When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 146



Only Noblemtl

146. Are you okay without me?
2024.03.25.

After learning the 4th form, I collapsed on the floor of the training hall for a long time.

Then, when I regained some strength, I slowly got up.

There was one last thing I had to do.

‘I have to let you know. That I have perfectly mastered the 4th form.’

While thinking that, I held onto the Baekhwamyeongwoldo and hesitated for a long time again. I was

afraid that the person who was supposed to appear would not appear even if I called.

I was afraid that the Black Moon Grandmother, who had been fading away, would completely disappear.

‘… … I can’t avoid it any longer.’

Even though I was afraid that the Grandmother would disappear, I couldn’t just call her forever.

After hesitating for a long time, I carefully called out to her against the sword.

“Grandmother?”

When I first called, as always, there was no response.

Did she really leave?

I called out again with an anxious heart.

“Black Moon Grandmother.”

“Did you call?”

Fortunately, she was still inside the Baekhwamyeongwoldo.

However… … .

“… … Now, she has become so transparent that I can’t see her.”

“Yes, I guess today will be my last day in this world.”

“… … .”

Since I had expected it, I was sad but not shocked.

Grandma had been steadily fading away since the beginning.

However, I said this.

“I have acquired the fourth form. I will show you now.”

After that, I held up the Baekhwamyeongwoldo and demonstrated the fourth form.

It was still awkward because I had only just acquired it, but even so, it was definitely the Wolyeonggeombeop.

So Grandma nodded and answered me.

“You finally did it. And before I disappeared… … .”

“What is the fifth form?”

“There is no such thing as the fifth form. I tried to create one, but I couldn’t create a new form.”

Grandma Heukwol continued to speak even as she slowly disappeared.

『So I have taught you everything I know. Leave it to you to establish the fifth consciousness. I don’t have time.』

As Grandma said, there was no time, and Grandma’s body was now much more transparent than before.

At this rate, Grandma had only about five minutes left.

How should I say goodbye in that short time without regrets? I was thinking about it.

『Before that―』

“… … ?”

『Would you like to tell me a little about yourself?』

Grandma said to me first, in a subtle tone.

She wanted to hear my story.

When I hesitated for a moment, she continued.

『I already know that you are a special being who leads people. But I feel that there is more to it than that.』

“… … .”

『I am already leaving… … . I cannot tell you my secrets anywhere else, so please tell me your story comfortably.』

There was silence for a moment, and the sound of insects chirping filled the silence.

I listened to the sound, pondered quietly, and then moved my lips.

After that, stories flowed out of my lips.

The story of when I came to this world. The

story of the hardships I went through in my new body. The

story of encountering the erased.

The story of almost dying

. The story of coming back from the dead.

In the middle of the story, whenever I felt that my grandmother was too quiet, I would interrupt and ask,

“Are you listening? She’s already gone… …”

“Tch, I’m listening, so continue your story.”

Fortunately, my grandmother didn’t disappear or anything during the story.

So I felt relieved and continued to tell my story.

All the stories I had kept inside me came out so smoothly that even I was surprised.

Maybe I had been secretly hoping. That I could tell someone these stories that were too difficult for me to keep to myself.

My grandmother, who had been silently listening to my story, nodded.

“… … Yes, that’s right. That’s how it was.”

“You were surprised, weren’t you?”

“How could I not be surprised after hearing such a story? However, I don’t suspect that your story is a lie. “You’re not the type of kid who would lie, even if you never say things you don’t want to say.”

After saying that, the grandmother continued.

『It will be a heavy fight that no one can help. Even though I am leaving here, I will always cheer you on even in the afterlife. And―』

When I raised my head that had been bowed and faced her, she continued her interrupted words.

『Thank you, thank you again. Seon-gwan, Baek-mae, and even me… We all owe you a great favor. So really―』

I could not hear her last words.

It was because Grandma’s body, which had been fading little by little, had now completely disappeared.

There was nothing left in the space where she had been.

Only the cool night breeze was passing by.

That’s why I could not hear her last words, but I thought I knew what she was trying to say.

“… … .”

Soon, heavy and painful emotions began to weigh on my heart.

Because I didn’t know what to do with those emotions, I just stood there alone for a while in that empty place.

* * * For

some reason, separations seemed to come all at once.

The day after I sent Grandma Heuk-wol away, Bliss came to see me.

The guy suggested we take a walk, saying he had something to talk about quietly.

So we walked near the lake inside the cathedral.

It was the lake where the original Nickelus guy had sunk Bliss’s boat.

As I was feeling sorry for the wisteria tree whose flowers had already faded, Bliss suddenly said,

“I talked to Ernen yesterday. About what happened last time.”

“Really? Well, he must have been very shocked by what happened back then, so you should be there to comfort him. He needs support right now.”

“… … Do you really think so? That I should be Ernen’s support?” I

was bewildered by why he suddenly asked me such a thing, so I just stared at him blankly.

The guy looked at me and then let out a shallow sigh.

