Ch.114Chapter 114. Armchair Chosen One (6)

Chapter 114. Basement Chosen (6)

“Paladin Noah.”

“Yes!”

Before going to the cathedral, I contacted Basement Chosen through Noah.

The possibility that Charon was controlling Basement Chosen to lure me was close to zero, and even if the Pope wasn’t there, the probability of goddess cult believers being inside the cathedral was high, but there’s always a possibility.

I haven’t completely let go of my suspicions yet. There are paladin groups like Dina’s special forces, so isn’t it a bit strange that the request came to us?

Still, in this case, they might have requested the special forces first, but due to Asha’s plot, their numbers have been greatly reduced, so the special forces couldn’t help.

Anyway, even if they were being threatened by the evolutionist faction that joined hands with Charon, it’s suspicious that someone who calls himself the Pope would so easily reach out to a pagan god.

“Ah, they just confirmed that the demons’ presence has disappeared and removed the barrier. They say they’ll be waiting inside the cathedral.”

– Inside the cathedral?

Normally, I would have gone in thinking, ‘Well, let’s take a look,’ but something didn’t feel right. What if this is a trap?

The cathedral is the home ground of the goddess cult, and the Pope who can maximize the functions of the cathedral (which I don’t know much about) is there.

– I’m reluctant to enter another god’s altar. Tell them I’ll teleport right away, so gather their belongings and come outside the cathedral.

It seems like I’m being too suspicious when I came all this way to save them, but let’s call it being cautious. Well, if nothing happens, we can immediately accept them into the Tribal Alliance.

At first, they’ll be under surveillance like all newcomers, but once we conclude they have no ulterior motives, they can get along well.

“They said okay! Ah, I got a text!”

– Wait there.

I waited for Basement Chosen and the Pope with Lakye, Paya, Noah, and Tuntuni in an open space.

Lakye hadn’t completely let go of his suspicions either, as he kept his hand on his meteor sword.

“Ah, here they come!”

After a few minutes, the people we were waiting for appeared. There were about ten of them, with an equal mix of men and women.

“Ch… I’m Basement Chosen. Are you Lord Malak and the Tribal Alliance members?”

A thin female paladin waved her hand at the front with a slightly anxious expression. She looked introverted and timid.

– Which one is the Pope?

“Ah…!”

She seemed surprised by the talking totem, but soon realized I was Malak and forced a smile.

She’s good at social interactions.

“Hahaha! I apologize for the late greeting! You must have had a hard time coming all this way!”

Basement Chosen was about to speak again, but suddenly a middle-aged man who rushed to her side was faster.

This man looked like… how should I put it? Like someone who would appear on a current affairs debate or political channel.

“Great Being! I am Holland, the Pope of the Goddess Cult! Thank you for helping us! I will never forget this favor!”

His voice is as loud as Kanto’s. The Pope finished his introduction with a hearty laugh. No matter how I look at him, he seems more like a politician than a Pope.

That aside, he’s very different from the image of a Pope I had in mind. I thought it was a position that could only be held by someone strict, solemn, serious, and truly devoted to religion.

He doesn’t look strong either. Being a Pope might not mean having superhuman strength like paladins.

“…It’s, it’s an honor to meet you, God.”

“I can feel your holy and powerful divinity.”

“I’ve heard you are strong and wise. Seeing you up close, I can truly feel your greatness.”

The people who were flattering me from behind the Pope and Basement Chosen were also ordinary. Just nuns and priests. Like Sister Grace who joined the Golden Sun tribe.

Those thin arms and legs and build are definitely not combat classes.

– Pope Holland. Are you sincere about wanting to join the Tribal Alliance?

“Of course!”

– Do you know who I am?

“…Of course.”

– Tell me what you know.

“Aren’t you Lord Malak, the Storm God? I heard you descended to help all humans on earth. I learned about it through Paladin Chosen here.”

The Pope understood the paladins’ community as a concept similar to ‘telepathy.’ Like other civilized people, he doesn’t seem to think that paladins are vessels.

…Wait, this is a bit strange. Didn’t those evolutionist faction guys call Noah a ‘vessel’?

Let’s move on for now.

– Do you also know about the relationship between me and Ishtania?

I once destroyed a cathedral of the goddess cult. Well, not me exactly, but the real Malak.

