Your Highness, The Lady You’ve Abandoned IS the Saintess!

After the concerto ended with a lively rhythm, children started appearing on the stage one after another and began singing.

They likely practiced very hard for today’s performance. They look quite adorable, singing with flushed faces.

They are children from the orphanage under the church’s management.

Back then, I used to feel pity for them when I heard that they were orphans.

But when I visited the orphanage out of sympathy, the nun told me their circumstances are not necessarily as bad as one might imagine.

While some of the children were abandoned by birth, others were entrusted to the orphanage due to severe poverty or put under its protection from their abusive parents, and have since found happiness in their care.

The people managing the orphanage earnestly try to earn the children’s hearts and diligently prepares them to become splendid adults.

The nun further added that this is why the children can smile so much, and I was convinced.

As I shift from only feeling pity for them to coming up with ways to make them smile, I frequently made my way to the orphanage together with Maynard. After having seen their facial expressions up close, I can tell something for certain.

All these singing children are currently living a happy life.

After they were done singing, the lovely children bowed adorably and left the stage.

That was when it started.

—a fire.

Somebody screamed from somewhere and instantly turned the surrounding into a clamor.

‘Was there a fire? Where!?’

I caught a church affiliate and asked him, and he explained that the orphanage with the church’s backing has caught into flames.

‘Firman!’

Firman immediately ran off upon hearing that and I was intending to follow him but was halted by a sudden grab by the arm which made me look back.

‘Rev. Robert!’

‘You can’t go with him, it’s dangerous. The fires won’t probably reach here but you must take refuge in the church along with the children.’

‘But…’

When I worriedly looked over the direction Firman ran off to, Rev. Robert put his hand over my head.

‘He is a knight. Don’t worry, others will be there and I will also go there right after.’

Firman likely ran off because he was worried about the orphanage too, but with that much assurance from the reverend, I can disobey him no longer.

When I nodded, Rev. Robert smiled at me, and after leading me along with the children to take shelter in the church, he immediately went away to the orphanage.

How many hours have passed since then?

As the children and the nuns are all praying for everyone’s safety together, a lone man approached me.

The standings of the clergymen working for the church can be distinguished by the color of their clothes and because this man is wearing an ashen robe, he was likely among the bottom of hierarchy—meaning, those who are principally responsible for routine tasks.

‘Lady Aileen, the high priest calls for you.’

Rev. Robert was the overseer of this church and is referred as the ‘high priest’ by others. I nodded to the clergy and followed him to the reverend.

I thought we were heading to the orphanage, but the man headed to the opposite direction and led me to the back of the church.

I’m fairly certain that there’s nothing there other than the backyard though.

Since we are not heading to the orphanage, does that mean the fire is still going on?

I still don’t see why we specifically need to go to the backyard, though.

Not to mention, there’s likely hardly anyone in the backyard after all the commotion too. It makes even less and less sense, the more I think about it.

‘Please wait here.’

‘A-Alright.’

After the man bowed and left me all alone in the Church’s backyard, I cocked my head numerous times in sheer puzzlement.

I wonder what business does Rev. Robert have to meet me here?

Are we meeting here for some confidentiality?

That can’t be right. Rev. Robert is a fastidious man. If he wanted to tell something confidential, he wouldn’t do it in a place where who knows who might eavesdrop, but rather in his personal room, and even then, only after clearing the people off the building completely. He is not the kind to choose the backyard to talk about things he would not like others to hear.

Having contemplated that far, it suddenly hit me.

This could be dangerous.

I hastily turned my head away intending to leave but—

‘Mhmhph!’

Suddenly, something blocked my mouth and I was assaulted by a severe pungent odor which rapidly stole all my consciousness away.

My, and I was warned how dangerous it is for a saintess to be alone…

Helpless, I let go of my consciousness while lamenting my carelessness.