The Villain Saint is my secondary account

What exactly are they investigating? Can't they investigate this bishop first?

Ella couldn't understand. Was she perhaps being too superficial in her understanding?

However, she was asked to come and investigate the disappearance of the delegation, not to investigate the cause of the depletion of holy water, so she couldn't directly ask the archbishop, "Is it possible that you have a problem?"

“But unfortunately, former Bishop Beverly has fallen ill and is no longer able to serve as bishop,” Aurora added.

No, this is suspicious no matter how you look at it, isn't it? Ella's lips twitched, her surprised gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them. Could these two be usurpers?

Could Vanessa be Aurora's puppet, and the gods have already seen all this? Therefore, her silence is actually a punishment for the usurper... Ella remained silent, but in her mind, she had already imagined a wonderful drama of palace intrigue in the Ocean Sanctuary.

Ella didn't know if a similar situation had occurred in the Ocean Sanctuary in her previous life, since Ye Xiao's level was too low back then, and he couldn't possibly have access to the secrets within the sanctuary.

After much thought, it seems that the only thing she can do now is to focus on investigating the missing persons case and, incidentally, help the guild clear out several important ruins nearby.

This "side trip" was also one of the important reasons why Ella brought her whole family to Stormport. After all, the Septian Society started here in her previous life, and they could easily obtain some of the big rewards here.

"grateful."

Ella and Vanessa bowed slightly to each other, marking the end of their conversation.

After all, if the former bishop of the Ocean Sanctuary was indeed harmed by the other party, she probably wouldn't be able to get any information out of him.

……

The Ocean Sanctuary naturally provided accommodation for Ella and her group. As a prosperous port city, the sanctuary located here was certainly not poor.

The bedrooms located in the tower are luxuriously decorated and even have extended balconies. Opening the windows, you can see the bustling South City commercial district at the foot of the mountain and the boundless sea in the distance.

However, Ella was not in a hurry to settle in. After arranging for the accompanying Templars and attendants to be settled, she planned to leave the Ocean Sanctuary and head to the North District alone.

This was naturally opposed by the Templar Knights. Although they knew that the saintess's strength far exceeded theirs, how could the knights who had come with her let her run around without fulfilling their duty of protection?

Out of compromise, Ella had no choice but to randomly select two knights in plain clothes to follow her.

However, when the two Templars in front of her took off their helmets, Ella realized that the people under the tin cans were surprisingly handsome—one was a tall, blond, blue-eyed man who could be a model, and the other was a pretty girl with a high blonde ponytail.

These Templar Knights were so professional that they didn't even take off their helmets when eating on the road. They would just take turns resting and then open the upper half of their face shields to subtly slip their rations inside, which meant that Ella had hardly ever seen what they looked like.

"What are your names...?" Ella asked, somewhat apologetically.

She had actually asked once before setting off, but the Templars usually looked like clones of armored men and rarely spoke, so even knowing their names made it difficult to distinguish them.

After a few days, it's inevitable that you'll forget them. Even if you remember a few names, you won't be able to accurately match them with the people.

"Your Holiness, I am Ophelia Saviya, and this is Geraint Duhar." The ponytail-wearing knight girl knelt on one knee and said softly. Ella vaguely remembered this name; if she was not mistaken, she should be the captain of the guard knight squad.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Another male knight also knelt on one knee to show his respect.

Ella nodded, took the two knights' hands and stood up, "Then I'll trouble you two to accompany me to the North District."

"It is my honor, Your Majesty."

……

Just as Ella was choosing her knights, Archbishop Vanessa of the Ocean Sanctuary, who had finished speaking with Ella, returned to her lounge with her ceremonial temple priestess, Aurora.

The dignified and elegant blue-haired girl entered the lounge. After watching Aurora enter the room and close the door, she immediately slumped into a wooden chair like a deflated balloon.

"Ugh... This is so tiring, how much longer do I have to keep going like this..."

“Your Grace,” Aurora said with a wry smile, unsurprised to see Vanessa sprawled on the table, completely lacking in decorum. “You need to be mindful of your manners. Indulging in such behavior in private can easily become a bad habit.”

"Please let me go, when will my sister come back? I really can't take it anymore..." Vanessa tilted her head and pressed it against the smooth tabletop, her face pressed into a ball. "How about you become the bishop, Lady Aurora? I really can't go on."

"The controversy among believers over the lack of holy water for three months is growing louder. Wind Chaser Fortress is also putting pressure on them to intervene in the investigation of the holy water depletion."

"Several powerful elders have mysteriously disappeared while with the delegation, and the Holy Maiden of Light, whom we finally managed to bring in to provide support, is rumored to be an evil god..."

"Oh no, what am I going to do?! I feel like I'm going crazy!..."

Chapter Nineteen: The Saintess in Plainclothes

Aurora listened to her bishop's painful complaints with a helpless expression. There was nothing she could do. Although the Ocean Sanctuary seemed prosperous and magnificent, the higher-ups were actually starting to feel the strain.

