My older sister is a villainous rich girl

With his dark pupils fixed on the man before him, Wayne gave a cryptic smile.

"Where do you think you really went wrong to end up like this?" he asked.

Karl hesitated, then answered uncertainly, "Because...because I'm too greedy?"

He made a gesture by tapping his chest several times with a devout expression.

May the Lord forgive my sins.

Seeing this, Wayne made the same gesture and said in a serious manner, "May the Lord protect you."

Regardless of their actual relationship with the Papacy, and even more so whether they possessed devout faith, the royal family of Saint Norns was ultimately a staunch follower of the Papacy, and almost none of the kingdom's citizens were not believers, not to mention the great nobles living in the capital.

The nobles, including the Duke of Winchester, would go to church to pray on holidays and often participate in church fundraising activities. Wayne was not surprised that Karl would use this to get closer to him.

“Greed is not terrible, Mr. Carl, you don’t need to blame yourself for it. On the contrary, greed is the ladder of progress, while ignorance is the greatest sin,” Wayne comforted him.

Karl was slightly taken aback, then exclaimed with great admiration, "You are indeed a learned man of great insight."

In the course of their conversation, Carl subtly revealed his stance, severing ties with past grievances, acknowledging his current financial difficulties, and offering a respectful yet not obsequious compliment to Wayne.

As the sun began to set and the party ended, the room was filled with a warm and congenial atmosphere, with both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Wayne knew perfectly well that the other person must have guessed his identity. Otherwise, even if his personal charm were off the charts, it would be difficult to make someone feel like they'd known him forever and almost bow down to him on their first meeting. He wasn't the protagonist of a fantasy novel. But he also didn't want to spell it out; it was best if they could reach a mutual understanding.

“I’ve heard that Mr. Carl is struggling with his finances. I happen to have a business deal that might be quite profitable. If Mr. Carl has some free time, why don’t you come with me in a few days to visit another friend at the nearby fortress? He has plenty of connections,” Wayne said casually.

After all, he was a vassal of the Winchester family, and on their own territory, the name of Duke Elliott carried more weight than the king's.

Chapter 646 An Ordinary Boy Who Wasn't Brave

Enticed by the obvious promises of wealth and power, Karl joined his ranks without hesitation, serving him tirelessly and running errands for him.

During their brief stay, Wayne and Chris jointly designed a draft of a simple little manor, and with the help of Sanchez and Carl, they hired a group of local workers to oversee the construction. After leveling the land and replanning, the construction work is proceeding smoothly.

Although Wayne didn't say much, Chris still accompanied him to visit the graves of his biological parents.

She approached every detail with utmost seriousness and meticulousness. Perhaps in Chris's heart, her presence gave this little-known place a special meaning.

Sunlight poured out along the edge of the clouds, displaying its brilliant colors.

At midday, the two sat and lay rather unladylike on the lawn and hillside. The slightly glaring sunlight shone through Chris's hair, casting dappled shadows on Wayne's face.

Wayne gently raised his hand, brushing it across the slightly curled ends of her hair to shield her from the excessively intense glare coming from the sky.

Let's leave tomorrow.

Chris was a little surprised when she heard this, "So fast?"

"We've already been delayed for too long. If we don't set off soon, we might not be able to make it to the school's affairs."

Chris was unaware that the Vatican would be sending representatives for an exchange program. Wayne hadn't yet figured out how to tell her about his desire to study at the Vatican, or about the Geli school...

Thinking of the mess in the capital, Wayne sighed deeply.

The hillside was quiet for a while, with only the faint fragrance of flowers and grass carried by the breeze.

“Wayne, do you hate it here?” she suddenly asked.

"Do not."

It should be said that there was neither disgust nor nostalgia.

"Why do you ask that?" Wayne looked at her profile.

For him, this place was ultimately just a foreign land. If there was any place in this world that was his home, it was only by Chris's side...

“I used to think that if a place holds some unhappy memories, it might be better to never come back.” Chris’s tone was unusually low as she said this.

She bent her legs, hugging her knees, and rested her head on her arms. Her gaze was slightly unfocused, and her thoughts seemed to have drifted to a very distant place.

Wayne was taken aback.

“But then again, there’s no sign of Wayne being afraid of the past.” She chuckled softly and patted Wayne’s head.

