When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 43



Only Noblemtl

◈43. The Morning Star’s Footsteps (L)

The officer spoke with a distinctly gloomy expression and a voice that was filled with sadness.

The believers said they could not gather any more.

Why on earth?

Without giving me time to linger in my curiosity, the talkative Black Moon’s thoughts poured information straight out at me.

『Originally, when the power of the existing sage is about to run out, a new sage is born. A child with very strong divine powers.』

『But it has been ten years since the successor child who should have been born originally was not born. Perhaps it is because the spirit’s power has weakened.』

『A new sage has not appeared, and the current sage has gradually lost his power, so the village can no longer continue its lineage. Naturally, it is impossible to bring new believers to such a dying village.』

Oh, so that’s what it was.

I thought I knew why the seon-gwan said so gloomily, “We can’t gather any more believers, of course.”

I’m sure he tried hard to find a successor and save the village.

But that didn’t work out, so that’s why I said it so gloomily.

“Oh, of course I know. We can’t gather any more believers. It’s a shame to see the village become quiet… … . Ahem, then do you need any other help? Like a potion to strengthen your divine power?”

I hastily wrapped it up as if I already knew the story.

Soon the officer opened his eyes wide and said.

“Hmm? You’ve really matured. You weren’t the type of kid who would worry this much.”

“It’s natural to be worried. You seem to have so many worries these days.”

“I’m worried… … .”

“If you’re feeling too heavy-hearted, why don’t you confide in me? I may not be able to solve everything, but just telling you about your worries can help you feel better.”

I tried to persuade the seon-gwan by using the exact same words I had used to persuade Ernen to open up to me about his worries.

The captain hesitated for a long time.

As if someone had some unspeakable worries.

Since he seemed ready to tell me if I pressed him a little harder, I urged him one last time.

With some blatant lies thrown in.

“I am Heukwol. A loyal warrior who has served you until now.”

Even after saying that, the officer hesitated for a while longer.

But eventually, her lips opened.

“Actually―”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m scared. Yes, I am scared.”

‘I’m scared.’ Is that really what she really feels?

I asked cautiously.

“Fear means… … .”

“Right now, I’m using the barrier power I possess to prevent the poison from entering the village… but what would happen if my power suddenly faded like it did yesterday?”

“ah.”

“If that happens, the poison of the flowers that protected us from the secular world will try to swallow up the village instead.”

This village is safe from the poison of the poisonous flower thanks to the barrier skill of the sage.

That’s why the eunuch was worried.

The complete disappearance of one’s own strength.

So, we have no choice but to watch with our eyes open as the believers are swallowed by poison.

The officer continued speaking in a low voice.

“I sometimes hope that, out of fear, before my strength runs out, all the believers will fly away like butterflies and escape from the poison.”

When Seon-gwan confessed his true feelings and said that he was afraid, he hesitated a little.

But when he spoke of his wish just now, he didn’t hesitate at all.

So I could see how important that wish was to her.

“So Black Moon, what I need is not just some potion to strengthen my divine power. This isn’t a problem that can be solved with something like that. For me… I need a miracle.”

Miracles. Like flying ships.

I finally understood why the hermit so readily allowed outsiders into the village.

* * *

There was a large open space to the west of the village.

It was said that the first emperor’s group had set up a base camp in the open space to the west of that place.

In order to investigate whether the first emperor was really the main culprit who spread the disease, we must meet him anyway.

That’s why I came to base camp as soon as I finished talking with the missionary.

And as expected, at the camp they arrived at, ‘that ship’ was floating in the air.

[Footsteps of the Morning Star (L)]

―A flying ship created with the soul and passion of the greatest craftsmen of ancient times.

-It operates using divine or magical power as fuel.

―Without fuel injection, ‘flight’ is impossible, but ‘sailing’ is possible.

I hid behind a tree and checked the information window. It was an ancient item.

I thought it was a bit too much, and it was as expected.

