When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 193



Only Noblemtl

193. For Your Rest
2024.05.11.

The Bliss guy who became undead was different from other undead priests.

His attacks were much faster and more accurate.

If I hadn’t been fully awake, I would have probably been seriously injured.

Fortunately, I was able to raise the Baekhwamyeongwoldo in time to block his attacks.

Kagang—!

The guy didn’t hesitate at all even though he was holding an old and rusty weapon.

When my first attack was blocked, he immediately twisted his weapon and attacked from the other side.

I bit my lip while blocking the guy’s barrage of attacks.

‘I’ve always wanted to fight this guy again, but—’

The attacks continued.

After I blocked them, my inner thoughts spilled out from between my lips.

“I didn’t want to fight him like this.”

Would he understand what I was mumbling?

Would he know why I was saying that?

Probably neither.

Bliss, who had become a monster, simply attacked me according to the instincts engraved in his body.

Kang! Kagang!

No matter how many times I deflected and deflected his attacks, he didn’t stop.

If he were a normal person, he would have realized that his attacks weren’t working and used skills or changed his attack pattern.

However, the undead were different.

He just kept charging at me without giving me time to adjust my stance.

Thanks to that, I was able to easily memorize his attack pattern.

‘He attacks horizontally once, then attacks from above the head again. Then he attacks the legs with a low kick.’

Originally, he used much more complex and difficult attacks.

That’s why, even when I fought him before, I had to fight him with all my might to barely land a single blow… …

Kagang!

This time too, I blocked his attacks, which were simply swinging.

In that short moment when we stood still with our weapons facing each other, I said to him,

“The Bliss of the second world I live in was really strong. Compared to that, you―”

I lightly deflected the weapon that the guy was pushing with all his might.

As if he hadn’t expected me to deflect it like that, the guy fell forward, unable to overcome his own strength.

I whispered in his ear as he fell, continuing the interrupted words.

“It’s too easy.”

In that split second when the guy lost his balance, I swung the Baekhwamyeongwoldo and cut off his arm.

Kreuk… … !

A short scream rang out, and the guy rolled on the ground with one arm missing.

I thought he might retreat just like that, but no.

The guy got into an attack stance again, seemingly unaware that a part of his body had been torn off.

Like a machine that didn’t even feel pain, let alone fear.

“… … .”

I stared at Bliss, who was taking an attack stance despite dripping dark blue blood, with mixed feelings.

It seemed like it would be best to end this fight quickly.

I didn’t want to see Bliss in that state any longer.

So I took the fourth form of the Moonlight Sword Technique, the quiet crescent moon pose, and—

“You’ve worked hard. Now, take a rest.”

With that, I let out my bliss.

* * *

After Nickelus left, the conference room of the cathedral.

Those waiting for Nickelus’s return were gathered there, putting their heads together.

There was something that needed to be decided quickly.

“I think a surprise party would be good. It’s more touching and fun to surprise someone secretly rather than openly throwing a party.”

Dionik was the first to suggest this.

The others nodded in agreement.

Currently, they were discussing how to throw a party when Nickelus safely rescued Luciana and brought her back.

Rubin was the first to suggest throwing a party for Nickelus after his hard work, and the others agreed.

As soon as everyone agreed, they came to the conference room and started making specific party plans.

Elodie added her words after hearing Dionik’s suggestion to throw a surprise party.

“I’ll take Nickelus and Luciana to the infirmary first, since they might come back badly injured. In the meantime, you guys get ready at the banquet hall.” The

others nodded at Elodie’s words.

Rubin then spoke.

“Let’s invite a lot of people. Invite His Majesty Bliss, invite Ernen, and send invitations to the Duke of Freeburn and Grand Duke of Crelin, and invite Elina and Nadia. They’ll all be happy and come running when they hear that Nike has returned safely.”

Bliss and Ernen.

Elina, Argelio’s younger sister, and Nadia, who had been in contact with them in the Northern Grand Dukedom.

They were all people who had received help from Nickelus.

Rubin wanted to invite all of them who were worried about Nickelus’s well-being and throw a grand party.

Cheonggwang, who had heard the story up to that point, added with a smile,

“It’s going to be very crowded. We’ll have to prepare a lot of food and seating.”

Dionik and Delsi nodded.

“It has to be the most crowded and wonderful party.”

“You’ve worked so hard. I want to throw you a wonderful party that matches the time you’ve worked so hard.”

Everyone agreed with Delsi’s last words, and nodded in unison.

Nickelus had fought without sparing himself to save the world.

Thanks to him, many people were saved, and perhaps he would continue to work to save others in the future.

So, everyone gathered there fervently wished.

I hope that Nickelus, who left to save Luciana until the very end, would return safely.

I hope that he would return safely and smile as affectionately as he had until now.

* * *

After I killed the undead Bliss, no other monsters appeared.

I went straight up to the top floor of this dungeon without hesitation.

As expected, a familiar message greeted me this time too.

