these days.”

Everyone nervously offered words of consolation, but I merely smiled.

A man who had attended his engagement anniversary party for six consecutive years had suddenly fallen ill this year of all years and decided not to attend.

At the first engagement anniversary party since Rumiela’s return?

‘He’s making it way too obvious. He’s practically announcing that his feelings for me have cooled.’

Alfonso’s original purpose had been to take a former Saintess as his queen. With the ‘real one’ back, it wasn’t surprising that he would start testing the waters.

I had no more feelings of betrayal or disappointment left for the king who had already sent Justitia to the guillotine.

Still, I should take advantage of this situation.

“Shouldn’t you go see His Majesty?”

“No. If I go, I’ll only disturb his rest. I’ll visit him again tomorrow.”

I brushed the matter aside as though it were nothing and spent my time dealing with the nobles around me.

Then, at some point, I realized that someone was no longer within my sight.

“I think I should go see His Majesty after all.”

I changed my mind with a smile.

“I’m worried, so I can’t concentrate on the party at all. I’ll just see His Majesty and come right back.”

“Oh my, of course.”

Everyone graciously let me leave. I smiled gratefully and headed toward the Central Palace.

The servant from the Central Palace whom I had seen earlier spotted me and looked flustered.