“and… , How do you carve that big statue by yourself?”
“It’s a shame that it’s so far away that I can’t see it clearly. “I want to see it up close.”
“Will we soon be able to see His Holiness the Pope every day? But who on earth is that sculptor that carves things so skillfully?”
At the entrance to the palace towering at the center of Bastian, the capital of the Holy Kingdom, a large statue was changing day by day.
The statue can be seen just by looking up from the city center. Watching the sculptures being completed little by little has become a part of the daily routine of the people living in Bastian.
A statue imitating the face of the Pope, which they consider sacred. Even before it was completed, the number of people praying there began to increase, and at the same time, the name of the sculptor named ‘Paul’ who created the statue began to appear on their lips.
“He must be an apostle from God.”
“How can you carve something so dazzling? “Now all the statues in the city look like toys.”
“That’s a real sculpture! “Before that, the guys who said they were sculptors and showed them sculptures were complete fraudsters, right?”
“therefore! “I heard that he made a statue of the Pope, so I bought a sculpture made by him, and I thought it was completely strange.”
“I guess I’ll have to throw it all away. “If I meet a sculptor named Paul, I’ll have to ask him to make one for me later.”
“Aren’t you friendly with the archbishops? “I’m asking you too.”
“Hmm, think about it.”
The name of the engraver named Paul became more famous day by day. There was not a day when his name did not come up not only among the citizens of Bastian but also among the priests of the church.
“Harman, you said you received a sculpture from Paul, right? Let me see. “I’m curious.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t work. “I can’t believe how difficult it was for me.”
“Can’t I just look at it for a moment?”
“Come to think of it… … , Is this your first time seeing that necklace? Is it a magic tool? “It looks pretty good.”
High Priest Kuban, seeing Harman’s greedy eyes, held the necklace with an expression of regret.
“Tsk, I have a good sense of vision. It’s a magic tool that revitalizes the body. “I got lucky this time.”
“Ho… … .”
“I told you, so you can show me too.”
“I understand. I happen to have a sculpture. “See.”
As if bragging, he took out a small wooden sculpture from his pocket and showed it to me.
Haarmann’s face was elaborately sculpted to reveal its liveliness. A wooden sculpture that looks as if it is looking directly at Harman at the time. Cuban let out an exclamation.
“That’s incredible. This level of detail in this small piece of wood… … . His skills are greater than any other sculptor so far. “Where did you find a sculptor like this?”
“hehehe… … . “There is a way.”
Harman laughed in a low voice as he looked at the wooden sculpture. When the statue in the image of the Pope is completed, a large reward will surely be given to the person who brought Paul.
Maybe I can use this opportunity to rise to a higher position.
‘That guy named Paul. Is there any way to put a leash on? If you make sculptures for other people, the value goes down.’
From Noble mtl dot com
Haarmann thought of a way to satisfy his greed using Paul.
‘ah! That will work. First, I’ll use the statue of the Pope as an excuse to stop others from making sculptures, and then I’ll use the statue’s repairs as an excuse.’
It was too good of a skill to let go after just finishing this job. If possible, how good would it be to tie them to the kingdom, seize their weaknesses, and make them loyal to you.
‘hehehe… … , it’s a weakness, you just have to force it.’
* * *
As the completion of the statue accelerated, the skill level of sculpting increased day by day.
This was thanks to the fact that I called Gemma to ask for advice and help in areas that required elaborate work.
‘The body is almost complete.’
Now all we have to do is complete the Pope’s face and correct the overall details.
What is important is that the Pope will finally arrive in person tomorrow.
‘It’s the Pope… … , I’m a little nervous.’
The fact that I had to come face to face with the person I was going to kill made me nervous.
That… , that… .
After finishing today’s work and walking down the city streets, I hear someone’s cautious steps behind me.
It’s a late night. At this time, when the lights illuminating the streets are gradually disappearing and only darkness takes over, whoever is chasing me probably does not have very pleasant intentions.
‘It’s so shabby… … ‘Who put it on?’
It may be because I sharpen my senses and stay alert every day, but my stealth and tracking skills are too poor to be assigned to a master-level swordsman.
