Seraphina wasn't the curious type, curiosity led to mistakes, mistakes led to exposure, and exposure got people killed, So she ignored it. For a day, then two. By the third day it started to irritate her.
"...Father Adrian?"
She kept hearing the name, whispers, praise, silence which was strange, because people in places like this loved to talk, yet when it came to him they didn't, not really
"Excuse me," Seraphina called softly, stopping one of the older nuns in the hallway.
The woman turned with a kind smile. "Yes, child?", "I wanted to ask... about Father Adrian.", The smile remained, but something in the woman's eyes shifted, not fear, not discomfort. Something... careful.
"What about him?" the nun asked gently.
Seraphina tilted her head slightly. "He's... respected here.", A simple statement, an opening. The nun chuckled softly. "Respected is an understatement.", "How so?"
A pause.
Then
"He is devoted. Disciplined. And... different.", different, again, that word. "In what way?" Seraphina pressed. The nun only smiled. "You'll understand in time." And just like that the Conversation over. Seraphina watched her walk away, her expression unreadable.
"...Annoying," she muttered under her breath.
Later That Afternoon, She tried again , Different people , Different approaches. , Same result.
"He's a good man."
"He keeps to himself."
"He doesn't talk much."
Nothing useful , Nothing real, It was like asking about a shadow. By the time she reached the courtyard, her patience had thinned, She leaned lightly against one of the stone pillars, arms folded.
"...So everyone just... knows him but doesn't know him?"
"That's one way to put it."
She turned, three younger nuns stood nearby, watching her with amused expressions.
"You've been asking about Father Adrian all day," one of them said, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. Seraphina didn't flinch.
"...Is that a problem?"
Another one laughed softly. "Not at all. You're not the first." That caught her attention.
"...Oh?"
The three exchanged glances, Then one leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.
"He's... kind of a mystery."
Seraphina raised a brow. "That much I've noticed." Another one chimed in, unable to hold back her grin , "And he's very handsome." A small pause. Seraphina said nothing, But her silence was... telling. The first nun nudged the second. "Tell her.", "No, you tell her!", "Okay, fine"
She leaned closer. "Some of the sisters have very unholy thoughts about him." Seraphina blinked once, slowly. "...You're nuns." "Yes," the girl said proudly. "We're also human.", A quiet beat, then "We didn't say anything!" "We're just being honest!"
Seraphina almost smiled, almost. "And what exactly," she asked calmly, "makes him so... interesting?" ,The three exchanged looks again, this time more conspiratorial. "Well..." one of them started, lowering her voice dramatically. "There was this one time..." , "Don't say it!" , "I'm saying it!". She leaned in even closer. "Someone accidentally walked past the bathing area behind the residence wing" Seraphina's expression didn't change, But her attention sharpened.
"And?"
"And let's just say..." the nun bit her lip, trying not to laugh, "Father Adrian is not lacking."
The other two burst into quiet giggles, Seraphina stared at them, unimpressed. "...You're unbelievable.", but as she turned to walk away, their voices followed her "I'm serious!" , "You should've seen" ,"Okay, stop talking!" . Seraphina shook her head slightly, ridiculous, and yet a thought lingered, unwanted. "...They're exaggerating," she murmured to herself. But her steps had slowed, just slightly.