When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 194



Only Noblemtl

194. Hard-to-hold peace
2024.05.12.

The reason why Luciana’s rose petals were scratching even though she protected herself with divine power was simple.

The area of ​​attack was too wide.

The blue rose petals that were rushing in scratched me from head to toe without fail.

That’s why I had to surround my entire body with divine power to block the attack. Since I

was defending my entire body rather than focusing on a narrow area, it was natural that my defense would be low.

‘First, I have to make her release her own skill.’

It was impossible to defend all of these rose petals.

So I had to induce Luciana to release her own skill, and for that, I had a set action to take.

Slash –

I swung my sword and attacked Luciana.

As soon as I got close to Luciana, she immediately released the North Wind skill that had been raging in the garden.

If she had kept the skill on to cut me, she would have been cut by the rose petals right in front of me.

‘You deactivated the skill yourself. It’s fortunate that you still have some sanity left.’

If he had used the skill without caring about cutting himself, the situation would have been difficult.

I was truly relieved, and at the same time, I used the Sacred Pact skill.

A circle of light spread out beneath my feet, and Luciana, who was sticking close to me and locking swords with me, also entered the circle.

Luciana hesitated for a moment as if she realized that she was within the skill’s range―

swoosh―

but she swung her sword toward me without a second thought. She

seemed to be unaffected by the skill’s range even though she was within it.

‘As expected, simply entering the skill’s range won’t purify it. I have to touch it myself.’

To do that, I had to extend my bare hand first, but of course, Luciana didn’t give me the chance to do that.

Luciana’s sword swung without even giving me time to put down the Baekhwamyeongwoldo.

Bang! Kagagak―!

I sweat profusely trying to block the attacks that were being swung wildly, and at the same time, I was worried.

How can I temporarily seal Luciana’s movements?

That was when.

【Khan… Rasht… … .】

“… … !”

The language of the monster flowed out from Luciana.

It sounded exactly like the words spoken by the fallen Holy Knight Commander in the game.

The words left behind by the fallen Holy Knight Commander who fell by my hand like a will.

At that time, I didn’t know what those words meant.

But now… … .

‘I must protect?’

Since I had gained the ability to understand the ancient language, the language of monsters, during the process of being possessed, I felt like I vividly understood what she meant.

Luciana was muttering, “I must protect.”

While I was surprised, Luciana muttered again.

【Ka… Shucht… … .】

Kashcht. It meant, “I must protect.”

When the fallen Holy Knight Commander realized what Luciana was saying, I bit my lips in silence.

‘Even after becoming a monster, you… … .’

Even in the situation where she had lost herself by becoming a monster, she did not forget her duty.

The duty to protect me, the Pope.

I felt emotions that were hard to describe as I took Luciana’s sword.

Luciana, who had forgotten what she had to protect, continued to mutter the words that she had to protect and attacked me.

Then, at one moment.

‘There’s an opening… …!’

Luciana’s body temporarily became defenseless after she failed to attack me.

I quickly took advantage of that opening to get close to Luciana. I

dug in further than the range of Luciana’s sword, and pressed my body so that we could not attack each other.

Since it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I immediately hugged Luciana and placed my hand on the back of her head as if supporting it.

[The curse of the character “Luciana Van Lazar” disappears before Lucid Miller’s dazzling power!]

The light that flowed from my hand enveloped Luciana, and the curse that turned Luciana into a monster was completely lifted soon after.

Finally, I succeeded in returning Luciana to her original form.

“… … Luciana!”

Luciana, freed from the curse, fell sideways.

Fortunately, I was able to hold her waist before her body hit the floor.

I carefully laid Luciana down and supported her head.

‘Why won’t you open your eyes… …?’

Luciana, who had fallen, had her eyes tightly shut.

Feeling anxious, I placed my fingertips under Luciana’s nose and felt her breath.

Fortunately, I could still feel her breathing.

So, embracing both relief and anxiety, I waited a little.

“Umm… … .”

Luciana groaned faintly and finally opened her eyes.

Luciana looked around at me and her surroundings with her still blurry eyes.

Then she slowly moved her lips.

“Seong… ha… … .”

Her voice was cracked and dry.

But even so, she was speaking human language.

Not the language of a mere monster, but human language.

Feeling sadness stabbing my heart, I asked Luciana.

“I came to get you. Let’s go back.”

“Romun… … .”

“You sealed me. I came to save you, who was sealed in this world at the same time.”

After I told her up to that point, Luciana seemed to have a rough idea of ​​the situation. She

raised her body from where she was lying and asked me.

“You came to save me… ? Even to a place like this… Are you saying that His Majesty has come to save me…?”

“That’s what I told you before.”

I smiled faintly and repeated what I had told Luciana before.

“If sacrificing yourself for me is your wish, then just find another wish early on. That wish will never come true.”

Luciana looked blank for a moment after hearing what I said. She

stared blankly at me like that, then slowly moved her gaze.

Towards my bloody body.

Luciana examined the sacrifices I had made to save her here, then bit her lip.

“Because of me….”

“Yes, because of you.”

“…!”

“So don’t sacrifice yourself alone ever again.”

Luciana moved her lips as if she was about to say something, but eventually she quietly closed her mouth. She

kept her mouth shut and her eyes tightly shut, as if she was swallowing her pain.

