~Chapter 105~
…Kidnap?
The moment I heard that word, I remembered.
Emmet’s faction.
[Faction: Royal Spy]
And the main event related to them was… kidnapping.
Game Category [Post][Chat]
Title: But why do those Royal Spy guys do kidnappings?
I swear it’s not because I failed the escape for the 5th time.
Not because I skipped cutscenes either.
❤️ Likes 77
Comments
👤 Savior 1
Friend of the Throne, don’t cry—just tell us.
└ Original poster: tp……
👤 Savior 2
They’re super selfish guys. Reason is >> kidnap the Pope to save themselves only <<<
└ Savior 3: Yeah, just for themselves.
└ Savior 4: Ugh, rotten bastards.
👤 Original poster
Since you’re commenting, please also tell me how to escape 😭
└ Savior 3: Go read the guide post (link)
“Got it.”
For now, I nodded.
‘He looks so urgent.’
I had barely enjoyed seeing how much he’d grown, and already his face was filled with seriousness. Emmet’s face was pale.
“…You’re not surprised?”
“I already was surprised.”
Did he know how much my weak heart was pounding?
“You don’t look surprised though…”
“That’s not the important thing right now, is it?”
At my words, Emmet returned to a serious expression.
He looked so solemn, like he was about to go to war tomorrow.
“That’s right, I want to tell you more details, but maybe in a little while…”
Just then—
Knock, knock.
The door opened with the sound of knocking. Perfect timing—Dad quickly removed the soundproof barrier.
“Ohh, Candidate Nemesia!”
Professor An, who had just entered and was standing at the front, widened his eyes.
He looked shocked.
“My goodness… I almost didn’t recognize you!”
It wasn’t just Professor An. The other professors murmured in surprise when they saw me.
Well, since Emmet said he had leapt forward about three years, the other kids should be similar.
But I alone had gone through double the time. No wonder they were shocked—I looked much taller.
“Congratulations on your growth. You are now closer to our great God!”
Professor An walked over and held out his hand, offering congratulations. He came so close that it felt uncomfortable.
“Step back.”
Dad said firmly, still holding me in his arms.
Professor An lifted both hands in understanding and stepped back, smiling kindly.
“You look wonderful. You don’t know how much Sir Derek, your guardian, worried since you didn’t come out for so long.”
The professors behind him still stared in admiration.
After a short round of applause, the noise settled.
Professor An then turned his attention to Emmet.
“Oh? Candidate Emmet, you already came here to hear the news?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my, haha. It’s nice to see how close you candidates are to each other.”
Professor An smiled, but his eyes lowered coldly.
‘Tch. That’s the face of someone who doesn’t really like candidates being close with each other.’
I exchanged a meaningful glance with Emmet.
Then Emmet spoke first.
“I just came to congratulate Candidate Nemesia, so I’ll leave now. Nemesia, congratulations again.”
Emmet gave me a small smile.
The boy, who had grown taller, now looked more mature.
On his handsome face, there was no sign of the urgency I saw earlier.
‘So, this is what it means to be chosen as an elite spy.’
I smiled brightly back at him.
“Yeah, thanks. Let’s talk about that thing soon.”
Emmet flinched a little, but soon waved and left.
He must have understood what I meant.
‘Okay, that’s one matter postponed for now.’
Professor An walked up again.
This time, he was careful not to come too close.
He smiled that same “kind” smile again.
But it didn’t feel pleasant.
At the start of the game, the professors didn’t stand out much, but from here on it would be different.
“Now then, it may be sudden, but following procedure, I will deliver the guidance to Candidate Nemesia, who has successfully grown.”
A little later.
Dad and I were walking down the hallway.
To me, it had only been a few hours, but from Dad’s side, it must have felt very different.
As he carried me, he spoke in a way that wasn’t like him—sentimental, saying he felt strange.
He said the grown-up me felt unfamiliar, but he was happy to meet me again.
“How do you feel about it?”
“Hm?”
I tilted my head up from his arms. A strange expression crossed Dad’s face.
“Dad?”
“Ah, sorry. I’m still not used to it yet…”
He looked at me with curious eyes and adjusted how he held me.
“You’re heavier now. And much taller.”
“Hehe, but still pretty?”
He nodded seriously at my playful question.
“That has always been true. Without a single exception.”
I grinned happily.
Soon, we arrived at the room and went inside. Dad quietly closed the door.
I quickly turned my head and asked,
“What you were asking about—was it the professors’ guidance?”
“Yes.”
Dad walked over and set me down on a chair.
I sat comfortably, recalling what I had heard from the professors just moments ago.
Originally, in this supernatural event, the order of coming out after growing was the most important.
In the game, the faster you came out, the more talented you were considered.
‘But now things have changed a little.’
I heard that at first, Emmet and Flora came out almost at the same time.
Because of what was known about the “Rift of Slumbering Time” and the Church’s rules, those two, who came out first, gained big attention.
The problem came when Lucy came out.
“N-no, Nemesia is waaaaay more amazing than someone like me!”
Once the candidates had narrowed down to four, each candidate’s status and influence became greater.
The words of a grown Pope candidate carried huge weight.
So the Church couldn’t just ignore what Lucy said.
‘From then on, another opinion appeared—that maybe staying inside longer meant greater talent.’
That was probably also because I got good results in the first trial.
Thankfully, Emmet and Flora didn’t support Lucy’s claim.
So now, inside the Church, opinions were split:
Should Emmet and Flora, who came out first, be considered talented?
Or should I, who came out last, be considered talented?
‘Since I grew more than the others, this argument will only grow stronger.’
Professor An had explained all this and added:
“Congratulations once again on your growth. Since ‘growth’ is dangerous, we usually recommend entering in two stages, first and second.”
This meant—it wouldn’t end with just this one growth.
I already knew that.
One other important thing he said:
Time had passed too much while they waited for me. This world’s time was now very short.
So the professor announced the next trial right away.
“Take the test immediately? That’s fine. I already know.”
Even I was surprised at how calmly my voice came out.
Since the moment I came out, I had no time to feel emotions. Dad was so moved, and we rushed to the waiting room.
“The test itself is fine, but the attention and focus on me might be a problem.”
“…I should have handled that.”
Dad looked regretful, but I shook my head.
“Dad, it’s enough that you protect me.”
Now that Dad’s corruption had gone down a lot, I should check his sword aura soon.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but his eyes already looked clearer than before.
‘The problem is the spies.’
The trial itself wasn’t an issue for me, since I knew it.
The real problem was the unexpected spy kidnapping event.
‘Strange. Why are they moving now?’
Even though I became the protagonist, the overall chapter flow had been almost the same.
But thinking about Usher’s reckless actions, it wasn’t too strange either.
‘First, I have to deal with this situation.’
Above all, what weighed on me most was—
[Faction: Fanatic of the Evil God Cult]
Black hair, corrupted appearance of the protagonist, Kan.
And the glowing fanatic symbol above his head.
The third trial approaching, the spy kidnapping, and the corrupted protagonist—all signs of a grim future.
But there was a way to deal with it all at once.
“Dad.”
I jumped down from the chair and ran to Dad, who was sitting across from me.
Even as he hugged me, his face showed confusion.
I quickly lifted my head so I could look him in the eyes.
Then I smiled brightly.
“I think we need to go outside.”
Dad’s face became complicated. Then, awkwardly, his big hand stroked my head.
“Outside… you mean outside the Church?”
“Yes!”
The reason I said this—
‘Luckily, from this chapter on, I can finally go outside.’
And of course,
“The third trial will be about going outside.”
That means—I’ll be able to meet the protagonist.
