When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 53



Only Noblemtl

◈53. Pink hairs

Until now, we only knew that ‘the seon-gwan held a grudge and put a curse on it.’

But now I knew the specific method.

‘You used a curse skill.’

The last skill listed on her skill list that I can see right now is 「Han (L)」.

Most of the skills she had were of the type that allowed her to protect people or predict the future, but this one was completely different in nature.

Because this was a ‘curse skill’ that put a curse on someone you hate.

“One (L)”

– Sacrifices the caster’s soul, life, and divine power to place a powerful curse on the opponent.

If a cursed person develops affection for another person, the object of affection will lose their life.

Even if the person under the curse dies, the curse’s power does not disappear, but is passed on to his descendants.

*significant*

This is a skill that cannot be defended against with curse defense skills or items.

If you wish to receive the skill, you must perform a special rite for the skill caster.

I found myself nodding as I read the detailed description of the skill all the way through.

Yeah, there’s no way they could just put a powerful curse that’s been passed down from generation to generation.

The principle that nothing in this world is free also applies to skills.

In other words, the sage sacrificed all of his divine power, life, and even soul to activate the skill and curse the first emperor.

“Your expression is dark. What did you see in me?”

I hesitated, unable to find the words to respond.

I saw the cursed skill that pushed you to ruin… I couldn’t bring myself to say that.

“… … Nothing.”

“Ha, if you’re going to lie, at least pretend to make it sound plausible.”

She burst into a light laugh, as if it was absurd.

“My eye sockets are not pierced for decoration. Judging by your expression, you must have seen something damned gloomy in me.”

“that is…….”

“But you must remember this fact.”

Before I could even say no, she cut off my excuses with a firm voice.

Then, a piece of truth that I had forgotten flowed out from her lips.

“This is all a dream.”

“… … .”

“It’s just an illusion of a time that has already passed. So don’t forget to remember that there’s no need to worry about it.”

She pushed up the corner of her mouth with her fingertips.

It seemed like a gesture to make people smile without showing any expression.

I couldn’t help but laugh, even though I guessed what it meant.

“… … Do you think of yourself as a character in a dream?”

“No. Right now, I am of course a reality to me. This world is also a real world where I actually live. But isn’t that not the case for you?”

“… … .”

“If this place is an illusion to you, don’t focus on it. Don’t like it, don’t hate it, and above all… don’t pity it or feel sorry for it.”

The seon-gwan then lightly tapped my heart with the tip of the fan.

“If you give your heart to an illusion, what else will be left inside you but emptiness?”

I thought it was quite ironic.

She told me not to be jealous of her, but because I heard her, I started to feel jealous of her instead.

* * *

Afterwards, I returned home and relieved some of the fatigue from clearing my karma.

I would have liked to rest more, but since I didn’t have much free time, I got right back into action.

‘I should call Bliss and check first.’

The karmic settlement was over, so now it was time to check.

Is it true that there are enemies inside Baekmaedang as Jeokun said?

For that, I first took out ‘Dream Chaser’ from Inven.

I thought I’d never use it again after I used it to steal the succubus’ card before.

Because I got involved with dream demons, I went on frequent business trips in my dreams, so surprisingly, I ended up using this item more and more.

‘Oh, it works well.’

The item worked by flapping its bat-like wings.

As this was also a dream, there were no problems with operation.

Immediately I wrote a note to Bliss.

-I figured something out.

Please come to my house using the map drawn below.

Be careful not to be detected while standing still, whether it’s a stealth item or something else. If you don’t have such an item, I’ll just go over there.

I tied that little note to the body of the item.

Then he spoke to the item.

“Follow Klaus van Frisk.”

[The target of pursuit has been designated! The item “Dream Chaser” will pursue “Klaus Van Frisk”!]

As Bliss spoke the name of the first emperor, the person possessed by the spirit, the item soon flew out the window.

If we go our way, we’ll soon reach Bliss.

Then Bliss would check the note I had tied up.

Of course, it would be more convenient if I went myself, but I was concerned about Baekmae’s attitude before.

Because he seemed to suspect that I was colluding with the first emperor.

Maybe… it really meant that Baekmae was watching me from nearby.

‘Since Bliss is possessed by the first emperor, he should have at least one A-class hiding item. So rather than me going, he should come this way―’

‘It’s safer to come.’ … As I was thinking that, the wall opened with a rattling sound.

It was a strange expression, but there was no other way to explain it.

Because the wall literally opened by moving in both directions.

Bliss, who had walked out of the gap, nodded and bowed in greeting.

“I’m here.”

“… … What was that just now?”

“It’s a spatial teleportation skill. It was possessed by our ancestors.”

“Ah, you were able to use the skills of the possessed target too? You’re useful. I didn’t know you’d come this far so quickly.”

A skill that allows you to move through space by opening walls.

Since it is a fraudulent skill, there will probably be restrictions on its use, but it is still a desirable skill.

I was about to look through the guy’s skill list, but then I remembered I had more important business to attend to.

“Anyway, back to the main topic. How was the suspect you tied up before?”

“It was quiet the whole time.”

Judging from the fact that there was no hesitation in answering, it seemed that the suspect had been under close surveillance, but I still asked again just to confirm.

“You didn’t even try to use the skill? Did you use it to avoid being watched?”

“Not only did they monitor him, they sealed his skills. The guild has an item that seals skills.”

