TNDOBM 09

Chapter 09

“Please wait here. I will bring His Holiness.”

Cecilia nodded and walked alone into the prayer room.

Thanks to Miguel withdrawing with Knox, the surroundings were quiet.

“Nothing’s changed here.”

The dome-shaped ceiling was filled with paintings of God, the sunlight streaming in through the ornate stained glass, and the marble statue standing at the front, as tall as the building itself.

After the possession, the first place she had opened her eyes was this very prayer room.

She still had no idea why Cecilia, who had been suffering from a high fever, was in a prayer room rather than a recovery room or healing ward.

But recalling the shock and despair of that time vividly, Cecilia approached the statue.

She silently gazed at the God who smiled benevolently, his eyes covered by a cloth, then slowly knelt.

And instead of clasping her hands together, she raised her long, straight middle finger.

*’Oh God, if you are the cause of this bullshit dream, I will forgive your sin, so please, I beg you, return my bag strap.’*

It was an arrogant and insolent prayer, but she had been non-religious in her previous life, so she cared even less about a god of this other world.

Besides, wasn’t He the most likely culprit behind this unwanted miracle?

If she had ten middle fingers, she would have raised all ten.

“Oh God?”

“……”

“No answer, huh.”

She hadn’t expected a furious God to descend and tell her how to return anyway.

Losing interest, Cecilia rose from the floor and brushed off her knees.

Or rather, she tried to. If she hadn’t spotted something protruding between the floor and the dais.

Cecilia, who had been half-rising, picked up the object jutting out between the floor and the platform.

It was an old notebook wrapped in yellowed parchment.

*’Is this His Holiness’s belongings?’*

This prayer room was permitted only to cardinals, the Pope, and the Saintess.

She was just about to check the first page.

“Saintess.”

Startled by the affectionate voice, she turned around.

A striking figure stood tall at the entrance of the prayer room.

With long, bird-feather-like white hair flowing down, the person smiling gracefully was none other than the heart of the temple and God’s representative—the Pope.

“Under God’s blessing, I greet His Holiness the Pope.”

Placing her hand on her heart and bowing her head lightly in greeting, the Pope closed the distance in a few strides.

“I apologize. Did you wait long?”

“No, not at all. Time passed quickly as I offered my prayers to God.”

Though it was more of a slander than a prayer.

Cecilia answered brazenly, raising her head to face the other.

A being as noble as the Emperor of the Empire.

Even if she was someone with nothing in her head, she was well aware of the Pope’s greatness.

A being born once in a hundred years, if that, with immense divine power.

A saint of this era who, despite being closest to God, sought out the lowest places to give and give again.

Above all, he was also the godfather who cherished Saintess Cecilia dearly.

Since she had no memories of her biological father, she naturally had no memories of her godfather either.

But seeing how just facing him put her at ease, it seemed Cecilia had been quite close to him.

In fact, right after the possession, when she couldn’t accept reality and ran away like mad, it was the Pope who took off his own shoes and put them on her bare feet, and who poured out his divine power all night until she recovered.

“Oh dear. I called you here to offer a prayer together after a long time, but I’m a step too late. If I’d known, I should have prepared some tea that the Saintess likes.”

“No, I can have tea anytime…”

Cecilia, who had been continuing the conversation, suddenly stopped talking.

‘Hm?’

She felt an intense gaze from somewhere.

It wasn’t hard to find the culprit.

Behind the Pope, a small, thin girl was peeking her head out.

“Your Holiness. That child is…”

“Ah, I forgot to introduce her. She’s a child I made contact with while on a service trip to a territory suffering from severe drought. She recently awakened her divine power and is currently serving as an apprentice priest. Her name is Sena.”

The child’s black eyes sparkled like obsidian.

“Sena is such a fan of the Saintess that she insisted I absolutely bring her along.”

Too shy to step forward, the child twisted her body shyly.

To most people, it would have been an adorable sight that brought a smile, but Cecilia could only sigh.

After all, inside this shell was a modern person who was clearly cursed, let alone loved by God.

Still, she couldn’t break a child’s pure heart, so she frantically rummaged through her pocket.

The only things she could find were two candies she had hidden from Knox to eat on her way home.

“Hello there, little one. Want some candy?”

Adding a gentle smile, she offered the hastily prepared gift, and the Pope added with a slightly troubled look.

“Um, Sena is five years younger than the Saintess.”

