The Beloved Fake Saint

Chapter 3

* * *

Maybe it’s some kind of error?

No matter how I tried to touch the screen, my hand went right through it.

And here I thought I was inside a book. What’s with this video game stuff?

I was studying it thoughtfully when another knock came from outside the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened to reveal Annie carrying a silver tray with fresh fruit and cookies. She brought snacks for me at the same time every day.

“Your Holiness, I brought you some snacks.”

“Annie, do you see this?” When I pointed at the screen, she shook her head with a sigh.

It was only visible to me.

“I really hope for your quick recovery, Your Holiness.” Annie must have thought I was sick and having hallucinations. “With your body this weak, it’ll be difficult to carry out your duties as the saint,” she continued with a shrug, after placing her tray on the table.

That’s weird.

Something was off with the tone of her voice. I blinked slowly, as if it would help me see what was really going on. It was then I realized I’d been doing nothing but eat, sleep, and read for the past three days. In the novel, Camilla kept herself busy with temple visits and audiences with the imperial family. I probably don’t have any official duties because I’m not the real saint. The pope probably came up with my weakness as an excuse to keep me confined to the temple.

Because a fake can’t do the job of the real saint.

The reason they needed a fake in the first place was because a new saint never appeared, even though the last one had died many years before. It was a clever move to prevent public chaos and maintain political stability.

Annie spoke again, interrupting my thoughts. “Um... Your Holiness?” I gave her a quick glance. There was an odd look in her brown eyes. “Remember how I told you my brother got injured? Well, it turns out that he’s in debt. So I think he’ll need more of my help.”

I raised a questioning eyebrow. Why is she telling me this?

“I’m sorry to ask,” she continued, curling her lips into a smile. “But I would like you to raise the allowance you give me every month.”

The smile, the unapologetic tone—I’d seen it all before. In my past life, the same people who looked down on me for being a bastard child had tried to use me for my money.

My mouth twisted into a wry smile.

Would you look at that?

In the original novel, Ariel was indeed a villain. But she was more of the naive and emotional type, rather than the cold and calculating kind. She must’ve seemed like an easy target to Annie, who undoubtedly had a rough life as a maid. That would explain why she could say things like this so shamelessly.

Sorry, but I’m not that Ariel.

“Annie?”

She smiled when I called her name. “Yes, Your Holiness?”

“Have I been giving you money?”

Annie, who had expected me to readily agree, raised a confused eyebrow. “Um... Yes. You said you were worried about my brother and showed your generosity. Why are you asking me again all of a sudden?”

Sitting in a chair, I crossed my legs and raised my head to stare casually at Annie. “How much did I give you?”

“650 fran a month. I’m not asking for much. Just 50 fran more would be enough...”

Annie must have thought I didn’t want to give her the money.

I continued to stare at her without a word. Her smile soured into an awkward expression.

Now I knew why Ariel was always so strapped for cash.

A maid’s monthly salary would be 200 fran at most, and Ariel had been giving Annie 650 fran on top of that?

And now she was asking for more.

“What a pushover,” I said aloud. I was, of course, referring to Ariel. “A pushover even the maids could order around. How disappointing.”

Annie’s lips twitched. “You don’t seem to be in a good mood today,” she said stiffly. “Why don’t you think about it and let me know later.”

“No, we’re going to settle this here and now. I’m not giving you any more money, Annie.” I cut her off without hesitation. “I have no intention of continuing to pay you an allowance, let alone raising it.”

Annie’s eyes were bewildered. Clearly she hadn’t seen this coming.

“Your salary as the saint’s maid should be more than sufficient. Why would you ask me for more?”

“B-but...” Her lips quivered with frustration.

“If you’re that worried about your brother, bring him to me,” I continued with a gentle smile, which seemed to shock her even more. “I heard the temple stable is looking for more workers. If your brother seems useful, maybe I’ll put in a good word for him.”

“Your Holiness!” Annie cried with wide eyes.

I knew that look as well. The shock of realizing that someone you thought was beneath you was actually above you. I’d seen it all too many times. Just thinking about it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I thought she seemed pretty presumptuous for a maid, but she must’ve taken me for a total sucker.

In truth, the old Ariel was a sucker for more than one reason.

“Your Holiness, I shouldn’t have to remind you...” Annie said. “You do realize that I know...” I frowned, trying to figure out what she was saying. “I know you’re a fake.”

Those words carved lines of tension into my face as Annie’s brown eyes glowed triumphantly. Only then did I realize the true source of her contempt, hidden beneath her smile.

The monthly allowance was hush money. Ariel had paid Annie to keep her secret.

That’s right.

Ariel wasn’t the type to take pity on her maid. She was just stupid enough to shudder at a child’s threat. I snorted to myself.

“You wouldn’t want me to go out and tell everyone—” she began, rolling her eyes.

“Go ahead,” I interrupted. “Tell everyone.”

“W-what did you say?” She looked even more surprised than before. It seemed Ariel hadn’t put up much of a fight when Annie kept raising the price. It had probably started at only 300 or 400 fran. And now she was asking for 700.

“I said, go ahead and tell everybody.”

“If I do that, then you’ll—”

“Face consequences once I’m found to be a fake, yes. I’ll probably be executed.”

She seemed shocked by how calm I was, compared to the Ariel who had rolled over and given her whatever she wanted.

“But what do you think is going to happen to you?” I continued with a cold glare.

She shuddered.

“A maid who’s been covering up for a fake saint in exchange for money.” Annie’s eyes were almost bulging out of her head. “Since I’m a noble’s daughter, they’ll probably let me die quickly. But I doubt they’ll be so generous to a maid.”

“Y-Your Holiness!”

“You’d envy me the guillotine then, wouldn’t you?”

The same girl that had glowed with confidence only moments before now shook with fear.

I straightened my legs to get up and face her directly. “Annie, you should’ve told everyone the moment you found out I was a fake.” Annie backed away, her face pale as a ghost. “Instead, now we’re in the same boat,” I continued with a twisted smile. “Why would you go and risk your life like that?”

Annie couldn’t even make a sound.

It must have finally hit her that if I was going down, she was going down with me.