[You have entered the top floor of the L-rank dungeon 『Lucid Miller Cathedral』.]

The top floor of the cathedral.

As expected, the gatekeeper monster… in other words, the fallen Holy Knight Commander should have appeared here soon.

However, no matter how long I waited, she did not appear.

‘That’s strange. Luciana should have appeared around here.’

Whether it was Luciana from the first or the second time, she should have been here originally.

I looked around, feeling bewildered.

Then, I suddenly discovered something.

‘What’s that sword on the floor…?’

I picked up the sword I found in the corner and examined it closely.

After examining it, I was soon startled.

‘That’s the sword that Luciana often used.’

It was the sword that Luciana carried around like her own clone.

However, unlike the clean swords I usually saw of Luciana, this one was quite worn out.

From this, I was able to guess one thing.

‘If it’s this worn out, it must be Luciana’s sword that was turned into undead in the first world that was destroyed. Since it’s lying here—’ I

finally came to a conclusion in my head.

I quietly blurted it out.

“Did someone who got here before me eliminate the first Luciana?”

Someone who got to this world before me.

I thought I knew who that someone was.

There could only be one person who got here before me.

‘The second Luciana eliminated the first Luciana.’

The second Luciana had become a monster just like the first.

I also didn’t know why the second Luciana, who had lost her ego after becoming a monster, had eliminated the first Luciana.

Maybe even though she had turned into a monster, Luciana still had a little bit of her own will left, and she had eliminated the first Luciana first in order to prepare for me, who would soon come here.

… It was a low probability, but I still wanted to believe it.

‘I’ll save you soon.’

With that determination, I then glared at the door of the boss room on the top floor, the “Top Chapel.”

Thanks to the second Luciana, the gatekeeper monster had disappeared.

Now all I had to do was go inside.

The Luciana I was looking for was probably inside.

[You have entered the boss room, “Top Chapel,” of the L-rank dungeon, “Lucid Miller Cathedral.”]

Thud. Thud. I crossed the ruined chapel.

As I remembered, there was a long gray carpet in the center of the chapel.

Also, there were endless statues lined up on both walls.

When I first entered this dungeon in the game, the faces of the statues all felt unfamiliar.

But not now.

While living as Nickelus in the second world, I learned more about the Lucid Miller Church and its doctrines.

Thanks to that, I now knew who the statues were modeled after.

Those statues were carved based on the apostles of the past, and one day my face would be carved and placed next to them.

At that point, I stopped admiring them and called out to the person I was looking for.

“Luciana. Are you here?”

The first time I called, there was no answer.

I didn’t give up and called out louder.

“I’ve come to get you. Let’s go back together.”

When I called out to Luciana twice like that,

someone walked out from above the platform in front, which was covered by a curtain.

It was a monster wearing armor and holding the spirit sword I had gifted her.

“Luciana.”

The spirit sword I had engraved Luciana’s name on.

Only when she held the sword did the fallen Holy Knight Commander, Luciana, finally appear.

The moment I saw her, a sigh of relief escaped my lips.

“Thank goodness. She’s here.”

As expected, I was truly glad that Luciana was here.

If I had gone somewhere else, I would have had to wander around this ruined world endlessly to find Luciana.

Even though she was a monster―

‘I ​​have to purify her without making a mistake. I have to capture her without getting hurt as much as possible, and then purify her with the Sacred Pact skill.’

I was confident that I could return Luciana, who had become a monster, to her original state.

After that, I slowly approached Luciana while holding up the Baekhwamyeongwoldo.

As expected, she also approached me with a spirit sword.

The moment I let my guard down due to her slow movements―

Pah!

Luciana quickly kicked the ground and came at me.

As soon as we locked swords, I could immediately figure it out.

‘This is going to be harder than I thought… … .’

It was different from when I had faced Bliss on the lower floor.

I could just eliminate Bliss in the first round, but the one I was facing now was Luciana in the second round, whom I had to take.

It was much harder because I had to purify her without killing or wounding her.

In addition―

‘Skill… …?’

Even though she was now a monster, Luciana seemed to be able to use skills.

As if she had used the North Wind skill that had swept through the garden, blue rose petals swept in from all directions.

‘How can she use the same skills she used before when she became a monster… …? Is it because her ego hasn’t completely disappeared?’

Even though she had become a monster, if Luciana still had some of her ego left, she seemed to be able to use skills.

She was secretly remembering how to use skills.

Thanks to that, it seemed like it would be a much more difficult fight.

I first drew up my divine power to defend my entire body before I was crushed by the cutting petals.

Sigh.

The sound of the petals rustling in the wind was soft and calm.

The sight before my eyes was the same.

A beautiful sight unfolded, like soft blue silk fabric fluttering in the wind.

However, my body, placed in that beautiful blue flower wind―

‘Damn, even if I surround myself with divine power, I can’t defend myself.’

My body was slowly becoming covered in blood.