The Saint is Not My Sister, The Real Saint is Me - Episode 22

“So, what will you do? Will you cling to your worthless pride and refuse to bow your heads to me? That’s fine too. In that case, both of you will be thrown into a cold prison cell together.”

“…! I-I deeply apologize, Lady Yuna…”

“P-please forgive us, Lady Yuna! Please, please!”

Their faces were filled with humiliation, utterly pitiful and pathetic. Yet, even as I watched them, I felt nothing but satisfaction. I realized then—I no longer considered these people my family.

“Lord Luki, do you have anything to say to me?”

My former fiancé, Lord Luki.

As the heir of the Marquis of Shainacle, Lord Luki had no reason to use honorifics or show deference to me, the daughter of a mere baron. In fact, his attitude toward me had been nothing short of disgraceful.

From the very beginning, he had looked down on me.

Now that I was recognized as the Holy Maiden of the Finable Empire, how would Lord Luki behave?

If he dared to show even the slightest disrespect, I’d make him grovel on the ground just like my parents—

“Lady Yuna, I sincerely apologize for my past rudeness.”

“—What?”

To my shock, Lord Luki took my hand and, in a complete reversal of his past behavior, gently placed a kiss on the back of it.

“…What do you think you’re doing?”

“I am truly reflecting on my actions. I have wronged you, Lady Yuna, the Holy Maiden of the Finable Empire.”

A complete 180-degree shift in attitude?! That’s terrifying in its own way! Gross! I want to disinfect my hand! I can’t, but if I could, I’d boil it!

“I deeply regret breaking off our engagement. Now, I swear that I will cherish you with all my heart. Lady Yuna, will you give me another chance?”

The audacity!

“I am truly glad I did not marry you, Lord Luki. I must refuse.”

I shook off his hand and smiled as I rejected him.

Of course, I would.

After all, this man continued to have an affair while engaged to me, even marrying my sister while keeping his mistress. Then, when he was caught in the act, he had the gall to break off our engagement in a fit of rage. And now he’s trying to court me again? Absolutely not! His sheer nerve is revolting!

“Lady Yuna, you don’t have to put up a front. Just be honest and say you want to be with me. You tried so hard to get close to me, didn’t you?”

“…Excuse me?”

I had made my rejection crystal clear, yet Lord Luki leaned even closer.

He never did this when we were engaged. The fact that he was suddenly acting this way now, just because I was the Holy Maiden, made his intentions obvious. It was disgusting.

“—Luki.”

“! Lord Rein?”

Lord Rein glared at Lord Luki with a chilling expression I had never seen before. I instinctively held my breath.

“Stop this nonsense immediately.”

“I-I’m not trying to—”

“If you claim this isn’t nonsense, that makes it even worse. Are you seriously trying to lay hands on Yuna while you’re already married?”

Lord Rein pulled me to his side.

“Yuna, we’ll make sure to clean your hand thoroughly later.”

“Y-Yes.”

He took my hand, the one Luki had kissed, and started rubbing it with his sleeve. The sudden closeness made my heart race.

“Luki, as promised, I will demand an apology from the Marquis of Shainacle. Be prepared for the consequences.”

Though he was gentle with me, Lord Rein regarded Lord Luki with nothing but icy hostility.

“…This is the first time I’ve seen you so agitated, Lord Rein. I see now—if Lady Yuna is involved, you can make such a face.”

“It pains me to report this disgrace to my father, but seeing such an interesting reaction from you makes it worth it. Well then, Lady Yuna, I look forward to our next meeting.”

“Lord Luki, I will never have feelings for you. Please refrain from any actions that could be misunderstood in the future.”

I was truly relieved that I never had to marry such a despicable man.

For that alone, I should thank Emil for taking him away from me.

“Lady Yuna, you’re so dishonest,” he muttered, leaving behind incomprehensible words before stepping into the Marquis of Shainacle’s carriage alone.

Shortly after, Emil and my parents followed suit, leaving Melt behind.

Not a single one of them stayed to witness what happened to this place.

The restoration of the land had only just begun. If the proper care was maintained, the land would remain fertile even without the Holy Maiden’s power. However, if neglected, it would wither again.

Part of my role as the Holy Maiden was to ensure that the people here learned how to care for their land. But they had no interest in that.

They only wanted to use the Holy Maiden’s power for their own benefit.

“Are you alright, Yuna? I’m sorry… I should have protected you better.”

Lord Rein seemed to be blaming himself.

He didn’t need to. The one at fault was that pest.

“I’m fine. You protected me right away, didn’t you?”

I’ll just think of Luki as an annoying bug that bit me. Nothing more.

By the way, the bug in question is Lord Luki. That’s all he is to me.

“More importantly, I’m relieved that we were able to prove Emil was a fake Holy Maiden.”

I had finally exposed the truth.

Emil had lied without hesitation, falsely claiming to be the real Holy Maiden.

She whispered sweet words of love while portraying me as an envious older sister who had tried to ruin her.

Even though she was the one scheming against me, she pretended to defend me, saying, ‘Please don’t blame Sister Yuna.’

I despised her for it.

And when I declared her a fraud, she had the nerve to act like a victim, as if she had been betrayed by the sister she trusted most.

So Emil was allowed to slander me, but I wasn’t allowed to expose the truth?

What a terribly convenient sister she wanted me to be.

I don’t need a sister like that.

“Now that the nuisances are gone, I’ll continue restoring the land.”

“Are you sure you don’t need to rest a bit more?”

“I’m fine. Thanks to Emil, we’re already behind schedule.”

Even though I had informed the people of Melt about the delay, it pained me that I couldn’t heal the land sooner.

“…I see. Thank you, Yuna.”

“Of course.”

I had lived in my sister’s shadow for so long.

But now, as the Holy Maiden of the Finable Empire, I was finally standing in the light.

I had severed ties with Emil.

I had cut off my family.

And I was happy.

I would never return to them.

Goodbye, Baron Kotokoris and your household.