“hmm…….”

“This is a task to lift the royal curse, so it cannot be done carelessly.”

After hearing that, I began to believe it.

The suspect must have been tied up and unable to move.

And since the disease continued to spread even while the guy was unable to move, it was highly likely that he was not the culprit.

then…….

“The real culprit might be in Baekmaedang.”

“hmm?”

“Look at this.”

I handed over to Bliss the materials that Jeokun had previously handed over in front of Baekmaedang.

Bliss glanced at it and furrowed her brows.

“This is… … ?”

“This is data from an investigation into the whereabouts of the deceased. They all received treatment at a place called Baekmaedang a month before they died.”

I summarized it in one line.

“Someone from Baekmaedang who was dissatisfied with the village might have taken advantage of the visit of outsiders to commit indiscriminate murder.”

“If it was all planned and done… the culprit must be clever.”

“That’s right. They probably deliberately chose a time when outsiders would visit. Since it’s such a closed-off town, if something happens, outsiders are the first ones to be suspected.”

If suspicion is directed at outsiders, the real culprit within can avoid suspicion.

In fact, the villagers didn’t even know that all the dead people had been treated at Baekmaedang.

Because the investigation was conducted with the assumption in mind that the culprit would be an outsider, the internal investigation was neglected.

Bliss, who had been lost in thought, let out a sigh.

“If we don’t hurry and return to reality, Ernen will be worried, and things won’t go this way… … .”

“Don’t worry. It might end sooner than you think.”

Bliss looked puzzled after hearing what I said.

I smiled confidently, raising the corners of my lips.

“My ability to see other people’s skills has improved compared to before. But I’ve suffered a bit in return.”

“Improvement means… …?”

“Before, I could only see some of the skills, but now I can see them all. That means I can find all the Awakened ones with killing skills.”

“Hoo.”

Bliss’s eyes lit up with interest.

“As expected, this skill is tempting… … .”

“Even if it’s not a skill. Just say ‘open information window’ in your head or with your actual voice―”

As I continued speaking, my information window popped up with a ‘pop!’

I was just trying to explain to Bliss, but I ended up saying ‘open information window’ in a daze.

The game system seemed to think that I had actually said the command to open the information window.

Feeling somewhat annoyed, I raised my finger to close the information window.

The reason I couldn’t press the close button was because I found a strange sentence at the very bottom of the window.

*significant*

-Currently, life force is being absorbed due to the life force absorption skill.

Life absorption skill.

In other words, the Life Drain skill.

It was a skill that sucked the life force of another character to fill one’s own life force.

‘Who cast the life drain skill? On me…?’

I didn’t feel it at all. There wasn’t even a message.

As soon as I realized that my vitality was being drained, I felt dizzy for a moment.

“……His Holiness?”

Bliss quickly caught my staggering body.

Thanks to that, I avoided hitting my head on the floor. But―

‘It’s true. I really have no strength in my body.’

I had no strength left in my body.

Bliss’ face was blurred by my shaky vision.

The guy was looking at me with a stiff expression, as if he was bewildered by what had suddenly happened.

“… … What is the situation now?”

“In that room… a brown vial… … .”

Heukwol remembered that he had stockpiled elixirs with similar effects to potions in the room next door, and gave the order.

Potions are magical drugs that restore vitality.

Even if your vitality is drained, you can survive for a while by drinking a potion.

Bliss seemed to understand what I meant and carefully leaned me against the wall.

Then he moved to the room I pointed to to find the potion.

As the guy disappeared, the surroundings became quiet, and my consciousness gradually became blurred.

If it weren’t for the voice that suddenly came into my head, I probably would have lost consciousness.

-As expected, it turned out like this.

A voice that was too harsh to be considered an angel who had come to take me when it was time for me to die.

Unless it was an angel… then there was only one being I knew who could speak into my head.

‘Is that them?’

I slowly opened my eyes again to check.

As expected, before me were angels and people who were a million years apart from me.

The siblings who hovered around and chattering annoyingly… … .

I used to call them ‘mosquitoes’, but I thought that would be disrespectful to the mosquitoes.

So this time I called them by a new nickname I made up.

“Pink hairs.”

―… … At least call me ‘Mongmas’? I don’t even expect you to call me by my name.

The incubus said that and let out a hollow laugh.

I ignored his protest and asked the guy.

“Why did you come?”

-To help.

“under.”

Without further ado, I expressed my bewilderment with a short, empty laugh.

I didn’t have the energy to talk at length either.

Meanwhile, the incubus gently touched my forehead with the tip of his finger.

Then, he remained silent with a serious expression on his face as if he was undergoing a medical examination, but soon after, he opened his mouth again.

-Your vitality is almost depleted. Someone cast a skill and quietly, little by little, steadily eroded your vitality.

“who…….”

-Does that matter now? If we continue like this, you’ll die.

The incubus guy lifted me from where I was sitting on the floor and placed me on the bed.

The succubus who followed my brother looked down at me with a serious expression and warned me.

-You have to hurry as much as possible. As I said before, if you die here, you’ll become a wreck in real life too.

-Oh, don’t worry too much about that. We know an easy way. We’ll tell you for free.

A sinister smile appears on the incubus’ face.

The incubus smiled wickedly enough to remind me of the old demon tribe, and pointed with the tip of his finger.

That was the direction Bliss went to find the medicine.

-First, we have to kill that man.