A Girl Who Impersonated the Saint Lives Freely in Her Second Life

Chapter 22: Captured

Why didn’t Garen just leave me alone if he remembered his previous life? “You made me the Saint, and now you’ve abandoned me because I wasn’t a Saint.” No. I decided to stop thinking like this.

Such negative thoughts were circulating, and I couldn’t sleep at all last night.

“Shrine Maiden.”

I’m startled when I hear a call. I’ve finished sorting through the papers. the Demon King has assigned me to this task. I’d like to keep my personal emotions under control.

”I’m sorry, your majesty—I will move on immediately.”

“Shrine Maiden.”

“Yes.”

“You look pale. Couldn’t sleep last night?”

Oh, no. I thought I had hidden the bags under my eyes, but I couldn’t seem to hide my pallid face.

“…Yes, Your Majesty, I’ve been thinking…”

“What’s the matter?”

If you’re thinking of Crystallia, you should mention Garen, but I’m not sure what the right words to use are.

“Astoria’s spy──.”

Just as I’m about to say something, the door to the office rushes open.

“Brother!”

“What’s the matter, Yulin?”

“We’ve apprehended an Astorian spy!”

Garen?! I look to Yulin, surprised that he has already been found, and see that the man tied to him is not Garen. Why? I shouldn’t even care about Garen anymore.

“Put him in the dungeon.”

“Ha!”

Will the man be interrogated in the dungeons after being dragged away?

“I’m sorry, Shrine Maiden—you look pale—go back to your room today.”

“…Yes.”

I take the Demon King at his word and go back to my room. In the end, I didn’t get to tell him about Garen.

I head off to bed. Sleepiness sets in quickly, probably due to a lack of sleep.

■□■

“Mika.”

When I hear my name, I turn around to see Garen smiling at me.

“What’s wrong? —Did you have a bad dream?”

“…Yeah—I had a bad dream.”

So everything that happened was a dream, from the real Saint appearing and nearly being executed for impersonating her to Garen abandoning me and time rewinding…

Garen, after all, would never abandon me.

“It must be difficult for you.”

“Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

If Garen stayed with me, maybe I wouldn’t have any more bad dreams. When I said that, Garen looked worried.

“I can’t do that.”

Garen’s voice sounded like it was about to break down.

“Why not?”

“It’s because you’re…”

──not the Saint.

“Eh──.”

My vision whirled around, and the next thing I knew, a pretty girl with dark hair stood next to Garen.

“Garen, who is she?”

In an innocent tone, the girl asked Garen.

“She’s──no, it’s nothing you need to worry about.”

Garen grabs the girl and walks away without looking back.

“Garen, please wait.”

Don’t leave me, don’t go──

“Don’t abandon me!”

I screamed, and then I woke up.

“It was all a dream…”

I thought my feelings for Garen were over, but his shadow continues to haunt me.

When I look out the window, it’s raining. Could it be the “Memory rain”?

What would the Demon King, who is far stronger than I am, do in such a situation? I pondered it and hung my head. I’m just relying on the Demon King.

I need to be strong for myself.

I didn’t think seeing Garen for just a minute would disturb me so much.

Let’s come up with something more enjoyable—like tomorrow’s breakfast.

But I couldn’t change my mind, and before I knew it, it was morning.