The Holy Kingdom – The Pope

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Veronica was the Saintess everyone imagined.

Kind, beautiful, and sacrificing for everyone.

Spending years with her in the war, I naturally developed feelings for her.

One day, unable to hold back, I reached out to Veronica.

“Veronica, will you… come with me?”

“Okay.”

She took my hand.

Perhaps the fact that both the Saintess and I were orphans drew us closer.

But we couldn’t go any further.

In the face of nations being destroyed by Demons and countless people dying, love was a luxury.

We knew each other’s feelings, but we buried them in our hearts, waiting for the day we killed the Demon King and the war ended.

But even after the war ended, our hearts never connected.

**

-Creak.

A small, unnoticed door in the corner began to open, and a woman slowly walked out from behind it.

Her black hair, shimmering in the light, cascaded like waves over her shoulders and face.

Her black eyes shone like stars in the shadows.

Dressed in black, she blended in with her surroundings, looking like an angel born from darkness.

-Tap, tap.

Her small, red lips opened as she walked up to us.

“Hello.”

Everyone here probably had the same thought as me.

The Pope just played us hard.

“S, Saintess!”

Lord Antonio rushed to her side, checking her condition.

The Saintess smiled brightly at him.

“Lord Antonio, it’s been a while.”

“I was very worried. Did anything happen to you?”

“I’m sorry for making you worry. The Demonic Energy inside me started acting up again, so I’ve been recovering until now. Thanks to the Pope’s efforts, I’m fine now.”

“That’s a relief.”

Antonio was greatly relieved to see the Saintess looking unharmed.

Even to me, she didn’t seem to have any immediate problems.

The Demonic Energy that had deeply penetrated the Saintess’s body was still there, but her powerful Divine Power was suppressing it.

And I was a little worried, but…

Upon checking, her virginity was intact.

“I have explained everything to the Saintess. She will be able to leave the Holy Kingdom with you. I will step back for a moment so you can talk to the Saintess.”

The Pope stepped back with a benevolent smile. But Lord Antonio gave the Pope a suspicious look.

“I’m a little suspicious of His Holiness the Pope’s intentions. You’ve kept me from even seeing the Saintess’s face for years, and suddenly you’re acting like this…”

“Lord Antonio. It’s fine to doubt me, but it’s not good to ruin things because of impure thoughts. You have always opposed the policies I have tried to implement in the Holy Kingdom, but what is the result now? The current Holy Kingdom is more prosperous and powerful than ever before.”

Recently, the Holy Kingdom had controlled the number of priests dispatched to each country, adjusted the prices for treatment, and amassed huge profits.

Regardless of what darkness was hidden behind it, the Holy Kingdom’s rapid recovery and further development were largely due to the current Pope’s influence.

That’s why even the Hero, Lord Antonio, was gradually losing his influence in the Holy Kingdom.

“So I hope you will stop doubting me now.”

“…Understood.”

Lord Antonio gave the Pope one last suspicious look before taking the Saintess away.

There was no way the Pope would honestly reveal his intentions even if asked.

As the Saintess approached with Lord Antonio, Jade greeted her first.

“I am Jade, the Hero. It is an honor to meet the Saintess.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m really happy to finally meet the Hero. I look forward to working with you.”

“I’m Annie from the Orde family. But you’re really beautiful…”

“Hehe, thank you. Annie is cute too.”

I didn’t approach the Saintess but watched her and the others talking from a distance.

Does a person’s nature not change even after losing their memory?

Her smile, her gait, her way of speaking, and even her little habits.

She was exactly as I had briefly loved her in the past.

The only slight difference was that she looked a little more mature, perhaps because she had aged.

“Lena, are you alright not talking to the Saintess?”

The Pope spoke to me when he saw me alone.

“Ah, there will be many opportunities to see the Saintess in the future. I’m satisfied just watching her from afar for now.”

“Hehe, is that so? I was a little curious because you were looking at her with such affectionate eyes. May I ask you a question, Lena?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“Then I heard that you and the Hero are in a relationship. Is that true?”

“…Does the position of Pope require knowing even such things?”

“As the position is, everyone in the Holy Kingdom is my ear. I happened to find out about this news.”

As expected, what the Cardinal whispered to the Pope earlier must have been about me.

I reluctantly nodded.

“Yes. We like each other. Jade is a little too good for me.”

“Does such a thing matter in love? Congratulations.”

The Pope came closer to me and grabbed one of my shoulders.

-Grip.

I felt a chilling gaze scanning me for a moment.

While congratulating me, the Pope was rolling his eyes and scanning my body.

