Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Contact (2)
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"Who are you talking to right now?"
Astridje, who had been watching the Pope whisper softly to Kairen with a face full of wariness, suddenly threw out the question in a cold tone.
"Ah, my apologies."
Immediately after, the Pope averted her gaze from Kairen, bowed her head politely, and apologized.
"I had something that required my brief attention..."
"......"
"Anyway, let's get to the main point..."
As she began speaking again, looking around at everyone, all eyes in the room focused on her.
"Currently, the Holy Church is divided into two factions."
However, when the familiar story came out of the Pope's mouth, the Emperor and Astridje interrupted her with disinterested expressions.
"We know that already."
"The Orthodox faction led by the Pope and the Reformist faction led by the Saintess, right?"
"...Yes, if you're already aware, this will make the explanation quicker."
Even though two people had interrupted midway, the Pope nodded calmly with a composed expression and continued.
"To put it simply, the Reformist faction led by the Saintess is steeped in heresy."
"......"
"And to be frank... our Orthodox faction no longer has the power to control the Reformists."
As she spoke, the Pope's face grew darker and darker.
"More than half of the bishops in the Holy Land have already been taken over, and the Holy Knights follow the Saintess's orders rather than mine."
"In that case, isn't it more accurate to say that the Saintess has nearly seized control, rather than the forces being split evenly?"
Despite that, the Emperor stared at the Pope impassively and sharply probed her words.
"Frankly, I don't even know how you're still holding onto the Pope position."
"Even if you are, you're probably just a figurehead ousted from real power. And yet you requested this meeting under the guise of the Pope?"
The Emperor, who usually lived steeped in laziness, and Astridje, who had recently been steeped in her son, were both heavyweight experts in such political situations.
"To be honest, you're right."
"......"
"The only reason I've held out until today is because my direct subordinate, the Nun Order, remains loyal, but even that's reaching its limit."
However, the Pope frankly admitted it under the political heavyweights' leading interrogation.
"That's why I've come here seeking asylum in the Empire to meet Belverk's youngest son, the Child of Prophecy."
After she finished her concise summary, the Emperor and Astridje exchanged glances for a moment and slightly lowered their guards before speaking.
"I get the gist of it."
"To sum it up, the heretical Reformist faction has seized the Holy Church and is committing continental atrocities, and my son is the key to stopping their conspiracy?"
The Pope nodded once more in affirmation.
"...Exactly."
At that moment, Astridje's eyes, which had been silently fixed on the Pope, turned red.
"But isn't that just empty words?"
"......"
"Do you have any proof?"
This time, the Pope couldn't answer immediately and slowly lowered her gaze.
"Show us proof that the Saintess is truly a heretic, or that you are not."
"If you can't, we can't move either."
It was right then, as Astridje and the Emperor's sharp questioning poured down, zeroing in on the vulnerability.
"The proof is simple."
The Pope, who had been looking down silently, suddenly stood up and began unbuttoning a few buttons on her robe with her own hands.
"The attire a Pope must wear is strictly regulated."
"......?"
"But the reason I came here today in such simple clothing is..."
The Emperor and Astridje watched her warily, wondering what she was up to, and suddenly widened their eyes.
- Rustle...
The shabby priestly robe that had been wrapping the Pope's body slipped lightly down to the floor in an instant, folding there before them.
"To prove my innocence to you."
And so began a strange silence.
"...What are you doing?"
In that silence, Astridje, who had urgently covered Kairen's eyes in her arms, coldly glared at the Pope, who had become completely nude, and spoke.
"I hope you show him as well."
"Have you lost your mind?"
"...This concerns the fate of the world."
However, the Pope's expression, revealing her devoutly pious nudity to everyone in a way too irreverent to describe, was utterly serious.
"Haa..."
Thanks to that, Astridje let out a deep sigh, her hands trembling as she freed Kairen's eyes.
"...Hic."
Right after, the sound of Kairen hiccuping echoed through the room.
"Hahahahahaha!"
And the Emperor, who had been peeking with the corner of her mouth raised, finally burst into uncontrollable laughter at the reaction.
"Who would've thought I'd see the Pope naked in a place like this... Heh heh heh."
Like that, the Emperor pounded the desk, tears streaming down as she couldn't stop her laughter.
"Alright, heh heh... But I get what you're trying to say."
After laughing uproariously alone for a while, she finally calmed down under Astridje's icy glare and spoke.
"No black heart."
"That's correct."
"Yeah. There's no surer proof than showing every corner of your body."
Then, scanning the Pope with an intrigued expression, she turned to Astridje and whispered lowly.
"Every heretic discovered so far has had a black heart engraved."
"......"
"And their power source is presumed to be the black heart as well."
By the time the Emperor finished explaining, the Pope had picked up her priestly robe from the floor and sat back down.
"I've just proved my innocence."
"......"
"Now, it's your turn."
The moment she said that, a strange silence began to fill the room again.
"Hm?"
"Ha?"
And soon, the Emperor tilted her head quizzically while pointing at herself, and Astridje rose from her seat with a chilling expression.
"Please undress and prove you have no black heart."
"......"
"I won't say a word until then."
The moment the Pope finished speaking, Astridje's voice, thick with killing intent, flew toward her.
"Do you think you're in charge here, Pope?"
"Of course not, but..."
However, the Pope received the heavy killing intent that could crack the window glass without flinching and replied without a hint of agitation.
"Don't you want to know the identity of the mastermind toying with the Empire and Belverk, and their goal?"
