Chapter 268. Purity and Jealousy (1)

An outskirts slightly away from Rosario.

A small earth cave situated on a cliff from which the scenery of the capital could be seen at a glance.

That place was exactly the seclusion room where the current Pope was staying.

The Pope who had not revealed his appearance even once for several years.

Around him, the Cardinals who were in the Room of the Holy Spirit until a moment ago and Roman were situated.

It was not only them.

The Holy Knights led by the Cardinals.

The Inquisitors.

And numerous other clergymen gathered at the cliff.

The reason everyone gathered here was one.

It was exactly because of the door of the seclusion room.

No, to be a little more accurate, because of the symbol appearing on the door of the seclusion room.

“”…””

Everyone looked at the symbol without a word.

Originally, that symbol should have always been emitting the light of a pure white holy radiance, and it was actually so even when the Cardinals visited.

Until the Cardinals used divine power.

“…”

Everyone stared at it with serious faces.

A symbol that was scattering malice to a strange degree, letting dark mana flow to the floor thickly as if it was dipped in the abyss and taken out.

At the symbol that suddenly changed and became violent as soon as divine power was used, they had immediately brought up most of the troops that could be mobilized.

Because they realized the seriousness of the situation without difficulty just by looking at the symbol changing like that.

“Then, since it seems everyone has gathered, I will open it.”

Utia, who was in Rosario until a moment ago and received an emergency call and came up, raised her hand toward the symbol where thick abyss was dripping.

“I will also help.”

Yuman also raised his hand together from the side.

Divine power flowing out from the hands of the two.

“Ooh—”

While the clergymen were letting out a low exclamation.

The divine power that flowed out instantly wrapped around the symbol that contained the abyss.

Then the symbol, which began to absorb divine power at a fearful speed.

Drdrdrdrdk—!

It soon twisted while making a sound that was unpleasant even to hear.

The symbol began to disappear slowly while spilling bubbling foam as if iron was being ground away.

And.

Kwajik—!

The symbol, which was completely shattered as a sound of something being crushed occurred.

Dissipated into the air and disappeared as if it had not existed from the beginning.

“Everyone prepare!”

A Holy Knight shouted loudly and drew his sword.

Silence that began along with a tension that was suffocating.

But.

It did not take such a long time until that silence was broken.

The reason was.

“…Haha, it has been quite a long time.”

A man inside that cave which was like an abyss— no,

“His Holiness the Pope?”

Because the Pope, Villaniat, walked out.

Perhaps because of the seclusion for a long time, his face was emaciated to the extreme and his beard had grown below his navel.

Those who were here clearly perceived.

The fact that the being before their eyes was undoubtedly their Pope, Villaniat, who had disappeared a few years ago.

“H—His Holiness! Are you alright!”

One Cardinal, who confirmed the safety of the Pope, approached him and asked about his well-being.

Villaniat burst into laughter, haha—, as if he was in a good mood after a long time.

“Naturally I am alright. Because I obtained a new enlightenment.”

“I am, truly relieved.”

“Yes, it is a relieving thing.”

Everyone was relieved at the appearance of laughing heartily as if boasting of health even though it was clearly a senile body.

Unlike the ominousness given by the symbol soaked in the abyss.

Because the Pope looked too perfectly fine.

However.

“…”

One person among them, Sergius, was feeling strangeness from the Pope.

‘…Something is strange?’

Most of those gathered here have not seen the Pope from up close.

Because of that, they did not feel a sense of heterogeneity from the Pope, but Sergius knew the Pope’s tendencies well.

Villaniat was one who valued principles and rules.

No matter how urgent an event occurred.

Even if it was a situation where the symbol outside had changed gloomily.

If his seclusion was disturbed—

The one who would surely get angry first was exactly the Pope of this generation, Villaniat.

Yet such a Pope.

Does not check the situation and does not even frown as soon as he came outside?

And without having any question at all about why so many troops are gathered?

Of course, it could be that he put the questions aside for a moment because he was so glad to come outside after a long time.

But there were other strange points besides this.

‘…Clearly His Holiness the Pope should have seen the Cardinal before him for the first time.’

