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ORIGINAL AUTHOR/S: 준예

“It’s time to put an end to what has been delayed.”

“Shouldn’t there be no more conflict?”

“Saintess. Please make a decision!”

“For the eternal peace of the Empire…!”

I sat in the center of the conference hall that resembled the court and stared at them.

All the men who came out on behalf of each force were screaming with an agitated face. And the three men representing their own forces were looking up at me. It was like brides waiting for the selection of a spouse for the imperial family.

The Prince and Sword Master of the Illide Empire with impressive red hair and red eyes.

‘Kyle Alexis Illide.’

He was sitting in front of the officials of the imperial palace.

[Choose me. Otherwise…]

Suddenly, when I saw his eyes, I felt like I was hearing hallucinations. Unknowingly, Kyle’s long sword on his waist made my spine shiver.

And… bright blonde, golden eyes, and pretty-looking the High Priest, Reihausd El, who looked like he jumped out of a painting. There were numerous believers sitting nervous behind him.

[I’ve prepared a prison just for you. My Goddess.]

He twisted his red lips and showed a decadent smile.

Finally, Cass Lloyd, the owner of the Lloyd Merchant with dark navy blue eyes that resembled his cold-blooded personality. Behind him were members of the Lloyd Merchant, the largest company in the Empire. It was meaningless to read Cass’ poker face that didn’t show his feelings well.

“Saintess… Please make a decision.”

I heard the officials urging me around my ears. And a message of excited Gods was shown in the sparkling blue window in front of me.

[God of Art, Mond, preaches about the aesthetic value of Reihausd’s appearance.]

[God of Destruction, Ciel, argues that only those who are strong like Kyle can win love.]

[God of Knowledge, Hessed, recites information about expensive buildings owned by Lloyd’s owner.]

[God of Love, Odyssey, is dancing fan dance excitedly.]

It was time to decide a choice I could no longer step back.

‘How did I end up in this situation?’

I sighed and lost in thought.

***

“Haa…”

When I opened my mouth slightly and made a sound, a sweet voice that was mine but not exactly mine flowed out. High ceilings with chandeliers and luxurious interior decorations caught my eye.

“Are you not feeling well today?” I turned my head to the maid’s voice. “Two days ago, Saintess suddenly asked for your name… I’m worried because you seem to be confused.”

Brown hair tied in pigtails, face full of freckles, and dark brown eyes that shine under a little torn eyelids. Her name was Annie, and she was an extra among the extras whose name didn’t appear in the original story. At the age of 17, she wore a navy blue made dress with frills.

“No, I’m fine now.” I answered as I hoped that my answer wouldn’t be awkward.

“Shall I prepare your meal? If you’re not feeling well, I’ll call the priest. What if you can’t give a congratulatory speech at His Highness’ birthday banquet?”

She quickly continued to talk in a worried tone. “Even the merchant has prepared the dress that you wanted. How much they say it was…”

I was listening to her words without saying anything. If I were the original Ariel, I would’ve jumped and said, ‘No way! I will give the best congratulatory speech. So that he will never forget me!’

But I calmed down and uttered, “First of all, the meal… bring it to me. Except for the crappy salad.”

“Yes, Saintess.” Annie smiled and added a word. “You also didn’t eat it before, but it’s unexpected.” After a while, she opened the door and disappeared.

I woke up slowly after the door was completely closed. Then I approached the full-body mirror. I still couldn’t believe it, that’s why my heart pounded whenever I looked in the mirror.

“Haa…”

I think she was about 17 years old. While looking at the young face, I touched the gold hair covering half of my back. Her eyes were a little pale of sapphire color as if they contained the light of the sea, and her skin white and soft. The girl’s face in the mirror was clearly very beautiful. And there was a mysterious atmosphere.

But what’s clear is that it’s not my face. And it’s also not the face of the main character in the original story that I remembered.

The hair of Camilla, the main character,  was brighter platinum, and her eyes were fresh green, like an embedded emerald.

