When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 94



Only Noblemtl

◈94. The Strange Circus

If my guess is correct, it must have been the ‘life-threatening crisis’ that triggered Delsey’s powers to awaken.

I asked Delsey cautiously to confirm the facts.

“Could it be because of that…?”

“yes that’s right.”

Delsey nodded obediently, confirming my guess.

“As Your Majesty had expected, I became an Awakened One that day. My desperate plea for help was put into my voice and became a skill.”

For those with acquired Awakening, their abilities usually awaken in moments of crisis.

A moment engulfed in flames.

The moment I was swept away by the river.

Or, like Delsey, at a time when the threat of death from abuse made her desperate.

Delsey’s skill, ‘Voice that moves the soul’…

It was probably a skill born from Delsey’s earnest desire for people to hear her voice and move.

Delsey’s voice trembled faintly as she recalled those times.

“That’s how I woke up without realizing it, and my voice calling for help was filled with power. The power to control people… … When the villagers heard that, they all came and dragged my father off somewhere.”

“… … .”

“My father never returned again after that. After that, people began to awaken to the power of the skill… and were shocked and afraid.”

Delsey continued to speak, her voice trembling.

“People were horrified at what they had done to my father by taking him away. They were all shouting that I had to be kicked out because of the power of the skill I had in my voice.”

“… … .”

“After that, I was driven out of the village and became a vagabond.”

“… … .”

“Oh, of course I never saw that older sister again. She was one of the villagers who insisted that I be kicked out.”

“… … .”

“Because that sister’s husband also got involved in the murder of my father because of me―”

“Delsey.”

He quietly called Delsey’s name and interrupted the conversation.

Then he took out a handkerchief.

To wipe away the tears that had gathered in Delsey’s eyes.

“It’s okay. If it’s hard, you can stop talking.”

Even without Delsey saying anything, I already knew what happened next.

Delsey, who had lost her home and place to go for a moment, must have wandered here and there until she found herself in a narrow alley and lay down.

Using my newly acquired skills, I could live comfortably without having to work for the rest of my life… but it would probably be difficult to use.

Because of that skill, I was immediately met with contemptuous looks from the villagers and my older sister, whom I trusted and followed.

Nickelus found Delsey, who was waiting for death alone, and took her in to be cared for.

‘I remember everything. I remember every single thing.’

Nickelus’s memories were blurred and erased.

Among them, all the memories about Delsey came back to me.

The moment I met Delsey.

The moment I brought Delsey home and took care of her.

Everything I said to Delsey.

‘Thanks to Delsey, Nickelus’s memory is now much more complete.’

It was the first time I could say that I had completely regained my memories of someone.

I stood there for a while, lost in the afterglow.

That was when.

“Nike! I went to look around the inside of the circus barracks like you told me to!”

Rubin, who had been assigned to do the undercover investigation(?), came running towards me while saying that.

Then he whispered to me what he had found out.

“Isn’t there anyone who was held captive and scared?”

“You said it wasn’t there… …?”

“Yeah, I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find anyone like that.”

Rubin stroked his chin as if remembering something, then spoke again.

“All there were were circus performers, a circus ringmaster wearing a strange hat… and some strange-looking animals. Animals that were to be used in the show.”

“The circus and the animals… Is that really all?”

“I’m sure. I even used a thermal imaging camera to find it.”

What the heck? I’m confused.

The oracle clearly said, ‘Rescue the people kidnapped by the circus!’

But no one was kidnapped… … .

‘If this is the case, the trust cannot be completed. Could it be that the trust was created unexpectedly and therefore incorrect information was sent?’

It was said that Doria was currently managing the system on behalf of Lucid Miller.

I wondered if that Doria had blinked and sent down a strange oracle.

But there hasn’t been a mistake like that until now…

‘… … Let’s go there first.’

Even if you call Doria and ask him, it will probably be difficult for him to give you a proper answer due to the breakdown of causality.

In the end, the most certain way was to go and check in person.

However, before going in there, there was something I had to do first.

I spoke to Delsey in the most serious voice I could muster.

“Delsey, you go back to the cathedral with Rubin. As for the animal circus… I think it would be best not to see it.”

Rubin said he didn’t find any hostages inside the barracks, but something felt off.

Should I say it feels awkward?

It seemed like there might be something dangerous lurking there if I brought Delsey in… … .

“Your Majesty, are you trying to do something by yourself without me?”

Suddenly, Delsey asked me this.

Just as Delsi said, I was determined to go into the barracks alone.

When he hit the nail on the head, I couldn’t hide my embarrassment for a moment.

“Uh, yeah?”

[Just now, right after Rubin whispered something to His Majesty, you suddenly told me to go back. Are you trying to do something by yourself without me? As always, squeak!]

“That, that… … .”

[It seems my thoughts were right. Since you don’t deny it.]

I never thought you would feel suspicious so quickly and ask me questions.

I opened my mouth, still feeling embarrassed.

