The Lying Saintess

'What should I do? What am I supposed to do?'

On the day the High Priest used magic to examine her abilities, Jeong So-hee had pretended to feel dizzy and avoided giving a direct answer.

She had staggered and collapsed to the floor, and the High Priest had left the room without pressing further—just as she had hoped.

But afterward, the scheduled meeting with the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠king was suddenly canceled. She was told that something had come up for the king and the appointment had been postponed.

When she pressed the maids for details, they said someone from a foreign country had arrived, and the king was busy dealing with them. At the time, she had foolishly felt relieved, thinking her luck had held.

Yet from that day on, neither the prince nor the High Priest came to see her.

Something was wrong.

The High Priest had pretended not to know, but perhaps he actually understood Hangul. Maybe her abilities had been exposed and she had been abandoned. Fear crept over Jeong So-hee.

'I have to do something, anything.'

She was still being treated the same as before, but she had no idea when that might change. It had always been the same with the men she dated.

At first, they all said the same things: they would break up with their current girlfriend for her, divorce their wives immediately to be with her. But in the end, Jeong So-hee was always second. She was always the hidden lover.

The men's behavior changed quickly too. After only a short time, they began to ignore her and treat her carelessly. Even when they seemed to love her sincerely at first, their true priorities were always their wives and official girlfriends.

That was why she had chosen a man who seemed like he could make her first. Someone who looked like he would never cheat. A diligent, capable man who was liked by his superiors. That was the kind of person she had picked.

His appearance wasn't particularly refined, and he had a somewhat clumsy side, but that was something a woman could fix. Being treated as precious had felt good. He always thought of her. Unlike her previous lovers, who had treated her like a second choice and looked down on her in their hearts.

Being with him brought a warm sense of joy and happiness. Still, there was just one small thing missing. She wished he would be a little more assertive, but that was exactly what he lacked.

Being handled as gently as if he were touching downy feathers made her incredibly happy, yet something still felt insufficient. His polite caresses and lovemaking brought a soft pleasure, but the stimulation was lacking.

Even so, it would have been a waste to throw him away. Jinwoo's clean and sincere appearance had a quiet appeal to other women. If they had known he already owned a house at his age, someone else would have snatched him up before she could.

Because she worked in sales, she had known his address in advance. Before they started dating, she had looked up his resident registration and discovered he owned a house. To ordinary women, he was a catch.

She later learned that he had inherited the house after his parents passed away. His older brother had apparently received the rest of the assets, including real estate. Normally, she would have moved on the moment she felt bored, but the conditions were too good to give up.

She hadn't wanted to let him go. In the midst of that, running into her ex, Manager Kim, again had probably been inevitable. They worked in the same building, on the same floor, in related departments. After a few exchanged glances, they had somehow ended up in that kind of relationship.

He was a shameless liar and a stubborn man who tried to force his opinions on others, but at least he was quick and skilled with his hands. Perhaps the fact that she, who had always been treated as second, could now reverse the roles had fueled their affair.

She had been an idiot.

'Why did I do that back then?'

If she could go back to the beginning, she would never make that choice again. Jeong So-hee let out a small sigh. She knew now that it had been a foolish thing to do. She had created that situation because she herself was a fool. If she had thought things through even once, that horrible ending never would have happened. She never would have been caught in the act, half-naked, in front of everyone.

Remembering Jinwoo's cold gaze suddenly made her chest ache. So he could make that kind of face too. If she had seen that expression even once before, maybe she wouldn't have considered cheating at all.

Jeong So-hee shook her head vigorously, pushing the useless thoughts away. This wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. If they decided to send her back to Earth because something was wrong here, it would be disastrous. The mere thought of returning to Earth filled her with dread.

'I have to stay here, no matter what it takes.'

But how?

She was chewing on her lips in worry when a maid entered.

"Saintess, you must go to an audience with His Majesty shortly."

Behind the maid stood three women Jeong So-hee had never seen before. Two of them were carrying what looked like jewelry boxes.

"The decision was made in a hurry, so we have no time. I'm sorry, but we must prepare you quickly. Please forgive us if things feel a little chaotic."

After saying this, the maid guided Jeong So-hee to a chair in the center of the room. While one woman did her makeup, another styled her hair, and the third prepared undergarments and shoes.

"Why is everyone in such a rush? Did something happen?"

When Jeong So-hee asked, the maid lowered her head slightly.

"I'm sorry, but we are only following orders from above. We don't know the details."

"But you must have heard some rumors. Is there something you can't tell me?"

Her anxiety made her tone sharp. She couldn't understand why they were suddenly demanding an audience now, after saying nothing for so long. It was already growing dark outside. Wasn't it too late to meet the king?

As Jeong So-hee's expression darkened with unease, the maid doing her makeup met her eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about, Saintess. I serve under Her Majesty the Queen. Thanks to that, I know a little of the situation. There will be a Saintess ceremony in a few days. I believe that is why you are being summoned."

