Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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“Do you even realize what you’re saying right now?”
In the frozen atmosphere, one of the bishops broke the silence and spoke up.
“Appointing a cardinal is a power held solely by His Holiness. Not only is this overstepping your authority, but bringing it up in his absence is utterly absurd.”
“His Holiness commanded us to find a suitable candidate.”
Narke replied softly, continuing on.
“And you’re right, precisely. Ordination cannot proceed without your consent. But when it comes to appointing a cardinal—a power held solely by His Holiness—the story changes.”
“That’s not what I...!”
“Excellency Aurelino, papal vicar, I would be grateful if you could contact His Holiness promptly.”
Narke gestured politely to the bishop referred to as the papal vicar.
‘...No, he could’ve just spoken to the Pope himself before even opening this meeting.’
Hadn’t he said he received the order directly from the Pope?
It might look like a natural procedure on the surface, but there was no need to hold a meeting like this.
He clearly had a specific outcome in mind.
At that moment, the cardinal presiding over the proceedings waved his hand.
“Everyone, please calm down. We’ll take a recess and resume in ten minutes.”
* * *
He’d blown up a matter that could’ve been settled with a direct word to the Pope.
The intent was obvious, so there was no need to overthink it.
‘High likelihood that negative opinions on my ordination to holy orders dominated.’
Even though this wasn’t a scheduled event, some already knew I lacked a baptismal certificate.
Word must’ve spread internally about a freely wielding divine power mage qualifying for an honorary position, and I’d have been disqualified as ineligible long ago.
Pushing cardinal appointment in this situation was bound to provoke backlash.
So Narke had opened this review to share the burden of responsibility directed at the Pope and, as a bonus, personally prove that Nikolaus was no heretic.
―“I didn’t expect you to be thinking that far ahead already.”
Narke approached me with a smile.
The bishops were huddled together conversing at the end of the cathedral, leaving me as the only one seated.
His casual tone suggested he figured divine power interference wouldn’t reach us at this distance.
―“Was this your plan from the start?”
―“Haha, what do you think?”
―“You planned it all the way here.”
―“You know me well~ But if those folks had settled for priest or thereabouts, I wouldn’t have dragged it out this far. Even honorary, a cardinal comes with a lot of work.”
―“Right, like Minister of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.”
I replied with a grin, and Narke let out a rare flustered laugh.
―“...Wasn’t trying to hide it. You know that, right?”
He probably figured there was no need to spell that out.
I was a bit surprised, but it wasn’t a big deal.
―“Yeah, I get it. Pretty cool.”
―“Just from sitting around a while, that’s all. So, how about the cardinal spot?”
It was a perfect defensive tool, no question needed.
Of course, holy orders alone were beneficial enough, so whether deacon or priest made no difference to me. A cardinal felt overly burdensome.
‘But whatever it is, it’s an opportunity.’
Sitting in a position without faith did nag a bit, but passing up a chance like this over discomfort would be foolish.
By now, time was up, and the bishops began returning to their seats.
“Let’s resume.”
At that point, the papal vicar bishop stood from his seat.
“I’ll say it plainly. Your Excellency Farnese, I cannot contact His Holiness for someone not even qualified. Even if cardinal appointment is his prerogative, His Holiness cannot violate canon law.”
Narke, who had been listening with wide eyes, stroked his chin and replied.
“Canon law... I trust you know that even a layperson can rise to cardinal deacon.”
“But Sir Nikolaus Ernst isn’t even a layperson. It’s no longer about baptism. The very act of moving for divine power alone is the problem.”
The bishop replied firmly in a weighty voice.
‘...Hm.’
A perfectly reasonable opinion.
From his tone, he seemed an ordinary cleric, and from their perspective, scrambling to baptize just for divine power was an affront to their pride.
“Of course, if Your Excellency Farnese speaks directly, I have no way to stop it. But you should know there are others in the Vatican who share my view.”
“......”
Narke gazed at him, maintaining his smile.
He’d probably follow through and say he’d meet the Pope directly, just as suggested.
‘But if it ends here, Narke only achieves half his goal.’
Narke had opened this venue to proclaim Nikolaus’s innocence and secure legitimacy. This way, the latter wouldn’t be fully attained.
‘What to do.’
If direct touch revealed the issue, then indirect revelation was the answer.
‘...There is a way.’
A method only for the faithful, where the hearer must never disclose the contents anywhere.
I stood and spoke.
“I will make confession to His Holiness the Pope.”
* * *
Now, only I remained in the cathedral.
There had been objections that confession doesn’t hold without a parishioner, but Narke’s firm statement that judgment lies with the Pope allowed contact to be made.
‘Look at them already splitting hairs over interpretation.’
No confession without a parishioner—ridiculous.
I’d assumed bringing up confession would make them take me as a believer, but no.
Which only made me less inclined to spell it out directly.
‘Go ahead and speculate all you want.’
The more divided the interpretations, the better for me.
Just then, a sound came from inside the confessional.
―“A first meeting like this.”
It was an unfamiliar voice.
No curtain, and the confessional interior appeared empty at a glance.
Not all that surprising in a world with magic.
As Narke had instructed, I knelt and gripped the confessional grille.
