Chapter 105: Rudeus's Benevolence (Patreon)

The Pope sat on the high seat in the great hall.

He had just come back to himself after a daydream. His mind went to the declaration Rudeus had once made from high in the sky, over the entire capital of the Holy Realm of Milis.

Back then, they had only half believed it. But after yesterday's dazzling nuclear blast, every last doubt had been driven out of their hearts!!

Everyone, every single one of them, firmly believed that Rudeus was an existence you absolutely must not provoke!!

The Pope could read it plainly in their eyes… If he forced them to go to war against Rudeus and the Dragon God, they would turn on him in a heartbeat and swap their Pope for a new one.

He thought back on everything Lord Hitogami (Human God) had said, and a scornful snort rose inside him.

From here on out… Lord Hitogami (Human God), I'm sorry. Rudeus's strength is simply too crushing, too hopeless!!

If you could send down divine punishment, then of course there'd be no problem at all. Everyone, himself included, would become a true believer of Lord Hitogami (Human God)!! But if it can't be resolved… then they would have to solve it themselves, and that could only mean bowing their heads to the far stronger Rudeus.

Circumstances are stronger than people! He might be the Pope, but even a Pope isn't omnipotent. So he had no choice either!!! It wasn't that he didn't want to work for Lord Hitogami (Human God). He truly couldn't. He hoped Lord Hitogami (Human God) would understand the difficulties of people like them.

Besides, by taking shelter under Rudeus and the Dragon God like this, they could become Lord Hitogami (Human God)'s moles, couldn't they?

When Rudeus finally hit a moment of real crisis, they would certainly!! Stab him hard in the back!!!

Thinking of that…

The Pope stood straight up and announced in a loud voice:

"Hear my command!!! Proclaim it to the world, proclaim it to all of Milis!!!

"From this day forth, the Alliance of the Righteous shall be the eternal ally of the Milis Church.

"And to cement the perfect friendship between the two!!! Magic God Rudeus Greyrat is hereby enshrined as an Honorary Pope of the Milis Church!!

"Dragon God Orsted is hereby enshrined as an Honorary Pope of the Milis Church!!! Their authority shall be second only to mine alone!!!"

As the Pope's command went out, the messenger hurried forward to accept it, then dashed outside at a run.

The exhausted Temple Knights around the hall heard the Pope's arrangement, and the tension in their eyes slowly faded. After all… with an existence that terrifying, probably nobody wanted to be his enemy.

……

In another of Carlisle's courtyards, Paul slowly walked out of the house.

He breathed in the fresh morning air, took the sword at his waist and began his morning training. Strictly speaking, it was already late morning. But training knows no hour.

Thinking that Rudeus would be arriving soon, Paul was filled with enormous anticipation.

He truly hadn't expected it. That kid had quietly, without a word, become a God-rank mage!!! God-rank… That's God-rank!!! And that terrifying spell yesterday must have been his doing too.

It was hard to even imagine. In just a few years, he had grown to such a powerful level. Haah!!! As a father, he was a real failure.

Father-in-law Carlisle had told him that the Dragon God Orsted was coming along with Rudeus. Another being of strength he couldn't begin to imagine.

What should he do when they met? How should he act?? The more he thought about it, the more his anticipation drained away, until he felt almost afraid to face Rudeus at all.

Swish!!! He gripped his sword hard and slashed at the empty air with savage force. Feeling the cowardice inside him, Paul's temper flared up fully.

Why are you so scared? He's your son!!! Why!! Why!??

On the far side of the courtyard, Carlisle stood in full armor with his wife and Paul's women, quietly watching Paul, whose feelings were impossibly tangled.

To tell the truth, Carlisle felt he could understand Paul's state of mind to some degree. Knowing nothing of what had happened…

[Author's Note: Asking for flowers…]

…his own junior had suddenly grown to a level he never dared hope for. How was he supposed to deal with that person now? Should he still put on the dignity of an elder? Or treat him simply as a peer??

He had heard rumors before, but yesterday's explosion, that utterly terrifying warning, made it clear that Rudeus's personality was absolutely arrogant!! So how was he, as a grandfather, supposed to get along with Rudeus? What should his first words be when they met??

Haah!!! The more he thought, the more Carlisle's head ached. He had worked out plenty of things in advance, but now that it was truly about to happen, it was all rather awkward.

……………………

Compared with Carlisle and Paul, Carlisle's wife Claire Latreia and Lilia were also nervous about meeting Rudeus so soon.

Just then, a vast voice rang out. It was the Pope's voice, an announcement across the whole capital. Its content concerned Rudeus, the Dragon God and their relationship with the Milis Church, and the news that they had been enshrined as Honorary Popes, second only to His Holiness the Pope!!

Hearing this, everyone exchanged looks, their eyes full of shock. The Milis Church was immensely powerful, yet because of Rudeus and the Dragon God it had made such an enormous concession.

It was… terrifying!!!!

At the same time, Rudeus, who was on his way over, had also received the Milis Pope's announcement.

He turned to look at Dragon God Orsted, who was still getting used to the Nuclear Sprite, then at Ghislaine and Eris, who were trading experiences, and finally at Nanahoshi Shizuka, who walked beside him gazing around at the scenery with curiosity. Then he smiled.

"Everyone, I've got good news for you.

"Our Alliance of the Righteous has been named an eternal ally by the Milis Pope. And the Dragon God and I have just been enshrined as Honorary Popes.

"Our authority is second only to the Pope himself.

"Looks like the esteemed Milis Pope has come to understand our goodwill. That's rather nice of him."