Chapter 208
Chapter 208
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: The Pope's Youngest Son
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No matter how bad I am at remembering people's faces or names...
There's no way I'd easily forget someone with such a striking appearance, outfit, and manner of speaking.
On top of that, he somehow felt like a guy I'd seen fairly recently...
"Hmm."
"If the choice is difficult, may I recommend today's special menu?"
Maybe he misinterpreted my contemplation.
The man standing beside me—probably a waiter—spoke up.
I nodded vaguely and glanced back toward the bishop's table.
According to Professor Moland, that guy's name was Helsta.
A bit irreverent for the Pope's son, but that wasn't important right now.
The people around him looked about the same age, dressed like priests but not giving off any holy vibes whatsoever.
To be honest, even the delinquent Grand Master Teacher from my home family—Master of Doctrines Juniang—would look like a saint compared to these thugs.
Just then, Helsta, who had been laughing heartily while sipping his wine, turned his gaze toward me.
"..."
A sneer quickly formed on his lips, and as if on purpose, he glanced around and spoke loudly.
"The standards of this restaurant are lower than I'd heard."
"What do you mean?"
"To maintain an image of luxury or prestige, one must be selective with one's clientele. Tsk tsk."
It was obviously aimed at me.
My outfit wasn't shabby by any means...
But compared to those guys decked out in gold and jewels despite being men of the cloth, mine was pretty plain.
"...Huh?"
That speech pattern, though.
I definitely remembered hearing it somewhere.
Ah.
- The Abyss Auction isn't what it used to be.
- To think they'd hand a membership to a brat like this.
I realized the accessories Helsta was wearing looked faintly familiar.
That's right... from the auction house.
To be precise, before the main auction started, in the waiting room of the Fish Tower.
That pig who picked a fight with me back then.
Of course, his appearance was quite different now, but it wasn't surprising—he probably had ways to conceal his looks too.
Who would've thought we'd reunite here of all places.
I burst into laughter.
I hadn't come with any grand plan...
But life has its twists and turns.
Things might work out more smoothly than expected.
* * *
A short while later, today's recommended menu arrived.
It looked delicious at a glance, expensive too.
As befitting such fare, the portion was mouse-tail small.
Not that I'd planned it, but it was a good thing I'd filled up at the cadet dining hall.
I shoveled the food into my mouth haphazardly while occasionally flashing a grin at Helsta's table.
That set them whispering among themselves.
"Looks like that young lady over there is interested in His Excellency the Bishop...?"
What a disgusting misunderstanding.
"No, not a young lady—a young man."
"What...?"
"Look closely. He's got a sturdy build and an Adam's apple."
"Y-You're right."
"..."
Anyway.
Helsta, just like at the auction house, seemed to be the type with an oversized ego, and my stares appeared to irk him.
Finally, around the time I finished eating, he abruptly stood and approached me.
With his signature smug face, he said,
"Pardon me, but which noble house are you from?"
"..."
Straight to asking about my family.
What a consistently obnoxious guy.
I silently took a sip of ice water, which made one of his tag-along lackeys flare up.
"How rude! Do you even know who this is?"
"The youngest bishop of the 72 Churches, Helsta. The Pope's youngest son, right?"
"..."
"I'm a youngest son too. Let's get along, fellow youngest sons."
"Ha."
Helsta curled his lip and said,
"You wish to associate with me? If our stations match, perhaps. But you haven't answered my question."
"My family name? That's a bit—"
"Hard to disclose? Spare me the lame excuses. A great house that has left its mark on the Empire wouldn't have reason to dodge. Come to think of it, I hear Cartel Academy even admits commoners. How absurd. The fate of those who lead is decided from birth."
"..."
"But enough. Your silence already proves your lowly origins. In the name of God, I command you: kneel, confess your wrongs, and this bishop may show a shred of mercy."
"Kneel? What for?"
"You dared to stare at God's apostle with those vulgar eyes. Be grateful I don't gouge them out."
"What a lunatic."
As Helsta's face twisted and his lackeys opened their mouths, I pointed my fork at them and said,
"Don't you remember? We had quite the time last night."
"What?"
I slyly lifted the corner of my mouth and made a pig nose with my middle finger.
"Oink oink."
"...?!"
Only then did Helsta's face stiffen like stone. Good thing he wasn't as dumb as he looked.
Separately, his lackeys exploded in outrage.
"You insolent wretch, to the end!"
"It speaks volumes about the academy's standards! What kind of classes do they even teach for a mere cadet to act this way toward a bishop!"
"We'll bring this to the dean—no, the acting dean! Your pathetic family will face divine wrath too—"
"Wait, hold on!"
Helsta hurriedly clamped their mouths shut. The loyalty contest ended as they stared at their master with wide eyes.
Sweat beading on his forehead, Helsta let out an awkward cough.
"Ahem. No need to hound him so. He's just a kid, after all. Haha."
"Pardon?"
"I'll speak with this young man alone. You all head down for now."
"But..."
"Upon second glance, he looks familiar."
Awkward expression, awkward tone, awkward gestures, awkward laugh...
But these lackeys would savor even gutter water if Helsta ordered it, so they just nodded and left first.
