Chapter 264: The Pope [1]

Chapter 263

───────────

Episode 68 - The Pope [1]

─────────────────────────────────

Crack! Crack!

The sound of the carriage wheels striking the stone road was so loud that it was impossible to sleep peacefully.

Even when the noise subsided, the constant rocking inside the carriage made it difficult to feel comfortable during such a long journey.

However, the man sitting inside maintained a calm expression. His eyes were narrow, almost as if they were closed, and a faint smile rested on his face.

He wore loose-fitting robes combining white and gold.

A silver cross hung from his neck.

He was Cardinal Julius Valentin, one of the three Cardinals of the main seat of the Holy Church.

Sitting across from Cardinal Julius was an elderly man dressed in the robes befitting an Archbishop.

He was Archbishop Julien Valentin, the younger brother of Cardinal Julius Valentin.

The vast difference in their appearances, with one looking like a young man and the other like an old man, was mainly due to the difference in their strength.

Julien was only a Six-Star Awakened. Due to his limited talent, he had never been able to reach Seven Stars, much less advance beyond that level.

Julius, on the other hand, was a Nine-Star Awakened who had been born with exceptional talent.

Although he looked like a young man, he was over a hundred years old and had served the Holy Church since he was little more than a child.

At that moment, Archbishop Julien looked out the window and spoke to Cardinal Julius:

"Looks like we’ll arrive in a few minutes."

Cardinal Julius’s narrow eyes also turned toward the outside.

After a long journey, the Ordeal Democracy could finally be seen in the distance.

"Looks like it."

Julius calmly replied to Julien’s words.

Archbishop Julien turned his head and looked at Cardinal Julius again.

"By the way, older brother..."

"....?!"

Julien immediately stopped himself.

He briefly glanced at Julius and, after seeing his expression, cleared his throat before continuing:

"Cardinal Julius, according to the reports we’ve received so far, the Pope’s health has deteriorated considerably. Is that why you received an urgent summons from the Pope?"

Julien served as Julius’s assistant, and although his rank was only one level below his, the difference between them was enormous.

There were only three Cardinals in the Holy Church, and each of them was an exceptionally powerful Nine-Star Awakened who had lived for more than a hundred years.

Not only did their strength place them among the most powerful beings below the Ten-Star Awakened, but their position as one of the three Cardinals also granted them immense authority.

Even though Julien was his blood brother, there was a fundamental rule within the Holy Church.

Family ties were unnecessary.

Emotional attachments to one’s family only made the human mind more complicated.

For a Cardinal, there were only three things that truly mattered.

His duty as one of the three Cardinals.

Being the hands and feet of the Pope.

And keeping his mind free of any unnecessary attachments.

The three Cardinals had followed those strict rules from the moment they were chosen for their respective positions and inherited the title a hundred years ago.

"The Pope’s words are absolute, Julien. Just do as he tells you, without questioning or thinking."

Julien nodded slightly, though he felt frustrated inside.

’Ever since he became a Cardinal, his personality and attitude have been like those of a puppet.’

If the Pope said this or that, not only Julius but the other two Cardinals as well obeyed his words without exception.

It was as if something were controlling them, yet none of them ever stopped to ask themselves why they followed the Pope with such blind obedience.

Perhaps that was why Julien had begun to distrust the Pope.

His older brother had not always been like this.

During their childhood, he had been carefree, joking around and playing like any other child.

’Ever since our house fell into ruin and the Holy Church appeared to take care of us, he slowly began to change.’

Eventually, the day came when he inherited the title of Cardinal.

That was when his personality, his expression, and even the way he spoke changed completely.

"Then, can I at least know what we’re going to do? It’s so I can prepare myself in advance. You know me well enough."

Cardinal Julius nodded slightly before answering.

"The Pope is going to hold a Ceremony tonight. All three Cardinals, the eighteen Archbishops, the heir to the title of Saint, and the Pope himself will be present."

"A Ceremony. What exactly is it about?"

Julien asked, slightly confused.

Although the Pope left his room whenever a night of the Twelve Moons arrived, this was the first time he had organized a Ceremony during one of those nights.

On the other hand, a Ceremony normally meant celebrating some important event.

However, Julien couldn’t remember anything that was worthy of celebration.

’Something doesn’t add up.’

Cardinal Julius answered Julien’s question.

"The Pope said it was a secret. However, for him, today will be a great day."

"A great day."

Julius wore a faint smile and, as he nodded, continued:

"Yes, a great day on which he will be reborn as an entirely new person, free from all the sins and karma he committed as a child, and overflowing with youthful vitality."