“It’s… Ariel, right? So I’m Ariel…”

I could see the girl in the mirror, that was me, giving a small sigh and clattering her lips.

Hence… How should I explain my situation?

[The Return of Saintess Camilla]

The piece of work that I read in my previous life was a reverse harem web novel mainly about Saintess Camila, who had a noble character, being courted by three men from different backgrounds. The main characters’ emotional lines dominated the story, and in the process of pushing and pulling, I could feel the catharsis as I saw the three men becoming the four out of love.

‘It was a little shocking that all three men became Camilla’s husbands.’

Still, it wasn’t a bad piece of work for killing time.

And I possessed the body of the novel’s character, Ariel, two days ago.

Ariel, who was born as a poor daughter of a baron, had lived as if she were an extramarital child because her mother was a servant. Although she had no faith, she had a goal of meeting the young lord of a good family and raising her status. She went to the temple regularly, but she accidentally came to the temple of Elium because she caught the High Priest, Reihausd’s eye.

She had been steadily playing the role of a ‘fake saintess’ since two years ago through a deal with him.

The problem was that shel was the villain in the novel.

Ariel was a time-limited saintess that was established as a stand-in for the political stability of Prince Kyle and High Priest Reihausd.

She was a foolish evil woman who knew that she’d be thrown out when the real thing appeared. Yet she interrupted Camilla with her twisted love for the High Priest, whom she relied on as a guardian, and also Prince Kyle, whom she secretly had a crush on.

‘Are there really five years left until the real saintess, Camilla, appears?’

I thought, biting my lips.

[The moment she reached out to Camilla, who forgave her, the three men’s swords headed for her at the same time. And she was killed without a moment to scream.]

In the original work, Ariel died like that and gave the readers good riddance.

‘But I don’t want to die.’

In the end, I stayed up all night for two days and tried to organize the situation coolly. And about my life before the possession…

That dying moment was still vivid. My body in the past is dead, so there is probably no body to return to. That means I have to live my whole life with Ariel’s body from now on.

“…”

I alluded to the colorful, large windows. The bright sunlight slightly entered the room. I approached one of the windows and raised the closed window up.

“I have no choice but to accept what happened anyway.”

I quickly judged and adapted to the situation.

The cool wind outside blew through the open gap, causing my long hair to scatter.

“But this isn’t that bad, isn’t it?”

Because I possessed this body by the time before she became the villain.

“If I don’t live as she did, the future can be changed.”

Fresh air was felt in my nose. It’s a privilege that only the living can feel.

At the time when the coldness of death flowed from my fingertips to my heart, I realized that anything was better than dying. The life of a child who was born as an illegitimate child of a rich family and lived with awareness, as soon as she became an adult with money, she became independent and got out of the house, but she died in vain in just a year.

Considering my past life, wouldn’t the life of a fake saintess in the novel be better than that?

Foolish Ariel died while running around without knowing what it was all about, but I am different from the original one. I’m not interested in the male protagonists who will become another girl’s men or the saintess position.

Since there are still five years left, I have to save money and learn how to live in this world.

And when Camilla, the real saintess, comes, I’ll calmly give up my seat, leave the temple, and buy a building… I’ll spend the rest of my life doing things I want to do.

As I cleared up my complicated feelings and made future plans, my anxiety seemed to fade a little. It’s just a waste of time to deny the current situation, anyway. Two days of concern was enough.

“Ariel. Yeah… I’m Ariel from now on.” I calmed my beating heart and clenched my fist as if I was instilling confidence for a new beginning.

But at that very moment.

[A shining path lies in you who accepted your new fate.]

“What is this?”

A blue window suddenly appeared in front of me, and a strange text popped up.

When I saw the thing that looked like a chat window of a game, I flinched in surprise. Then I reached out my hand and touched it.

But, as if it was only visible to me, my hand lightly poked the window.

Then a new text appeared.

