I arrived at the Pope’s Chamber to find four returnees, who had previously suffered grave injuries, had already made their way there before me.
However, there was only one person sitting at the reception table.
“Hmm.”
The man, presumed to be Jo Ha-jin, who had been reincarnated in a zombie world, was slowly wandering around the Pope’s Chamber, looking over everything.
Then he casually slipped one of the game consoles and a snack into his bag, as if he were just collecting his belongings.
‘What’s going on?’
Did he come from a world of zombies or a world of petty thieves?
Feeling a bit flustered watching the theft unfold, I shifted my gaze towards the window.
“……”
By the window stood Reeve, the returnee whose connection to the goddesses he served had been severed, staring blankly outside.
Just by looking at his back, I could vaguely guess his feelings.
He was probably feeling terribly down and confused.
Last time, I removed his feelings of powerlessness and loss, but the fundamental issue still wasn’t resolved. So, he had no choice but to appear so miserable.
Just as my heart was about to ache with sympathy, suddenly—
“You’ve arrived!”
Someone unexpectedly dashed over and hugged me tightly.
Soft. A plush chest enveloped my face.
Then in that state, she pulled me in even tighter, completely burying me in her ample warmth.
“Thank you so much for treating me!”
Though I couldn’t see her face, her voice and the feel of her chest made it clear who she was.
It was Cubica Psycheless, the returnee who reincarnated in the world where the Pope was the main character.
Even if her beauty was still in question, her figure easily overwhelmed me.
“…Please let go of me.”
I politely asked, and Cubica suddenly patted my head.
“You’re as polite as I heard! So cute!”
What kind of relationship exists between politeness and cuteness?
I had no clue, but it seemed there was a subtle vibe that only this ‘lewd pope’ gave off.
Anyway.
As I was starting to lose my breath, I needed to get away quickly.
To truly reborn as the Pope, one must not get angry during such moments, but rather show dignity and calmness.
I gathered my thoughts for a moment, raised one hand, and grandly opened my mouth.
“…Archbishop, please help me.”
Once I awkwardly requested the help of Kelaout, Cubica finally released me.
The lewd Pope seemed to find my disheveled hair amusing and stuck her tongue out.
“Eheh. Sorry about that.”
“……”
Her lisping voice and the full-body charm she exuded felt more suitable for a brothel than a clergy.
Moreover, her attire was as scandalous as last time, wearing a tank top, hot pants, and fishnet stockings.
Is this person really the Pope…?
There’s no way she acted like this during her initial reincarnation.
It was clear she had been “trained” in sticky and jolting things after her experience in the erotic game world.
If that’s true, it’s a bit sad. It seems she could use some love and attention.
That much was basic. From today onward, I would care for others wholeheartedly.
“Pope, please take a seat now.”
Eventually, Kelaout gestured toward the reception table.
As a Pope, one must always feel grateful to those below them who work for them.
After smiling politely at the archbishop, I sat at the head of the reception table.
Then, the only returnee who sat quietly waiting for me, Kim Ji-yeon, waved at me.
She had a talisman on her forehead with the words ‘MY POPE!’ displayed on it.
“Pope, Pope. Hello, hello.”
“Yes, Kim Ji-yeon. How are you?”
The robot’s speech was still a bit unsettling.
However, I wanted to give her high marks for having quietly waited for me as a guest.
At least among the four gathered, she appeared the most composed.
“Have you been resting well?”
I asked with genuine interest, and an emoticon appeared on her talisman.
[^-^/]
“It’s really comfortable here. Yesterday and today, complete rest. Feeling great. Thanks to the Pope.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now that you’re part of our order, I’ll ensure you can continue to live comfortably.”
“Yay! Thank you! Pope is the best! Love the Sun!”
Having gotten used to it, I now thought that her four-character speech pattern didn’t sound too bad either.
Unknowingly, she had earned bonus points for easily becoming a member.
While I engaged in conversation with Kim Ji-yeon, Kelaout clapped his hands lightly to gather everyone’s attention.
“Everyone, please take your seats. We will begin the meeting with the Pope.”
Worried that these uniquely peculiar individuals might not obey, I found my fears unfounded.
There was no one here who would maintain a rebellious attitude after coming this far; everyone quietly sat down.
Looking around at the returnees seated in pairs, I calmly began to speak.
“Nice to meet you all. I am Pope Clitia Eluke.”
I gracefully bowed and continued speaking.
“How is your health? I hope my humble healing abilities have been of help to you.”
In a highly humble tone, I aimed to make them recognize the fact that I treated them while being watched by the strict archbishop.
Kelaout’s soft smile suggested he liked what I had just said.
This was my favorite kind of moment. As I suppressed the smile that was about to escape, I continued.
