Ch.347Episode 14 – One Religion, One Faith, Two Saints

# The Birth of a New Saint

The birth of a new saint was just around the corner.

Two saints existing in the same era was an unprecedented event with no historical parallel.

With the Pope’s inauguration ceremony also scheduled, the canonization ceremony could no longer be dismissed as merely an event of a mainstream religion.

Throughout history, religious power has always clashed with state power.

Religious leaders viewed secularism and materialism as corrupting the human spirit, while political leaders argued that religion, having lost its sanctity, should be separated from politics.

The same applies to this neighborhood.

Conservative clergy and the religious leaders they support. A rigid social structure formalized by doctrine and law. A solid foundation of support in the name of faith. Saints who are inviolable by their very existence.

Within religion, winds of change and reform struggle to rise, and revolution that overturns everything is even more impossible.

Thus, most people predicted that even with a change in Pope, there would be no significant religious or political changes within the church.

However, there was a variable that even prominent politicians and scholars couldn’t anticipate.

That was the birth of a new female saint.

In other words,

The birth of a new female saint who broke the truth that “only one saint can exist” signified the emergence of a new religious power.

Though slight, it meant there was a possibility of generational change within the church.

## Episode 14 – One Religion, One Faith, Two Female Saints

Two days.

Exactly 48 hours remained until the canonization ceremony.

A lot had happened over the past few days. Or rather, it was inevitable.

First, diplomatic envoys arrived in Laterano.

“How many have come?”

“I counted up to 117 before giving up. It seems almost everyone who’s supposed to come has arrived.”

From countries across the continent and the southern Mauritania continent, to the distant east and island nations—most delegations invited to the canonization ceremony had set foot in the holy city of Laterano.

The attendees were as impressive as the grand scale of the canonization ceremony itself.

Crown princes and kings of ancient dynasties, heavyweight presidents with over 30 years of political experience, prime ministers who had maintained their cabinets for nearly a decade after three consecutive terms, heads of dictatorial states elected with voter turnouts that would put Russian elections to shame, and so on…

Add to that the church followers who flocked from all over the world, and the holy city, once exuding a serene atmosphere, had instantly transformed into a melting pot of races.

I clicked my tongue as I surveyed the city streets visible through the window.

Police controlling traffic lanes and crowds, tourists clustered around guides holding flags.

Photographers rapidly clicking shutters and reporters fixing their hair in front of magical recording devices. Politicians accompanied by officials and diplomats, and interpreters running around until their feet sweated.

This was more like an expo than a canonization ceremony.

“Whew, I thought this was a UN General Assembly.”

“A what?”

“Just talking to myself.”

The heads of state and officials hadn’t arrived early in Laterano because they had too much free time on their hands.

International events are fundamentally venues for harmony, and government-level events in particular are essentially high-end job markets.

The leaders and officials attending the canonization ceremony had a hectic schedule to fulfill.

In meetings designed to appear unplanned, greetings and gestures conveyed intentions, while interpreters were busy translating rapidly exchanged foreign languages.

When such international events were held, embassies established locally were the first to catch the fallout, so diplomats stationed at the church were running around frantically, working themselves to the bone.

The same applied to me.

“You look quite tired?”

“I was up working until dawn.”

Social clubs frequented by diplomats, exhibitions attended by ambassadors’ wives, meetings with security officials responsible for the canonization ceremony’s safety, forums featuring international relations professors with diplomatic and security backgrounds, receptions hosted by embassies, and so on.

After going around various venues while cutting back on sleep, I yawned extensively and waved my hand.

Then suddenly, feeling a sharp gaze on my skin, I turned my head abruptly.

At the end of that gaze was a church authority with a sulky face and fierce eyes.

“…Work?”

Veronica glared at me with arms crossed and eyes full of discontent.

“What?”

“I heard that the Major spent all night partying at the embassy. I guess in Abas, drinking and partying counts as work?”

Veronica’s appearance was in terrible shape as she delivered her sharp response.

Disheveled hair, dark circles under her eyes. No matter how beautiful her features or how magical her makeup, there was no way to hide the dark circles that reached her cheeks and her evident exhaustion.

Reduced to a half-walking corpse, Veronica clutched her fountain pen tightly in her fist and muttered as if wronged.

“While some of us can’t even rest because we’re dealing with old fogies… others are out drinking and complaining…”

“Hey now. I didn’t go there to drink and party.”

“I already know you weren’t even on the original guest list but requested entry from the diplomats.”

“Busted.”

“Seriously, I don’t understand why you do things nobody asked you to do…”

It was true.

Veronica was suffering from heavy workload and overtime. As someone who had experienced a canonization ceremony firsthand, she was advising her successor Lucia and working to ensure that her beloved sister’s ceremony would be a success.

Of course, Veronica’s duties weren’t limited to preparing for the canonization ceremony. Beyond that, she also had to prepare for the Pope’s inauguration ceremony that would follow.