"A Saintess ceremony?"

"Yes. Everyone is busy preparing for the Saintess ceremony. It was decided quite suddenly. His Majesty and the High Priest have also been occupied meeting with others and making preparations. Presenting the Saintess to the entire nation requires a great deal of work. It seems you weren't informed, Saintess."

The maid smiled brightly.

A Saintess ceremony. They weren't trying to cast her out after all. No matter what her abilities were, it seemed she would at least be recognized as the Saintess. Relieved, a complaint slipped out before she could stop it.

"The maids assigned to me never tell me anything. Of course I wouldn't know if no one explains it to me."

"My apologies, Saintess."

The Queen's maid apologized in their place and resumed applying makeup. While working, she continued speaking, as if trying to put Jeong So-hee at ease. She talked about how well the king and queen got along, mentioned that there were several princes besides Alf, and then—

"Wait, Prince Alf had a fiancée?"

Startled, Jeong So-hee watched as the Queen's maid narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"Yes. In this kingdom, royalty usually becomes engaged before reaching adulthood. Also, Saintess, you must not address the prince by name without permission."

"Then what should I call him?"

"You may simply say 'Your Highness,' or if you must use his name, refer to him as Prince Alf."

Jeong So-hee started to protest that she was the Saintess, but the words caught in her throat. She wasn't even officially the Saintess yet, and this was a kingdom. The king and princes stood at the very top. It was only natural that they ranked above the Saintess, even if she had come from another world.

Come to think of it, the High Priest had also come to examine her abilities under the king's orders. Unlike on Earth, the temple here might be an institution beneath the king's authority.

Her thoughts returned to the upcoming audience with the king. The maid claimed it was because of the Saintess ceremony, but the conversation would inevitably turn to her abilities. What should she say? Jeong So-hee's heart began to race uneasily once more; she still hadn't found an answer.

After her makeup and hair were finished, she was dressed in layer after layer of clothing. There were far more garments than usual, and they were much heavier. Once the Queen's maid had checked her outfit and hair, she took jewelry from the boxes and adorned her with it. Necklaces, earrings, and even ornaments for her hair and clothes. Jeong So-hee wondered if all of it was hers to keep. Her heart fluttered, but she was told the pieces would be taken back after the audience. She felt a twinge of disappointment.

When preparations were complete, she was led straight to the king. Along the long corridor deep within the palace, beautiful candelabras lined the walls. They all appeared to be made of gold or silver. She felt dizzy trying to imagine how much they would be worth if sold. Outside, night had already fallen, and each candelabra was lit. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling as well, their thousands of candles glowing brightly. Even the cost of the candles alone must have been considerable.

'This kingdom—the royal family, at least—must be incredibly wealthy.'

They probably lived in a luxury unimaginable on Earth. A pang of envy struck her chest. She wanted to live like that too, Jeong So-hee murmured, her heart burning with desire.

The room where she met the king was smaller than expected. She had imagined a grand hall for an audience chamber, but it was only about thirty pyeong in size. Even so, it was nothing like an ordinary office. The table and chairs in the center were elaborately carved, a cabinet decorated with gold and jewels stood against one wall, and painted plates adorned the other. The ceiling was inlaid with rubies and gold. Selling just this one room could probably buy several countries.

So this was what royalty in this world was like. Truly extraordinary.

Only the man who appeared to be the king and the High Priest were present in the audience chamber. The attendant guided her to the center of the room and then withdrew.

The king seemed quite old. His beard covered his mouth and chin, making his face difficult to see clearly.

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."

Imitating the maid, she bowed awkwardly. The High Priest gave her a troubled look.

"Saintess, in this kingdom, it is a breach of etiquette for someone of lower status to speak first to their superior."

"Oh, no one ever told me that—"

She started to say it wasn't her fault, then remembered a maid had mentioned it once. But no one had clearly explained what to do when meeting the king. If it was that important, shouldn't they have made sure she understood?

The king waved his hand.

"It is fine. We should have explained more thoroughly to a Saintess unfamiliar with our ways. The fault lies with the maids assigned to her."

When the High Priest inclined his head slightly, the king smiled.

"I dismissed everyone on purpose to meet the Saintess. Any discourtesy here can be overlooked."

The king spoke and then looked at her.

"Welcome to our kingdom, Saintess. I am the king of this land."

When she had only met the prince and the High Priest, she hadn't fully grasped it, but now she could feel how high the kingdom's royalty truly stood. Jeong So-hee shrank back and lowered her head.

"Th-thank you. My name is Jeong So-hee."

"Hoho. Now that I see you, you are different from what I was told. When you first arrived in this kingdom, everyone was in an uproar. I heard your appearance was quite remarkable."

"...."

He seemed to be referring to the time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she had been half-undressed. Even though his tone wasn't accusatory, she somehow felt as though he was blaming her conduct.

Listening to the king, she got the impression that being the Saintess wasn't such a grand thing after all. Not knowing what to say, she remained silent. The king smiled, added a few more words, and then turned to the High Priest.

"Well then, High Priest. What are the Saintess's abilities?"

"That is… strangely, they were expressed in characters not of this world."

"Hmm. Does that mean they are characters from another world?"

Although he was speaking to the High Priest, the king's gaze was fixed on her. His face seemed to be smiling, but his eyes felt frightening.

"Saintess, your abilities will be announced to the entire nation during the Saintess ceremony. Once they are announced, they cannot be changed. Therefore, we must determine exactly what your abilities are right here."

"...Yes."

"High Priest, use your magic once more and show me the Saintess's abilities."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The High Priest bowed to the king before approaching her. Just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like before, he took her hand and murmured something. Moments later, characters of light appeared in the air. She had hoped they might have changed, but her abilities remained exactly the same.

The king asked in a dignified voice, "Saintess, what are your abilities?"

Spirits… spirits… It had to be something related to spirits. What would be good? What should she say? Flustered, the king spoke in a stern tone.

"Answer me, Saintess."

"...It says 'Spirit Charm.'"

When she changed only the first part on impulse, the king's eyes narrowed.

"The number of characters is different. What exactly does it say?"

"...."

She hadn't considered the character count. Panicked, Jeong So-hee opened her mouth again.

"It… it says 'NTR Spirit Charm, Plunderer.'"

There hadn't been time to think of other words that matched the count. She had no choice but to say it as it was.

"NTR? What does that mean?"

The king's eyes narrowed further.

"That is… well… it means to take away…"

"So it means you charm and steal spirits, hence Plunderer… Is that correct?"

She swallowed and nodded. The king stared at her in silence before suddenly laughing.

"Well, that will do. If we package it well, the people will be reassured. High Priest, I will entrust the Saintess's support to you. Do your utmost to ease the public's anxiety."

"Yes, Your Majesty. The temple will devote itself fully to awakening the Saintess's abilities."

Great, it worked. Jeong So-hee let out a sigh of relief. The king spoke as if he had just remembered something.

"Do not forget, Saintess. Once a word leaves your mouth, it cannot be taken back."

Before she could ask what he meant, the king left the audience chamber.

*

On the first day, everyone prepared the meal together. They built a bonfire, filled a large pot with grass pulled from nearby, flour, and jerky, and let it simmer. Water was fetched from a stream a short distance away.

Everyone was exhausted and weary. While they ate a quick meal and rested, the sky turned to sunset in an instant. In the desert, night fell as soon as the sky reddened, but the forest was even faster. One moment it was light, and the next, everything was pitch black.

We hurriedly built more bonfires. Following the leader's instructions, we lit five or six fires in all directions, then decided to take turns keeping watch, a few people at a time each night.

Ji-geu's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠father and I took the first watch. Ji-geu slept in the center with the others while we walked between the bonfires to stay awake.

Suddenly, I looked up at the sky. Enormous stars seemed close enough to fall. Their brightness and size were something I could never have seen on Earth.

"It feels nice somehow."

As I murmured this, Ji-geu's father, who had been pacing behind the bonfire, looked over at me with a strange expression.

"What's wrong?"

When I asked, he spoke with an odd look on his face.

"I thought I saw something for a moment."

Hearing that he had seen something in this pitch-black night made me uneasy.

"What did you see?"

I glanced behind me and asked. Ji-geu's father shook his head.

"No, it just looked like something was sparkling near you. A very small light, smaller than a fingernail…"

Ah, that must have been Popcorn. Popcorn had been flying around me for a while now, shaking what was either its body or its rear, apparently finding it very amusing.

"It must have been a spark from the fire."

When I smiled in relief, Ji-geu's father smiled back.

"You're a strange person."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you're standing in this barren, empty place and casually muttering that it's nice. Most people wouldn't say something like that in this situation."

"...."

Well, it really had been a long time since I breathed such clean air. The desert air had always felt heavy and stuffy with every breath, but this place was different. Every inhale felt like it was cleansing my lungs.

Ji-geu's father was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

When I asked, thinking I had done something, his gaze turned toward the boy.

"That child… it's been a long time since I've seen him smile like that, truly. He always pretended to smile, but it was fake. But after meeting you, he really… smiles from the heart often."

"...."

"Thanks to you, my own heart feels at ease too."

After saying this, Ji-geu's father shrugged his shoulders. Neither of us spoke again until morning came. I gazed at the velvet night sky and thought of my older brother back on Earth. What was he doing right now? Was he worried because I had disappeared? Would he be all right, left alone in a place with neither our parents nor me? Someday, I hoped I could send word to my brother on Earth that I was safe and well.