TYBMB 26

Chapter 26. The Pope
2024.01.26

“Me? His Holiness is looking at me?”

After hearing Johannes say that the Pope was watching me, I belatedly turned toward him—and it was true.

The Pope’s light blue eyes were indeed fixed directly on me.

Our eyes met, and for a while, I couldn’t look away.

As always, he looked truly divine.

His cream-colored hair shone as if it had absorbed the sunlight.
His pale blue eyes, almost sky-colored.
The Pope seemed like a being born of light, radiating sacredness.

Of course, his graceful and handsome features made him appear even more holy.

Handsome? No, maybe “pretty” would be a better word.

While I was still captivated by the Pope’s delicately beautiful face, he suddenly turned his horse toward me.

“…?”

I stared blankly as he approached, not knowing what was going on.

He came closer and closer—close enough that I could reach out and touch him.

Why is he coming over here all of a sudden? Even stopping the parade?

I looked around in growing panic.

The Holy Knights at the front of the parade, the Silver Knights in the center, and the other soldiers bringing up the rear—all of them had stopped and were looking this way in surprise.

The Pope, who had stunned everyone with his sudden move, dismounted and held out his hand to me.

“It’s good to see you here, Yulia.”

Though confused, I took his hand, following the etiquette of the Empire.

Then I gently pressed my lips to the back of his pale, elegant hand.

“I greet His Holiness, the noble one.”

It felt a little awkward to kiss a man’s hand, but I had no choice.

As the spiritual leader of the Empire, the Pope commanded deep respect, and knights of a lower rank than the knight commander were required to show this level of courtesy.

“…”

Even after I withdrew my lips, he held onto my hand without speaking.

Feeling awkward by the silence and contact, I slowly pulled my hand back first, and only then did he speak again.

“Why didn’t you accompany me as my escort this time?”

“This year, I’m attending the event as His Majesty the Emperor’s partner, not as the deputy commander of the knights. So I couldn’t serve in the escort.”

“That’s unfortunate. I had hoped you’d be by my side.”

“…?”

I was puzzled.

It was true I had previously served diligently as the Pope’s escort, but there wasn’t much of a connection between us beyond that.

I had simply fulfilled my duty as a knight, quietly remaining by his side.

Occasionally, I had felt his gaze flick toward me—but that was all.

As I stood there, bewildered, the Pope smiled gently.

“You may not realize it, but you are a very important person to both me and the divine.”

“An important person…?”

“You are someone who will change the fate of the Empire.”

I guessed he was praising my efforts in the Rift.

Maybe he meant something like: because I fought hard, the Rift was sealed, and the Empire’s fate changed.

I bowed my head deeply to him.

“You flatter me. I could only help seal the Rift and protect the Empire thanks to my precious companions. I could never change the Empire’s fate alone.”

“But among them, aren’t you the one bearing the heaviest fate? The one who returned, going against the flow.”

The one who returned.

The moment those words left the Pope’s lips, I flinched without meaning to.

It might just be my imagination, but it felt like he knew about my regression.

No, he couldn’t possibly know. I’m just overthinking it.

I brushed off the worry.

Time-traveling to the past is something that shouldn’t be possible.

So assuming the Pope knows about my regression is just excessive concern.

As my expression relaxed a little, he smiled again.

“The divine pities you. As do I. That’s why I wish to offer you help.”

“Help…?”

“Soon, you’ll find yourself in need of it. When that time comes, come find me. Just one request—I’ll grant you one wish, anything you desire.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he extended his hand to me again.

Understanding the gesture, I took his hand and kissed the back of it.

As I lifted my gaze slightly while pulling away, I searched his expression.

He was watching me kiss his hand with those pale blue eyes.

I couldn’t quite decipher the emotion in them.

Pride? Joy?

Either way, he accepted my kiss with a graceful curve of his eye—like a crescent moon.

While we were still holding hands—

“Your Holiness, we must go. Everyone is waiting.”

The commander had quietly approached and now stepped between us, addressing the Pope.

His expression wasn’t good.

He looked irritated that the parade had been unexpectedly interrupted because the Pope had come to me.

Then he glanced at me with that same dark expression.

“….”

Even when looking at me, he didn’t smooth the frown between his brows.

Should I not have responded to the Pope?

Perhaps he thought I’d kept the Pope too long.

I quickly bowed my head to both of them.

“My apologies.”

The Pope, who had been blocked by the commander, responded.

“You needn’t apologize. In fact, I should be the one apologizing—for approaching you so suddenly.”

“No, that’s—”

“My apologies, Sir Knight. So please don’t forget what I said. Be sure to come find me. I will be waiting eagerly until then.”

Offering such a polite farewell, the Pope finally stepped away from me.

The commander, who had lingered by my side for a moment, asked,

“What did you talk about?”

I considered telling him honestly what the Pope had said, but changed my mind.

I didn’t think I should repeat the Pope’s words about me being someone who could change the Empire’s fate or having gone against the flow to return.

“He asked why I wasn’t part of the escort this year.”

“That’s all?”

“…Yes.”

He stared at me for a while, then sighed deeply.

“Well, alright. I’d better go. Too much time has passed.”

“Yes. His Holiness is still looking this way. I think he’s waiting for you.”

The Pope was indeed still looking in our direction.

When I glanced his way, he gave a small wave.

I waved back, then gave the commander a polite nod in farewell.

He looked at me with his usual disapproval before rejoining the parade.

Once things quieted down, Johannes—who had seen everything—suddenly spoke up.

“I don’t know what His Holiness meant. Calling you someone who went against the flow, or saying you’d need help soon… Do you think he received a divine revelation or something?”

“…Maybe. I’m not sure either.”

“In any case, if something does happen and you truly need help… I hope you come to me first. If it’s something that’s hurting you, I’ll take care of it—whatever it is.”

“Thanks, Johannes.”

Touched by his earnest words, I reached out and patted his head.

As I ran my fingers through his soft hair, the unease in my heart melted away like magic.

After the parade ended, we returned to the villa around 6 p.m.

Then it got hectic.

We had to be at the Imperial Palace by 9 p.m. for the final event of the festival—the Night Ball.

Because of that, I got a bit of a scolding from the maids.

“There’s not enough time! If only you’d returned a little earlier!”

“The other young ladies have been skipping meals since morning just to look slimmer! We can’t lose to them!”

“It’s okay! Just trust us! We’ll make you the most beautiful one there!”

Unlike me, who didn’t care much about appearances, the maids were full of enthusiasm as they began dressing me up.

First, they helped me into a dress.

Then they brushed a fine powder—made from crushed pearls—onto my collarbones and shoulders.

Apparently, it would make my skin shimmer beautifully under the lights.

Thinking what a strange product it was, I let them do as they pleased.

Thankfully, they were fast and efficient, so it didn’t take long to get ready.

By 8 p.m., everything was finished, and Johannes—now fully dressed as well—came to say goodbye.

“Big Sis! I’ll head out first! See you at the ball!”

He rushed off to pick up his partner, Lady Adelheid.

It was customary for the male partner to escort his lady to the palace.

Which meant I had to wait at the villa until Ernant sent a carriage.

Fortunately, the carriage arrived not long after.

But the one Ernant sent… was nothing like what I had imagined.