episode_0187

***

The smile disappeared from the saint’s face.

The question the boy asked made the atmosphere in the classroom heavy.

“Ah… Emilio….”

The saint slightly bit his lower lip as if he was troubled.

Seeing that hesitation, the priest who was teaching the class spoke up.

“Ah, saint. You don’t have to answer. It seems like Antonio was very curious.”

The priest smiled brightly and patted Antonio on the shoulder, and the wrinkles between his eyebrows deepened.

At the priest’s words, the saint grinned.

His face was similar to that of a brother and sister who had seen Dong-A-Jul come down in a desperate situation.

The saint, along with the heretic inquisitor, headed toward the classroom door.

When they were halfway out the door, the saint draped in the hallway turned around.

“Did you say Antonio?”

At the saint’s words, the young boy nodded.

“How old are you this year?”

The brown-haired saint asked the child.

“I’m twelve years old. Holy man.”

In response to the dignified response, the saint looked at the child for a while as if he was proud of it.

“The time given to me is not long enough to talk about the Book of Emilius. When I have time, may I answer your question?”

At the saint’s gentle words, Antonio nodded his head with a big smile.

Seeing his pure appearance, the saint smiled with satisfaction and completely left the classroom.

[Can I answer your question sometime when I have time?]

Antonio’s heart was already pounding for the next meeting, which he did not know when.

***

“Sorry.”

While walking down the hallway, Maria said to Inho.

Inho suddenly looked at Maria with a puzzled face, asking what she was talking about.

“What is it?”

In response to Inho’s question, Maria said as if she was embarrassed to even mention it.

“In the classroom earlier…”

“In the classroom?”

“I shouldn’t have let the trainee priest ask the saint… but it was my fault.”

From that infinitely serious face, Inho knew that Maria truly thought that way.

However, that didn’t mean I sympathized with her thoughts.

“Why the question?”

Inho tilted his head.

“Is it a great disrespect to ask a saint about the Bible without proper preparation…?”

Maria, who was explaining the reason, trailed off at the end of her sentence, perhaps losing confidence as she looked at Inho’s expression.

Inho walked out through the hallway and stopped.

The heat of the floor heated by the sun rose from their toes.

Inho stared at Maria.

Perhaps it was the heat of the floor or his gaze, but Maria felt hot.

A different kind of shame pounded her head than the shame she’d felt this morning when she was in his arms.

“Sister Maria.”

As Maria tried to avoid her gaze, the saint’s words fell on her heart like a small weight.

“I may not know as much about the Bible, words, doctrines, etc. as Sister Maria.”

The saint’s tone was strangely shortened, but Maria had no time to question it.

How could a saint know less about the Bible than he does?

A clear reprimand. The weight on her chest became increasingly heavier.

“The moment you put a limit on asking questions, no more questions will come up.”

“……”

She couldn’t get any words out of the saint’s words.

Just bow your head and wait for the saint to finish speaking.

“Haha, don’t look so serious. I don’t particularly blame Sister Maria.”

Maria cautiously made eye contact with him.

Frowning, the saint smiled like a bad boy and closed one eye.

“…….”

Maria’s cheeks flushed slightly as she looked at that flawless face.

“What is your next schedule?”

“…Yes? Oh, I don’t have anything else planned today except for dinner with the Pope in the evening.”

“Well, there’s still a lot of time left until dinner… Shall we take a walk?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Please let Sister Maria guide you.”

Since there were subtle stares everywhere she went, Maria chose a remote place where not many people went to be considerate of Inho.

Because it is a remote place, it is less visited by people, so there were many areas where maintenance was lacking.

Maria occasionally tripped over protruding rocks and stumbled.

Inho was the same when he got caught on a rock, but Maria was secretly impressed by how he didn’t lose his balance.

“It may be presumptuous, but… Have you ever trained yourself for anything?”

When Inho said that they should talk and become friends, Maria was the first to say it.

“I trained… I did. But I can’t do it like I used to.”