In that case, it means that the pursuer is targeting Sculptor Paul, not Ren Argen.
Is it because the Pope is showing up tomorrow that he was caught while there was no trace so far?
‘how will we do it… … .’
It is possible to catch the pursuer and find the client, and it is not difficult to elude the pursuer.
‘Let’s pretend we don’t know first.’
Tuk.
At that time, the tracer suddenly disappeared. The sound of footsteps stopped and a low silence fell on the street.
And then a red-haired man appeared with someone on his waist.
“hey.”
“… … .”
I glared at him without saying a word. The guy who suddenly appeared in front of me was a flake left behind in the explosion of the Black Star’s secret branch last time.
‘You won’t recognize me as Ren Argen because I’m wearing a fox mask.’
That guy suddenly appeared in front of me, with those eyes… … .
‘I think you think it’s me?’
While I was struggling to understand his thoughts, he asked me a question in a confident tone.
“Is it you?”
“… … “What are you talking about?”
“I took the ‘Flower of Planta’ from the secret branch of the warlocks.”
As expected, were you sure it was me? But planta flowers? Are you really talking about that blue flower?
“I don’t know what the planta flower is, how did you know it was me?”
I didn’t necessarily take off my mask, but I didn’t do anything like change my voice anymore.
“Of course, it’s you, right? “I brought a statue like that in front of your grave, but if you don’t know it, isn’t it a dead body?”
“Right.”
In fact, there were quite a few factors that made it possible for Flake to know that the engraver named Paul was me. That’s why I didn’t leave any traces that would recognize me to Flake.
“And I heard that the top guys you were protecting like that brought a sculptor. Then there is only you. “Kkkkkk.”
Flake laughs as if it’s fun. Then, he threw the man he had caught a moment ago to the ground.
“Did you kill him?”
“no. Because if you kill him, you’ll be in trouble. But are you really not? “The flower disappeared in the desert.”
Flake glares at me, completely unable to hide his suspicions.
The flower was stored somewhere else at the request of Acro. If it was really looking for the flower, it means that it could detect the location of the flower in some way.
‘I don’t think it’s possible every time.’
He seemed to have noticed that the flower was there even before he entered the tower.
“I don’t even know what it is, and isn’t it natural for the flower to disappear after that explosion?”
“… … .”
“I am certain that it is not gone, but there was a way to determine the location of the flower from the time we attacked the tower.”
“Noisy.”
“What is that flower that you’re looking for so much?”
“I don’t know. “I helped deal with the Black Star branch, now it’s your turn to help me.”
Are you naturally changing the topic?
His attitude has changed so much from when he first met Flake. The appearance of reckless use of force suddenly disappeared.
Having seen my fight with Gelman, a master-level monster, he probably doesn’t have the courage to beat me anymore.
At most, his limit was that he could barely catch a Gelman that hadn’t turned into a monster.
“good. “What are we doing?”
“Attract the attention of a pope or a cardinal. “That’s it.”
“… … You’re just spouting nonsense. Let’s pretend it never happened.”
I turned my back without hesitation.
“Are you breaking your promise?”
“promise?”
Standing tall, I trudged over to Flake and wrapped his entire body with brain energy.
Now you can create speculation even without dealing with monsters.
Master level level. Once I set foot there, I needed to show that I was standing in a completely different position from Flake and the like.
Dismissal… , Pajijik!!
A strong thought that weighs down the surrounding atmosphere. My will and the achievements I have made so far dominate the space and strengthen my presence.
“Do I have to say this twice?”
You can tell as you reach the level of master. Everything can be my sword without having to pick up a sword.
The brain energy flowing out around them emits threatening sparks as if they will be attacked by Flake at any moment.
“It’s right for the strong to do whatever they want.”
This is what Flake said when he first saw me. I’m just doing it the same way.
“So, if you really want help, let me know. “What do you want and what are you trying to do?”
The face of a heavily hardened flake. The appearance of a 4-star wizard caught up in the master’s speculation was no different from that of a goblin in front of an ogre.
