When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 196



Only Noblemtl

196. Side story 1-(2) The Lake of the Spirit King’s Sorrow
2024.05.14.

When I said I would get the sword back, Valeria was as happy as I expected.

“I’m glad I made a contract with you!” she shouted.

Seeing her so happy, I couldn’t help but go look for her, so I asked Valeria.

Where the thief went, what I should watch out for, etc.

Valeria told me everything she knew in detail.

“The thief went to the ‘Lake of Sorrow’.”

“That’s the name of the lake? That’s unusual.”

“It’s literally a lake of sorrow.”

I listened in silence, as if there was some kind of story.

As I waited, Valeria’s lips slowly moved again.

“A very long time ago… In the time called the ‘beginning,’ a spirit was born here. The being called the Spirit King of the beginning. “That primordial spirit king was the ancestor of all other spirits, the most powerful spirit, and also a being with eternal life. At the same time, he was also the most unfortunate spirit.”

“Unhappiness…?”

“Because I had eternal life, but the other spirits did not.”

Weren’t spirits immortal? Since I had never studied spirits in depth, this was the first time I heard about it.

So I gave him a puzzled look, and Valeria explained.

“They may live much longer than humans, but even such spirits will eventually disappear. I will too.”

“Disappearance….”

“Yes. That’s why the primordial spirit king had to send away the spirits he loved, time and time again.”

I thought I knew why the primordial spirit king was called the most unfortunate spirit.

I had experienced sending away the ones I trusted and relied on several times myself, and I knew well how painful it was.

If that primordial spirit king was an immortal being, he must have experienced countless separations.

Over and over, dozens of times, endlessly.

While I was estimating the depth of his sorrow, Valeria continued her story.

“And then he couldn’t bear it any longer and sealed himself in a lake, which is the ‘Lake of Sorrow’.”

“You said the thief went there?”

“Yeah, so our spirits couldn’t chase the thieves. The lake contains the soul of the primordial spirit king… his deep sorrow. So when ordinary spirits go there, they are infected by that sorrow and go crazy.”

Going crazy?

I looked at Valeria in surprise, and Valeria nodded as if it were true.

“All spirits are descendants of that primordial spirit who inherited his power, so they are much more easily influenced by his emotions. But you’re not his descendant. Even if you go near the lake, you’ll be relatively safe. However—”

“Only?”

Valeria opened her mouth with a more serious expression than ever before as I asked her again.

“Never go into the lake.”

“… … .”

“You will be so deeply sad that you will not be able to escape the lake on your own.”

It was a chilling story.

I had to be careful not to accidentally fall into the lake. Anyway,

I knew where I had to go.

I then asked her to tell me the information about the people who stole the sword.

Then Valeria handed me a drawing of someone’s face.

I unfolded the drawing that was rolled up and looked at the sketch of the criminals and nodded.

‘It’s them. They look so unique that I will be able to find them easily.’

I rolled up the sketch of the criminals again and put them in the bag Valeria had prepared for me.

After that, I also rode on the back of the bird that Valeria had prepared for me.

To be exact, it was a low-level wind spirit in the shape of a bird, and it was said that high-level spirits travel long distances riding on low-level spirits like this.

As I boarded the lesser spirit―

beep!

The lesser spirit let out a long howl and flew up carrying me.

* * *

The group was shocked by the therapist’s declaration that Nickelus’s soul had disappeared.

At first, they denied it. They thought it was ridiculous, that a soul could not have disappeared so suddenly.

Then they were furious. They accused the therapist of lying in order to extort a large amount of medical fees.

But in the end, they had no choice but to admit it. This was because other therapists with similar diagnostic skills had all said the same thing.

-“Your Majesty’s soul has disappeared. The body lying here is nothing but an empty shell.”

All the therapists who had examined Nickelus’ condition said the same thing in unison.

So the group had no choice but to admit it. Nickelus’s soul had truly disappeared.

After accepting the situation, the group’s actions were not very rational.

They each went their separate ways.

Luciana, Rubin, and the rest of the group had each gone somewhere to find a way to retrieve Nickelus’ soul.

And Elodie—

“Nickelus.”

Elodie stayed

by Nickelus’ side as he collapsed. She spoke to him, staying next to his body that had become an empty shell with his soul gone.

Even though she knew that her whispers would not reach Nickelus, Elodie continued to speak.

“Everyone left. They all dispersed as soon as you became like this.”

She hoped, but as expected, there was no answer from Nickelus.

When the small hope she had that he might react to the sound and come to his senses was shattered, the fragments stabbed Elodie’s heart painfully.

She continued her monologue, feeling sad and unheard.