As he turned his body around, a clicking sound was heard from his bones.

“How long has Sister Maria been here?”

“It has been over 15 years since I came here as a nun… and it was 9 years ago that I received the position of Inquisitor.”

Maria looked up and remembered.

“Are nuns and inquisitors doing very different things?”

“Strictly speaking… Inquisitors also belong to nuns. If nuns without any title belong to the Solaricia, inquisitors belong to the Solaricia.”

“Is the work you do different?”

When Inho asked at an appropriate moment, Maria nodded.

“Yes. Inquisitors… are mainly responsible for hunting down and punishing internal enemies.”

“It must be a difficult task.”

When Inho agreed, Maria smiled faintly.

“I feel like it gives me some comfort that the saint recognizes me so much.”

“Is there a reason why you took on the position of Inquisitor?”

“I wondered what would bring glory to God. Then, suddenly, deep in my heart, I heard the words to choose this path.”

I thought it was the voice of God.

Maria said firmly.

“I see.”

Inho had nothing else to add, so he agreed roughly.

***

As the workday ended and the sun began to set, Maria took Inho with her and headed to Solaricia.

Inho and Maria passed through an aisle lined with magnificent sculptures and headed to the banquet hall.

Maria opened the door, and In-ho entered.

The door to the banquet hall closed behind Inho.

‘It’s big.’

Placed in this large space was a dining table of appropriate length.

“Saint, have you come?”

The Pope, who had been waiting for him earlier, got up and approached In-ho.

He, with his chubby body, stood in front of In-ho and made the sign of the cross.

In-ho sat at the table, escorted by the Pope.

There was an abundance of various foods on the table, and the abundance was on a different level from what we had eaten at the restaurant in the afternoon.

“There’s so much food…”

“Should there be something lacking in serving the saint?”

As Inho spoke, feeling his mouth water, the Pope smiled broadly.

The Pope sat down and closed his eyes and put his hands together, and In-ho followed him and put his hands together.

A short pre-dinner prayer followed, and soon they were holding knives and forks in both hands.

“I will eat well.”

Inho said, thinking of noodles with a fork.

Then the meal continued. Although they tried to talk to each other, they were more focused on the food in front of them.

The Pope enjoyed the meal to a degree befitting his appearance.

“Ah, I heard that something unpleasant happened today.”

As the meal continued for a while, it was the Pope who broke the silence and spoke first.

“Is this something unpleasant?”

Inho asked a question out of nowhere.

“I heard that an apprentice priest immediately asked a question to the saint.”

As the Pope narrowed his eyes and spoke, Inho waved his hand.

“No. I also spoke to Sister Maria, but I was in a situation where I could ask questions. I’m fine.”

“Haha, I was worried that I might have been very disrespectful to the saint, but I am so glad.”

The Pope sighed, as if he was relieved.

“How was your first official schedule?”

The Pope asks.

“It was okay. Are other days similar to today?”

Inho answers.

“I think it will be like that for a while. Now that I think about it, I will soon be able to see a worship service led by the Holy Spirit.”

“I see. …Yes?”

Inho’s hand, which was responding appropriately, stopped.

“Yes?”

The Pope asks In-ho’s reaction.

“What did you just say….”

Surely not? Inho looked at the Pope with a look on his face.

Under the saint’s gaze, the Pope looked back on his actions and repeated what he had said earlier.

“I told you that once you get used to living here, you will be able to see the worship service led by the Holy Spirit.”

“Do I… host the worship service?”

“Yes? Yes… It was written that the saint, the representative of light, leads God’s servants… I thought he was in charge of the worship service… Maybe I’m wrong…?”

The Pope looked at Inho in confusion.

“Oh, no. I think I was confused for a moment. you’re right. I lead the worship service…”

Inho looked around, avoiding the Pope’s suspicious gaze.

Inho’s eyes were so full as if he was about to shed tears.

‘Ha, you fucked up.’

It was an inner feeling that did not suit a saint.