“I’m going to steal the church’s relics.”
“… … what?”
I had no idea that this guy would say his purpose so obediently, but I also had no idea that the content would be this shocking.
“The reason is?”
“… … “I can’t say that.”
The guy closed his mouth. The eyes that have become infinitely serious, as if this can never be done, are noticeable.
He is a guy who thinks being strong is everything. Perhaps his madman characteristics are focused on becoming stronger. That might have something to do with the fact that he’s aiming for a sacred object.
‘If you think that the reason he goes crazy like a madman is to become stronger, then the ‘blue eyes’ he tried to take from Karina last time would also be for that reason.’
In the Five World Magic, he mainly uses brain attribute and blood attribute magic.
Even if the blood attribute was strong before, the power of lightning magic was several times stronger than that of Arbitrari.
‘If you think that there are artifacts that can amplify the power of certain attribute magic of the Five Worlds of Yangyangjutsu… … , It fits perfectly.’
[Five world techniques]]
It is a technique made up of fire, water, brain, wind, and blood.
# When everything comes together, true power can be created.
Last time’s blue eyes, this time’s planta flowers, and even sacred relics.
‘The fact that it can produce true power when everything comes together means that its abilities have not fully blossomed yet.’
The magic you see now is at an unbelievable level of power. But when all of that comes together, how strong does it become?
‘If you think that power is everything, you must prevent the madman from becoming stronger.’
The risk has increased sharply. Flake, who doesn’t know the existence of the status window, probably couldn’t even guess how far I had guessed.
“Okay, a promise is a promise.”
I have no intention of handing over the sacred object. However, if you use Flake’s power, dealing with the Pope will be easier.
“I won’t even ask for a reason. Stealing sacred objects… … . “What do you want?”
“Raman’s Spear.”
‘It’s Raman’s window… … .’
I became even more certain about what he wanted.
“good. Come back the day after tomorrow night. “Don’t show yourself until then.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“okay. “I’ll tell you my plan to get your attention.”
* * *
Work began again early the next morning.
Priests are gathering in unusually large numbers today. High-ranking priests and even cardinals gather to watch Ren’s sculpture work.
Calmly receiving dozens of gazes, Ren moved his carving knife without stopping.
“His Holiness the Pope is coming!”
Priests lined up on both sides at once, with voices coming from the entrance of the palace.
This is where the statue is, and the Pope, with his gigantic appearance, appeared in the palace looking quite neat.
‘Is that Procopius Doukas?’
The Pope walks out wearing a robe with an ornate golden pattern. Looking at his neatly swept golden hair and brightly shining eyes, you would never think that he was a person who committed all kinds of corruption behind his back.
“Are you the sculptor named Paul?”
Doukas asked Ren in a low, soft voice.
“I see you, His Holiness the Pope. “My name is Paul the engraver.”
“You’ve been through a lot. “Thank you for doing this for me.”
Kind facial expressions and natural gestures. It was such a perfect performance that even though Ren knew the other side of him, he doubted his own memory for a moment.
“Your Holiness the Pope, may I say a word?”
A red-haired woman came forward and intervened.
“Cardinal Osilia. Yes, if you have something to say, you should say it.”
The Pope nodded gently.
“No matter how much you carve a statue of the Pope, I don’t think it makes sense to wear a mask in front of the Pope.”
“you’re right. His Holiness.”
“I think so too. His Holiness.”
The priests behind opened their mouths as if agreeing with her words. There were some who thought it was not polite in front of the Pope, and there were people in Osilia, but many people wanted to see the sculptor’s bare face.
“hmm… “I’m fine, but if you say that, I can’t help it.”
Doukas looked at Ren with a soft smile. I didn’t necessarily tell him to take it off, but it was an unspoken instruction to do so.
Ren’s eyes inside the mask wavered slightly. This was because the situation was different from Archbishop Harman’s statement that there was no need to take off the mask.
“What are you doing if you don’t take it off quickly?”
Osilia spoke nervously to Ren.
“I’ll take it off.”
Ren, who hesitated, had no choice but to slowly take off his mask.