“As you might already know from Wip, the Great Demon has been defeated. While the fragments have perished, after being severely dealt with, it won’t be approaching you for a while. So, please relax.”
The Great Demon, who had tormented returnees, had fled from Korea.
And for a time, it wouldn’t dare show its face again. It had been thoroughly beaten by Liam.
For the tormented returnees, this news must have brought a wave of relief.
As expected, the four of them reacted almost simultaneously.
“Kekekek. That demon, good riddance.”
The robot Kim Ji-yeon, with ‘ㅋㅋ’ on her talisman, began to dance.
“……”
“Hmm…”
The priestess and the survivor from the zombie world both fell deep in thought, probably reminiscing about the suffering brought on by the demon.
On the other hand.
The lewd Pope grinned widely and raised her hand high.
“Cubica, what is it?”
“By any chance, who defeated the Great Demon?”
Her lisped, elongated words were quite grating, yet her question was acceptable.
It was time to subtly brag about my husband.
“My husband, who is a hero, defeated it. Just so you know, my husband accomplished the incredible feat of surpassing the superhuman level and reaching demigod status at the age of twenty. So even if it were the Great Demon itself, it wouldn’t have been a match. After all, he’s a demigod.”
I intended to speak modestly, but as I spoke, I felt proud and excited, so I went all out with the compliments.
While Kelaout, who had been pleased moments before, now raised his left eyebrow, signaling that I had committed an error.
I would probably be subjected to at least a thirty-minute sermon later.
But I had no regrets. Opportunities to boast about my husband’s strength and achievements were rare.
‘I’m proud.’
Disregarding Kelaout’s disapproving gaze, I held my head high.
Soon after, the lewd Pope, who had asked the previous question, leaned over with a “Wow!” of admiration towards me.
“To just hear about it, he sounds like an incredible hero! So dependable!”
“That’s true.”
Seeing her speak with such sound reasoning indicated she possessed a more normalized thought process than expected.
Just as I was thinking that, Cubica beamed and made a request.
“Could you lend your husband to me for a while?”
“…What?”
Surely I must have misheard.
After scolding my malfunctioning hearing, I politely asked.
“If you don’t mind, could you please repeat that?”
“I want to sleep with Pope Eluke’s husband! I know infidelity is wrong, but just this once, please!”
“……”
This woman is insane.
“No way.”
Naturally, I outright rejected her.
The baffling demand was astonishing enough; additionally, realizing it could be considered disrespectful was utterly outrageous.
It’s well understood that the worst kind of people are those who commit a crime knowingly without any hesitation.
“Eheh. It can’t be.”
The crazy lewd Pope feigned disappointment and asked again.
“I’d also like to sleep with Pope Eluke, can’t that be allowed?”
“There’s no way that’s happening.”
She was open about her desires, showing no shame whatsoever.
Immediately concluding my evaluation of the lewd Pope, I messaged into the telepathic chat room.
-(Pope): Yao, we need to prioritize managing Cubica Psycheless. Given her experiences in the erotic game world, she likely needs warmth and care rather than scolding.
-(Yao): Understood.
Right now, Yao was in the Pope’s Exclusive Rest Area on the fifth floor, eavesdropping on conversations and organizing the traits of the returnees.
This was to provide them with tailored support.
Of course, I planned to help them correct any wrongs if necessary.
I wanted to ensure maximum convenience while promptly addressing any flaws; it was a special service.
Since they would be working closely with me in the future, I wanted to treat them well.
This was part of my effort to become a true Pope.
“Aw, Pope Eluke, I’ll treat you kindly, so let’s just do it once, okay?”
“No way.”
I steadfastly rejected Cubica’s persistent request.
After declining her ten times, she finally seemed to acquiesce and quieted down.
Thanks to that, I could finally move ahead with a conversation that seemed stuck.
“Returnees, I have something to say.”
I glanced at the remaining three, excluding the robot, and began to speak.
“Would any of you be interested in joining our order?”
Without directly urging them to join, I first inquired about their intentions. This way, they would feel less pressured.
Particularly for the survivor from the zombie world, Jo Ha-jin, and the other two, since they were believers, I had to approach cautiously.
“I’m not forcing it. You can just refuse.”
“Order…!”
At that moment, Cubica raised her hand with an intrigued expression.
What would she say now? Feeling anxious, I granted her the floor.
“What is it?”
“Do you serve any goddesses?”
“Yes, we do.”
“Wow!”
Cubica, who alone seemed to be deep in her thoughts, suddenly exclaimed in admiration.
“If I believe in the goddess earnestly, will she descend to Earth later and hug me? The one I served before often shared my bed with me!”
“……”
I gazed at Cubica with a steely look before messaging Yao.
-(Pope): We need to ensure Cubica can be recognized as a government-affiliated returnee.
For the sake of the goddess’ purity, I couldn’t afford to accept her as a member.
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