A Pope about to retire and a Pope about to be inaugurated. A female saint (true) preparing for the canonization ceremony.

There were four power holders in the church, and three of them were currently absent. In such a situation, with foreign leaders and officials pouring in, what would happen?

If nothing else, to welcome foreign guests, the person with the lowest priority tasks and the least amount of work would need to step up.

And among the so-called leaders of “equivalent” rank who met these conditions, that person was none other than—

“Why do I have to do this work…!”

Veronica.

*

People are creatures of adaptation by nature.

However, the environment is as fickle as a reed that stands straight but bends when the wind blows, often changing drastically before people can adapt.

When situations change so rapidly that they’re difficult to accept, people generally show two patterns.

Either they grit their teeth and stubbornly endure until they finally adapt to the change.

Or they fail to adapt and express their anger.

Veronica chose the latter.

“Argh!”

Rising from her chair, Veronica grabbed and threw an object.

The discarded fountain pen bounced with a clatter. Judging by the impact and the ink splattered everywhere, it seemed to be broken.

I stared down at the expensive fountain pen rolling at my feet.

Worth hundreds of thousands in Korean won, it was a dream pen coveted by anyone in this neighborhood who knew anything about fountain pens, now destroyed by its ill-tempered owner.

Should I be sad about the destruction of a fountain pen that puts most luxury brands to shame? Or should I envy the wealth of a clergy member who could destroy such a pen in a fit of anger?

I wasn’t sure, but one thing was clear—her anger wasn’t fully vented yet.

After throwing the fountain pen, the church’s female saint, Veronica, exhaled roughly before starting to vent her fury.

“No matter how carelessly I usually work, skipping duties during a busy period—this is just unacceptable!”

“Who exactly dumped work on you?”

“Who else? Obviously our old fogies!”

Veronica claimed she had been dumped on by the church’s clergy. More precisely, high-ranking clergy like bishops and cardinals had passed their work onto her.

She explained the situation like this:

“When I said I’d help prepare for Lucia’s canonization ceremony, everyone initially asked what wind had blown my way.”

“And then?”

“But when I started working, these old fogies kept bringing me more tasks. At first, it was work related to the canonization ceremony. But they gradually pushed more onto me, and eventually they dumped everything from inauguration preparations to miscellaneous tasks they should have handled themselves!”

“Miscellaneous tasks?”

“Things like budget allocation for the inauguration ceremony, landscape management of the venue, festival schedule coordination, reception of government heads, and so on.”

“……”

Those aren’t miscellaneous tasks, you crazy woman.

The curse rose to my throat, but I swallowed hard to calm my burning insides.

“Why were bishops or cardinals handling such important matters in the first place? You should naturally be reviewing these things, or rather, wasn’t this your job to begin with…?”

“It used to be, but I was so reluctant to work that I handled things terribly for a few years, and they eventually begged me to let them take over.”

I blinked repeatedly as I watched Veronica speak so brazenly.

She suddenly showed up crying about how hard things were, threw tantrums while badmouthing the clergy, even threw her own fountain pen while venting her anger.

And now it turns out all this trouble was caused by her?

Is that what she’s saying?

“……”

With the warm heat rising to the top of my head, I took a deep breath and let out a lion’s roar.

“Hey, you lunatic!”

Veronica, who had been pouting and grumbling, was startled.

“W-why are you yelling…?”

“That was originally your job! And you’re complaining after dumping it on others?”

Flinch. Her body trembled momentarily.

“W-what did I do wrong? Do you think I go looking for work that wasn’t assigned to me like you do?”

Veronica immediately brought her hands to her chest and shrieked.

“You might go to events, parties, and fill out paperwork without being told to, but I don’t even like doing work that others assign me!”

“Are you proud of that?”

“Well, proud or not! I’m a saint, not a slave who works around the clock!?”

“Then am I a government-owned slave?”

“Huh? Aren’t civil servants basically slaves…?”

“Words aren’t working here. Come here. Let me give you just one knock on the head.”

Just as I was about to grab Veronica, who was trying to escape the impending head knock, there was a sound.

Knock knock. Someone was knocking on the hotel room door. No sooner had the somewhat urgent knocking ended than a hotel employee’s voice came through the door.

“Major. I’m terribly sorry to disturb your rest, but…”

“What is it?”

“We just received a call from the Cardinal of the State Council. The Cardinal asked if you knew anything about Saint Veronica’s whereabouts. I didn’t hear the details, but it seemed very urgent.”

“Eek…!”

Veronica’s face turned pale at the news that the Vatican was looking for her.

Just seconds ago, she had been running around trying to avoid me, but now she frantically grabbed my hand and pleaded.

“Don’t tell them I’m here…”

“……”

“If they say they want to look inside, absolutely don’t let them in. No, just don’t open the door at all!”

After saying this, Veronica hid under the bed. She didn’t just hide—she crawled completely under the bed.

Seeing her trying so desperately to avoid being caught, I could only let out a deep sigh.