Archmage Beatrice said my name appears frequently in important documents of the goddess cult. The Pope, who is the de facto highest authority of the goddess cult, must know about it.

“…The relationship between you two isn’t good.”

The Pope was trying to be as diplomatic as possible.

– Does Ishtania know?

I asked if he knew about the situation where followers of the goddess cult might seek refuge with a pagan god.

“…”

The Pope made a troubled expression and put on a fake smile. It’s difficult for him to speak. After a few seconds of silence, he opened his mouth again.

“Lady Ishtania knows everything. Even without communicating with her followers, including myself, she knows everything.”

Hmm.

“She is one who bestows revelations and power, not one who listens to prayers. She doesn’t interfere with our judgments… even in situations like this.”

This is a somewhat convincing answer. She was called the God of Play. Just looking at how she makes Earth people possess paladins, you can see what she’s like.

This land is her playground, and her followers are just small animals following her.

“I’m not sure if that answers your question. Hahaha…”

Well, I knew from the moment I saw him that he was losing his faith. Holland was standing before me in casual clothes.

A Pope not wearing religious attire… it was too obvious from the start.

The Pope must have vaguely realized in the midst of this unprecedented disaster that the god he believes in and serves doesn’t place much importance on the lives of individual followers.

– No, I understand.

Five years, it’s been a full five years since the demon apocalypse began. Isn’t that enough time to change a person’s beliefs or faith?

I decided to accept them.

Ishtania… I, Lord Malak, will take all the followers you’ve abandoned while only sending paladins bit by bit.

– Do you know about those who attacked the cathedral?

I told the Pope about the necromancer Charon and the evolutionist faction. He was shocked to hear that the necromancer had returned.

“The necromancer is one thing, but the evolutionist faction… that immoral group of magicians was still around.”

The Pope seemed to know quite a bit about them.

– They were looking for a blind nun. Do you know anything about that?

“A blind nun… the Saint?!”

The answer came from behind. One of the followers who had been quietly listening to our conversation reacted with a start.

“…While there are some blind people in the goddess cult, the person they’re looking for is probably the Saint.”

The Pope answered, giving a warning look to the young female follower who had spoken out of turn.

Saint. A saint. Just by the sound of it, she seems like an extremely important figure.

“What’s a Saint?”

The perceptive Lakye asked the Pope instead of me.

He said she’s a representative of Ishtania who can’t exert superhuman strength but can use special abilities like reading a person’s past or essence.

That’s why she’s sometimes called a prophet rather than a Saint.

“The fact that the Saint is blind was known only to a very few until before the destruction. Somehow, they seem to have obtained this information.”

Looking for the Saint in cooperation with Charon. No matter how I think about it, I can only imagine something ominous.

– Do you know the Saint’s location?

“Of course.”

I need to secure the Saint before Charon achieves his goal. According to the Pope, it’s not that far.

If we ride Tuntuni, we can get there within an hour.

– I’ll go see the Saint and come back. Wait here for a while.

If she’s still there, I plan to evacuate her to our Tribal Alliance.

“You’ll need me to persuade the Saint. I’m confident in healing and defense. I am the Pope, after all.”

He’s someone who set up a barrier and held off three intermediate demons and dozens or hundreds of worshippers for days. He’ll be a great help.

I put the Pope in Noah’s place. No matter how sturdy Tuntuni is, it’s difficult to fly for a long time carrying four people.

“Let’s go!”

Whoosh-!

Tuntuni took off with Lakye, Paya, and the Pope.

Ah, while we’re at it, let me ask something I’m curious about.

– I heard that if the dimensional gate is closed, the demons will self-destruct. Is that true?

Magician Harry wasn’t certain about this claim, saying it came from the goddess cult. The Pope should know in detail.

“Yes, that’s correct. For them to roam this land, the existence of magi is essential. Without magi, they cannot maintain their form and will self-destruct.”

Oh. He speaks with confidence, which makes it believable.

I wonder if he knows this too.

– Do you know what demons really are?

The Pope, who had been talking excitedly, briefly glanced at me.

“Lord Malak, my words might be misunderstood…”

– It’s fine, just tell me.

What is this guy doing, making me curious?

“Loas from another world.”

What?

“That’s what I know.”