As I faced the Pope's relaxed smile, I couldn't hold back my shock.
What is going on? Why does the Pope recognize me? This is my mental world! Shouldn’t he be completely devoid of reason?!
"Hah. Even meeting a disciple of the Almighty has me at a loss for words, but to think I would meet the two great heroes like this, I’m truly overwhelmed, to the point of not knowing how to act."
Not just me, but is grandfather and Garad also seeing this?! This ruins the theory that they moved based on predicting I would descend into the dungeon!
"Did you embed your consciousness in the divine power?"
"Exactly as you said, Ruel! To notice right away, you are indeed incredible!"
I turned my gaze toward the explanation, but grandfather shook his head. Apparently, this wasn’t something to be said in the presence of enemies.
Understanding his intention, I was about to step back quietly, but the Pope raised his voice instead.
"Please explain, Disciple. After all, I do not intend to harm you."
"Anyone who says such things never means it."
Garad, now standing in front of me, mocked him, but the Pope wasn’t fazed.
"I swear on the Almighty and my faith in Him, that I have no ill intentions."
"How do you even say that?"
"It’s true. His faith is genuine," grandfather responded, his tone filled with conviction.
Garad, upon hearing grandfather’s words, threw me a questioning glance. However, I could only offer the same answer grandfather gave.
The Pope's faith was unquestionable. I wasn't speaking from knowledge gained in a game; right now, as the Disciple of the Almighty, I could feel the Pope’s unwavering belief.
"It truly moves me that two noble figures recognize me. I could almost cry."
"Enough with the unnecessary flattery."
"Haha. My apologies. I suppose Ruel is reluctant to speak because you wish to conceal your power. But there is no need, for I already know it. I know of the purification and embracing power you possess."
Grandfather stopped speaking for a moment at the Pope’s words. Though his expression didn’t change, I could sense his thoughts had become much more complex.
"I’m not trying to test you. I’ve only seen it. In the forest where the Dark God and the Fairy Queen reside."
"...You’re saying our senses were deceived?"
"One of my many tricks."
The two of them exchanged a glance, and the first to move was grandfather.
"Lucy. You must have felt it when you embraced the puppet's divinity. Divinity naturally takes on the influence of its master’s mind. It’s the power that the Almighty bestows upon human souls."
Some information I hadn’t known surfaced. Is this a backstory to the concept of divine power?
"If you can master this trait to its extreme, you can imbue part of your mind into the divinity. Think of the avatars that Lina uses."
Though the idea seemed a bit far-fetched, I couldn’t outright deny grandfather’s words.
The Pope right in front of me was demonstrating this very concept, and I could infer that grandfather’s method of embedding the divine into his mace was similar.
"This one has reached that realm. And when you arrived here, you touched the puppet in anticipation of embracing its divinity. Most likely, you heard the prophetic song from the Fairy Queen."
"That’s correct! As soon as I saw you, I deduced it! Truly a legendary figure! The puppet created to insult you is on a completely different level!"
The Pope clapped his hands in admiration of grandfather, but grandfather’s expression remained sour.
"This is not something a person born in this era could achieve. What are you really?"
"Do you truly think it’s impossible? After all, aren’t there two exceptions?"
By "exceptions," he must be referring to me and Faivy.
As long as we exist, the idea that there can't be any further exceptions is impossible to deny. After all, we are exceptions to the biblical verses where the Almighty treats all people equally.
But I know the truth—that the Almighty has never approved of the Pope's actions or beliefs.
However, the Almighty is just too useless to stop me, His own disciple.
"...That’s."
"If you really want an explanation, then I can only tell you that I’m simply a devout believer in the Almighty."
The man, who had kept his twisted faith more steadfastly than anyone, silenced the Paladin with his sincerity. Then, he turned his gaze toward me.
"Disciple of the Almighty, aren’t you curious? How can non-believers like them possess divinity and use it?"
"Trying to draw attention like that? That’s a stale trick, just like your breath."
I had no reason to be curious. I already knew the answer.
The Almighty being useless as always? I’ve heard enough of it already.
I don’t need to hear from someone else about why it happened. The Almighty is useless and that’s that!
Grandfather’s expression was a mix of frustration and caution as he turned to me, but the Pope didn’t give up.
"If I may ask then, how is the divinity that they wield different from the one you and the Saint wield?"
