When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 191



Only Noblemtl

191. God’s Last Protection
2024.05.09.

I finally felt relieved when I saw the gold filled inside the safe.

With these gold coins, I could easily unleash Arom’s third ability, and then… … .

‘I can travel to another dimension.’

Yes, I could travel to another dimension and save Luciana.

There was no need to hesitate any longer, so I immediately spoke to Arom, who was waiting behind me.

“Arom, I need your help.”

“Help?”

“Yes, it might be a little harsh for you, but… eat a thousand gold coins and unleash your ability. I can use your third ability to go save Luciana.”

The thought of having to feed this little Arom a thousand gold coins weighed on my mind.

I really didn’t want to force him to do something so unreasonable, but there was no other way to save Luciana.

So I tried to ignore the guilt prickling my heart, but Arom responded in a lively voice.

“Don’t worry, Dad! It’s not hard at all! Arom is a glutton!”

“… … Is it okay for me to eat a thousand?”

“It’s okay. And even if it weren’t okay, Arom would have swallowed the gold coins diligently.”

Arom came up to me and patted my shoulder with his small hand.

Then, he soon nuzzled my cheek as if he was being a spoiled brat.

“Daddy has taken care of Arom since he was a little baby. I even remember grinding up baby food and feeding him.”

“Grinding up baby food? Do you remember that?”

“I remember everything. So I would gladly swallow a thousand gold coins for you.” As

if to prove that what he said was true, Arom went straight into the safe.

Then he picked up three of the gold coins that had been piled up, put them in his mouth, and swallowed them whole.

[Gold coins have been paid to the divine beast “Arom”!]

―Number of gold coins paid so far: 3

The number of gold coins paid so far is only 3.

But when I saw Arom’s confident expression, I felt relieved for some reason.

I thought Arom would be able to digest the remaining 997 gold coins in no time.

Arom, who had swallowed the gold coins, looked at me and said with the same confident expression and voice.

“Just wait three days, Dad. In three days, everything you wish for will come true.”

* * *

From then on, Arom began to swallow the gold coins diligently.

In the morning and at night, he swallowed and digested the gold coins without stopping.

Since the maximum amount of gold coins he could eat at one time was three, Arom had to swallow them in hundreds of times.

I wanted to help Arom, who was struggling so much, but all I could do was cheer him on.

That’s why I couldn’t sleep well at night.

And on the second day of that sleepless night, Bliss came to see me.

“Luciana has become a monster…?”

Bliss asked me with a look of bewilderment after hearing about the situation from me.

I nodded slowly.

“You won’t believe it, but that’s what happened.”

“Are you planning to go save her? To another dimension?”

“Yes. I’ve already found a way to go to another dimension.”

“Hmm… … .”

Bliss stroked my chin and opened her mouth again.

“I was a little annoyed when you didn’t come to me after you returned. But I didn’t think that Sir Luciana would end up like that… … . It’s a shame.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. I’ll get you back soon.”

Bliss kept her mouth shut for a moment after hearing my firm answer.

As if she was thinking about something.

Then, she suddenly blurted out something she hadn’t expected.

“Will you come with me this time?”

“… … Your Majesty?”

Going with me meant that she would go to another dimension together to save Luciana.

She would go on that journey where she might have to risk her life.

Unlike me who was surprised, Bliss said calmly.

“Didn’t you have a hard time when you went to the missionary world without me? This time, come with me. “Then things will be easier.”

That wasn’t wrong.

If the guy were to come with me, it would definitely be a great help.

But.

“No. It’s okay.”

“You’re okay?”

“You should take care of the Empire. Not me.”

Now, the guy was the Emperor, and he wasn’t the type of person who would risk his life and go with me.

When I pointed that out to him, he was silent for a moment.

It was quite a while before Bliss’ heavily closed lips opened again.

“If you look closely, you always push me away.”

“… …?”

“Even when I was contemplating whether to succeed to the throne or remain as the High Priest, you never held me back at all.”

“Well—”

I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether I should say this or not, and then finally opened my mouth again.

“Because that was the way for Your Majesty. And it was also the way for Duke Ernen.”

“That was my choice?”

“It would have been better for you to ascend to the throne rather than remain as the High Priest. It would have been better for Duke Ernen, who found the throne burdensome.”

Bliss smiled faintly after hearing me up to that point.

“You always think of others. Sir Luciana, and you too. That’s why I like you both.”

After drinking the half-empty cup of tea in her cup, Bliss asked the question she always asked.

“Will you come back safely? Like always.”

As always, he asked me with concern.

My answer to him was the same this time as well.

“Of course. Like always, I’ll come back alive this time too. When I come, let’s all have a drink together.”

Bliss said yes and immediately made a date for our next meeting.

As if she didn’t think I wouldn’t come back.

As if she firmly believed that I would definitely come back and have a drink with her.

* * *

Three days had passed since Arom started eating gold coins.

Since there were so many gold coins to eat, I thought it might take a little longer, but surprisingly, Arom kept his promise.