“Can you believe it? It was the peace we worked so hard to build. You fought so hard for it. But… that peaceful daily life was shattered in an instant, like a lie. As soon as you disappeared.”

Elodie knew that Nickelus was the center of everyone.

That’s why she vaguely expected that they would fall apart without him.

But who would have thought it would happen so quickly?

Everyone scattered the moment Nickelus fell.

Everyone who had gathered together and laughed and chatted until yesterday.

Those happy and peaceful days, burst like a soap bubble and disappeared.

“… … .”

Elodie quietly chewed her lips.

Pain spread from her lips bitten by the sharp fangs, but she didn’t have time to pay attention to it.

She lowered her head, not even noticing the blood pooling in her lips.

Then she brought her face close to Nickelus’s ear and whispered.

“Come back to the people who need you.”

Elodie added.

She also needs Nickelus.

So come back.

Even though she knew that her earnest request would not reach Nickelus, Elodie whispered her request.

That was because all she could do right now was pray with such fervent desire.

* * *

On the way to the lake riding a low-level wind spirit.

I felt anxious for no reason, so I grabbed the feathers on the back of the spirit’s neck.

‘Can’t we go faster?’

I was anxious because I had to quickly resolve Valeria’s matter and return to the finite world.

Everyone must have been worried about me since I suddenly collapsed while drinking tea in the garden.

‘I hope you don’t worry too much… … .’

It would be a big deal if I thought something big was wrong and did something strange.

The person I was most worried about was Luciana, who often acted impulsively, and the next person I was worried about was Elodie.

Elodie seemed to be affectionate and soft-hearted, but she was the type who couldn’t sleep at night if something happened to her friend.

That’s why I was getting more and more anxious.

Beep! Beep!

The low-level wind spirit that carried me lowered its altitude while howling.

It seemed to have arrived near the lake of sorrow, the destination.

Flapping, flapping.

The spirit landed on the ground, flapping its

wings. After getting off its back, I looked around.

‘… … This is an eerie forest. According to the map Valeria gave me… The lake is over there.’

I tied the low-level wind spirit to a nearby tree and headed toward the lake while looking at the map.

Valeria had said. The thieves would definitely be hiding right near the lake.

There would be no better place to

hide to avoid the spirits’ pursuit. ‘The spirits probably won’t be able to chase me all the way to the lake, so they’re letting their guard down.’ They

probably thought that if they hid in the lake that drove the spirits crazy, they’d be able to avoid the spirits’ pursuit.

My plan was to take advantage of the thieves’ lethargy and kill them all at once, then get the sword back from them.

With that plan in mind, I searched for their traces for a long time –

‘Ah, I found it. Traces of the evil energy they shed… … It leads to the cave over there.’

I was finally able to find traces of the evil energy they were probably shedding on the floor.

* * *

Inside the black cave.

Seven small spirits were sitting in a circle.

Unlike other spirits created from nature, such as wind, water, and fire, they were ‘spirits of emotion’ formed from negative emotions of humans.

They were beings who were rejected by other spirits because they were not born with the power of pure nature.

That is why they were dissatisfied with the spirit society and ran away with the sword.

Among them, the spirit of sloth spoke first.

“There is not much left now. The seal will be released soon, so we just have to wait here.”

Then, the spirit of pride snickered.

“Even that great spirit king won’t be able to come near here because of the lake filled with sorrow. They are inferior beings who are not immune to sorrow, unlike us.”

The spirit of jealousy spoke next.

“I can’t wait for everyone to be shocked and flustered as soon as the seal is released. It was so annoying how they ignored us and made a fuss.”

Then, the spirit of anger agreed with them.

“Those unlucky spirits and the indifferent spirit king must all be annihilated! “You have to pay the price for ignoring us!”

Everyone nodded at the angry words.

The spirits of anger, pride, jealousy, lust, greed, sloth, and gluttony were all hoping. That

the spirits who had ignored and looked down on them would all disappear at this opportunity.

That they would all be swallowed up by the primordial evil that had been released from their seals.

When all the spirits disappeared like that, the ones who survived would be called the ‘true spirits’.

They laughed quietly, anticipating that moment to come soon.

It was then. A slightly different opinion was heard among them.

“Well. Even if it is true that the other spirits ignored us, isn’t it too much to kill them all?”

The seven spirits, startled, looked around to find the one who had just said that.

However, in case they were being tracked, they had hidden without even turning on a small light so as not to be caught.

That’s why the surroundings were dark.

Since they couldn’t tell each other’s faces, they couldn’t find out who had just said that.

The spirit of rage, who had been looking around while grumbling, finally lost control of his anger and shouted,

“Who just said that!? How many years have we been ignored before you say something like that!”