[The ancient beings who were bored are interested in your excellent adaptability.]

“Ancient… beings?”

It wasn’t written in the Korean alphabet, yet maybe because of a buff of possession, I could read the letters.

[The ancient beings who were bored are interested in your excellent adaptability.]

Even if I read it again, I couldn’t understand what the hell it was talking about.

“What the heck is going on?”

After a while, the translucent window gradually turned transparent and the letters disappeared. I blinked, thinking if I was just dreaming.

Knock, knock.

I heard knocks from outside, and soon the door opened with the sound of the handle turning.

“…!”

I thought it was Annie because the silver tray was flashing in the sun, but the one who appeared holding a meal was a man whom I see for the first time.

He was very tall and broad-shouldered in a white uniform, his eyes were a little cool, but those golden eyes contained warm light. His hair was as bright as his eyes. If mine was the gold on the sandy beach, then his was a really bright gold as if it was extracted from gold yarn.

“Ariel.”

I was staring at him in awe as he was holding the tray, placing it on the table, and calling me. It was then that I immediately recognized who he was.

“I brought a meal.”

The person who always called Camilla by her name even when she became a saintess in the original story.

The man who was the top administrator of the temple, which had as much influence as the imperial family in the Empire.

“Reihausd de El.”

The man who brought Ariel to the temple and made her the fake saintess.

His name was sweetly whispered out my lips.

‘De El’ is a unique title given to a high priest.

Hearing what I just said, his golden eyes gleamed, and his red lips slightly formed an arc.

“Are you calling me by my name today?”

“Ah…”

It was then that I remembered that the fake saintess, Ariel, called him by the title, ‘High Priest’. So I hurriedly took care of what I had just done.

It was strange for Ariel, who wasn’t even the real saintess Camilla and knew clearly she was a fake, to call him by his name comfortably.

“I apologize, High Priest. I was just spacing out…”

“It’s nice to listen to, though?” But he cut me off with a soft voice.

When I saw him with a slightly startled look, he smiled and said jokingly.

“Actually, I had forgotten that I had a name.”

A fresh breeze flew through the open window. His shiny gold hair fluttered slightly.

“It’ll be great if you can call me by my name from now on.”

I looked at him blankly, and I finally came to my senses long after. I was lost in those bright gold eyes.

After thinking for a moment, I opened my mouth.

“What I just said was a mistake.”

If it were the original Ariel, she would’ve liked it with her eyes sparkling. But I didn’t want to break the wall between me and him.

“How dare I call the name of the High Priest?”

I wouldn’t live in the temple for the rest of my life, anyway, and when the real saintess Camilla comes, I won’t be able to see him. That’s why it was better not to cross the line.

“…”

As he looked at me with a light smile, he remained silent. After a moment, he said.

“As I said before…”

“…”

“This is Ariel’s house now. You can have whatever you want or do anything.”

Reihausd was a bright and soft man, as described in the novel.

“Anything, as long as you understand that freedom comes with responsibility.”

But it was a story about Camilla only.

And I wasn’t the real Ariel who might have said, “Can I just call you Reihausd without any honorific?”

“Of course, High Priest.”

“I’ve often wanted to hear my name from Ariel, but it’s too bad.” A smile hung around his lips, yet I felt a lot of pressure from him.

“Thank you for bringing me a meal.”

I turned around and bowed my head.

The High Priest is the only person in this temple who knows that I’m a fake, in order to make the temple life smooth, since I was unpleasant to his eyes so there was barely anything good.

“I don’t know if it’s because it has been a few days since I last saw you…”

His feet, who were about to step out, paused before he said something. The Holy Golden looked at me brightly and said.

“You look a little different than usual, Ariel.”

Without panicking, I looked at him with a blank expression that seemed to be the most realistic, and smiled awkwardly.

***

A few days had passed since then.

I sat at my desk and organized some of the things I’ve checked so far.

