Unfortunately, I'm an Evil Villainess

Chapter 72 - True Saint (IV)

- - -

"I heard you met someone while you were out, Nathaniel."

Lady Valentina's voice brought the young priest back to reality. On the carriage ride home from the usual shameless exploitation of the wealthy's desire to associate with his employer, he had yet again been thinking of how disgusting the temple truly was. The saint's mentor was an important senior priest, and there was no way the high priests didn't know of the two's activities. As far he knew, they very likely actively partook in it, or at least turned a blind eye.

Saddened by the filth of God's supposedly holy followers, it took Nathaniel a moment to realize who Lady Valentina was speaking of.

"Do you mean Lady Catherine?"

"Yes. I heard you two were previously acquainted?"

Where she had learned that, he had no idea, and he had long given up wondering how she knew things. Whenever she was asked, she said it was God. Yet if God were real, surely he wouldn't stoop to even touch her.

Nathaniel acknowledged the statement with a nod, but recognized the falsely innocent smile on Lady Valentina's face and the tilt of her head to be a command for explanation. He sighed.

"We were at the same orphanage for many years. She was adopted shortly before I left, right after your knights made their very first round of inquiries, I think. We hadn't seen each other since, so it was a pleasant surprise."

"What a wonderful reunion. Were you close?"

Under Lady Valentina's curiously glinting gaze, Nathaniel considered the question. He remembered that period of time in his life particularly clearly because of how his world had completely changed so quickly. For a while, after he first came, he did hang onto the memory of sweet Rin like a shield against the rather unscrupulous Lady Valentina, whom he had always been doubtful of.

Yet he had found new friends in the servants and people around him, and busied himself with his holy studies. With the long years of separation, she had faded into the back of his mind, as childhood friends so unfortunately but frequently did. In fact, he had not thought of her at all recently. At present, he only regarded her with mild sentiment.

"Nine years ago, yes, but I can barely recognize her now. We've both changed a lot."

Especially Rin's colouring, Nathaniel thought. He still didn't know why it had changed so much, almost like a disguise of some kind, but despite his interest, he knew better than to mention it to Lady Valentina, who looked like a hungry tiger. She seemed to be even more interested in her than he was!

It suddenly occurred to him that he had vaguely heard some odd things about Lady Catherine's reputation, and the servants at the Avington mansion had mentioned the special involvement of their own lady. Why was Lady Valentina so keen? Or was he being absurd?

So long ago, hadn't the Avington knights first visited their orphanage in search of some girl? Nathaniel couldn't recall with certainty, and he knew he may very well be imagining things, but hadn't they been after a blonde girl with green eyes? While all the other children had been excited, Rin had been frightened and wouldn't tell him why, and a few days later a man came and took her away. God, were they all connected? Could he go as far as wondering if she was the reason he'd been forbidden to go out? It seemed too ridiculous.

"Do you know her, Your Ladyship?"

A casual approach, to get as much out of Lady Valentina as possible. She would only tell him what she wanted him to know and nothing more, but he still had to try. The lady smiled, though he always thought it seemed more like a smirk. That smile always meant something bad, for somebody.