Three months ago, the bishop left without saying goodbye—yes, the former bishop Beverly didn't disappear, but left the Ocean Sanctuary on her own.

She even left a letter for the high-ranking officials, asking her sister Vanessa to take her place as bishop, and then disappeared for unknown reasons.

The high command of the Ocean Sanctuary was thrown into chaos. Vanessa, Vanessa's sister, was strongly supported by the elders to become bishop, but the ocean goddess Undine did not respond to Vanessa's prayers.

No one knew what to do. Although Vanessa shared the same blood as the previous bishop Beverly, the power of faith could not be inherited through blood. The elders' decision to put her in the position of bishop was merely a last resort.

What the senior members of the Ocean Sanctuary are really busy with right now is actually searching for the whereabouts of the previous bishop—but they also have a vague feeling that this is just a futile effort.

But this matter cannot be made public. If the bishop leaves, and the current bishop is a fraud who seeks fame but has no divine response, the believers' faith in this ocean sanctuary will immediately collapse completely.

Vanessa even imagined herself being tied to a pyre and burned at the stake by angry followers.

They had hoped that the support from the Loren Sanctuary would be a lifeline to help alleviate their pressure, but then various negative rumors about the saintess surfaced. The rumors about the evil god could be considered exaggerated, but the evil deeds she committed as the duke's daughter were truly infamous... It's said that she recently killed the second prince of the royal family and then beat up and humiliated the eldest princess... Who knows if such a person has suddenly volunteered to come to their harbor to provide support or what she's really up to!

If the former bishop and powerful elders were still alive, these unfounded rumors would be taken with a grain of salt. But in these turbulent times, Vanessa was truly afraid that a wrong decision would lead to the collapse of the entire Ocean Sanctuary.

"Lady Aurora, did you see the look in the Holy Maiden of Light's eyes just now? I feel like she's already eyeing me."

"Don't overthink it, Your Excellency."

"The Ocean Sanctuary, is it really going to be destroyed here?" Vanessa complained, and began to wail in despair.

“Your Excellency, you can’t say that. You have to pull yourself together.” Aurora patted Vanessa on the shoulder. To be honest, if you had to blame someone, you really couldn’t blame this young girl who had been appointed to this critical mission.

After all, before becoming a bishop, she had always been just a junior priest who led the singing in the choir.

"How could I possibly pull myself together when I think about the bleak future..."

Vanessa sighed, then suddenly heard a knock on the door of the lounge.

"Please come in."

Aurora responded softly, and then the door creaked open.

The attendant who entered bowed respectfully upon seeing the bishop and the elder priest Aurora of the ceremonial hall, who were already sitting upright on the bench.

However, the attendant felt that the dignified bishop's cheek was slightly red on one side, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

"what's up?"

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, people from Wind Chaser Fortress have arrived at the chapel entrance and request an audience."

"Damn Earl Maltz!" Vanessa cursed inwardly, but outwardly she could only remain calm and said, "Understood."

After the attendant left and the soundproof door to the lounge closed, the poor bishop slumped onto the table again, crying out, "God, save me..."

……

Meanwhile, Ella, cloaked, had arrived at the first floor of the church with two knights in plain clothes. They originally intended to find a back door to leave, but because they were unfamiliar with the area, they wandered around for a while but couldn't find where the back door was.

"Ah... this isn't it either." Ella looked at the wall at the end of the corridor, glancing around guiltily. "The architectural design of this place is a little different from the Loren Sanctuary."

This was, of course, just an excuse. She absolutely couldn't let the two knights following her discover that she was actually a bit directionally challenged!

“Your Holiness, perhaps I should go and ask the priests over there?” Ophelia, who was following behind, was finally unable to hold back any longer.

“Oh no, wait, this door should lead us out.” Ella pointed to a small door secured by chains, with a small ventilation window above it that let in the sunlight.

"But it's locked..."

With a "bang," Ella, her face slightly flushed, broke the chain and opened the door. "Hmm, this place really does lead outside."

“…The Holy Maiden is wise.” Ophelia and Geraint followed silently.

As Ella walked along the outer wall in the open space after leaving the church, she saw a richly decorated carriage slowly approaching the church gate, surrounded by several mercenary knights. The three wavy lines of the family crest on the carriage looked somewhat familiar to her.

Isn't this the crest of Eileen, the noble lady we met at Lyra Peak?

However, Eileen had met her before; she was still studying at the academy in the capital. So, the person getting off the carriage was not that crybaby young lady, but a young man wearing a light blue coat with a white inner layer.

Holding a cane, the other person walked towards the entrance of the Ocean Sanctuary surrounded by servants. The arrogant and conceited look on his face was almost identical to that of Eileen that Ye Xiao had seen in the tavern.

"They really are a family," Ella thought to herself, before leading the knight past.

"Hey, over there, where did this commoner come from?!"

...? Ella paused, exchanged glances with the two knights behind her, and then looked at the servants who were shouting and leading two knights towards the carriage.

