Chapter 12. Honor and Sacrifice (17)

After clearing the furniture from the doorway, we went outside, and a large crowd had already gathered.

Most of them were clergy. No, if you think about it, everyone could be considered clergy. Not many people could come this far.

Some were kneeling and praying, and some immediately prostrated themselves upon seeing me, making me feel like I had a hole in my stomach.

Since all of them were much older than me, it was very uncomfortable for me, who had lived in Confucian countries in both my past and present lives.

Sister Maria was among them.

At least this person was standing as if she had been waiting for us. Sister Maria smiled slightly when our eyes met.

“…How long have you been waiting?”

“About five hours have passed.”

I was shocked to hear that calm answer.

However, Sister Maria spoke without much concern, seeing my surprise.

“Would you like to go see the Pope? He’s been waiting endlessly for the two sisters.”

“…”

No, I came out with that intention.

But hearing those words made me feel a bit pressured. I felt like I had a hole in my stomach again.

The Pope is much older than me.

Come to think of it, what did I say?

The Pope told me to leave him be, but I insisted on talking about the Samaritan as if I were showing off. The Pope probably knew much more about theology than I did.

I said that because I was caught up in the moment, but looking back, wasn’t it like teaching a fish to swim?

“…”

For some reason, thinking that made me feel a little more at ease.

Yes, no matter what, I kept my conviction.

For now, I’m satisfied with that. Whatever happens from now on, I can think about it then.

“Yes, I would like to meet the Pope. Is it okay to go right now?”

“Of course. In fact, he’ll be very happy.”

To my question, Sister Maria replied with a gentle smile.

*

“Pope, how is your health, by any chance?”

“Much better. My goodness, if I had known this would happen, I should have asked you to fix it sooner.”

I knew that was a joke. He was the one who told me it was okay not to do it, even though he knew he could get better.

…The story of the Samaritan is just a metaphor. Anyone can be substituted for the fallen person in it. It could be someone who is truly injured and groaning, or it could simply be a story about someone in a difficult situation.

Thinking of it that way, perhaps I could be the person lying on the side of the road.

If the Pope had requested it, and I had taken action, I would have faced many difficult situations afterward, so the Pope must have told me it was okay not to do so.

Well, from a fateful perspective, that’s how it is.

But, do you know?

An atheist doesn’t believe in fate either.

“…And, I heard that you resolved something that I couldn’t resolve for over ten years.”

“Yes, that mana sphere is gone now. It’s unlikely that it will cause problems anymore.”

“I am truly sorry that I could not protect the place that should be more sacred than any other with my own power.”

Please, don’t use words like that on me. Goodness, ‘sorry’. Said by someone who has lived several times longer than me.

“You did your best. If it weren’t for you, it wouldn’t have been maintained at that size in the first place.”

“…”

The Pope was silent for a moment.

That… could also be described as hiding it.

The reason the Vatican could remain the Vatican was because there were many individuals with particularly outstanding holy power even during that disaster. The reason they could stabilize the incoming monsters first was because there were many devout people. Although they believed in the previous God, they were people who could quickly accept the existence of ‘God’ after seeing that power even once.

That’s why, even with the change in religion, the Vatican remained the center of theology. Perhaps that’s why the theology here became the most dogmatic. They forced the current being into the previous theology and spread it as scripture to other regional churches.

…If so, they couldn’t widely publicize the fact that there was a problem they couldn’t solve with their own holy power, right in the middle of Rome, and moreover, in the place where the Pope resided. That in itself would make people doubt divinity.

The Pope was not such a political person, but that’s why he must have endured it alone in silence.

Perhaps the reason they prepared it here was also because of the Pope’s existence. Look, even that Pope couldn’t solve everything. Your faith is wrong. Accept me.

…Well, I think it’s wrong. As I’ve said many times, I’m an atheist.

“Sister.”

The Pope said.

“With this, you will surely face some political constraints. There will be people who try to keep you here starting today.”

“Pope. About that problem.”

I decided to be a little shameless.

