What could it be?
I have a feeling like there’s something I can’t quite remember.
Where I currently am is the airport. Not the airport in the 1st District, but… ah, right, the 8th District. It was the airport of the 8th District.
Before I reincarnated into this world, I had never been on an airplane. So when I briefly exited the airport to wait during a layover, I learned for the first time that the flight I was boarding next was still called a transit.
And also that the cheapest seats are tremendously uncomfortable.
At least I was lucky that I had reincarnated as a 15-year-old high school girl, which meant I was smaller in size. If it had been my original body, it would have been ridiculously uncomfortable. And I wasn’t even tall to begin with before my reincarnation.
Moreover, the seats were divided into two large sections on either side of the aisle, with three rows in each section. I, Aurora, and Linea were seated on one side, while Uncle Paul was in the opposite seat, closest to Linea at the back…
Um, it really looked extremely uncomfortable.
He was sitting with his arms crossed, shoulders hunched forward, and looked literally “crumpled.”
It was completely understandable that his expression brightened as soon as he got off the airplane.
Ugggh!
As Uncle Paul let out a hearty sound and straightened his back, there was a loud crack from his spine. The sound was so enormous that I worried it might be a problem. He looked relieved to finally be able to stretch his body, though.
We would be boarding the airplane again in about an hour.
In this world, there was only one country that could be called a human society. Since it was a single country, it wasn’t impossible to exit the airport. There were some checks, but not really customs like back home.
Of course, I didn’t feel the need to go outside. I wasn’t here for sightseeing; I was just on my way back. And an hour wasn’t really enough time to wander around outside, especially since the airport wasn’t very large.
The 8th District is not as big as the 1st District, but it’s still a single-digit area. Naturally, it has a deeper history and more people compared to the 21st District where I live. That means there are many flights and a large airport.
…However, it’s a little suspicious that there’s a duty-free shop in the airport for something that can be called “one country”. Isn’t a duty-free shop supposed to be for people who are not obligated to pay taxes in that country?
Are they treating the sky as something alien rather than part of human society?
Well, it’s not really something I should worry about. After all, this isn’t decided by the church but by the government. No, even if the church were the one to decide, I wouldn’t want to interfere, not even a tiny bit.
Neither I, nor Linea, nor even the curiosity-driven Aurora had been trapped in those narrow seats for hours. Thinking about the fact that the last flight we took was on a luxurious airplane, it was understandable that we would be exhausted without any time to enjoy shopping.
Aurora was sitting next to me, nodding off, while Linea, who was part of the Knights, was intensely scanning her surroundings, but her body was half slack. If I think about it, none of us had really been that close together before. Nuns typically don’t engage in any physical contact.
Sitting in tightly packed seats while trying to maintain some space was quite tiring. I felt that dearly.
…Anyway.
Having come out after a few hours and finally able to stretch out comfortably, I was about to nod off just like Aurora, but I couldn’t fall asleep peacefully.
Because for some reason, I had this nagging feeling that I had forgotten something since we got off the plane.
How should I say it… feeling something similar in my previous life, I think?
Like the feeling of leaving gas on.
Or the feeling that I hadn’t locked the door when I left my place.
Or the feeling I get when I look at the raining sky and wonder if I took in the laundry today. It was a feeling very similar to that.
Exactly. It felt like I had left something back at the Central Church.
Did I leave behind my luggage? No, we didn’t have anything special to take with us. I had packed a few clothes, but even if I left those behind, it wouldn’t matter. They would return them as long as it was confirmed that they belonged to us. It’s not like I’m going to be without clothes or underwear.
The Knights said they could catch up later…
Did I really forget something?
There were four of us including Uncle Paul.
When we boarded, there were four of us in total: me, Aurora, Linea, and one more person, so the numbers match—
…Huh?
Hold on, Uncle Paul is part of the Knights.
No, no, no. I didn’t mean to look down on the Knights. I just meant that he was using a different cabin than us.
That’s right. Uncle Paul wasn’t in the same cabin when we departed. He was with his knights in a cabin further back.
But in our cabin, there were four of us.
So besides the three of us, who was the other person…?
Oh.
Finally remembering what I had forgotten, I slapped my forehead.
“Christine!”
The deacon who had been working way too diligently after sending the meeting request to the Pope, causing this situation, was the one I had completely overlooked until now.
*
“Saintess has… passed away?”
“No, saying it like that just sounds weird.”
Matthew sighed heavily in response.
As expected, this deacon was showing the predictable reaction.