“Sigh…”

*

After coaxing Veronica out by promising not to inform the State Council, I handed her over to the clergy who had been notified in advance and came to collect her.

“How could you do this to me! Huh!?”

“Saint! This behavior is unacceptable!”

“Aack! Let go! Where are you touching! Where are you touching me!”

I bid farewell by enthusiastically waving to Veronica as she boarded the vehicle surrounded by nuns.

With this, my long and arduous time with Veronica came to an end.

As I returned to my hotel room with my exhausted body,

“Yo!”

Camilla, who was lying on the bed reading a book, raised her hand in greeting.

“What’s this? Why are you in my room, Camilla?”

“I came to hang out.”

Camilla grinned and joked.

“You said you were going to check out a grave site, but you came back alive.”

“I didn’t like the spot. Besides, it’s been days since I said that, and you’re still bringing it up?”

“It’s funny! You said it with such a serious face, but you came back in less than three hours.”

Occupying the very bed where Veronica had been hiding just minutes ago, she munched on snacks with a blissful expression.

While I was organizing documents on the table, Camilla, who had been rolling around, rested her cheek on the pillow with her head tilted and said:

“You’ve been busy lately, haven’t you?”

“When am I not busy?”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Camilla continued with a mischievous face.

“Since coming here, you’ve been constantly going out to work. But in a way, this is also tourism.”

We were participating in the canonization ceremony as Lucia’s companions, but unlike Lucia who was busy preparing for it, we didn’t need to do anything.

Companions chosen by the oracle. People who supported the successful resolution of the northern conflict and achieved the feat of vanquishing demons. The Empire and the church highly valued these contributions, awarded medals, and invited us as honored guests to the canonization ceremony.

So we are essentially guests in Laterano.

“Stop working and rest a bit. Or let’s have some fun together. This place is better for fun than I expected. There’s a lot to see.”

Camilla rolled around on the bed, chattering about what had happened over the past few days.

How diplomats had visited and given her precious gifts, how mountains of gifts sent to Francesca from a place called the Ivory Tower had piled up. How beautiful the historical heritage of the streets with their deep history was, how magnificent and majestic the cathedrals built over centuries were.

“The food is good and there’s plenty to see, so it’s visually pleasing too. Yesterday, Francesca and I went to a restaurant known for delicious pasta, but the spaghetti tasted like pasta noodles mixed with ketchup, which made Francesca angry.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Then come along with me. If you keep working like this, your body will break down. I know a bit about this because I once got sick from doing volunteer work without sleep in Iraq.”

Indeed, thanks to the church’s care, I was able to have my clothes cleaned safely and thoroughly. Despite checking my suit and accessories, no listening devices were detected.

I examined my cleaned suit and replied.

“I’m more comfortable working than resting.”

“You’re not going to parties every day because you enjoy playing around?”

“Not that again… I’m not going there to play around.”

“Really?”

“Well, I might have some fun too.”

Camilla smiled broadly at my reluctant answer.

“Don’t lie. I know you’re not really going there to work. For a while, just don’t go to such places and rest comfortably. Honestly, you deserve a break, don’t you?”

“I’m busy managing traffic for all the people who want to meet you, Camilla. I’ll need to shortlist a few people for you to meet soon. If you have time to play, could you review that?”

“If I review that, will you rest?”

“Rest? I need to prepare for our next deployment.”

“Deployment?”

Camilla, who had been lying on the bed, suddenly sat up. Her eyes began to sparkle at the mention of deployment.

“When? Where to?”

“Nothing’s confirmed yet, but the Mauritania continent is the most likely candidate.”

“Ah, that place similar to the Middle East…?”

“More precisely, it’s a mix of the Middle East and Africa. Essentially a den of trouble.”

Rebels holed up in mountainous regions, monster herds galloping across the great plains, and coups erupting every now and then.

It’s a mess in many ways, but there’s something more important.

“It seems the next companion chosen by the oracle is there.”

On the day Camilla was summoned, another figure appeared in the oracle who is in the Mauritania continent.

“Are you sure?”

“That’s the expectation.”

“What’s the basis for this ‘expectation’?”

“There’s relatively solid evidence. It’s complicated to explain in detail, but it’s a conclusion drawn from piecing together information from the church and companies in that region.”

“Hmm… looking for just one person in a continent much larger than Africa…”

Camilla, who had lain back down on the bed, muttered as if it was giving her a headache.

“It’s like finding a needle in a desert.”

“That’s how things work in this field. You’d better get used to it.”

“I know that, but… well, let’s deal with the reality in front of us before worrying about the future.”

After making what seemed like a meaningful comment, she sat up again, saying something frivolous.

“So, are you going to rest or not? There’s a festival going on outside with only three days left until the canonization ceremony.”

Then she added jokingly:

“If you refuse this time too, I’m going to set something on fire.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“……”

“…That is a joke, right…?”

In the end, I reluctantly accepted Camilla’s proposal.

It didn’t even sound like a joke.