"......"
"And why your son is the key to resolution?"
At those words, Astridje, who had stood up, opened and closed her mouth like the eldest daughter several times.
"...Pfft."
The Emperor, sitting silently, suddenly shuddered.
"Pfft, puhaha! Puahahahaha!!!"
And soon burst into the loudest laughter ever.
"Ah... The last time I laughed this hard was back in academy days when Astridje at the cultural festival..."
"One more word and you're dead."
"Kuh, kh... Alright, I get it."
The Emperor, laughing so hard tears streamed down, was silenced by Astridje but still stood up with an excited expression.
"I just need to show every corner of my naked body, right?"
And right after those words.
- Rustle...
Without giving anyone a chance to stop her, the Emperor stripped off her uniform and tossed it to the floor.
"Hahat... This feels kinda hot."
She bit her lip for a moment, inhaling sharply, then squinted and threw off her pants as well.
- Shiver...
The moment she became fully nude, the Emperor shuddered briefly as the room's cold air touched her skin.
"...I'm a bit weak to this kind of stimulation."
In that situation, with her cheeks flushed red, she grinned like a mad dog and suddenly raised the corner of her mouth at Astridje, who sat stunned beside her, issuing a command.
"What's the holdup, Astridje?"
"......"
"Take off your clothes."
Of course, right after those words, Astridje's eyes turned red as she aimed a quill pen from the desk at the Emperor.
"This involves your son, doesn't it?"
The moment those words left the Emperor's mouth, the quill that had been wavering slowly dropped limply to the floor.
"...Kuhk."
And in that state, Astridje lowered her gaze and trembled for a long while.
- Rustle...
Her clothes fell limply to the floor about a minute later.
How much time had passed like that?
"Yes, confirmed."
"......"
"You can put your clothes back on now... You've already done so."
As soon as the Emperor and Pope confirmed, Astridje, who had dressed in the blink of an eye, sat back in her chair with a flushed face.
"...Eut."
And on Astridje's lap sat Kairen, fidgeting restlessly.
"The little demon king's face is red."
"...Hic."
"I was gonna stay naked a bit longer. This is fun."
Kairen unwittingly looked up and spotted the Emperor, still nude, lounging in her chair with her legs propped on the desk, causing his entire body to flush red.
"Put some clothes on."
"Fine, fine."
The Emperor, who had been smirking darkly at the sight, regretfully dressed after Astridje's warning, as if she were about to explode.
"But does Kairen not need to undress?"
"What nonsense..."
But as the Emperor spouted nonsense again, Astridje finally ignited her eyes and reached for her collar.
"He's fine."
"......?"
"We can't make the Child of Prophecy undress, after all."
However, the Pope intervened between them, gazing at Kairen with gentle eyes and smiling.
"Anyway, we've met your demands."
"......"
"Now tell us what you promised."
Astridje turned to the Pope, forcibly suppressing her anger and resuming her interrogation.
"Of course, I should."
The Pope smiled even at such an Astridje and complied readily.
"But before that..."
Suddenly, however, the Pope's expression turned icy for the first time.
"I request a one-on-one meeting with Kairen Nox Belverk."
"What?"
"There's something I must confirm for certain..."
And a brief silence stretched between them.
"You dare, forgetting your place..."
"...I, I accept!"
In that silence, Astridje finally lost her patience and rose to approach the Pope, but someone urgently grabbed her shoulder.
"Let's do it, one-on-one!"
It was none other than Kairen, who had been fidgeting on his mother's lap until then, suddenly shooting his hand up and shouting.
"If anything happens, make sure to scream, Kairen."
"Hahat, of course, if you're ambushed before you can scream, neither I nor your mom can help..."
"Please shut up, Justine."
Astridje, with a deeply worried expression, admonished Kairen before glaring at the Emperor, who teased with playful words, and stepped out of the room.
"......"
And for a while, no one in the room spoke first.
"We're finally alone."
In that situation, only after all presences had completely vanished did the Pope look around solemnly and speak first.
"...I have one question."
"Same here."
The Pope whispered back and straightened her posture as Kairen finally spoke.
"But first, one thing to confirm."
She gazed intently at the tense Kairen and began.
"Honestly, I'm convinced you're the Child of Prophecy from what happened earlier, but I still need that final confirmation."
"Ah..."
"So, please prove it."
Kairen, listening attentively, began flushing red again.
"Yes..."
"Then, the question."
The Pope tilted her head at Kairen for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth to speak.
"By any chance, do you..."
Suddenly, Kairen stood up and, glancing at the Pope, began undressing.
"Kyaa!"
Immediately, the Pope's face turned beet red like a ripe tomato, and she screamed girlishly, covering her eyes with both hands.
"Wh-what are you doing!?"
"Huh?"
"P-put your clothes back on!"
With a terribly trembling voice, she urgently tried to stop Kairen.
"I have a duty to remain pure..."
"Ah."
"And casually seeing the opposite sex's body is dangerous..."
Only then realizing his mistake, Kairen hurriedly dressed again, sweating coldly as he sat back down.
"Hoo... Hot."
And how much time passed?
"...A-anyway, answer my question."
The Pope carefully parted her fingers to peek at Kairen again, pouting with teary eyes as she glared at him and spoke.
"By any chance, do you know these words?"
And right after.
"Ruined, Crown, Princess."
Midway through buttoning his last button, Kairen froze upon hearing the words from the Pope's mouth.