As promised, he swallowed all 1,000 gold coins in three days

. [1,000 gold coins were paid to the divine beast “Arom.” You can activate the third ability of the divine beast “Arom.” Would you like to activate it?]

―Yes

―No

There was no need to hesitate.

I nodded to the group gathered there with me to signal, and then immediately chose Yes.

Soon, the long-awaited message appeared.

[You chose Yes! The third ability of the divine beast “Arom” is about to bloom!]

[The third ability “Dimensional Movement Ability” has bloomed!]

Arom’s third ability was the dimension movement ability, as Doria had told me in advance.

The ability to go and rescue Luciana.

Having finally obtained it, I opened my mouth to Arom.

“Arom, you… …”

“Yes, Dad.”

Arom nodded and continued with a pleasant answer.

“I think I can open a passage to move through that dimension.”

“Do you know which dimension Luciana is in? Can you send me there?” ”

I can. But-”

Arom hesitated for some reason.

As if there was some bad news.

As expected, after waiting a little, Arom told me something unpleasant.

“With my current ability, I think I can only send one person there.”

“Only one person?”

After asking, I looked back at the group.

Originally, I was planning to go rescue Luciana with those who had gone to the missionary world with me this time.

But who would have thought there would be a personnel limit… … .

When I was troubled, Dionik asked,

“What are you going to do?” “

What can I do? I have to go alone.”

Rubin perked up his ears as if worried after hearing my answer.

“You’re going to go to another dimension where you don’t know what’s there all by yourself?”

I nodded my head slowly but surely to Rubin’s question.

“I have to go. And, I don’t think you need to worry too much. Lucid Miller’s last protection still remains.”

“The last protection… … ?”

After nodding to Elodie who asked in confusion, I opened the oracle window.

[Final Main Oracle – Defeat Romun (Complete)]

Sub-Oracle (1) – Raise your Awakener level by receiving new skills! (Complete)

Sub-Oracle (2) – Infiltrate the palace where Romun is! (Complete)

Sub-Trust (3) – After sealing Romun, safely return to the cathedral! (Complete)

The trusts that Lucid Miller left behind for his last apostle before he disappeared.

The last of them, the ‘final’ trust.

He had not yet received the reward for completing that final trust.

Before pressing the completion button, I prayed to my god for the first and last time.

‘I protected this world as you wished. So I have one favor to ask of you.’

I closed my eyes tightly and recited my last wish in my heart.

‘Please help me save Luciana.’

Since Lucid Miller had already disappeared, my prayer would be heard and scattered in vain.

Still, I prayed.

Just like all those who desperately seek God do.

Only after finishing my prayer did I press the (Complete) button.

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

―Yes

―No

I pressed the Yes button with a fervent heart.

After that, the message I had been waiting for came to mind.

[Oracle Completion Reward]

―2-person Return Ticket

There was only one final oracle completion reward.

I received the last reward item and immediately checked the information window.

[2-person Return Ticket (??)]

―A return ticket that can be used in the ruined and abandoned first-round world.

―If you use the ticket, you can return to the 2nd world you are currently living in.

―For 2 people.

*Usage period: Unlimited

After checking the ticket’s information window, it seemed certain that Luciana was already trapped in the 1st world that had been destroyed and abandoned. If

you use this ticket there, you can return to this 2nd world.

I carefully placed the last gift that Lucid Miller had prepared for me in my inventory.

I had the return ticket in my hands, so now everything was ready.

“Arom-ah.”

“Yes, Dad. I will open the passage for you now.”

As he said that, Arom used his ability.

Soon, a crack appeared in the air, and a passage that allowed you to travel between dimensions appeared.

Arom advised him, pointing to the passage that was shimmering with light.

“Be careful, Dad. The place you are about to go to is an ‘abandoned’ world. I can feel it. It is a very desolate and painful world.”

“It’s okay. I already know what kind of place it is.”

Yes, I had indirectly experienced that world through a game.

The game I was playing, ‘Call of the Ruined World’, was probably a game modeled after the first world that was destroyed.

‘It must have been Lucid Miller’s doing. She manipulated the cause and effect to create the game ‘Destruction Department’ modeled after that destroyed world.’

Lucid Miller used the means of a game to bring me back here after losing my memories as Nickelus and being reincarnated in a strange world.

She manipulated the cause and effect to create the virtual reality game Destruction Department.

While playing it, I learned how to hunt monsters, how to find ruins, and how to use items.

And when I had learned enough, Lucid Miller manipulated the cause and effect again to make me enter the ‘Lucid Miller Cathedral’ dungeon in the game.

There, I found the hidden piece, ‘Ring of the Goddess’s Mercy’, and was able to possess this world.

Anyway, thanks to her consideration, I have been playing games modeled after the abandoned first world for years.

To me, the first world would feel very familiar.

‘Let’s think of it as playing a game.’

Although the Ministry of Destruction was a virtual world, and the place I was going to was a ‘real’ abandoned world… Even so, I decided to take it easy.

It was not going to work out if I got nervous.

“I’ll be back.”

Leaving those last words to my companions, I stepped into the abandoned first world.