Part Three, Section Two: “To the Kingdom of Dalbhat”
Chapter Eighty-eight
Prince Oswald, Elsa, Mammon, and I had gathered in the courtyard of my estate. It was noon, precisely when the one-week grace period Elsa had given me expired.
"The fact you obediently came means you decided to go to Dalbhat. I’m relieved.”
Brushing back her long hair, Elsa guessed that we had decided to go to the kingdom of Dalbhat.
And she was right. We had agreed to go to Dalbhat, where Clamu Church’s headquarters were located.
“Yes. We have decided to go.”
I affirmed our determination.
We would head to Dalbhat via Mammon’s renowned spatial movement magic. So the travel time would be instant.
"I’m glad. That’s the right choice. Thank you for obeying.”
However, I had to convey our true purpose for going to Dalbhat here.
Although it was awkward after being thanked, I needed to convey it properly.
"Ms. Elsa, we intend to persuade the higher-ups at the headquarters of the Clamu Church so that we can remain in Parnacota. I want them to understand that I should not become Pope.”
"And I plan to ask them to respect Miss Philia’s will.”
I was not suited to be Pope after all. If we logically explain that, I was sure even the higher-ups would understand.
I couldn’t simply give up and abandon everything without betting on that possibility.
"Haa… I figured you’d say something like that, but I already tried. No matter what I said, it was impossible. The premise of the Pope’s will being absolute is the one thing the headquarters wouldn’t budge on, no matter what.”
I understood what she was trying to say. The absolute nature of the Pope’s will was in order to make an example for the faithful. The Pope was like God’s proxy, equal to God for all of us believers. To overturn his words would be blasphemy against our faith.
"I really feel I’ve done terrible things to you. If you just become Pope, I’ll make sure your any wish is granted, no matter what. Please don’t cling to fruitless hopes anymore. I don’t want you to be disappointed, Great Saint.”
Elsa was a kind person after all.
I knew she was denying our hopes because she cared about us.
However, we couldn’t give up on hope. The concept of giving up was simply not part of our principles.
"Even if it seems truly impossible, I don’t think it’s pointless to struggle. I believe there is a future that opens up if you pursue the possibilities. Besides, my greatest wish is to live in this country with His Highness Oswald.”
"On what grounds are you trying to do something so pointless? There’s no possibility!”
My wish was to continue my married life with Prince Oswald in this beloved country. Just imagining that radiant future let me cling to this faint hope. No amount of persuasion would change our minds unless this possibility would be completely denied.
"There is a possibility that the Pope’s will is fake.”
"…!?”
Yes, I wanted to bet on this.
In other words, the contents of the Pope’s will—the very premise for attempting to make me the next Pope. The possibility that it was fake.
"A fake will? Don’t say foolish things. Do you have a basis for this claim?”
She asked for the basis that the will was fake. Of course, I knew Elsa would question this.
Normally, there would be no reason for someone to do this.
Rewriting the Pope’s will, which was like a revelation from God, was blasphemy itself, and, moreover, there was no merit in doing so.
"First, if the goal was to make me the next Pope, I don’t think he’d announce it like this after his death. To avoid turmoil, he should have made his intentions known while he was alive. For instance, when I was given the title of Great Saint, he could have hinted at it in his speech.”
This was the first point that struck me as odd. Even if the Pope’s authority was absolute, if he wished to make an exceptional appointment, he would at least consult with me. If he knew I was serving as a saint in Parnacota, he would have told me to prepare, or given some indication while alive. I had heard that the Pope was a person of sound judgment and character. If so, I couldn’t imagine the Pope would leave such an appointment entirely for after his death.
"That is a valid basis for suspicion. But the will was definitely received directly by Archbishop Henry from the Pope. No one but him could have rewritten it.”
While Elsa acknowledged my stated grounds, she said this would make the criminal none other than Archbishop Henry.
Exactly. In my mind, I had already identified the culprit.
A former bishop from Parnacota received the will and then rewrote it to make a saint from Parnacota the next Pope. Didn’t this seem like more than a coincidence?
"As you say, Ms. Elsa, I suspect Archbishop Henry rewrote the will.”
"What!? I can’t believe that.”
When I plainly voiced my hypothesis, Elsa had a shocked expression.
Well, that was understandable. It was hard to imagine Archbishop Henry doing something like that. However, the more I considered it, the more I was convinced he must have rewritten the will.
"It’s no wonder you are surprised, Miss Elsa. I was also shocked when I heard that hypothesis from Miss Philia.”
Prince Oswald had the exact same reaction when I shared this hypothesis because if Archbishop Henry rewrote it, his actions would be rather contradictory.
"At the time, I believed that since Archbishop Henry would be the next Pope, the will was left to him just so that no one would rewrite it. That’s why Popes have entrusted their will to their successors up to now, or so I believed.”
"Yes, that’s only natural.”
"But when I heard that you would be the next Pope, Great Saint, I was surprised, yet didn’t consider he may have altered it. Can you guess why?”
Like Mammon, it seemed Elsa also assumed Archbishop Henry becoming the next Pope was a given when he received the will. And that itself was why she found it unbelievable he rewrote the will.
“You don’t believe he refused to become Pope and changed the name in the will to mine?”
"What possible benefit could there be in doing that?”
Becoming Pope meant standing at the pinnacle of Clamu believers. And it also meant wielding the greatest power on the continent. Elsa seemed to think there was no motive for him to abandon that position just to make me Pope.
“I don’t know Archbishop Henry’s exact motives or benefits, but I believe there must have been a reason compelling him to do so.”
"You really think so?
"Yes, I do. I hope to hear it directly from him someday, but I’m sure that won’t be easy.”
The greatest obstacle to proving this hypothesis was the motive. If the hypothesis was true, Archbishop Henry did something quite preposterous.
Without a clear motive for why he did this, no one would believe my claim.
"Well, whatever. My assigned duty is to take Great Saint to Dalbhat, so believe what you want about Archbishop Henry rewriting the will. I won’t complain.”
"Thank you, Ms. Elsa. You really are kind.”
"I-I’m not kind at all. Mammon, get ready.”
It seemed Elsa didn’t oppose us investigating whether Archbishop Henry rewrote the will or not.
I expressed my gratitude for her kindness.
"Okay. Sister is even blushing, how rare.”
"Did you say something?”
"Whoops, I’m against violence. Well then, allow me to escort you two. Our destination is Dalbhat!”
Mammon teased Elsa, and, when she pointed her falchion at him, raised his hands, concentrating his magic power to summon a transition gate.
This looked the same as when we returned from the Interstice. I never thought I would pass through this gate again.
"Well, Miss Philia, shall we go?”
"Yes, Your Highness.”
When the gate opened, Prince Oswald held out his hand to me.
Taking his hand, I stepped forward.
A bright light obscured my vision, and in the next moment, scenery I had never seen spread out before us.
We had arrived in the kingdom of Dalbhat.
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