Chapter 154: The New Pope (2)
In a dark corner of the dungeon, a raspy voice echoed as if it were scraping a throat.
Among those separated by two or three cells, an emaciated old man spoke.
Kekeke Never thought an old fox like me would end up here.
.
The Pope remained silent to the Necromancers words.
The situation was amusingly twisted.
It was one thing for a black magician like himself to be imprisoned, but why was the Pope of the Holy Kingdom here?
Regardless of what had happened in the Holy Kingdom, it was good for him.
Now that the Popes position was vacant, if Proxia infiltrated successfully, the war was as good as won.
Unaware of Rays annihilation of Proxia with a plague, the dark magician chuckled darkly, eagerly awaiting his release.
The Saint, the continents strongest magician, must have already been killed by the Lord.
The day he stepped out of this dark dungeon, the continent would be drenched in blood.
The Pope sighed and muttered to himself.
This too is a trial sent by the gods Otherwise, how could I, the Pope, end up like this?
The black magician sneered at his self-deception.
Tsk tsk. Do you really think the gods are omnipotent? Even deities have their limits. You foolish old man, youve been abandoned by your god. Kekeke.
How dare you! Dont you dare speak ill of Gaia! The goddess always watches over humanity with a benevolent heart!
So, the loving Gaia ignored you during the era of magic and let the Necromancers take over the continent? How utterly foolish. Your faith is nothing but exploitation by the gods.
Shut up! Shut up! Whatever you say, my faith as the Pope remains unshaken!
The Necromancer shook his head, watching the Pope.
Dont deny reality. Even if you suffer to the point of wishing for death, your goddess will not care in the slightest.
He mocked the Popes anguish.
Ray would have looked at them both with disdain, had he been there.
After all, the Pope, while now proclaiming his faith, had sold academy land for 1,800 platinum coins previously.
Hadnt he been the one to order the execution of innocents under the guise of heresy inquisitions?
A trial? Ray couldnt have cared less whether the Pope faced trials or torture.
It was simply the Pope reaping what he had sown.
And the Necromancer? Despite his grandiose talk, he was nothing but a captive who spilled information about Proxia.
His cooperation significantly hastened Proxias downfall.
The sight of these two, who had accomplished nothing noteworthy, making a fuss, was quite the spectacle.
It was no wonder Gaia remained indifferent toward them.
Eclairs inauguration ceremony began just a week later.
Leaving the position of Pope vacant for an extended period was not beneficial.
As she addressed the crowd, she started with an apology.
But the massacre of citizens under the pretense of a heresy inquisition was not an offense that could be resolved with a mere apology.
Eclair offered her condolences by halving taxes for a year and opening parts of the academy to commoners.
Of course, this could not erase the grief of those who had lost family members.
Though she had not ordered it, as the next Pope leading the Holy Kingdom, it was her burden to bear.
Her approach to this crisis would determine whether the kingdom would emerge stronger or weaker.
After the inauguration, a banquet took place.
With the new Pope announcing the end of the war with Proxia, all soldiers could finally unwind and revel in the festivities.
In the opulent ballroom, the chandelier light mingled with the moonlight, casting a warm glow.
The attendees included not only nobles from the Holy Kingdom but also dignitaries from neighboring lands.
Of course, the nobles did not regard them favorably.
These were the same figures who had maintained a stubborn neutrality during the conflict with Proxia.
Dignitaries from the Beybon Kingdom and the Glaymen Kingdom awaited the Saint.
Rumors had already spread far and wide that the Saint had turned the tide of the recent war.
Despite the suddenness of the new Popes inauguration, their timely arrival was due not only to diplomatic concerns but also to catch the Saints attention.
Thats why their attendants stood nearby, adorned with an impressive array of jewels.
Just then, a baron entered the lobby to announce the nobles arrival.
The Saint has arrived!
With his announcement, all eyes in the ballroom turned to the entrance.
Soon, a young man with white hair, radiating holiness, entered.
His attire, simple yet adorned with eye-catching patterns, enhanced his aura of sophistication.
He looked almost elf-like in his elegance.
All the nobiles, except Eclair and Iriel, bowed their heads in greeting.
Ray, with a casual wave of his hand, acknowledged their greetings and headed towards familiar faces.
He casually congratulated Eclair.
Congratulations. Youll be even busier than before. Hahaha.
Hahaha. Im worried about how well Ill do.