Thanks to that, I could tell. Luciana would never sacrifice herself like this again.

Before her guilt could torment her any more, I held out my hand first.

“Get up. We should go back.”

“… … .”

Luciana hesitated and grabbed the hand I held out.

After helping Luciana up, I immediately opened my inventory.

Inside was the last consideration Lucid Miller had left for me… a return ticket.

I took out the ticket, opened the detailed description, and looked at its usage.

‘If you tear this, you can return to the cathedral together.’

Following the instructions, I grabbed the ticket with both hands.

Then I tore it open in both directions.

* * *

“Nike, wake up! It’s morning!”

I finally opened my eyes after hearing Rubin’s voice.

The bright morning sunlight pierced my eyes.

As Rubin had said, the sun seemed to have already risen to its zenith, so I got up from the bed.

As I was rubbing my hazy eyes with the back of my hand, Arom asked me.

“Dad, how are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling much better. I wasn’t that badly hurt to begin with.”

I’ve been receiving treatment ever since the day I came back after rescuing Luciana.

In fact, it was just a small cut from a rose, but everyone who saw my condition that day was shocked and dragged me to the treatment room.

They poured a lot of precious elixir and forcibly treated my wound.

Thanks to that, my wound was completely healed, and my condition was also quite good.

Rubin, who had been looking over my condition, asked me,

“Are you really feeling better now?”

“Even so. There’s no way I wouldn’t get better after drinking so much elixir.”

“I see. Then do you want to go for a walk with Arom?”

“A walk?”

Rubin nodded at my question.

“Yeah, because Nike has been lying down all these days.”

Just as Rubin said, I’ve been resting in the treatment room almost half-forcibly.

Because everyone was forcing me to rest, I couldn’t leave the treatment room.

Thanks to that, my throat was starting to itch, but since he suggested we go for a walk, I had no reason to refuse.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

After that, I washed up quickly.

After that, I put on my coat, and Rubin and Arom, who had been waiting for me, grabbed my hand and led me outside.

I walked around the cathedral garden with Arom and Rubin, looking at their small backs.

‘… It’s peaceful.’

Warm sunlight, chirping birds.

The cathedral was peaceful, as if it were a reproduction of the word ‘peace.’

If I hadn’t defeated Romun, I wouldn’t have had the time to feel this peaceful.

I might have been busy holding a strategy meeting with my party right now.

But there was no need for that anymore.

The madman who threatened world peace was gone.

There would be no more crises.

“… … .”

A strange sense of emptiness made my heart ache.

It was clear that I should be happy that I had regained peace, but for some reason, I kept feeling empty.

Maybe it was because I had lost the meaning of life.

I was the apostle chosen by Lucid Miller to eliminate Romun, and eliminating Romun was my only mission.

Now that I had completed that last mission, I was… … .

‘What should I live for now?’

It was ironic.

I fought so hard to gain peace, but now that I have peace, I feel empty.

With such complicated thoughts, I was absentmindedly following Rubin and Arom.

“Nike! We’re here! Come to your senses!”

I came to my senses when I heard Rubin call me. I

had been so busy with my thoughts that I didn’t even know where I was going.

Before I knew it, we were in the cathedral’s banquet hall.

“Banquet hall? Why are you here?”

Rubin and Arom smiled at my question.

“You’ll know when you go in, Dad.”

“Let’s go in!”

I was led by them into the banquet hall, bewildered.

And there—

“… …? What are you all doing here?”

Everyone was there.

Of course, those who had gone on the journey with me, but also Bliss, Ernen, and Nadia and Elina who had come from far away.

In addition, the table there was filled with delicious food, and nearby were piles of presents that they had brought.

As I entered the place with a bewildered expression, Bliss approached me and said,

“Why don’t you smile more? It’s a fun place.”

“What’s the situation?”

“What’s the situation? Everyone gathered here to celebrate your hard fought battle.” You

gathered for me?

Only then did I realize that this was a surprise party prepared for me.

Everyone had gathered here to celebrate my safe return with Luciana after defeating Romun.

As I stood there bewildered, Dionik came over and dragged me to my seat. He

then poured my glass and said,

“This is a party for my brother. Do you have a great toast in mind?”

“Toast… … .”

I looked around at everyone gathered there.

The banquet hall was bustling with everyone I had a connection with.

I thought I had nothing left after protecting the peace, but it was all a mistake.

I looked around at them and raised my glass.

Then I said.

“Well, first of all, thank you all for coming together―”

After saying that, I slowly blurted out the words I had in mind.

“Honestly, if I said that the journey wasn’t difficult, I’d be lying. If I said that it wasn’t painful , that would be a lie too. It was a difficult and painful fight. But still―”

I swallowed my slightly rising emotions and continued to recite my toast.

“But still, it was worth it.” We

fought hard and painfully. That was the happiness we gained, and that was the peace we gained. I raised my glass toward everyone and uttered my last words. “Let’s not forget how hard we fought to gain this peace. Let’s live that way, remembering the value of this happiness, remembering how precious it is. Cheers.” “Wow!” The banquet hall was filled with cheers that made my ears numb. I felt like that sound filled the depths of my heart. So the emptiness that had been piercing my heart no longer felt.