CHAPTER 64……………………………………..
Harold’s eyes widened, as if they had become lanterns.
“What did you just say?”
I swept my fingertips along the bars and spoke calmly.
“I asked you to become the Pope of the Melissa Temple.”
He hesitated, as if he had never considered such a thing. A breath of confusion escaped him.
I, too, had no proper plan and simply wanted to watch over Paviban.
Though I had gained immense holy power, unlike before, I felt uneasy thinking that I could lose it at any moment.
Here, no one was more suitable for the papacy than Harold.
Even if I relinquished the role of the Saint, this was the way to prevent such a tragedy from repeating.
Of course, if he did not want it, there was nothing I could do.
If Harold refused to become Pope, I would rather choose the path where Melissa disappears.
“Do you trust me, Your Holiness?”
“Yes.”
At least for now, I trusted him. No, I had to.
When he fell silent again, I gave a bitter smile.
“If I hadn’t trusted you, I wouldn’t have shown you this place, nor told you what I’ve been through.”
“Who else even knows of your abilities, Saint?”
My return might reveal them. Hearing it called an ability felt strangely unsettling.
“No one.”
After a brief silence, I continued.
“Paviban plans to turn Melissa into a holy nation, expand its territory, and reign as a complete king. He’ll start reckless wars, and many will die.”
“You saw that too?”
I silently nodded. Harold seemed deep in thought again.
It was natural to be startled by such unbelievable news and a sudden proposal.
“…If becoming Pope to protect the future is God’s will, then so be it.”
It was a position he had never considered, yet Harold accepted my proposal.
Perhaps he could no longer stand by while Melissa and God were insulted.
I told him about what had happened on the pilgrimage, the reason he was accompanying me.
Harold offered his opinion about my outburst: my vessel for holy power hadn’t changed, but the sudden surge of power might have been too much for my body to handle.
We shared the same view.
“I’ve never heard of purifying magic like that. And you absorbed it into your body?”
“I couldn’t think of another way.”
“Saint, you should take care of your body. If the magic had completely covered your holy power, it might have been even more dangerous.”
I hadn’t told him about the surge.
I nodded to reassure him.
“I will.”
“Then Paviban knows that you set up the barrier?”
“Yes. He probably only knows it was possible during the first attack.”
He adjusted his monocle and furrowed his brow.
“Even if the Paladins didn’t see, there weren’t many who witnessed it firsthand. Can it be trusted?”
‘Don’t worry; I’ll keep today’s events secret.’
I had collapsed, so I didn’t know how things were handled, but when I awoke in the cave, Cardin spoke with certainty. So I could trust him.
“Yes. You can trust it.”
He seemed uneasy, but after seeing my expression, he nodded in agreement.
“If the Flower of God and the spirits were covered in magic, as you said, the holy relics might have been used for another purpose.”
“It doesn’t make sense for a servant of God to handle dark magic, but I am certain that what cannot be spoken of here is not the effect of holy power.”
“It also seems highly likely that dark magic rituals were used.”
Then, was he truly worshiping my God, Gloria? Doubt began to rise.
Perhaps Harold thought the same.
“Your Holiness.”
“Yes, Saint.”
“How long have you known Paviban?”
“…For quite a while. He entered Melissa around the same time as I did.”
A bitter expression crossed Harold’s face.
Seeing the depth of his concern, it seemed Paviban hadn’t been plotting this scheme from the beginning.
“He was devout. His faith was genuine.”
“Maybe he changed after becoming the Pope’s man.”
“Probably.”
“Have you ever seen those punished by divine wrath?”
“No. How punishments are administered is not revealed. But, like the spirits you destroyed, they might lose their power.”
Our eyes met. We were looking at each other, but imagining someone else: the Pope.
But the Pope said he had taken away holy power. Begged for his life and said so. Naturally, I assumed he had taken the saints’ holy power.
Which was correct?
“Has the future you know changed?”
“Yes. The Pope’s death came a year earlier.”
I had thought that by returning to the past, the unwanted future had been accelerated. I believed Paviban had taken his holy power.
When I poured my holy power into him, it hadn’t filled like a vessel with no bottom.
The fact I finally opened my eyes at the end suggested that my holy power had worked, albeit minimally.
Perhaps it was because I was here, but it felt like someone was pressing down on my mind.
Dizzy, I gripped the bars tightly.
Was it God’s arrangement? God’s punishment?
“Saint, are you all right?”
I forced a smile.
“Yes.”
“Don’t waste your strength on things you cannot know yet.”
He was right. Whether it was God’s will or punishment, it was not the most important thing for me now.
“I will. First, I need to find out how Paviban is using the holy relics.”
“Then, the next pilgrimage must go where they desire.”
I nodded in agreement.
After sending Harold out of this place first, I looked beyond the bars.
The prison was still cold, cut off from the outside underground.
Seeing my past self crouched there made my chest tighten.
Perhaps because I had returned to the past, I was not constrained like Aria.
But I couldn’t be sure.
Maybe it was because I was on a different timeline than others, or that I had released dormant holy power.
It was natural, as I hadn’t spoken about it.
If it were Paviban, he would have imposed restrictions on everyone entering here.
But he didn’t yet know that Philip was aware of this place.
So he could speak to me without restraint.
I released my hands from the bars and stared at the long, narrow prison.
Though it was already etched in my chest, I reminded myself not to forget, repeating it like self-brainwashing.
Could the emotions of the dead saints remain? Stepping out of this chilling place felt heavy.
I had come along a narrow path avoiding the Paladins’ sight, and luckily, I met no one until I reached my room.
I was tired and heavy, but there was still work to do.
Sitting at my desk, I took out plain stationery from the drawer.
I bit my lips unconsciously.
Exhaling lightly, I dipped the pen in ink.
Shamelessly, I took on another debt and slowly began to write.
When the letter was finished, I folded it neatly.
I tapped the desk lightly with my index finger and looked out the window. The long night was coming to an end.
After checking the clock once, I quietly dragged the chair back and stood.
It was a time when every action had to be cautious.
I opened the door and walked toward where the altar had been, lifting my steps to keep the soles of my shoes from touching the floor.
Passing by the row of rounded pillars, I saw the altar.
But the altar wasn’t what I sought, so my gaze soon drifted.
“Saint.”
A small voice calling me made my shoulders flinch.
I turned to see Alec approaching from leaning against the wall.
“Did you bring it?”
“Yes. When will it arrive?”
“Judging by the time the priest sent it to me and when I received it, it should arrive within half a day.”
I slowly nodded and handed him the letter, hidden in my wide sleeve.
“Please take care of it.”
“I’ll deliver the reply immediately when it comes.”
