The Saintess and the Villainess

Chapter 15

"Why are we even back here?" asked Agis, following Anne down the cathedral corridor. "I thought you said you wanted to go to the Aritsan Quarter right away."

"I've at least got to let Eva know where I'm going or she'll probably freak out," said Anne. "And maybe she'll want to come along. If Corvina wants me to show off my position as Saintess then having more people with me will probably make a bigger impression."

"Eva—" said Anne, bursting into her room, but the only person in there was Betty, who was embroidering some churchy patterns on some button-up shirts (Anne's new wardrobe).

"Betty, where's Eva?" asked Anne.

"I'm not sure," said Betty. "I think she said she was going to meet someone?"

That probably meant it was something rebellion related, although Eva usually did that sort of stuff at night, and she usually told Anne where she was going first. Odd.

"Okay, well, if she comes back, tell her I'm taking Agis and going to—"

"Saintess," said a voice behind her.

Anne turned to find an older woman wearing elaborate church robes, more elaborate even than what the high priests wore. She even had one of those fancy church hats like Catholics back from Anne's old world wore. She couldn't remember what they were called.

What was visible of the woman's face under all the finery was lightly lined with age, but her dark green eyes were clear and sharp.

"Your eminence," said Betty, scrambling to her feet and curtsying, confirming Anne's suspicions.

"Who are you?" said Agis, rudely, before Anne jammed her elbow in his side.

"Shut up," Anne hissed at him. "This is clearly the Bishop."

"Who's th—" Anne jabbed him in the side again and he shut up.

Anne gave a slight bow to the Bishop, hoping she'd choose to ignore the little outburst.

"I apologize for not coming to greet you sooner," said the Bishop. Her voice was quiet, but clear in a way that commanded your attention. You felt you had to listen closely to it. "I wanted you to give you a few days to settle in. Do you have everything you require?"

"Yes, your Eminence," said Anne.

"Good, good," said the Bishop, clapping her hands together. "I heard you've been preaching some remarkable new doctrine, as well. Something about vanity...?"

"I apologize if I was out of line, your Eminence," said Anne.

"No, no." The Bishop waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing wrong with shaking things up a little sometimes, get people to reexamine themselves from a new angle. That's the sort of thing that's good for one's soul. And after all, you are the Goddess's most direct representative on this earth."

"Right..." said Anne.

There was an uncomfortable pause, during which Anne could feel the Bishop's sharp eyes piercing into her. Anne couldn't help but hope that the Bishop didn't secretly have some sort of amazing spiritual power that allowed her to literally see a person's soul or something.

"Well then!" said the Bishop, finally. "I suppose I should be going. Busy, busy. Speaking of, I'll send my aid over later this evening with your schedule for the upcoming week, Saintess."

"Schedule?" asked Anne.

"Why, of course," said the Bishop, with a friendly smile. "You didn't think The Grand Cathedral of Coris was some sort of free hotel, did you? As I said, we wanted to give you a few days to settle in, but you will have to do some work eventually... for the sake of spiritually uplifting the common people, you see."