“You’re very brave in my eyes, young man,” she said.

Are you brave?

This is a comment I never imagined I would receive.

He still remembered the praise he often heard in his past life.

Although he is ultimately just an ordinary person, thanks to his reasonably good academic performance and job, he is often referred to as "someone else's child" by his elders.

People praise him for being serious, hardworking, and sensible, and some girls might even say nice things to him when they need his help, praising his gentleness and handsomeness. However, it seems no one ever praises him for being brave.

That makes sense; a person who strives to stay within the rules and avoid making any mistakes is precisely the one furthest removed from courage.

……

Leisure time flies by.

After taking care of all the affairs, Wayne and Chris rejoined the main force as planned, continued their inspection of the remaining territory, and then returned to the capital smoothly under the escort of their knights and squires.

Surprisingly, Lady Ashville was already waiting at the gate of the Duke's mansion with her servants to greet him.

Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, Chris, upon seeing her, eagerly pushed open the door and jumped out, giving Ashville an extremely warm hug. "Mom!"

"You child!"

Normally, such rude behavior, unbecoming of a young lady, would have earned her a scolding. But Ashville, longing for her daughter, didn't bother correcting her manners. She simply smiled, patted her face, and then looked at Wayne, who had alighted from the carriage, saying, "Wayne, you've had a long journey too. Did you eat and sleep well on your long trip? Did you encounter any difficulties?"

Wayne nodded with a smile.

"With the several cartloads of supplies that you, Mother, have prepared for us, there is not much difference between going on a long trip and going on a picnic."

After saying that, he looked at the executive butler accompanying him. "We are also very grateful for the meticulous care of Butler Joels along the way."

Although the long journey was tiring, with a fully equipped entourage and extremely warm hospitality from his vassals, Wayne didn't feel particularly exhausted.

However, as he proceeded along the planned route, despite the attendants' intention to keep him separate from the people under the guise of protection, Wayne witnessed many sights he had never seen in the capital.

Prosperous towns are ultimately few and far between; most people rely on the land and water for sustenance, toiling day and night to earn a meager living just to fill their stomachs. Compared to them, his status as the eldest son of a duke undoubtedly made his life seem like a dream, floating on clouds.

It's hard to imagine that if I hadn't been brought to the capital, I might be one of those struggling to make ends meet today.

"It's good that you're safe."

Ashville made tactful arrangements for the accompanying team, saying, "You must all be very tired. After gathering the supplies today, go home and get a good rest for the day. Elliott will meet with you early tomorrow morning."

After instructing them to hand over all the goods to their servants, she led Wayne and Chris back home, with the executive butler Joels close behind.

Joels was originally a member of the Duke's household. Wayne knew perfectly well that, compared to the tall and imposing knights outside, or the office staff responsible for checking tax inspection files, the seemingly unremarkable Joels was probably the Duke's true confidant, the one entrusted with important responsibilities.

“Wayne, Elliott is waiting for you in the study. You and Joels go up first, I won’t disturb your conversation.” Ashville stopped at the top of the stairs. “Chris, come with me. Mom has prepared your favorite dessert. Take it up with you later.”

Wayne nodded slightly in greeting and watched them leave.

It seems that Elliott has something he wants to tell me first.

Wayne keenly sensed Ashville's intention to distract Chris, glanced at Joels, and strode toward the Duke's study.

As I entered, I saw Elliott sitting at his desk. The documents in front of him were neatly arranged, with only a thin stack remaining of the unprocessed ones.

"Huh? You're back."

Elliott seemed to be in a good mood. When he saw Wayne at the door, he smiled, then put down his pen and rubbed his eyes.

"It took about the same amount of time as I estimated. Chris didn't cause any trouble, did she?"

It's no wonder they're father and daughter; he's always the first to worry about Chris getting into trouble.

"No, not at all. Are Father and Mother doing well at home?" Wayne asked with concern.

“What could be wrong with us?” Elliott winked mischievously and joked, “To be honest, with you and Chris away, my wife and I have gotten much closer.”

Ah this...

Wayne didn't know how to react for a moment, so he could only laugh awkwardly.

Chapter 647 The First Sound of the Tide

He gestured for Wayne and the executive butler to sit on the guest sofa to the side, and Elliott also got up from his desk with a few documents and sat down next to Wayne.