Of course, he wasn’t resenting the saint who had left him behind. Well… Matthew could probably tell that the saint also seemed to have completely forgotten about this deacon, but that fact wouldn’t be something he’d know unless someone told him.
Rather, the shock must be because he was left alone in this unfamiliar place without any connections.
To this person, the saint was of such a high status that even conversing casually was difficult, but at the same time, there might be some camaraderie in that they were from the same region. And he had heard they were in the same cabin when they came. Maybe they exchanged a few words.
There’s a big difference between someone you’ve spoken to a few times and someone you’ve never spoken a word with and are left alone.
The deacon was genuinely from the 21st District. Since he hadn’t yet become a priest, it was obviously his first time at the Central Church, and considering his age, I wondered if he might be a late bloomer.
I’d heard a few things about the infamous Cardinal from his district, so that might be the reason—
No, that might not necessarily be it?
Maybe Matthew himself became a priest while young, and Andrea, who practically grew up alongside him, also received her priestly and knightly ordination at a similar age, which has led him to perceive the age for ordination as way too early.
“Well, there’s no need to worry too much. Sister, you’re not here for punishment,” he said, trying to reassure him. The deacon simply continued to tremble.
Though, honestly, it’s quite unusual for him not to feel anxious with the Pope right in front of him. Even if the Pope’s personality is generally gentle, he’s still a very high-ranking person.
Only someone like Matthew would treat him like a neighborly grandpa.
“B-but, that means…”
It seemed like he was trying to ask if the fact that he alone was left behind meant he had something important to say or that he was being punished, but his jaw was trembling so much he couldn’t even finish his words.
“I’ll reiterate, Sister, you’re not here for punishment.”
In reality, it was just that the saint had returned far too soon. But without saying that, Matthew spoke as firmly as he could.
At that, Christine’s trembling reduced slightly. Phew, Matthew sighed with relief. After all, he knew just how tiring it was to converse with someone who kept trembling and making clack sounds in the middle of their speech.
“Holy Father.”
Finally calming Christine down, Matthew turned to call upon the Pope.
The pope was seated on a simple wooden chair, which was different from his usual one. It wasn’t that the Pope was particularly frugal but merely because this was a conference room, so all the chairs looked that way. Or rather, it was said that although it looked simple, it was made of very expensive wood.
At least the huge round table in front of the Pope certainly looked more expensive than a chair. To carve such a large piece of wood into a table, the price for the raw timber must have been considerable. And if it was wood without any splits or warpage, that made it even pricier.
There were many chairs surrounding the table, but only two were occupied, including the Pope and Matthew. Oh, of course, the secretary sitting far away didn’t count. It wasn’t around the round table.
“Father Turner is correct. We did not summon you to scold you. Instead, please don’t stand there and come sit down so we can talk.”
Pointing to the indicated direction, Christine stumbled over. She cautiously sat on the chair, three seats away from the Pope.
“First, I’d like to clarify that everything we discuss here will be officially recorded, but it will not have any legal effect. What the secretary writes is merely a record intended to be passed down to future generations, not evidence for anyone to browse through. Even if someone were to take it out, it would be predetermined that it cannot be used as legal evidence, so feel free to speak.”
The Pope said that, but honestly, if someone was writing it down, it’d be only natural to be cautious. Whether or not it becomes legal evidence is secondary; the fact that what you say would be set in stone for generations is enough to make anyone think twice before blabbering carelessly.
In fact, it was designed with that in mind. Someone of the Pope’s status ought to be careful with their words.
The problem was that he had completely forgotten that fact and acted as if he didn’t know before the saint.
“Yes…”
Christine replied with a somewhat deflated voice. Could it be that she was so tense that she was already drained?
“Well, let me begin by asking. Why did you send the request for an interview with the saint?”
Thanks to the Pope not looking down on her, the conversation proceeded smoothly. Christine, who had been extremely tense at first, gradually relaxed as the conversation continued.
“…So it came to pass that I ended up delivering that letter directly to Your Holiness.”
As she answered, Deacon Christine exhaled softly. It seemed like she was feeling a small sense of relief that her part was finally over.
“I see.”
The Pope, who had been quietly listening, closed his eyes for a moment.
“…”
He paused for a moment as if in thought and then opened his eyes slightly to ask Christine.
“What do you think of Cardinal Kwon In-Soo Barchenko?”
“Excuse me?”
Christine’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden question.
Then, quickly tensing up again, she gripped her hands tightly on her lap.
“Um, I…”
Fragmentary words came tumbling out, unable to take full shape.