Given Villaniat’s personality, if someone he had never seen was wearing a cardinal’s uniform, he would surely have pointed it out.

But to have no reaction at all.

At the moment when he tilted his head because it was too strange.

“Could everyone look at me for a moment?”

The Pope, Villaniat, opened his mouth.

Everyone’s gaze focused on him.

And.

The body of the Pope, who smiled as if he was satisfied with this situation—

“…?”

Began to grow younger slowly.

“Uh, uuh?”

Even while the clergymen were flustered at the sudden change.

The Pope’s body was gradually regaining its youth.

Pure white hair fell out in clusters in an instant and black hair grew.

The wrinkled skin between the fallen beard gradually changed into smooth skin.

Solid muscles were attached to the lean body.

At the appearance that could only be called a miracle which could not be performed even with divine power, everyone’s eyes grew large as if they could not believe it.

The last moment.

Jjeojeok—jjeojeojeok!!

From behind the Pope’s back, too brilliant pure white wings unfolded.

“Wh— what?”

Behind the flustered exclamation, a strange awe began to bloom.

Because the wings grown on the Pope’s back kept a brilliant pure white.

While everyone was staring at him blankly.

“How is it?”

The voice of the Pope, who had become young before he knew it, echoed lowly.

He looked around as if boasting of his own body.

Soon he pinpointed one clergyman and asked.

“You, how is it?”

“Yes…? What do you mean by—”

“I am asking what kind of thought occurred to you upon seeing my appearance.”

At that, the clergyman hurriedly opened his mouth while being flustered.

“I thought it was truly holy. Especially the wings on the back—”

“No, it’s not that.”

The Pope shook his head firmly.

As if the words he wanted to hear were not that.

“What I am asking is not that. I am asking exactly what kind of thought occurred to you when you saw me.”

“H—Holy—”

“No, I am not curious about such packaged impressions. Just as it is— I want to hear your private impressions.”

At that, the clergyman, while being confused,

“I thought that I, too, wanted to become like that someday.”

He spat out the sentence reluctantly.

And.

“…?”

Even though he said it himself.

The clergyman momentarily wore an expression as if he did not understand.

Because if it were the original him, he would have never said such words.

Unlike the clergyman who was swept by confusion.

The Pope, who wore a satisfied smile, continued to ask questions.

“Yes, what other thoughts occurred to you?”

“The thought that I am envious, occurred.”

“Did you become jealous?”

“Jealousy— such a thing…”

“No, I hope you would express your heart honestly. Because I asked the question because I wanted to hear your sincere words.”

“…”

“Quickly, tell me.”

The Pope who urged.

Eventually the clergyman—

“…I did become jealous.”

Again, he put the answer, which he would never have done usually, in his mouth.

As if to respond to this.

“Yes, I see.”

Behind the back of the Pope, who smiled more brightly than the pure white wings.

Jjeojeojeok—!

Another pair of wings grew.

“Oh… ooh…”

The clergymen who were buzzing.

However, the Pope without caring in the least.

“Yes, you spoke well. Because it was exactly the words I wanted to hear.”

He tapped the shoulder of the clergyman who answered.

He soon looked around everyone and raised his hand.

“Is there no one else who will make a confession of their feelings like this brave friend?”

An immediate answer did not come out.

But—

“I, I too—”

That silence did not last long.

“I felt holiness momentarily at the appearance of the Pope, but at the same time, I also felt jealous… I did.”

A Holy Knight who confessed as if it was a confession.

Starting with him.

“I— I too…”

“I also feel that way.”

“I too—”

As if possessed, those gathered at that place began to pour out the feelings they felt while looking at the Pope one by one.

The Pope performed a nonsensical miracle before their eyes.

He became a youth from an old man.

Wings like those of an angel sprouted on his back.

However, even though they saw that incomprehensible miracle before their eyes.

No one expressed a question.

Only the heat of a strange belief was blooming more and more.

“Good, it’s good! Everyone open your mouths and pour out your inner hearts. Since that will be the path to the next enlightenment!”

Jjeojeok—! Jjeojeojeok—!!

Wings began to appear on the Pope’s back one after another.

One pair.

Another pair.

The wings, which began to appear calmly, instantly passed three pairs and became four pairs.