This was unexpected, and I flinched slightly. The Pope grinned, noticing my reaction.
"Essentially, the divinities they wield and the one you wield are the same. The Almighty’s divinity. You must know this."
As the Pope said, the two divinities were essentially the same. I knew this well.
"Then why is it that so many, like you or the Saint, cannot embrace warmth? The answer is simple. They are not the great Almighty."
"Why are you wasting your breath saying something so obvious?"
"Yes, it’s obvious, but that’s what makes it complicated. Garad, think of the many disciples chosen by other gods. Do you see the similarities?"
The perverted disciple is clearly similar to the perverted crow.
The god of martial arts’ interest in Faivy is also likely along similar lines.
Other disciples I’ve seen in the game are similar too. They all resemble their gods in their disposition.
"I explain this as the privilege to borrow the power of the gods. Yes, Disciple of the Almighty, you possess the right to wield the Almighty’s power because you embody the same nobility as Him."
"Are you comparing me to that useless, perverted, filthy god? Puhaha! Is that even a comparison?!"
But I can’t accept this.
I don’t want to accept this.
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To think that I, the one who dressed a girl in a bunny costume and grinned, could be compared to that sicko!
Sure, I’ve done things like that before in the world beyond the screen!
Clicking on 19+ content, grinning at characters wearing revealing outfits!
But that was all in the world beyond the screen!
I’ve never done anything like that in reality!
I’m just a normal guy, briefly overcome by my lust!
Not like that disgusting, perverted god!
"Shall I prove it?"
When the Pope widened his eyes, I felt the floor shake.
"The divinity you embraced is based on the divinity Ruel once possessed, but it isn’t just that. The divinities of the inquisitors executed here are also with you."
"You combined someone else’s divinity? Someone without the power of embrace?"
"It’s possible. It doesn’t compare to your power, Disciple. But after many sacrifices, it was made possible. In fact, you thought the divinity here was just one, didn’t you?"
"What the hell are you trying to do?"
"I’m just offering a gift to the Disciple who has performed the miracles of the Almighty. I hope you accept it joyfully, not just as a means to regain your original power, but to become someone closer to the Almighty."
Facing the Pope’s smile, I realized that what he was saying wasn’t for me—it was for the Almighty.
He equates me with the Almighty, believing that what makes me happy will make the Almighty happy as well.
I’m really pissed now.
How dare you compare me to that sick, disgusting pervert? And now, you’ve prepared a gift to make me stronger?
"Are you acting like an animal because your brain’s at that level? ♡ You’ve prepared this bloody gift thinking you can please me? ♡ Your taste shows through, just like your bad breath. ♡"
"Those who never should have had it, have paid the price, you see."
"Price? ♡ Puhaha! ♡ What? Did you just call this a price? ♡ I’m curious now. ♡ What makes you think you deserve any payment? ♡"
"You’re someone who devoutly worships the great Almighty."
"Bii~ ♡ Wrong answer! ♡ That pathetic, perverted god doesn’t accept worship from trash like you~ ♡ That ‘worship’ you talk about is probably in some trash can by now, right? ♡"
"It can’t be. The Almighty embraces all."
"Even that useless god would have trouble! ♡ Ugly, stinky, and a delusional old man stalker, trying to cling onto me! ♡ If I were you, I’d bite my tongue off from disgust. ♡"
Seeing me pretend to bite my tongue, the Pope’s expression hardened for the first time.
But it was only for a brief moment.
In an instant, the Pope regained his calm and forced a smile, stepping back.
"It seems you’re a bit displeased, but it’s already too late. You’ve received my gift."
"I have? ♡ When? ♡"
"You’ve already embraced the divinity."
"Ah~ ♡ You really thought I accepted this? ♡ Hmph! ♡ Hahaha! ♡ You’re so dumb! ♡"
What I embraced was the divinity grandfather possessed.
It wasn’t from the delusional, sick god, nor the divinity of the insane that murdered and gathered divinity.
So, I’m returning it.
You’re gonna say I can’t return opened goods?
Go eat some trash.
I’ve already decided what I want to embrace.
If you have complaints, report them to that pathetic, perverted god.
I don’t know if your nonsense will reach him.
"Ugh~"
I was still thinking about what I was about to do while dealing with the Pope’s incessant laughter. But then, I realized there was no need to worry.