It was probably something that had been passed down through the family of the first emperor, or something he had found while exploring… something like that.

By the way, didn’t the empire I live in have ships like that?

… I thought about it, and then I remembered something I had briefly learned about imperial history.

‘Come to think of it, you said that the imperial family lost a valuable ship item during the civil war. Could that be it? …?’

Even the Frisk Empire, which seemed to have held onto its hegemony for thousands of years, experienced times of chaos.

About 200 years ago, a certain grand duke who ruled over a grand duchy in the northern part of the empire started a civil war.

At that time, the imperial family sent troops on ‘flying ships’ to suppress the civil war.

but-

‘I remember. The ship and the imperial troops on board went missing.’

I don’t know why he suddenly disappeared.

There wouldn’t have been any reefs in the sky, so it wouldn’t have run aground…

Anyway, I heard you lost it, so maybe you can find a clue to its whereabouts in this dream?

… a thought suddenly occurred to me.

It was then that Jeokun, who had been hiding behind the tree with me, gritted his teeth.

“Anyway, it’s a unique technique every time I see it. That huge ship is floating in the sky.”

Another member of the Black Moon Party who had been brought with her, ‘Cheong-un’, also immediately responded.

“That’s right. It was created by the power of… the… devil.”

Are you sure you hit the jackpot?

That may be the case, but Cheongun’s voice was so small that it was difficult to hear.

“What? I can’t hear you very well. Speak louder.”

Instead of answering my request, Cheongun bowed his head.

Thanks to this, all that was visible was her blue-tinged hair and the top of her head.

Just as he was about to ask again, Jeokun interpreted Cheongun’s words in a loud voice.

“That’s right! It must have been created with the devil’s power! It must have been because he had the devil’s power that he was able to create such strange things and spread such terrible epidemics! … he said!!”

“… … Okay, thanks for letting me know. But I don’t think I heard the part that says ‘I borrowed the devil’s power’.”

“I added a little bit of my own opinion to what Cheongun said!!”

“ah.”

A combination of overly passive Cheongun and overly active Jeokun… … .

Since they are polar opposites, I thought maybe I could fill in what they lack.

Moreover, even though their personalities were completely opposite, their ‘antipathy towards outsiders’ seemed to be the same.

I cleared my throat and focused their attention.

“Their tricks will all be revealed today, so don’t be too upset. You all remember what to do when you get there, right?”

“Yes!! Leave it to me!!”

“Yes… please… leave it to me… .”

After that, I came out from behind the tree, leading the two who answered bravely(?).

After that, I walked straight ahead, crossing the guild members’ camp.

It was only in an instant that the eyes of the guild members who were leisurely resting there turned to us.

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

There was no welcoming speech, of course, and I couldn’t even hear them talking to each other.

All I can hear is silence.

I felt a little puzzled by their silent gaze as they glared at us.

‘That’s strange… … ? They spread the disease, so why are they wary of us?’

For some reason, their vigilance felt sharper than that of the village believers.

I don’t think there was any particular damage, but it was something I couldn’t understand.

‘Is the thief saying that his own feet are numb?’

It seemed as if he was on guard, fearing revenge for the sins he had committed against the believers.

If not that, then why are you glaring at those who have not suffered anything?

Anyway, we arrived at the ship by traversing the empty space filled with silence.

A middle-aged man who looked like he was the vice-guild leader who was leading the guild members there asked us.

“What is your business?”

The language he used was neither the language of this Eastern Continent nor the language of the modern empire.

He spoke in a slightly older imperial language, but fortunately the blue bead necklace around his neck seemed to be a translation item.

Every time the necklace sparkled, his words were easily translated and heard.

Well, since it’s a guild that explores foreign countries, it’s only natural that they would have something like this… I thought as I explained my business.

“Guildmaster, I have a request for you, Lord Klaus. Tell him I wish to meet with you.”

Of course, that was just a superficial matter, and the real matter was something else.