“Oh, no, I was just thinking about taking a quiet walk alone―”

[I know that’s not true, kkwak-! You always say it’s nothing and then jump into dangerous things! This time, I feel like you’re planning something dangerous, kkwak-!]

Delsey’s wit was much quicker than I thought.

Did I show any seriousness on my face?

I should have kept a more poker face… … .

Delsey continued speaking while feeling regretful.

[I thought I could get closer to His Majesty if I told him my story honestly, just as the horoscope said… … But… it seems the horoscope was wrong. As always, you just hide the truth from me.]

‘Quack, quack… ‘ A more melancholy-like duck-like sound came from her item.

As I listened to that sound, I suddenly remembered the fortune the old woman had told me earlier.

-“Don’t try to solve problems alone, but rely a little more on the people around you. That’s the only way to survive.”

The horoscope said so.

Don’t try to solve it alone, but rely a little more on the people around you.

I thought that perhaps this horoscope was based on the same situation as now.

As I was thinking that, Delsey spoke again.

[I wish Your Majesty would have expected a little more from me… … . Was that too much to ask… … ?]

“Delsey… … .”

Was that an overstepping wish? That couldn’t be possible.

Didn’t Delsey tell me all the old stories that were difficult to tell today?

I wanted to get a little closer to you… I did it because I thought we would get closer if I did as the horoscope said.

Then it was only natural that I would open my heart to Delsey as well.

“There’s no way that would be presumptuous. I’ve never thought of it that way. You’ve always been a strong and reliable support to me.”

[then…….]

“Okay, I’ll tell you everything. You should come with me. But keep in mind that it might be a little dangerous.”

[Yes, quack quack!]

After that, I explained the situation to Delsey appropriately.

That people might be caught up in a circus.

That’s why I asked Rubin to do some preliminary research.

But for some reason, the people who were captured were not visible.

So I even said that I wanted to go there myself… … .

I didn’t talk about the trust because it would make the story too long.

Fortunately, Delsey didn’t ask me in detail where I heard the story about people being kidnapped, and didn’t even bother to ask where I got the information.

[If that’s the case, I have to follow along no matter what.]

“I’m going to ask you one last time. Are you sure that’s okay?”

[Of course. Even in this situation, I have an invincible skill.]

A confident smile appeared on Delsey’s lips.

[This time, I will protect you, Your Majesty. Just as You have protected me until now.]

Hearing Delsey’s determination, I too became more determined.

Yes, this child is already strong enough and has a strong enough mind.

Enough so that I don’t have to fight.

Having made up my mind, I took Delsey with me and went to the barracks there.

I wanted to sneak in, but unfortunately there were many barrier items installed around the area that could detect human intrusion.

Rubin was fine because he went in disguised as a cat, but if Delsey and I had sneaked in, we would have been caught right away.

So we decided to just tackle it head on.

And when I say head-on, I mean—

“Please give me two tickets. One adult and one youth.”

It meant purchasing a ticket and entering the barracks as a guest.

The ticket booth employee stared at me for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

“Congratulations, sir. You have won a special event.”

A special event?

I felt puzzled and accepted the ticket the ticket booth employee handed me.

The word VIP was written in large gold letters on the sign.

[Your Majesty, something is strange. The circus performers are kicking out all the guests who were inside.]

After hearing Delsey’s words and looking at the entrance, it really was like that.

Despite the guests’ complaints, the members were chasing them all away.

I looked at the ticket booth employee to hear what was going on, and he explained with the same strange smile as before.

“It’s preparations to welcome the guests who won the special event. We don’t want other regular guests to disturb the special guests’ enjoyment.”

“… … .”

At that point I felt it.

The trust was not wrong after all.

These guys, I don’t know where they’re hiding, but they’re definitely imprisoning people.

If not, there would be no way it would be giving off such a suspicious atmosphere.

‘What should I do…? Should I really just take Delsey and charge in head-on?’

I thought it might be a bit reckless, but I decided to just go ahead and do it.

Because I couldn’t trample on Delsey’s heart that wanted to be my strength.

Above all, I was confident that I could block whatever came out from inside.

“Let’s go in.”

So we slowly entered the barracks.

It was a little dark inside.

As we passed through the long passageway, a large concert hall appeared, but there were only two seats inside.

One is mine.

The other one is Delsey’s.

There were only two chairs, as if they knew we were coming and had prepared in advance… … .

That was also very suspicious.

Even the chairs were both made of luxurious mahogany wood and had velvet cushions.

‘It’s not an item. It’s just a fancy chair.’

I examined the chair with my ability to check the information window, and fortunately, it wasn’t a cursed item.

It was the moment when I was about to sit down with peace of mind.

“Welcome, sir. My name is Michelin, the director of this circus troupe.”

Someone spoke to me.

And that too without even making a sound.

I felt an eerie sensation and looked at the person who had spoken.

‘The leader of the circus troupe… …?’

A hat with ornate decorations all over it.

Dressed in brightly colored clothes like a clown.

Above all, the strangely maddening gaze that doesn’t match her beautiful face…

It was definitely the circus leader pictured on the flyer that Delsey had first brought.