243 – Contradiction
Pope Abarest.
He would visit the chapel early in the morning before dawn or around midnight when everyone was asleep. To escape from the heavy feeling of guilt.
I wanted to hold on to someone and confide in him, but his status held me back.
If it were revealed that a person who should have more integrity than anyone else was blinded by his position as Pope and sacrificed others, the Holy Kingdom would suffer a huge blow.
I’ve come too far to be comfortable.
Thinking like that, he prayed and prayed in a place where no one was around.
I hope for mercy from the goddess.
We ask for forgiveness from the victims.
However, I often encountered people who came to me with similar feelings, and when that happened, I stopped praying for a moment and listened to their concerns.
-My daughter returned from home and found that she was not alone. Her baby’s father has run away, and she is preparing to give birth to her daughter even if she has to die.
Among them, there was the worry of a father who unintentionally got to see his grandchild.
-I can’t say anything because I’m afraid I’ll run out of the house again if I say something, but I wonder if this could be a good job….
The man seemed cornered. The concerns he expressed were tantamount to saying that he wanted to erase his child.
I can’t believe you would say something like that in front of yourself and not other people.
-Abortion is a serious crime comparable to murder, brother.
The Pope chose the path of making people realize reality rather than just saying nice things.
-Harming the life in the womb is no different from stealing a person’s life entirely.
-Is that so…? .
The man was discouraged by the firm answer.
Judging by the clothes worn several times and the thin face, it seems that she is probably not in a good position to handle the unborn baby.
Then the Pope opened his mouth again. To let you know that reality is not necessarily cold.
-Our Holy Kingdom does not turn its eyes away from those who are suffering. If you need help, we will do our best to help.
-Is that really true…? ?
-Please come with your daughter on time. Because the doors of the Holy Kingdom are always open to those in need.
-Thank you… thank you… !
When the Pope saw the man repeatedly lowering his head, he felt ashamed inside.
I wonder if it is okay to extend my sin-stained hands to others.
“Please raise your head.”
Nevertheless, he decided to endure it.
As you step on someone else’s life, you should not ignore the shame. The moment you get used to it, you have no shame in seeing that person when you die.
I know better than anyone else that I am not qualified, but for now I am just doing my best in the role given to me.
“I just did what I had to do as Pope.”
Even if it is the path of a hypocrite.
***
Come back to now.
“What do you mean by that?!”
The Pope finally realized this. I was able to do that because it was someone else’s business.
What happens if you lose your virginity? How could that come out of that child’s mouth?
“Who is it? Is it a hero? Did the hero touch the saint’s body?”
“Oh, no…! That’s not it…”
The saintess, who could not have imagined that she would go to the hero and argue with him at any moment, hastily waved her hand.
Only after arguing for a long time was the Pope able to calm his excitement.
“I got a little excited. I’m sorry.”
He was finally able to regain his senses when he was told that he had not yet lost his virginity.
“But why are you asking that?”
“I found out by chance that the former warrior and the saintess shared affection for each other…”
As the saint spoke in a crawling sound, a slobbering sound escaped the Pope’s mouth.
“It’s true that the two of you had feelings for each other. Although people laugh it off and say it’s just something from a fairy tale book.”
When the Pope directly admitted it, the saint’s expression suddenly brightened.
“Then me too…!”
“Before that, there is something you need to know.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know why the records of the previous saint were told differently?”
“Isn’t that just to wish you two happiness?”
When the extremely naive answer came back, the Pope shook his head and confessed the reason.
“Clerics like us do not doubt the existence of the Goddess, but it is difficult to expect such absolute faith from the public.”
As her heavy content flowed out, the saint immediately straightened her posture.
“I never want to disparage the faith of others. Of course, there are people who don’t think like that. But the reality is that most people immediately blame the goddess when things don’t go as they wish.”
He added that faith is fleeting in the first place, so it cannot be helped.
“There was a time when the position of our Goddess Church was growing explosively. A being called a saint appeared in the world.”
“Ophelia…”
“Ophelia, a former saint, traveled around her land and spread her will of salvation wherever she went. She healed the sick and raised those who had fallen into despair.”
After listing the accomplishments of previous saints, he finally let out a long sigh.
“Soon, the existence of a saint became an object of proof for those who were thirsty for faith to prove the existence of a goddess. Because of this, she always had to present herself properly and worry about what others thought of her.”
He explained that most of the laws currently in effect in the Holy Kingdom were created during that period.
“But when the Demon King fell and peace came, problems eventually arose.”
“I can’t believe that’s the problem…”
“Yes. Ophelia pursued personal happiness.”
Then the saint asked what the problem was.
“Why wasn’t that fact properly conveyed? The church taught that he looked after those who suffered until the end of his life!”
“It can’t be helped. Past popes firmly believed that a warrior who had exhausted her usefulness lured the innocent saint and corrupted her.”
“You mean corruption… It’s just people being honest with each other…”
“Saint. Humans are weak. Not only physically, but also mentally.”
The Pope said that if it had been known that the saint, who became the symbol of her goddess, had fallen in love with a man and had run away without fulfilling her responsibilities, things would have gone out of control for her.
“We couldn’t criticize the warrior who defeated the Demon King and became a hero, nor could we reveal the current status of the saint who was the center of the Holy Kingdom. So we completely hid that fact. So that you can believe what you want to believe. See only what you want to see. .”
“That can’t be possible…”
The saint’s expression turned gloomy when she learned the truth.
“Could it be that the Pope thinks the same way…?”
A saintess asks with earnest eyes, hoping that it is not true.
“I can’t say anything harshly because I didn’t see the situation at the time, but personally, I think it was a bit harsh treatment.”
“Then…!”
When the saint’s expression brightened at those words, the Pope, who hesitated for a moment, finally spoke with her eyes tightly closed.
“…But as the Pope, I have no choice but to maintain the current Holy Kingdom.”
“….”
“I’m sorry, Saint…”
When he got up and couldn’t stay there any longer, the saint urgently grabbed his arm.
“Just once…! Can you just turn a blind eye just once? I’ll keep it a secret from others…!”
“Saint…”
“I swear I won’t go anywhere! All I have to do is be seen as a saint…!”
“Saint, please…don’t keep putting me to the test….”
The saint is now almost clinging to his arm due to repeated rejection.
“If it’s a child, you don’t have to worry. Even if it happens, I’ll raise it secretly…”
“Saint!”
At those words, the Pope, who had appeared in a quiet manner until just now, suddenly raised his voice.
“Do you think that’s easier said than done? What is a child’s crime? How can you say such a thing when a person who deserves to be loved will grow up not receiving the affection he deserves from his parents because he is being pressured by others? What do you mean!”
The situation is so harsh that you can’t even think of the benevolent Pope.
“Church, Pope…”
Soon, when the image of the crying saint appeared in his eyes, she realized what she had done.
‘What am I saying….’
No matter how sensitive the topic is, the Pope raises his voice against a saint.
Her hand automatically went toward her, wanting to comfort her right away, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.
“…I’m sorry, saintess. Please forgive my rudeness.”
He bowed his head towards the saintess, then turned his back and walked towards her door.
“Ugh….”
The saint just stood there as if nailed to her place, and she could only watch him leave.
Just before leaving the room, the Pope opened his mouth with his back turned.
“Please just stay like this…”
From noble mtl dot com