"Take a look." He handed over the documents in his hand.

It turned out to be a travel report written by several of the vassals who received him. Where Wayne and his party went and the changes in personnel were all recorded in detail.

After quickly glancing through it, Wayne looked up, slightly puzzled.

"It's exactly the same as our route."

However, since nothing more specific was mentioned, and these records did not reveal any problems with the people they had come into contact with.

At that moment, he wondered if Elliott had specifically arranged for someone to monitor his movements, in order to teach (or reprimand) him to be careful with his words and actions when he was out and about.

“The higher you stand, the more people will look up to you, and even the most ordinary actions will be analyzed under a magnifying glass.” Elliott sighed. “Therefore, there will always be people who try to guess your thoughts, probe your intentions, and attempt to curry favor with you by doing things that are not so honorable for you.”

"These people are trying to probe me by using your itinerary in private; they are obviously opportunists."

Wayne understood, glanced at the list, and casually tossed it aside.

He didn't know how to react at this moment. Looking closely would make him seem vindictive, while ignoring it would make him seem carefree. So he could only put on a thoughtful and profound expression.

Elliott, however, showed no sign of being wary of him, a move that was tantamount to betraying his loyal followers, which left Wayne feeling somewhat uneasy.

Must satisfying oneself be the top priority after transmigrating? He used to think that way, and he acted that way, but now…

Putting aside his complicated thoughts, Wayne continued to listen to Elliot recount some recent events in the capital, including the news that the Papacy would be sending someone to exchange views.

“Generally speaking, the people of the Vatican are not difficult to get along with, provided you don’t violate their ‘bans,’ especially those taboos.” Elliott paused for a moment, then said, “The Vatican has been investigating information related to dark magic.”

Wayne felt a chill run down his spine; was the real show finally about to begin?

This is probably Elliott's real purpose in deliberately getting Chris away.

“Although the investigation by the kingdom and the Holy See has come to nothing since the last time the Dark Mage wreaked havoc in the capital, the Holy See’s inquiries will not give up the search for his whereabouts so easily,” Elliott said in a deep voice. “This time, it’s probably to investigate some related information as well. Someone may even contact you specifically. Don’t be too nervous. If there are any problems, try to notify me first.”

This means you're going to cover for yourself.

What a worrying father!

Wayne nodded. "I understand."

Thinking about this, he suddenly felt that now was a good time to inform the other party of his plans.

“Father, if I have the opportunity, I would like to visit the Holy See,” he said earnestly.

Elliott's previously calm expression froze.

"reason?"

"Because I want to see His Holiness the Pope."

This was the excuse Wayne came up with after careful consideration.

As the representative of God on earth, the Pope holds an extremely special position in the eyes of the world. He is believed to have transcended the shackles of mortals, approaching the true God and omniscience. Therefore, he is hailed as the wisest, noblest, and most benevolent being in the world, possessing supreme prestige and influence. Even kings must give the utmost respect to edicts issued by the Pope himself.

More importantly, the Pope seems to actually have a way of communicating with some kind of "god" in this world.

Wayne initially thought this was just a lie fabricated by the Vatican to solidify its own faith, but Homa mentioned that even the current Pope dared not inquire about divine decrees, which was quite problematic.

Because if the so-called "oracle" is not something the pope orchestrated himself—like how in ancient times, when people used tortoise shells for divination, they would pre-carve patterns on them and then burn them to create the desired designs, calling it divine revelation—it would mean that the so-called "gods" are very likely real.

It is at least a concrete entity capable of some kind of interaction.

Compared to the pope, who has a strict term limit and must be re-elected internally upon taking office, the gods of this world are more interesting to Wayne.

However, Wayne did not entirely hope to have an in-depth conversation with that deity; his core purpose in going to the Vatican was actually only twofold.

Firstly, he wanted to use the Vatican's banner to cover up his connection to dark magic; secondly, he wanted to find out more secrets about light and dark magic.

The information obtained from the academy and the royal family was too peripheral, mostly consisting of hearsay and fragmented information.

Elliott frowned, revealing an unusually serious expression.

This is different from his usual kind and gentle attitude towards his children at home; perhaps this is his serious demeanor when facing difficult official duties.

There was a moment of silence in the study.

Are you interested in theology?

"No. But I have a very important question, and I want to know what the answer would be from a theological perspective."