―“An honor to meet you. Thank you for granting my request at this late hour.”
―“The confessional is always open.”
I merely smiled at the Pope’s words, tinged with amusement.
―“After hearing of today’s events, I’d been thinking of summoning you someday, and Cardinal Farnese conveniently arranged this meeting.”
―“I see. Next time, I’ll meet you properly seated.”
―“Excellent. Now, I know time is short. Only an hour and thirty minutes left.”
I nodded at the Pope’s words and opened my mouth.
―“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, it’s been half a year since my last confession. The sins I wish to confess now...”
I paused, then spoke what had to be said first.
―“First, I cannot be certain of my faith.”
―“......”
No intent to feign lies before those who’d devoted their lives to religion.
Besides, if someone later devised a new proof of faith and used it against me, everything here would be for naught.
In this rite made for impure hearts, confessing the truth from my own mouth left no loose ends.
―“Second, even in this moment when all are confused over the Church’s conscience, I cannot declare with my own mouth that I am a confirmed believer.”
Silence followed.
After staring into space for a long while, the Pope spoke.
―“Extend your hand.”
I reached my arm through the confessional grille.
Something gripped my wrist, and cold divine power flowed in.
―“It’s true.”
The Pope continued.
―“I well know what you fear. Whether one without faith can sit in holy orders—it’s hard to accept.”
―“Yes.”
―“We face an unprecedented crisis. Pleroma aims to absorb the world into the Church and has charged ahead ceaselessly for the past decade. You proved today what form that fruit takes, Sir Ernst.”
I didn’t reply separately, but the Pope pressed on.
―“I know there are insincere ones sitting in honorary positions. They think rote doctrine memorization and mechanical ministry suffice. Truth be told, I don’t always see them in a good light. But if we can save many lives against a greater evil, we can compromise until the darkness lifts.”
‘Doubt many would agree with that.’
But in this situation, it was the best he could say.
Honorary positions had long been the nobility’s domain. Compared to that history, this appeal to the greater good rang far more convincingly.
―“I believe the Holy See’s role is to bind mages together as the world’s reservoir of divine power. Because of the Church’s compromises, I could dispatch hundreds of mages to the Empire at your request today.”
With that, the Pope released my hand.
―“I see. Thank you for your words.”
―“May peace come to your heart. For penance... yes.”
The Pope continued lightly.
―“Let it be living in faithful service.”
* * *
“...It’s taking quite a while.”
“His Holiness must have much to say.”
The bishops, now gathered in the adjacent cathedral, glanced at their watches and muttered.
“Less than an hour until the portal closes. And it’s a forty-minute walk to the portal site, so shouldn’t we wrap this up?”
“His Holiness knows.”
Narke replied without lifting his eyes from the stiff paper on the podium.
In the hush, only the crackle of flames and drip of wax persisted.
One uneasy priest, chewing his lip, whispered via divine power to another honorary priest.
―“...Father Romani, do you think it’ll work?”
―“Absurd. How could we elevate someone without even baptism to an honorary post?”
―“Right? To reach this age unbaptized—Sir Ernst is continental nobility, isn’t he? Unless those beneath him believed him Allah or something, it’s nonsense.”
The priest nodded.
Even in Pleroma’s world, some were baptized. One couldn’t promote someone failing even that basic qualification.
‘Above all...’
Cardinalcy was a lifelong position, irrevocable once granted, with limited slots.
Letting such unqualified ones take seats shrank opportunities for contemporaries.
The priest pressed his bloodshot eyes to his forehead.
―“...Like a bolt from the blue. A rolling stone dislodging the embedded one.”
Of course, becoming a stronger mage would solve it.
He knew that well.
But talent couldn’t be swapped, and growing stronger wasn’t easy.
Thoroughly weeding out even the unqualified was how he’d climb higher.
“......”
Narke’s gaze briefly touched them.
―“His Holiness must make a wise decision.”
The priest nodded at the mutter from beside him.
The Pope’s infallibility—on matters of faith and doctrine, he erred not—left no room for retort.
Everything hung on the Pope’s hand alone.
“...!”
Gasp—!
Suddenly, Narke drew a sharp breath and shot to his feet.
The bishops’ eyes turned to him.
“What’s wrong?”
“...It’s here.”
“Pardon?”
Whistle—
Narke let out a sharp whistle, and a pure white pigeon flew in through the open window.
Narke rolled a paper tight, tied it to the pigeon’s leg, and released it.
One bewildered bishop asked.
“Your Excellency, that bird...”
“The Secretariat of State’s messenger pigeon. You know that, right?”
The Secretariat handled the Holy See’s political and diplomatic affairs.
One priest narrowed his eyes.
In this situation, calling a Secretariat pigeon...
“No way...!”
The pale priest bolted up.
The elderly bishop, grasping the situation, raised his voice.
“What’s going on...? You must tell us what happened, Your Excellency!”
“I don’t see why you’re angry when it’s not urgent.”
“It’s not anger—it’s how grave the matter is...!”
“Understood. I’ll tell you.”
Though the other’s tone lacked courtesy, Narke replied with leisurely smile.
“From midnight on the 11th, Nikolaus Ernst is to be appointed cardinal. Word from His Holiness.”