Helsta even sent away the staff, then fixed his gaze on me in the now-silent restaurant.
"Who the hell are you?"
His speech had coarsened considerably.
He'd tossed even basic decorum aside, but honestly, it suited him far better than that pompous drivel from moments ago.
Grinning, I said,
"I even showed you the pig nose, and you still don't know?"
"I know you're the bastard who tricked me at the auction...! But that's not what I'm asking!"
To admit it so readily.
Was he dumber than I thought?
'No.'
Sending away the lackeys, and even if he admitted it here, he could always deny it later.
'Sly bastard.'
I'd heard the Pope of the 72 Churches was quite respected, so how did a scumbag like this spawn from him?
'Hmm...'
Then again, the Iron-Blooded Duke had plenty of weird kids including me, so maybe not that strange.
"I'm asking for your true identity! Your name, your house!"
"Ugh, that family business again."
I shook my head with a weary look, and he—misreading it—flashed a smile on his pale face and shouted,
"I see. You don't want this blown up, right? I'll pay to keep your mouth shut. So don't try to corner me over this—"
"Shut your trap. I came to find you because I have questions."
"What?"
"You're here at the academy for a reason. It can't be just to stuff your face in a place like this."
I looked at Helsta and asked,
"Yeongdo took heavy wounds fighting the Demon King. They need treatment ASAP, so what the hell are you doing here?"
"Ha. So that's what this is about..."
Helsta shot me a pitiful look and said,
"Do you think replenishing divine power is easy? It's not like the mana used by mages or warriors—it's a fundamentally different force. It can only be charged through devout prayer! Plus, a bishop's divine power commands endless benefits in exchange for healing! But this mission..."
Grinding his teeth, Helsta yelled in indignation,
"Just heal them and leave? Without any compensation? Ha! Even His Holiness the Pope is heartless! How could he think of wasting a bishop's divine power like this?"
"..."
I'm pretty pragmatic myself.
I know there are few proper nobles, and naturally, I don't trust zealots either.
I know what they demand in exchange for faith.
Even so, Helsta's true colors left me utterly speechless.
Normally, I'd have laughed it off, but now not even a sneer came.
"The Yeongdo risked their lives in battle. Without asking for anything in return. They fought demons, protected the cadets trapped in the shadow world above all. You're demanding payment from the injured now?"
"If it was an incident suppressible at the Yeongdo level, it wasn't even a real disaster. I hear many Yeongdo come from great houses—maybe their families exaggerated to hype up their kids."
"Haha."
What a guy.
He'd finally drawn a laugh from me.
I felt my head heating up.
"Anyway, if that's all you have to say, it's not worth hearing more. Keep the Abyss Auction matter to yourself—don't spill it."
"Sit."
"What?"
"I said sit."
"..."
Did he sense the shift in my voice?
Helsta stared at me blankly, then said,
"How rude. Do you know who you're—"
I didn't let him finish.
I stood, cupped the back of his head with my palm.
The moment doubt flickered in his eyes, I grabbed his hair and smashed his face into the table.
Crack.
The table cracked, plates shattered.
Fortunately made of quality solid wood, the table only fissured while the plates exploded into pieces.
"Guh, guhuk...? What the—"
No listening. I slammed his head again. Five times in rapid succession. When I pulled his face up, it was flushed bright red.
"Oh..."
But his face began healing right away.
I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
"You blather about benefits and compensation, but can't stand a few scratches on your pretty mug? You won't die from this."
There are types like this.
They don't bat an eye at others losing limbs, but freak out over their own scrapes.
"From now on, you're forbidden from using divine power until I say otherwise."
"I'll... kill you...!"
Still not getting it, Helsta glared with bloodshot eyes.
"Not just you! Your family, your friends, your lover... Everyone connected to you—I'll slaughter them all before your eyes—"
"Forget whether you could pull that off—how, when you'll soon be sacked from your bishop post?"
"What?"
"I'm about to report that a bishop of the 72 Churches attended an illegal auction."
"Ha! Think His Holiness will buy your bullshit? You have no idea how much he dotes on me!"
Dotes on him.
His vocabulary was devolving.
Frankly, this raw version fit him better than the forced elegance.
"I'm not telling the Pope."
"W-What?"
"You the only one with a dad? I have one too."
With that, I removed the Linchal tribe mask...
And my body changed simultaneously.
From the slender, frail frame that could barely lift a sword, to a physique with decent muscle.
Thud.
I set the mask on the table and said,
"My face has been in the news lately—recognize me?"
"Blond hair, purple eyes...? No way..."
"Yeah. I'm—"
"The Golden Fairy! Golden Fairy Ruan Bednicker...!"
"..."
Don't say it twice.
Irritated, I made him kiss the table once more.
Helsta, face bloodied again, said,
"Guhk, urk... That means... the father you mentioned is—"
"Why tell you?"
"Ha, hahaha."
Then Helsta suddenly burst into mad laughter.
"Kuhahat! Kuhahahaha!"
Already lost his mind?
As I watched with mild surprise, he fixed bulging eyes on me and...
Thud!
Dropped to his knees.
"...Please spare me."