“I asked because I heard the same story from Ernen.”

“I heard the same story from him… .”

“Ernen said he wanted me to be by his side.”

“… … .”

I thought about the meaning of those words for a moment and asked,

“Are you saying that I can leave the cathedral and go to the palace?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I’m thinking about it.”

I had only poked him with the hope that he would be okay, but he was a little surprised when he said that he was really thinking about going to the palace.

While I was at a loss for words, Bliss spoke again.

“The child wants to hand over the throne to me.”

“… …!”

“He said he was tired of his own helplessness. He said that the crown just felt too heavy to bear.”

Ernen wanted to hand over the throne to Bliss.

Bliss was telling me one shocking story after another.

My mind was in a mess, and I couldn’t find the words to say, so I kept opening and closing my mouth.

The one thing I finally managed to say was, even to me, quite trivial.

“What do you want to do?”

“I… … .”

After a moment of hesitation, he finally revealed his true feelings.

“I want to make Ernen comfortable.”

“… … .”

“But if I go to the palace… Then there will be a void here for me.”

The guy was right.

Up until now, I have been alive and breathing thanks to the help of many people.

And of course, Bliss was one of those many people.

If it weren’t for him, I would have probably been walking a much more difficult path.

So he was an indispensable, very important person to me.

“But anyway, do you want to shoulder His Majesty’s burden?”

“… … .”

“Then go. I’m not in a position to tell you not to go.”

Bliss was silent for a long time after hearing what I said.

Then, after a gust of wind passed between us, she suddenly asked.

“… … Are you okay?”

“What if you’re not okay? Will you stay by my side?”

“… … .”

“That’s not the case. Then why bother asking?”

When I said that, the guy couldn’t refute me.

I continued to advise the silent Bliss.

“Your mind has already been made up. So act according to your mind. Don’t worry about what others think.”

“… … .”

“And what do you think I’ll do without you? “I don’t know about the past, but I’m strong enough now that I don’t need anyone’s help.”

“… … .”

“There’s someone else who really needs you. So go help them. And while you’re at it, tell them how I’m doing.”

“… … .”

Bliss continued to remain silent.

It seemed like he couldn’t figure out what to say to me.

I waited quietly for him to speak again.

He leaned against the railing of the lakeside and stared at the sparkling glitter for a while, then turned his head to look at me.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I said that, a smile forming on my lips.

“Even after you ascend to the throne, you shouldn’t forget about your role as Arom’s prospective parents, right?”

Bliss smiled back at my joke.

His golden eyes sparkled with warmth like the glitter scattered on the lakeside.

He then quietly bowed his head toward me.

That was our last goodbye as Pope and High Priest.

* * *

I was a little out of it after hearing that Bliss was leaving.

It was the first time I had to send off two people close to me in such a short period of time.

So I was out of my mind, but even so, time didn’t pass slowly for me.

Even while I was mumbling, the erased ones must have been busy plotting something.

So I did my best to pull myself together.

‘I have to complete the ninth main oracle.’

After lying in bed for half a day, I pulled myself together and got up.

And then I opened the oracle window.

[Ninth Main Oracle – Defeat Breeder Micheln (Complete)]

Sub-Oracle (1) ― Head to the Northern Grand Duchy within 3 days! (Complete)

Sub-Oracle (2) ― Hunt the Giant Chimera created by Breeder Micheln there! (1/1) (Complete)

Sub-Oracle (3) ― Defeat Breeder Micheln who created the Chimera! (1/1) (Complete)

First, I pressed the completion button for the sub-oracles one by one.

Unfortunately, there was no reward for completing the sub-oracles.

Sometimes, you can get a reward just by completing the sub-oracles, but that wasn’t the case this time.

I had no choice but to press the completion button that appeared next to the ninth main oracle.

[The ninth main oracle has been completed! Would you like to receive the reward?]

―Yes

―No

As always, my fingers pressed the Yes button without hesitation.

[Oracle Completion Reward]

―White Moon Invitation

―Breath of the One Who Stole Eternal Life

As listed in the reward list, I received two items.

First, 「Breath of the One Who Stole Eternal Life」

This was a set item with the 「Bone of the One Who Stole Eternal Life」 I had received before.

It was supposed to grant eternal life if you collected all three set items?

Since there was something about it that made me feel uneasy, I just put this item in my inventory.

The other item that I looked at with more interest was another item.

‘White Moon Invitation… … ? What is this?’

It looked like a ticket, and the design was familiar.

‘Isn’t it exactly like the golden dungeon entrance ticket I had received before I was possessed here?’

Before I was transported to this world, I had received a ticket called a “Hidden Dungeon Entry Ticket” during the game.

The design of that ticket and the invitation I just received were exactly the same.

The color was also the same, gold, and even the font of the letters written on the invitation was the same.

Thanks to this, I could quickly tell that this was an extraordinary item.

‘If I use this, I might get swept away somewhere again… … Should I check the information window first?’

Curious, I immediately opened the information window on the invitation.