“Right now, it’s 722 years of the Holy Calendar and 82 years of the Imperial Calendar.”

It was 5 years before Camilla, the real saintess, appeared. I was in the Illide Empire, a religious state where monarchy and divinity coexist. 99% of the people believed in God, but the important thing was that it wasn’t a one-body system.

There were nine Gods with different titles and names, and many temples were scattered here and there.

The God of Justice, Hetuse.

The God of Knowledge, Hessed.

The God of Love, Odyssey.

The God of Art, Mond.

The God of Destruction, Ciel.

The God of Benevolence, Oman.

The God of Death, Kairos.

The God of Eternity, Raid.

The God of Lies, Bellatrix.

The nine of them were Gods like that.

If so, the question might arise as to what God this temple and the saintess believe in. When I read the novel, I saw Camilla mentioning some Gods, but I didn’t know exactly what God she was serving. Since the main story was focused on her relationship with the male leads rather than her work as a saintess.

I found out that the ‘temple of Elium’ was a place where not only a single God, but all nine Gods were enshrined. As a result, the temple of Elium was the most special of all temples, and the saintess that was born with high affinity with the nine Gods was a special being.

Therefore, it would be right to define the saintess as the overall religious leader of the Empire.

Come to think of it, there was also a strange part that I discovered while reading a book in the temple’s library. Only saints can receive oracles, and often a new house of wisdom comes directly from one of the Nine Gods.

The magazine [Listen To the Oracles From the 7th Saint] brought to me by the maids described the process of receiving oracles as follows.

[The blue light in the form of a rectangle like a curtain came in front of my eyes, and the new words appeared as if they were engraved in my eyes.

And while it faded and disappeared, the enchanting prophecy remained as distinct as if it were engraved on my heart.]

Since humans can’t understand the language of Gods, it seemed that the oracle came down through this form.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m a fake saintess, anyway.”

The real saintess is Camilla, and I’m only a fake saintess who has to leave after acting for the next 5 years. Oracles also come down occasionally, so I thought there’d be no problem if I didn’t receive them for a few years.

‘By the way, I don’t think there was a story about oracles in the original story.’

I tilted my head and lost in thought.

In the original story, there was a scene where Camilla used the ‘holy’ power, but there was never a description of the oracle.

As my thoughts deepened, I shook my head.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter to me. Now I’m going to read a book that’ll help me realistically.”

I was in the temple’s library, where there were as many books as the imperial palace’s library. The saintess was free to do anything and the temple’s schedule itself was tight, so only few people came and it was perfect for me to hide alone.

I wrote down my future plans on an empty paper. The salary statement and real estate books I saw in my previous life were helpful.

Its exact name was ‘Budget for Maintaining Monthly Dignity’, but it was the same as salary, that’s why I decided to call it like that.

Saintess’ monthly salary 1,000 franc x 12 months x 5 years = 60,000 franc

Additional budget for saintess 10,000 franc per year x 5 years = 50,000 franc

Price for a good two-storey store in the capital: large 100,000 franc, medium 70,000 franc, small 50,000 franc.

From what I understood, 1 franc seemed to be about 10,000 won in Korea. A unit lower than the franc is a ‘pin’, and 1 pin is about 100 won.

In other words, if I add up the additional budget, I will receive an annual payment of 220 million won.

Moreover, three meals a day are provided by the temple, and if I work hard to save money by sticking to the temple, my money will exceed 1 billion won, so it is calculated that I will enjoy a fairly leisurely life even after retirement.

‘Good!’

There were also in-kind offerings from the nobles and privately owned properties, so if I sell them, it’ll be a good amount of money.

Before I possessed Ariel, she spent a lot of money as she got her salary, so she only has 300 franc left in the balance, but I’m different.

‘If I save enough money and buy a good building…’

Right at the moment. Suddenly, something blue appeared in front of my eyes.

[The ancient beings that were bored are curious as they look at your paper.]

I looked at that window and flinched.

‘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.