Passing four pairs, it became five pairs.

“…”

At the wings full of holiness, just like those of an archangel.

The moment awe was dwelled on the expressions of everyone at that place.

Jjeojeok—!

The wings grew again.

Passing five pairs, to six pairs.

Passing six pairs, to seven pairs.

Passing seven pairs, to eight pairs.

Ten pairs.

Fifteen pairs—

“…!?”

“Wh— wh—!”

Twenty pairs.

Twenty-five pairs.

Wings that proliferated aggressively while devouring the Pope’s body.

Now it was covered by so many wings that even the human form did not remain properly.

The two eyes of the clergymen, which were showing awe, were dyed with horror.

In the eyes of the Holy Knights, confusion and tension began to linger.

And.

“Oh no!”

The moment Yuman was about to scatter divine power toward him.

The Pope.

[Ah— my little lambs. You have poured out your hearts honestly.]

Was already floating in the sky.

Yuman looked at the sky.

There existed a creature strangely shaped to the point that it could no longer be called a Pope.

With a huge eye attached in the middle.

A being that rose easily in the air with more than hundreds of pairs of wings.

[Do not fear me, for I shall bestow enlightenment upon you.]

As if deceiving those here.

A holy voice was struck in the ears.

[Now, arise my children.]

And at that moment.

“Ugh… khak!?”

One clergyman began to twist his whole body.

The man who answered first to the Pope’s words, he moved naturally here and there in his body as if he was suffering, and then soon hunched his waist.

Kwajik—kwajijijik—!

As if a caterpillar was breaking out of an egg, simultaneously with the human skin and blood bursting out.

[■■■■■■■■■■■■■!!!!]

A pure white being was born inside it.

Although it was several times more giant than a human, eventually it possessed the same form.

However, that thing of a grotesque form whose whole body was strangely emaciated like a famine.

And starting from this—

“Kkaaaaak—!”

“N— no! It’s not allowed! No!”

“Kkaaaaak—!!!”

Those who were at that place began to change into creatures of grotesque forms one by one.

[And, cultivate the ground into a paradise—]

A voice deceiving everyone echoed on the ground once more.

Kwajik—!

The massacre began.

####

“H— how on earth this—”

Sergius lifted his eyes while trembling his body in fear.

It became a shambles in an instant.

Giant pure white beings that were several times the size of a person.

Those things pulled out red needle-shaped spears like blood from hands that had nothing.

Sshwaaaa—

Began to massacre everyone existing on the ground.

In the midst of that, the Inquisitors and Holy Knights who quickly regained their senses began to counterattack.

Sergius’s expression could not be relaxed.

The reason was—

‘They keep, keep increasing…!’

Exactly because those who were killed became new pure white beings.

And participated in the massacre of Holy Knights and clergymen.

The situation rushed to the worst in an instant.

Sergius immediately shifted his gaze toward Utia.

“U— Utia? Sh— should we do something about this?”

An urgent voice.

However, Utia was just staring at the eye surrounded by wings quietly with a displeased gaze.

Sergius, who felt frustration at such an appearance of Utia.

“Utia…??”

Called her earnestly once more.

But Utia’s two red eyes were still directed toward the bizarre angel.

[■■■■■■■—!]

Only when it became the moment when a clergyman who had just changed into a pure white being was about to strike down a spear toward her.

“Ha…”

She let out a small sigh.

A sigh as if something was not to her liking.

And,

“The schedule—”

The moment Utia, who soon muttered lowly, was about to lift her hand slightly.

Hand Thunder Seal (手雷印)

Six Seals (六結)

She saw.

Flash Thunder God (閃雷神)

Kwajik—!

The head of the pure white being that was extending its spear toward her.

The sight of it bursting out without warning.

And.

“…Teacher? How are you here—”

The back of the familiar man who blocked her front.

Utia, who was surprised, could not finish her words.

“Since it seemed a disturbance occurred, I was coming up just in case.”

“That—”

Alon’s voice echoed quietly.

“—Because there is no need for you to particularly use your hand.”

“…Yes?”

Utia’s red two eyes grew round like a full moon.

As if she was caught in something.