“How is your health right now?”

“…”

As I asked so confidently, the Pope smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s fine. Certainly, I can last for another 10 years.”

Can he really last for 10 years? I don’t know. The Pope was definitely old, and there were quite a few things I couldn’t solve even if I poured holy power into him.

However, it’s still okay. At least I solved the parts that only ‘I’ could solve. In a world where even cancer can be cured with holy power, even if the Pope’s body has some problems later, he can receive help from the surrounding clergy.

“Then, Pope, please take good care of me for the next 10 years.”

At my words, the Pope burst into laughter.

Not the weak laughter of an old person, but a truly cheerful laugh, a laugh that made him look a little younger.

“Is that so, Sister.”

The Pope said, wiping away the tears that had gathered slightly in the corner of his eyes with his finger.

“Then, I will try my best here. I will hold onto this position firmly and last for 10 years.”

“Yes, then I will resolve my own matters within that time.”

That doesn’t mean I’ll become a Saint or Pope in 10 years. Am I crazy?

Let me say it again, I am an atheist.

As long as I claim that the being above is not God, I cannot ascend to the position of Saint or Pope. The moment I do, I plan to resign and run away.

However, I can’t incite chaos right away.

First, I’ll take care of those eyes.

Whether they are monsters or demons, I don’t know, but I’ll take care of them, and after the world becomes a little more peaceful, I’ll find another way.

I have no intention of dying as a virgin my whole life.

I will somehow meet someone I like and live loving each other. I might not be able to have children, but anyway.

“Is that so.”

As if sensing something from my expression, the Pope smiled gently. That expression was not that of a powerful figure sitting high above.

Truly, a gentle smile as if looking at his own granddaughter.

“Then, I will cheer you on from here.”

I nodded with a smile and looked back.

Sister Maria bowed deeply towards me.

Ria was smiling at me.

Perhaps Ria’s expression was soon to be my expression.

*

As a result, words like Blessed or anything else became irrelevant.

Ria and I ran away excitedly. Ria grabbed my wrist and ran with all her might to catch a bus, and we took the express bus to the airport and chose the fastest flight to Korea.

Of course, the church was in an uproar. All sorts of clergy tried to rush out to chase us-

“Shouldn’t we offer a prayer of gratitude for what the Lord has done for us?”

The Pope, with those very words, held back the clergy from rushing out.

These were the words of someone who had directly experienced the ‘miracle’ they spoke of. No one would dare to ignore those words.

After all, the clergy were the ones who placed the Pope, who had no desire for power, in that high position and bestowed upon him immense authority.

The knights followed us diligently, but naturally, they were stopped near the airport.

Even if the Vatican is in the heart of Rome, and the Pope resides there, this is still a sovereign nation.

No matter what, you can’t go into an international airport with a sword.

“…By the way, what’s your credit card limit that you could swipe so freely?”

Before boarding the plane, while waiting after completing all the procedures.

When I suddenly asked out of curiosity, Ria shrugged.

“I don’t really know either.”

“…”

How nice. To be able to swipe your card without knowing the limit.

The gazes of passersby were directed at us.

Two nuns with veils casually placed on their heads.

And those two nuns were the very same ones who had been in the news and newspapers recently for arriving here.

Well, no one even thought of bothering us.

The government of this country also seemed to think they had to protect us, so they quickly sent people to station armed soldiers around.

…

It seems that even though I avoided becoming Blessed, my fame inevitably grew.

Thus, we escaped safely.

*

And when I arrived in Seoul, a package arrived for me a few days later.

Inside was a white nun’s habit.

[We blocked the beatification, but there are those who insist that at least a definitive mark as a Saint Candidate should be shown. Please tolerate at least the attire.]

It was written in elegant cursive.

“Puhaha!”

Seeing me dumbfounded by the letter, Ria burst into laughter.

I threw the white nun’s habit at Ria’s face.

…It’s a nun’s habit, right?

It’s not a Saint’s habit, is it?

Do you believe me, Pope?