When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 190



Only Noblemtl

190. Fallen Holy Knight Commander
2024.05.08.

It wasn’t a lie. As I said, my precious people in the Finite World would still be waiting for me.

Delsi, Bliss, Argelio, Petros… … .

I had promised them that I would return safely, so I had to go back there to keep that promise.

Kalocs nodded with a resigned face after hearing my stubborn answer.

“… … I see. You are the first human I gave a token of friendship to. That’s why I regret sending you away… but if there’s a place you have to return to, there’s nothing I can do. I pray that you can save that woman named Luciana.”

“Thank you. Take care, everyone.”

That was the end of our greetings.

My group, including me, set off on our way back the same way we came to the Mission World.

On our way back to our home that was waiting for us.

* * *

In a ruin, Luciana opened her eyes.

After opening her eyes, she looked around to see where she was.

It was a place that felt familiar.

‘Chapel… … .’

It resembled the chapel of the Lucid Miller Cathedral where she used to live.

However, for some reason, it looked much more worn and old than she remembered.

The carpet in the center of the chapel had already faded to a grayish color, and the statues on both walls were slightly damaged.

A ruined world.

Looking at the place, she suddenly thought that it seemed like a ruined and abandoned world.

‘Why am I here? No, before that-‘

She paused for a moment and suddenly remembered the most fundamental question.

‘Who am I?’ She

couldn’t remember.

Why was she in this abandoned ruin, and even who she was.

Having sacrificed herself to seal Romun and become a monster, she couldn’t remember anything.

Like other monsters, she had no memories or self, and only had the nature to attack humans.

Among them, there was one person she could barely remember.

It was the one she had to protect.

She opened her mouth to call out his name. However.

【Khan… Rasht… … .】

In fact, it wasn’t his name that came out of Luciana’s lips.

A language that even she felt unfamiliar flowed out of her lips.

【Ka… Shucht… … .】

She walked, muttering words that she didn’t even know the meaning of, but that just flowed out like instinct.

Then, as if she were standing guard to protect something, she began to quietly wander around the place.

* * *

The way back to the cathedral on the ghost ship was quiet.

Unlike when we went to the missionary world, there was no conversation among the group.

It must have been because Luciana’s absence had left a huge hole in everyone’s heart.

So everyone stared at the sea in silence, and I—

“Doria.”

I had summoned Doria from the quiet cabin and was talking to her.

It was because I thought that Doria might know how to save Luciana.

That’s why the Doria I summoned was much smaller than before.

The light that had brightly illuminated the surroundings was now dim like a light bulb that had reached the end of its lifespan.

I asked Doria, who appeared in such a weakened state, a question without even having time to ask if she was okay.

“Luciana became a monster. And she was sealed in another dimension with Romun.”

[I know. I was there when the sealing took place.]

“Then do you know what I’m going to ask?”

Doria shook her body up and down as if in agreement.

[You want to know how to get her back? You’re not the type of person who would give up on someone you love easily.]

“… … Can you tell me?”

Doria answered my question simply.

[I can tell you. But the law of causality will collapse.]

“… … How much?”

[Very much. Since I can’t indirectly show you the way by giving you an oracle like I have done so far, I have to tell you the method myself.]

“… … .”

[And as you know, direct intervention by someone like me will greatly collapse the law of causality.]

It was a familiar story.

Still, the reason I wanted to ask Doria for help was because I wanted to grab onto even the last straw.

Because I had to figure out a way to save Luciana.

‘They say that when causality collapses, the world becomes distorted. Can’t we find the answer from Doria after all…? …?’

In order to find a way to save Luciana, I couldn’t collapse causality, this world.

I was thinking that I had no choice but to find another way, when Doria suddenly said something interesting.

[But don’t worry too much, Apostle. There is a way that I can show you a way without collapsing causality.]

“What? Really? What is it?”

Doria hesitated a little at my excited question for some reason.

However, it was only for a moment, and she continued talking.

[I will use the last of my remaining strength to prevent the collapse of causality.]

“The last of my remaining strength… …?”

[Now that Romun is gone, my role is over, and I will disappear anyway. So if I use that last remaining strength to prevent the collapse of causality―]

“Wait, then your extinction will be brought forward?”

Doria answered my urgent question in a casual tone.

【If I’m going to disappear anyway, I don’t care whether that moment comes early or late.】

“… … .”

【If I can help you one last time, I’ll be remembered as a great guide. That’s not a bad thing to do.】

I was saying that it wasn’t a bad thing, but it was something I couldn’t agree with.