“Ah.”

If she was five years younger than Cecilia, that meant she was fifteen.

An age where one wouldn’t be obsessed with candy or be called a little kid.

‘I thought there was at least a ten-year age gap! Is it because she’s so thin?’

Having unintentionally committed a faux pas, Cecilia was about to quickly withdraw the candy.

“Th-thank you!”

Sena swiftly snatched the candy away.

Then, getting shy again, she hid behind the Pope.

“There are so many people who admire the Saintess, just like this child.”

Gently stroking the child’s flushed head, the Pope continued.

“That’s why I’m saying this—I was hoping you, Saintess, could conclude the ceremony at this relief festival instead of me. What do you think?”

I think it’s a bad idea.

A human who believes God is just one species among many, officiating a ceremony.

For once, the offended God might actually appear.

‘Oh, come to think of it, that’s not bad.’

It was a tempting offer, but any rational intellectual should refuse it.

“I’m honored by the offer, but I haven’t been officially appointed yet…”

The Pope must have heard about Knox’s failure as well, so it was a convenient excuse.

However, the Pope shrugged lightly as if it were no big deal.

“The only thing that matters is that you are a being personally watched over by God. What does the will of a mere creature matter?”

Translated, it was a pointed remark meaning the Emperor’s opinion was utterly irrelevant.

Unable to find a better excuse, Cecilia responded with an awkward smile.

But whether the Pope took that smile as a sign of agreement, or perhaps decided to take it as one, he began to forge ahead alone.

“We must spread this joyous news to everyone immediately.”

“Excuse me? Right now?”

“Yes, let’s go to the main prayer hall together. The worshippers’ service should be ending just about now.”

“Um, Your Holiness?”

“I can already imagine how happy the worshippers will be.”

“Your Holiness!”

Growing desperate, Cecilia grabbed the hem of his robe.

“Saintess?”

“Ah, well…”

‘This is insane.’

No matter how kindly he treated her, the other person was the Pope.

As she racked her brain to smooth over her rudeness, Cecilia suddenly thrust out the notebook still in her hand.

“This! I found it under the dais!”

“This is…”

“Is it Your Holiness’s possession?”

“…Saintess, do you not know what this is?”

“This notebook?”

The Pope’s expression as he looked down at the notebook was subtle.

It just looked like a bundle of old paper to her. Was it something quite important?

As she stared at him questioningly, the Pope carefully took the bundle of paper.

“This isn’t just a notebook. It’s a diary.”

Oh my. Not just any notebook, but His Holiness the Pope’s personal diary.

She nearly had a huge problem if she’d seen even a single page.

Cecilia hastily explained.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t even open it!”

His Holiness the Pope, the embodiment of mercy, took her claim at face value.

Without a word, he placed the diary inside his long sleeve and turned slightly.

“Then let’s hurry to the main prayer hall!”

Wait, I thought you’d forgotten about that…

Cecilia stared blankly at the Pope’s back as he walked ahead, then trudged after him.

‘I’m screwed.’

Actually, reciting a prayer without a shred of sincerity in front of a large crowd wasn’t a problem at all.

The problem was what came after.

Right after the Marquis told her to participate in the ‘relief festival,’ she had looked up records of past events.

According to the records, at the end of the ceremony marking the start of the relief festival, a ‘messenger of God’ would create a sacred flame on the altar.

‘They said it’s a flame created with divine power.’

And how exactly do I do that?

Cecilia, who had stopped under the building opposite the main prayer hall, stared in dismay at the worshippers pouring out, led by the Pope.

She could easily picture the scene: those people with shining eyes cheering for her, while she broke out in a cold sweat, unable to use any divine power.

“Saintess!”

“Lady Cecilia!”

‘Yeah, shout like that… Huh?’

Among the voices calling her, she heard a somewhat familiar one.

Among the worshippers, a familiar robe was sticking out.

That tall stature, that awkwardly hunched back—it was unmistakably ‘Rien.’

‘…Why are you here of all places?’

Why was he, who should be guarding the mansion, here…

Just then.

“Cecilia!”

For some reason, Rien, his face pale, shouted desperately as he pushed through the crowd.

“Get out of the way!”

‘From what?’

At that moment.

*Crash!*

A sharp shattering sound pierced her ears.

Cecilia reflexively looked up.

Shattered stained glass was raining down like shards of ice above her head.