Matthew understood. A deacon must undergo evaluation by the cardinal to become a priest. Naturally, they couldn’t simply say something bad about a cardinal. Yet, it would be rather difficult to say he’s a good person since Kwon In-Soo is quite a notorious figure.
How many people would boldly lie in front of the Pope?
Certainly, the Pope was not someone who would miss reading her body language.
“I see.”
Seeing Christine unable to say anything, the Pope let out a small sigh.
He then spoke, “Then I shall make a promise. If you do not pass your priestly evaluation due to the cardinal’s opposition, then I will personally assess you myself. I believe this would allow you to express your thoughts about the cardinal without causing any major issues, don’t you think?”
“…”
At his words, Christine’s eyes shook even more violently.
…Is that why she ends up trembling before the Pope, Matthew thought silently.
“Hmm.”
Ultimately, seeing Christine still unable to answer, the Pope lightly voiced his thoughts.
“Then perhaps I should explain why we ask such questions.”
The Pope straightened himself and spoke in a solemn tone.
“Your Saint asked me, ‘What should one do if faith and reality are different?’”
Christine trembled at the serious gaze of the Pope.
“Of course, I don’t think the saint asked that without understanding the question. Rather, she likely questioned it because she understood. Thus, I wonder what you might be thinking. Was the saint not curious about you?”
The Pope paused for a moment. After taking a light breath, he slowly opened his mouth and said, as if it was something that absolutely should not be wrong.
“The Saint said that holy power is merely strength, and that just because a person wields it does not necessarily mean they follow a god. Faith requires one to follow the will of the gods, rather than simply following whoever possesses great holy power.”
The Pope’s gaze shifted earnestly to Christine.
“So, Sister. I am asking you, if you acted according to your beliefs and conscience and broke free from the established norms, I believe you could speak objectively about the cardinal.”
Christine stared at the Pope with her mouth agape.
“There will soon be a great council. It won’t just be about decisions made centrally and sent downward; it will be a grand council encompassing all believers and clergy, and, in fact, all thoughts of those outside the church. Of course, I do not expect it to go smoothly. I also do not expect everyone to accept it.”
“But we must do it. Because the saint, who has received the revelation of the goddess, asked so. ‘If faith and reality are different, what should we do?’ We are already aware of those who, despite having faith, have turned their backs on the church.”
“It is not merely because they are heretics but also because some have stepped away from the church to preserve their faith in the face of its wrongdoings. Conversely, there are those who look down on others and behave recklessly simply because they believe in a god.”
Hearing the Pope’s words, Christine’s eyes shimmered slightly. Matthew thought it likely wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.
“Moreover, there are those who, despite believing in God, cannot show holy power due to physical reasons. Their influence on the church is negligible. This, in part, is due to the church’s inability to view others’ faith objectively. Over long periods, this has become entrenched and powerful.”
“In this council, we will unravel these issues one by one. We need to strive to ensure that faith can positively alter reality for those who are disappointed by the rift between faith and reality.”
“To have faith is not extraordinary. Therefore, whether one has great or weak holy power is but an individual ability difference, and it should not serve as grounds for discrimination. Each individual’s ability should not measure their faith. No, we should not divide faith into levels; rather, we should be able to see each other as equals as brothers and sisters. That is my belief.”
Finally, Christine, who had been listening with her mouth open, moved her lips to respond.
“…Are you suggesting to hold a council?”
The Pope nodded.
“Yes. And completing that meeting will be my last duty as Pope. So, I wish to ask you. There’s no need to give an answer right now. However, will you testify at the council later? About ‘how much faith and reality, and actions can differ?’”
“…Yes, I will do that.”
Feeling overwhelming with the Pope’s words, Christine quietly nodded her head.
And watching the two of them, Matthew seriously pondered if the saint had seen this scene in person, would she have rolled on the floor in embarrassment?
*
“The deacon will be just fine.”
Uncle Paul said so, but I still felt worried.
Seeing worry etched on my face, Uncle Paul smiled bitterly and said, “No matter what, she’s the deacon who helped you meet the saint. I don’t believe she would do anything strange at the church…”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
Considering Christine’s demeanor earlier, it seemed she viewed me as highly as the Pope did.
I was only scared thinking about what might happen when they meet to talk.
Of course, I feel sorry for forgetting…
When Christine returns to the 21st District, should I apologize and ask what happened?
…But that sounds a bit scary too…
While going through the boarding procedure for the airplane, I was deeply contemplating.
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