The Saint is Not My Sister, The Real Saint is Me - Episode 13

“I offer my greetings to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Oh, Yuna, you’ve come. Be at ease.”

As Lord Rein had said, despite my unexpected visit without an appointment, His Majesty welcomed me warmly.

“I wanted to properly thank you, Yuna. You saved our lands and brought prosperity. You are the pride of the Fineable Empire.”

“Such words are far too generous for someone like me…”

Just hearing His Majesty express his gratitude directly was already an immense honor. As a citizen born in the Fineable Empire, it was only natural to pledge my loyalty to the Emperor. More so, I was once—though only in name—a noble. Nobles exist to serve the Emperor, to assist in the prosperity and peace of the nation—

“Your Majesty! It is sheer folly to bow your head to such a false saint!”

—Well, that’s what I thought, but… What kind of tone is this man using toward His Majesty? My so-called former father!

“It is absolutely outrageous that my audience request was denied! The knights even prevented me from setting foot in the palace! Those useless knights should be punished immediately!”

“Silence.”

“Wha—?!”

Duke Ainakura, who stood beside His Majesty, glared sharply at my father.

By the time we arrived at the palace, my father was already causing a scene, unable to even enter the gates. He was yelling at the knights, shouting things like, “I’ll have you all dismissed once I inform His Majesty!” and “Do you even know who I am?! I am the saint’s father!” It was an utter disgrace.

Ahh, I’m so glad I severed ties with him.

“Your Majesty! If this false saint is to be recognized, then my daughter—the true saint of Kotokoris—will refuse all requests from the imperial family! If that happens, the land will wither, and it will be your empire that suffers!”

To think my father would use the power of a saint as nothing more than a tool for his own influence… He is truly beyond redemption.

“Hmph. From now on, the imperial family will not seek aid from the saint of Kotokoris, nor from your daughter.”

“Wha—what did you just say?!”

“I admit that we have indulged you because you were the father of a saint. However, now, our Finable Empire has Yuna. I hear that she has already cut ties with you. Your daughter is no longer needed.”

“Such nonsense! Yuna is nothing but a false saint! Open your eyes, Your Majesty!”

“Enough.”

I had never seen His Majesty with such cold eyes before. Despite being the empire’s oldest reigning emperor, he was still as formidable as ever.

My father, faced with the change in His Majesty’s demeanor and the icy stares from Duke Ainakura and the palace officials, seemed at a loss for words, merely opening and closing his mouth in silent protest.

“Y-Your Majesty, I am only speaking for the sake of the Finable Empire. Yuna, as you said, was once my daughter, but she has always been a liar! She envied her saintly sister and falsely claimed to be a saint herself. She even harmed her pure-hearted sister! Not only that, but she tried to steal her sister’s fiancé out of sheer selfishness!”

…What a terrible father. None of that was true.

The first words out of his mouth were meant to hurt me.

It was Emil who stole my fiancé and married him, and my father knew that very well. He knew, and yet, he still chose to slander me.

“There is no need to believe the words of such a liar! Please, Your Majesty, listen to me—”

“Enough of this!”

“Ahh!”

With a single furious roar from His Majesty, my father let out a pathetic yelp and collapsed onto the floor.

“You’ve been allowed to speak freely, and yet all you do is spout nonsense! There is no way Yuna would lie about such things!”

“…Your Majesty…”

He believes in me…

“And what was that about acting in the interest of the Finable Empire? How dare you say such things with that mouth of yours! You have used the saint’s power for your own selfish gain!”

“I-I would never—”

“You demanded higher ranks, more lands, and greater wealth in exchange for her blessings! I even heard that recently, you have been making outrageous demands from those who seek the saint’s healing, even outside the imperial family!”

“T-That is only natural compensation for a miracle…”

“Yuna has never asked for such things. It’s hard to believe she was ever your daughter, given how noble her heart is.”

“Unlike your so-called ‘beloved daughter,’ Yuna is kind to everyone. She devotes herself to helping others as a true saint should.”

“She is humble and well-mannered. It would be an insult to compare her to the so-called saint of Kotokoris.”

His Majesty, Lord Rein, and Duke Ainakura—everyone believed in me. That… made me so happy.