‘I looked around on the way here, and it seems like there aren’t any people with unusually low karma points… … But that doesn’t mean they’re all here. We need to take them all out and examine them.’

Today, I was planning to quietly check the ‘Karma Points’ of all the guild members here.

If you commit murder, your points will decrease, so if you search for people with low points, you will be able to find the culprit who killed the village believers.

And the first target of confirmation was the first emperor… the author, the most likely suspect.

however-

“… … Is this the order of the eunuch?”

For some reason, the guild leader showed an awkward expression.

I shook my head and replied.

“No. As the leader of the Black Moon Party, I personally decided to come and find you. I have no relation to you, Seon-gwan.”

“Then go back. Our captain is a busy man. I can’t just let you in without permission, unless the captain has something to tell you personally.”

“hmm?”

I don’t know if it’s because they’re wary of us or because they look down on us.

Anyway, it was a rather rude attitude.

Of course, there was no need to panic.

Because I’m quite skilled at dealing with such shameless authors.

“Really? I’ll go back if you tell me to, but can you really make that decision on your own without even asking the guild leader for his opinion?”

“… … .”

“If I were to introduce myself in your terms, I would be the commander of the knight order that personally protects the lord. I personally raised a military group called the Black Moon Party, and I have the authority to command them.”

“… … .”

“So it’s not good for you to decide on your own whether or not to refuse my interview. The decision you make could turn into something you can’t handle.”

The guild leader, unlike before, remained silent with a nervous expression.

I felt a slight sense of embarrassment.

I never would have thought that a mountain man would understand the concept of a knight and a lord and exert pressure on them.

I was thinking of asking him again because he was late in responding, but he gave in first.

“… … I’ll go ask the captain. Wait here.”

As he said this, he climbed up the probe’s ladder and entered the ship.

After waiting for about 10 minutes.

“Permission has been granted! I will briefly release the barrier, so use the gap to climb up the ladder!”

The guild leader who had gone to ask permission looked down from the deck and shouted:

Then, as if something had been manipulated on the ship, a transparent film-like thing that had been spread out near the ship began to ripple like a mist and disappear.

A protective barrier that would sound an alarm or shock unauthorized outsiders when they tried to pass through, preventing them from entering… that is, a ‘barrier.’

‘It was a good thing I didn’t sneak in at night.’

I didn’t invade at night because it seemed like they had clearly used an item or skill to create a barrier.

If you invade for no reason and get caught in the barrier, your position will only become awkward.

Anyway, now that I was able to safely enter the ship, I went up onto the deck.

Of course, there was no need to foolishly climb the ladder.

widely!

He kicked off the ground and jumped, landing lightly on the deck.

Some of the sailors there looked at me with surprised eyes as I suddenly appeared.

Meanwhile, Jeokun and Cheongun also came up on deck in the same way.

The guild leader lifted two more ladders and tried to throw them down, but then put them back down with a look of embarrassment on his face.

“Hmm… Follow me.”

We soon followed him inside the ship.

Because the interior was quite spacious, one had to walk quite a bit to get to the cabin where the first emperor would be staying.

As we continued on, we came across a door that was painted a bit more ornately than the other cabins, and the guild leader’s steps stopped in front of it.

“Our leader is inside. However, only you, the one I mentioned earlier who is the head of the household, can enter. The other two must wait outside.”

The guild leader who had been guiding us blocked Jeokun and Cheongun’s path.

It seemed that they considered it dangerous to allow three people who appeared to be capable of using force to enter at the same time.

Of course, I had no intention of resisting. I had planned this from the beginning, knowing that it would turn out like this.

‘Okay, everything is going well. Now, I just need to make sure that Cheongwoon doesn’t make any mistakes when using his skills.’

These guys here are probably the most wary of me, but the truth is, right now I’m just bait.

The one who took on the truly important role was Cheongwoon.

She, who possessed extremely rare skills that even I had never seen before, was at the core of this work.