The author seems to downplay their own role by saying Sai himself tells the stories. Is this genuine humility, or does the text suggest the author is merely a passive channel for a divine will?

The text in Chapter 36 strongly suggests that the author views themselves as an instrument for Sai's will rather than just expressing false modesty. The author explicitly questions their own authority, stating, "What authority do I have?" and then clarifies that "the playful Sai himself takes over and makes his own qualities heard by his devotees through someone." This idea is reinforced later when it mentions that Sai makes the "listener and speaker a mere pretext" to fulfill the desires of his devotees. Therefore, according to the descriptions in Chapter 36, the author perceives their role as a chosen vessel through which Sai's stories are communicated to the world.