"....."

The Archbishop nodded slightly, still unable to fully understand his words.

Although Julius had explained it to him, Julien still couldn’t understand the true meaning behind those words.

Even so, he thought it might be the Pope’s farewell.

’It wouldn’t be strange if he died soon.’

Perhaps he had a year left to live, or at most, a few months.

The Pope had once been a Nine-Star Awakened at the Peak Stage.

He had been just one step away from reaching Ten Stars, and he would have succeeded if the leader of the Red Rose Order hadn’t appeared at the exact moment he attempted to advance to Ten Stars.

After his breakthrough was interrupted by the leader of the Red Rose Order, the Pope suffered a Heaven and Earth Deviation.

It was like an illness that afflicted those who failed in their attempt to reach Ten Stars.

The energy that sustained the laws of this world, known as the energy of Heaven and Earth, directly attacked the Pope.

Since then, he had rarely left his room and had remained bedridden for eight hundred years.

All of this had happened long before the current era had even begun.

’However, for the past fifteen years, ever since that girl named Rinna appeared and the Pope discovered that she was the Chosen One of Light, he has left his room every night of the Twelve Moons.’

Julien knew this because, although he held the rank of Archbishop and the Pope’s every action or word was normally only relayed to or witnessed by the three Cardinals, he had managed to learn about it after asking Cardinal Julius a few questions over the years.

That was how he eventually discovered the Pope’s strange activities during every night of the Twelve Moons.

Every night, the Pope took Rinna outside to gaze at the moon, while the three Cardinals remained by his side as his guards.

’But for some reason, there’s a Ceremony being held today, and...’

Julien briefly glanced at Julius.

’The words my brother said about being free from all sin and karma, and being reborn as an entirely new person...’

A strange premonition washed over Julien.

He didn’t know why, but for some reason, he could picture the Pope with a completely different appearance.

’I don’t know what’s going to happen, but just in case...’

As his thoughts continued to wander, the carriage came to a stop a few minutes later.

Standing before him was the enormous structure of the Holy Church.

Sixty meters tall, it was imposing not only because of its height but also because of its immense size. Furthermore, it was said that beneath the Holy Church lay the Catacombs of the First Pope.

It was a sanctuary where the Pope was buried after his death.

For that reason, it was a sacred place that only the Pope was allowed to enter. Not even the Cardinals were permitted access.

Archbishop Julien and Cardinal Julius stepped down from the carriage.

"Welcome, Cardinal Julius and Archbishop Julien."

The Holy Knights, who stood in formation on both sides of the path leading to the main entrance of the Holy Church, bowed respectfully.

Archbishop Julien and Cardinal Julius proceeded toward the entrance.

The two guards stationed in front of the doors also bowed respectfully before opening them.

Clank!

Once the doors closed behind them, the two found themselves standing before a long, spacious corridor illuminated by large chandeliers.

Paintings bearing the faces of Cardinals and Archbishops who had made great contributions to the Holy Church before their deaths hung along both walls.

Then, at that very moment...

Whoosh!

A man dressed in loose-fitting robes similar to Cardinal Julius’s appeared before them.

It was none other than Cardinal Abraham.

Seeing him appear out of nowhere, Archbishop Julien quickly bowed in greeting.

"Archbishop Julien pays his respects to Cardinal Abraham."

Cardinal Abraham nodded and, after looking at Julien, said:

"You arrived right on time. Nothing happened on the way, did it?"

Cardinal Julius shook his head slightly.

"Don’t worry, Abraham."

"Perfect. All three Cardinals are here now, so let’s go meet the Pope. A meeting has been arranged before tonight’s Ceremony."

Cardinal Julius nodded slightly, turned toward Archbishop Julien, and said:

"We, the three Cardinals, will be meeting with the Pope. Go with the other Archbishops and wait for our orders."

Archbishop Julien nodded.

"I’ll keep that in mind, Cardinal Julius."

"Good. Then let’s go, Abraham."

"Of course."

The two Cardinals suddenly disappeared from Julien’s sight.

The corridor fell silent and completely empty.

Julien sighed.

But a moment later, his expression changed.

The slight concern he had shown until then disappeared completely, and his face became utterly serious.

He took a step forward.

But suddenly...

"You’re Archbishop Julien, aren’t you?"

"......!?"

A voice came from behind him.

Suddenly, the Archbishop’s entire body went rigid, paralyzed by an invisible force.