I immediately shook my head and refuted.

“… … No. You’re asking me to sacrifice my life in exchange for finding a way to save Luciana. That… That’s not something I should do.”

【Apostle.】

Doria called me in a quiet voice and continued.

【You’re not sacrificing me. It was my own decision. To make my end meaningful.】

“… … .”

【Please let me fulfill my final role as your guide.】

I couldn’t answer for a long time.

Then, I finally managed to force out my voice.

“Do you really want that?”

【I really want it. Without the slightest lie.】

“… … .”

Was it really okay?

Doria said it was okay, but I still thought about it for a long time after hearing that answer.

Then suddenly Luciana’s face came to mind.

The face of my knight who had become a monster for everyone and was sealed in a dimension somewhere.

“Okay. Then… tell me the way. The way to save Luciana.”

【Go to the cathedral and prepare a thousand gold coins. Then give them to Arom to activate her third ability. Arom’s third ability is―】

Doria’s voice suddenly crackled and stopped.

It was a signal that the collapse of causality had begun.

In the past, he would have stopped talking before the collapse of causality began in earnest, but Doria didn’t stop now.

【Arom’s third ability is the ‘dimensional movement’ ability.】

“Dimensional movement ability? That’s Arom’s third ability?”

【Yes, use that ability to move to the abandoned dimension where Luciana is trapped. Then, if you use your purification skill, you will be able to save her.】

As soon as he said that, the collapse of causality finally began in earnest.

Doria’s voice began to break off, and the space began to distort strangely.

A gigantic collapse that I had never seen before was about to occur.

I had a feeling that something terrible would happen if someone didn’t stop the collapse.

Doria spoke in a calm voice as she examined the distortion of space.

“I think it’s time to leave. I… I’ll make one last show of it before I go.”

Doria, who had started her speech with such a playful tone, continued to reveal.

The truth that I had never known before.

“Do you remember when you entered the sage’s dream and cleared your karma?”

“When you defeated the monsters that were the manifestations of karma?”

“Yes, that time. Someone sent you a hint back then.”

When I nodded, Doria spoke with a slightly smiling voice.

“That hint was mine. The other oracles and messages were all things Lucid Miller had prepared in advance. I simply sent them to you at the right time. But that hint back then… I sent it directly for you.”

That hint I received back then.

I was curious because it was a bit different from the system messages I had received so far.

It seemed that Doria had sent it to me while using her power to prevent the collapse of causality.

“Thank you, Doria. Really… Really thank you.”

I hugged Doria’s body, which was still faintly glowing.

And I whispered in a small voice.

“Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to come this far. This world wouldn’t have been saved. Thanks to you

, I—” [Was I a good guide until the very end?]

“Of course. I was a great guide until the very end.”

Doria seemed satisfied.

For a moment, the guy’s light seemed to have taken on a warm hue.

I wanted to see that light a little longer, but sadly, the moment of separation was approaching.

Doria’s light gradually dimmed as if he had begun to use up his last lifespan to prevent the collapse of causality.

When Doria’s form completely disappeared and only emptiness was felt in my arms, the collapse of causality had already stopped.

* * *

There was no great difficulty until we arrived at the cathedral.

It took a long time to go to the missionary world because we had to go through the mermaid village and fight Julian, but that wasn’t the case on the way back.

We went straight to the cathedral, and we arrived shortly thereafter.

“Your Majesty!!”

Delsi, Argelio, and Petros greeted us happily as if they had been waiting for our return.

They looked around to see if everyone was okay, and then they seemed to realize that someone was missing.

Delsi was the first to ask about the absence.

“What about Sir Luciana?”

“… … .”

I paused, not knowing what to say, and then slowly opened my mouth.

“Luciana… couldn’t come with us.”

“… … Yes?”

“We were sealed together during the process of sealing Romun, and we ended up trapped in another dimension… … .”

Delsi’s face became blank for a moment.

As if she hadn’t accepted what I had said.

Since Delsi looked as if she was about to collapse in shock, I quickly added,

“I’ll be back to rescue you soon.”

“Your Majesty… … .”

“I’ll be back to rescue you soon. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Those were words he was saying to Delsi, but also to me.

I wanted to believe it.

That we would be able to rescue Luciana soon, that there was nothing to worry about.

And to make that true, I didn’t waste any time and went straight up to my room with Arom.

Then I took down the large picture frame hanging in the room.

It was to open the secret safe hidden behind the picture frame.

Click.

I put the key that was kept deep in the drawer and the safe opened.

There was a mountain of gold coins that I earned from selling elixirs.