But it was different from the lustful gazes of ordinary men.

It was an appraisal gaze, as if he was looking at me as a product.

This is a different type of interesting man than I’ve encountered so far.

But how long is he going to hold on? “Um, my shoulder hurts a little…”

The Pope finally let go when I complained of discomfort.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I made a mistake because I thought it was admirable that you were suffering at such a young age. It’s really good to be with someone you love.”

“…Thank you?”

“But you must remember. The Hero’s side is never an easy place to be. Protecting someone is really difficult. Lena may become a burden to the Hero later on. Even if you let your guard down a little, the world will try to tear apart the bonds between people.”

This is meaningful. It’s suspicious enough to make me wonder what his intentions are in saying this.

Am I wrong to hear this as him telling me to get away from the Hero?

“…Oh, I think there was room for misunderstanding in my words. I also lost someone I loved, so I think I inadvertently added these words because I was worried. I apologize if it made you uncomfortable.”

The Pope apologized, perhaps because my expression looked very unpleasant.

Of course, the Pope also lost his family to Demons, so he might have said this.

Whether that’s the real reason remains to be seen.

“No, I’ll keep His Holiness the Pope’s advice deep in my heart.”

“Good.”

With those words, the Pope turned and approached the Saintess and her companions.

“You may leave now. When you go outside, the priests will guide you to the rooms where you will be staying. You can stay here comfortably for a few days until the Hero’s inauguration ceremony.”

“Then can we take the Saintess with us?”

“Of course. The Saintess will be staying at the Great Temple from now on. Saintess, do you remember what I said?”

The Saintess nodded vigorously at the Pope’s question.

“Yes! You said I should stay in the room next to the Hero.”

“Haha, you remember well.”

She looked like a child answering her parents.

“Then we’ll be going.”

As Jade greeted the Pope and everyone was about to leave,

“Ah, there will be a welcoming party for the Hero this evening, so I would appreciate it if you could attend.”

The Pope announced new news to us.

**

“Saintess, have the Pope or the Cardinals done anything strange to you?”

Even after everyone gathered in the Saintess’s room, Lord Antonio was persistently asking the Saintess about what had happened so far.

“Lord Antonio, I told you, nothing really happened? Rather, the Cardinals and the Pope were very kind to me. I hope you won’t doubt the Pope, who has been helping and taking care of me.”

“I, is that so?”

But he had no choice but to back down at the Saintess’s words that nothing had happened until the end.

As for me, I couldn’t tell right away what the Pope had done to the Saintess.

He must have done something to hand over the Saintess to us so confidently. The only slightly suspicious thing is that the Saintess has a higher level of affection for the Pope than I thought.

“Where did the Hero come from?”

“I’m from the Rica Kingdom.”

“Ah! I’ve heard of the Rica Kingdom too. The Pope told me that I should know this much.”

And what I’m strongly feeling is that the Saintess is very childlike. It must be a side effect of losing her memory.

It feels like there’s another Annie.

“Lord Antonio, I want to talk to the Hero’s party now. I was really excited to hear that I would be meeting you. I haven’t had many opportunities to meet many people.”

The Saintess, who was complaining a little, suddenly pointed at me with her finger.

“What’s the name of the woman with the golden hair over there? I don’t think I greeted her earlier.”

“I’m Lena.”

“Lena, I see. You’re very pretty! And I hope everyone will speak comfortably to me. Because we’ll be companions on a journey together soon.”

“…That’s right, companions. Then… I’ll speak comfortably.”

“Of course. Unfortunately, this way of speaking is stuck in my mouth, so I can’t speak differently.”

After seeing the Saintess up close, I could feel my heart not reacting and I could gain confidence.

I loved her in the past, but not now.

I don’t know if it’s because of time or because of my changed body and mind. But it might be a good thing.

It would be really difficult to love the Saintess again in this state.

But even if my feelings for the Saintess have cooled…

My friendship as a companion has not cooled.

‘I can’t stand it anymore.’

-Hug.

I hugged the Saintess.

“Eh?”

I could feel the Saintess in my arms and the people around me being a little surprised.

Regardless, I hugged her even tighter. Then I could feel her scent and the sensation of her body.

I had been holding back since earlier, but I was so happy to meet the Saintess, or rather, Veronica, a past companion.

I thought I had gotten rid of my lingering feelings for the past, but that wasn’t the case. I should have come to find her sooner if this was the case.

I carefully looked at Veronica’s flustered face. And I said what I wanted to say in my heart.

‘It’s been a long time.’

I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you. It was probably my fault for being a coward.

I’ll be with you again as a companion.