"It's you guys, what are you standing there for? You didn't even bow to Young Master Malz's carriage?!"

Without a word, Ophelia and Geraint reached for the hilts of their swords at their waists. Without further ado, they proceeded with the execution!

"Don't rush, don't rush." ​​Ella quickly raised her hand to stop the two knights behind her. In order not to attract attention, their clothes were indeed a bit plain, which might have made them mistaken for ordinary believers who came to worship at the church.

It has to be said that as expected of the local bullies of Stormport, the arrogance of this family is simply outrageous, so it's no wonder that they raised someone with a personality like Eileen.

"What are you all standing there for?! Hurry up and bow! You'll regret it if you waste the young master's time!" The servants and noble knights had already walked up to Ella and the others, shouting. The "Young Master Malz" behind them stood up straight, straightening his shirt, waiting for them to bow.

Even so, this was, after all, someone else's territory. As a seasoned adventurer who had weathered countless storms, Ella, as an outsider, knew the principle of a true man should endure what he could. "I..."

"What are you talking about! What are you still spouting nonsense for!" the servant roared, a drop of spray landing on Ella's cloak.

"...Just leave him with a breath."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Chapter Twenty: Gangs

"Your Excellency, something terrible has happened!"

The door to the lounge was knocked on again.

"What is it?" Vanessa, who had to straighten from her slumped state to a dignified sitting posture, looked rather unwell. Every time she tried to lean on the table, she was interrupted twice.

But then a servant rushed in, looking panicked. "Young Master Malz, who came to visit, has been beaten!"

"Huh?!" Vanessa's expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure under the servants' panicked gazes, though a light sweat was beading on her forehead.

This bizarre news is simply the ultimate challenge to her acting career.

"Calm down," Priestess Aurora quickly spoke up when she saw her bishop looking stunned. She spoke to both the attendant and Vanessa, "Your Grace, let's go and see what's going on... Also, who dares to hit a guest of our sanctuary? What are the Templar Knights at the door doing? Aren't they going to stop them?"

Despite the animosity between the Ocean Sanctuary and Earl Maltz, the two major powers in Stormport still outwardly give each other face.

“Hmm,” Vanessa also stood up and followed the servants and Aurora out the door, “Who dares to behave so rudely in the temple of God?”

The servant's face turned pale, and his voice trembled slightly, "It...it seems to be the Holy Maiden of Light..."

"……what?"

"It is light... the Holy Maiden of Light..."

“No…no need to repeat…I heard you clearly.” Vanessa’s carefully composed expression crumbled again. “I just can’t quite convince myself to believe it.”

As the three of them passed through the spacious chapel and arrived at the main entrance, the first words that reached their ears were that familiar and gentle voice.

"Speak louder, I can't hear you."

Then came a wailing voice, choked with sobs, "Holy Maiden, I was wrong!!!"

But then they saw a cloaked girl with her hands on her hips, her hood slipped down to reveal a waterfall of silver hair, and a slender leg was placed on the chest of the blue-clad man lying on the ground—this was none other than Prince Malz, who had come from Wind Chaser's Castle.

The young master was already bruised and swollen, and his luxurious clothes were now tattered and covered in dust and bloodstains. Even so, he still crossed his arms and cried out for mercy to the girl with a contemptuous expression and the man and woman behind her.

The fate of the Malz family servants and knights lying on the ground around them was unknown, and the horrific scene caused Vanessa, who witnessed it at the door, to have her mind go blank.

It's not fair to blame Ella for being too ruthless. Having a deep understanding of the local customs of Stormport, Ella knew very well that if you just had a simple conflict and then gave a verbal warning to this kind of guy, he would only be patient for a while and think that he was just careless and accidentally lost the battle. Later, he would bring more people back to make trouble.

Therefore, we must beat this guy until he's terrified enough, leave him with psychological trauma, in order to completely eliminate this trouble.

The Maltz family is indeed the local power in Stormport, but the Duke's family is no pushover either.

However, this scene was too shocking for the Oceanic Church bishop who had only been in charge of leading the choir. Poor Vanessa wondered if she was still asleep and if everything before her was just a terrible nightmare.

"Your Holiness... what... what happened?" The more mature Aurora hurriedly stepped forward. It's no wonder that the surrounding group of Ocean Templar Knights only dared to watch and not stop them. If it were her, she wouldn't dare to move either.

Although it's unclear what kind of occasion this was, it probably wasn't a formal one. Therefore, Aurora and the others changed their address for Ella from "Priestess Heville" to "Saintess".

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lady Aurora, Bishop Vanessa." Upon seeing the people from the Ocean Sanctuary, Ella quickly withdrew her feet and stood demurely, reverting to her obedient and dignified demeanor, completely unlike the domineering gangster lady she had just been.

Her slightly upturned, crimson eyes seemed to hold a hint of playfulness and pleasure.

"I apologize for bothering you all. There was a misunderstanding with this gentleman earlier."

"Save me..." Young Master Malz, lying on the ground, slightly raised his weak arm.

"Right?"