The Saintess and the Villainess

Chapter 82

When Anne Coris was publicly declared the new Saintess at sixteen years old, the church had placed guards around her new room.

This wasn't an unreasonable precaution, nor was it unexpected. Anne had secretly been in training to become the new Saintess for four years at that point, and it had been repeatedly explained to her that she would face new dangers once the church went public with the appearance of a new Saintess.

Eva had just been raised from the level of acolyte to cleric, making history as the youngest person ever to achieve that rank (being only a few months older than Anne), and she had also been assigned a new room—right next door to Anne's. But there were no guards around Eva's room, and she had been quick to dump her few belongings wherever so that she could focus instead on helping Anne move in.

Having finished her work, Eva glanced around Anne's room with satisfaction. It was far bigger, fancier, and more comfortable than even the nicest rooms in the foundlings' dormitories. Much closer to what Anne deserved. The bed had multiple blankets and pillows stuffed with real down, too. And the window looked out into a courtyard lined with greenery.

There was also an armed guard visible through the window.

Anne pulled the lacy curtains shut.

"Oh, don't close them," said Eva. "Don't you want to let the moonlight in?"

Eva reached for the curtains, but Anne grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"No, please," said Anne.

Eva paused, looking at Anne's nervous expression. "Are the guards making you uncomfortable?"

Anne kind of shrugged a bit.

"Okay, we can leave the curtains closed," said Eva, smiling reassuringly. "Whatever you want."

Anne climbed onto her new bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. Eva climbed up after her, putting an arm around Anne's shoulders. Anne leaned into the embrace, resting her head on Eva's shoulder.

"I didn't think it would be this overwhelming," said Anne, her eyes closed. "It felt really good looking out at all the faces in the crowd at the miracle, seeing how much joy and hope I was bringing to everyone. If I really can help people by being the Saintess then it's worth it, no matter how hard it is. But lately.... I feel like there are strangers watching me all the time without me knowing it, even when I'm alone."

Eva could feel Anne shudder in her arms.

"This room..." said Anne. She pushed away from Eva a bit, so they could look at each other. "Do you remember that place the Bishop took us to, when she took us on that trip to the capital last year? The place with all the animals in cages?"

"The zoological gardens?" guessed Eva.

"That's how this room makes me feel. Like I'm one of those poor animals." Anne rubbed her eyes. She looked exhausted. "I want to go back to the dorms," she said. Her voice was soft and pleading.

"Really? But the dorms were way more crowded," said Eva, trying to understand. "There was never any privacy there at all."

"Yeah, but—" Anne shrugged again. "I knew all the other kids in the dorms, and I knew they didn't really pay attention to me that much. Not like those... silent watchers." Anne spaced out for a moment, staring into the distance like she was listening to something, or maybe feeling something. "I need to get out of here," she said, standing up.

"No, Anne," Eva grabbed Anne's arm, pulling her back down onto the bed. "You need to stay here! You're safe here!"

"I don't feel safe," said Anne, struggling to get out of Eva's grasp. "I won't run away forever, I'll just... go into the Sacred Forest, for a while. Until I feel better. Nothing will hurt me there. I'll find Agis, and—"