Despite her words, her expression was brimming with confidence.
She likely had no need for concern.
Even now, busy with her piled-up tasks, she exchanged only brief greetings with Ray before leaving with her maid.
This was probably to attend to urgent matters.
Iriel, glancing sidelong, teased him.
Now youre just putting on airs, arent you?
Its the same faces I always see.
But you always see them looking pretty.
She subtly shifted her posture to look her best.
However, Ray had the convenient ability to respond only to what he wanted to.
Naturally, his brain efficiently blocked any response to her comment.
At that moment, a group approached Ray.
They knelt on one knee and greeted him.
Griaia of the Chepes Dukes House greets the Saint and the Saintess.
Seris of the Crellan Dukes House greets the Saint and the Saintess.
Beris of House Harold greets the Saint and the Saintess.
Greyan of House Greian greets the Saint and the Saintess.
Ray had seen them several times before but almost didnt recognize them.
Their auras had changed drastically.
At their first meeting, they still had an air of naivety, but now they seemed much more composed.
The continuous wars had stripped them of their former selves.
They had witnessed and committed killings, experiencing large-scale battles beyond what many knights had seen.
Their mental maturity was inevitable.
Ray greeted them with a grin.
Its been a while. Seeing how your eyes have changed, I guess Beris wont be causing trouble for Duke Harold anymore, right?
Reminded of the previous baptism incident by Rays comment, Beris looked visibly embarrassed.
Having experienced numerous battles, Beris had come to realize the true greatness of the Saint.
No matter how many he killed, the Saint single-handedly swept away the enemy forces, saving the Holy Kingdom from destruction multiple times.
His achievements were beyond what a mere noble heir like himself could fathom.
He now understood how foolish his earlier attempts to trouble the newly appointed Saint had been and why his father, Duke Harold, had bowed his head to him.
Im sorry. Back then, I acted foolishly without understanding. I apologize once again.
Beriss flustered demeanor increasingly resembled that of Duke Harold.
Their positive changes seemed to signal a brighter future for the Holy Kingdom.
Griaia looked at Ray with a hint of regret.
I was looking forward to the free lectures at the medical academy Its a bit disappointing.
Ray smiled wryly at her words.
He had been looking forward to the lectures as much as the students.
He had spent sleepless nights planning what to teach first, which students would benefit the most, and how to generate interest in medicine.
If only the holy war hadnt erupted so suddenly, he might have trained a few competent assistant doctors by now.
Fortunately, the academy wasnt completely destroyed, and thanks to Eclairs efforts, he would soon be able to return to lecturing.
Ray shook his head to clear his thoughts.
There would be no more wars. He could now devote himself entirely to medicine.
A charming smile spread across his lips.
The medical free lectures havent even started yet. Keep looking forward to them, just like before.
Hohoho. I will, Professor Ray.
They continued their warm and friendly conversation.
During this, Ray learned a few things.
Firstly, Beris, Greyan, and Seris had formed a small group to share insights on tactics, troop management in large-scale battles, and survival techniques they had learned during the war.
This was intended exclusively for the children of nobles.
Ray nodded to affirm their plan.
Their initiative was excellent.
Currently, the Holy Kingdom knew only tactics and strategy but was quite vulnerable when it came to adapting to different situations.
By sharing their war experiences, the noble offspring could gain a substantial understanding of warfare.
In some ways, this could be more beneficial than the basic tactics and survival skills taught at the academy.
Furthermore, Griaia had decided to assist Iriel for a while.
Her ingenuity in the battles against Proxia had been incredibly beneficial to the kingdom.
Despite being outnumbered, their ability to withstand Proxias army was largely due to her strategies.
Appreciating Griaias acumen, Iriel had offered her help with her duties, which Griaia had accepted as an honorable task.
Helping the Saintess with her duties was a highly prestigious matter in the Holy Kingdom.
Being involved in the tasks undertaken by a representative of the gods meant that she had earned significant trust from the Saintess.
Each of them had found meaningful roles and desires to pursue, moving forward gracefully.
Even as Ray enjoyed the company of these familiar faces, he occasionally glanced at the dignitaries from neighboring countries who were cautiously observing him.
How thick-faced can they be? These are the same people who didnt even respond when we requested support. What brings them to the Holy Kingdom now?
All this was the result of that one incident.
However, unaware of how much his own stature had risen on the continent, Ray could only find their visit curious.
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