Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant novel Chapter 590

Quai congratulated him.

“Congratulations, new Pope. I sincerely hope everything you wish to do goes well.”

“That would be nice. But... Lord Quai, aren’t you going to bet on me?”

“Bet?”

“Yes. Usually, when the Constellations I’ve met so far gave me this much power, they all bet on me. In that sense, haven’t you also been watching me for a long time, Lord Quai?”

“Power...”

At those words, Quai smiled.

“I suppose you could think of it that way. But I am fine. To begin with, I am not a Player, and I am an existence like a ghost of the Pantheon.”

“A ghost of the Pantheon...”

It sounded like he had once been a Demi-Constellation.

So Su-ho decided not to ask further.

He had no intention of persuading him either.

Instead, Quai said,

“And strictly speaking, I have not yet given you any proper power.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have completed the class quest through formality and procedure, but can that truly be considered the real power possessed by the Pope of the Pantheon?”

“......?”

What is he talking about now?

When Su-ho made a face that showed he did not understand, Quai spoke with that same good-natured smile.

“What kind of existence do you think the Pope is, new Pope?”

“To be honest, the Pope I know is a position that receives everyone’s respect.”

“That is correct. That is why the Cardinals’ vote was necessary. But you, Pope, come from the Rage Crusader line, which everyone rejects. According to your own words, can the current Pope truly be called Pope in the true sense?”

“......No? But is that important?”

“It is important. Especially for someone like you, Pope, who values power.”

A sudden uneasiness came over him.

“Are you saying that to obtain the true power, I need to know how to receive everyone’s respect? Something like that? And that there’s a separate process to earn that respect?”

Instead of answering, Quai only smiled.

“Ah.”

No wonder.

He had thought it was strange that they handed him the Pope’s seat so readily after he had only caught three Cardinals.

As Su-ho fell into despair, Quai continued, still wearing that smile.

“Haha, even so, I truly am doing this for your sake, Pope.”

“Yes, well, of course you are.”

“Hoho. In that sense, to explain a little further... as the Pope is respected by all priests, he is an existence who encompasses all of them. Usually, for systemic reasons, people choose Healer and become Clerics or Paladins, but from the stage beyond that, they are influenced by the Pantheon. In other words, once one reaches the level of Pope, one gains the qualification to use all those powers.”

Su-ho’s ears perked at the last words.

“All powers?”

“Yes, all powers.”

“......!”

When Su-ho’s eyes widened, Quai’s smile deepened even more.

“As a ghost who protects the Pantheon, I have a duty to assist the leader of the Pantheon. In that sense, for this Pope, it seems the greatest support I can offer is to make you stronger than anything else.”

“You have seen correctly.”

“Well, rather than saying my insight is good, it is because your name itself is Black Pope.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The Popes throughout the Pantheon’s history each had colors attached before their names like epithets, colors that symbolized their identities. But in the history of the Pantheon, this is the first time an epithet related to black has been attached. Previously, you were the Blood Cardinal, and now you have become the Black Pope. A black priest who craves blood and power. There is no color that expresses you better than that.”

“That’s not exactly wrong, but the more I hear, the more I feel like I’ve become a monster.”

“Surely not. Then, from now on, I would like to present you with a path by which you can become stronger. It may be a trial, or it may be a test.”

“I’ll accept it, whatever it is. As long as I can become stronger.”

“Understood. Then from now on, Pope, you will meet the Masters among the many who protected the Pantheon, the Masters most suited to you, and receive their teachings.”

“Are Masters somehow different from ordinary Cardinals?”

“Yes, they are different. Master is a position obtained by priests who once served as Pope after they retire.”

“Uh, so they’re incredibly impressive people?”

“Yes. That is why being acknowledged by them is no different from receiving everyone’s respect. And through their acknowledgment, you, Pope, will be able to be reborn not as a Pope in shell only, but as a Pope in the true sense.”

Not a shell, but a true Pope.

Su-ho nodded.

“Understood. I’ll receive their teachings immediately.”

“Good. Then shall we begin at once?”

Announcing the beginning, Quai clapped his hands together as if in prayer.

Then holy energy began to swirl between Quai and Su-ho, and soon, the bookshelves all around them trembled as dozens of books were pulled out and opened with a flutter.

[ The guardian of the Pantheon wishes for you to grow even stronger. ]

[ As the method, he has presented several paths, and you have decided to walk the path of the Paladin in order to become a better Pope. ]

[ The stories of countless priests recorded in the history of the Pantheon are passed down to you. ]

Hwaaa!

Light poured out.

The light was warm.

Warm enough to make him think that if holiness had a temperature, it would feel like this.

Then, for an instant, his vision went dark.

Pat!

Su-ho disappeared.

In his place, a single book had fallen.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify