Chapter 135: Vatican (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135: Vatican (1)
After our conversation, I headed straight home.
Not to the Vanquisher lodgings, but to my dorm room.
I had to pack.
My clothes, and most of my belongings, were all in the dormitory.
As I was packing, a message arrived.
[1000_y]: Packing now?
“Ah.”
I had to admit it.
I had severely, severely underestimated Cheon Yeo-wool.
Her personality, her position, her influence—all of it.
At her core, Cheon Yeo-wool was not one to hold back.
Not with her emotions, and not with her interests.
On top of that, she was an official Saintess of Arcadia.
She had the power to contact the Pope directly, negotiate a deal, and get approval on the spot.
And Cheon Yeo-wool used that power exceedingly well.
The confirmed date was tomorrow.
The date I had found was three weeks away…
The price for my underestimation was simple.
We were leaving for the Vatican tomorrow.
There was no time for mental preparation.
But what flustered me even more was Cheon Yeo-wool’s attitude.
She acted as if she wanted to go on a trip with me the entire time.
She’d arranged everything in a flash, without a moment’s hesitation.
At this point, unless I was completely dense, I couldn’t help but guess at what she was thinking.
An adult man and woman wanting to travel alone together.
There was no way I wouldn’t know what that meant.
“…Ah.”
What should I do?
I quietly asked myself a question.
If a difficult situation arises, can I handle it wisely?
Could I really hold back?
“I can.”
The conclusion was that it was manageable.
Even if the board game had weakened my psychological firewalls.
I wasn’t that open-minded.
Besides, her drive could just be stemming from a simple crush on me.
I forced myself to shake my head and double-checked the zipper on my bag.
For now, my packing was done.
I didn’t think we’d be staying long, so there wasn’t much to bring.
The clothes I usually wore, a few pairs of underwear, toiletries, a watch charger.
Some simple clothes and… yeah, that was about it.
I wouldn’t pack anything more.
I took out my watch and sent a message.
[belief_]: All packed.
The morning’s conversation replayed silently in my mind.
‘Let’s leave first thing tomorrow morning.’
That’s what she had said.
But a question soon followed.
‘There won’t be any flights available for tomorrow on such short notice.’
Besides, the Vatican doesn’t have an airport.
We’d have to travel again from Rome, which would be exhausting.
At my words, Cheon Yeo-wool had blinked, a look of disappointment on her face.
But then, she declared:
‘Let’s take a Portal.’
‘To the Vatican? There aren’t any direct….’
She shook her head slightly.
‘There’s a direct Portal.’
I was speechless.
We were going to use a direct Portal to the Vatican, one permitted only to the highest-ranking members of the Order.
I hadn’t even known such a thing existed.
[1000_y]: Great
[1000_y]: Come to the Order by tomorrow morning~
Her reply arrived.
I sent a brief response and closed my watch.
I checked my luggage one more time.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
“Get a grip.”
Could this trip really end with just acquiring a Fragment?
The thought echoed in my mind.
*
Cheon Yeo-wool was packing.
The Saintess’s dressing room.
Under the soft lighting, dresses that shimmered like silk hung in neat rows.
But what she held in her hands today was neither a holy vestment nor a ceremonial robe.
It was a piece of clothing made of a thin, incredibly light material.
It was called a nightgown.
But it was no ordinary nightgown.
Sheer chiffon, a cut that exposed her back.
They were slips, closer to lingerie.
“Is this one better? Or this one?”
“The one on the left suits you better!” one of the attending handmaidens answered.
“You think so?”
Cheon Yeo-wool smiled, holding the garment against her body.
She lightly pushed aside the curtain and stood before the mirror.
The thin fabric, draped over her underwear, swayed with the breeze.
An impromptu fashion show was taking place in the dressing room.
For the first time in a long while, she felt a pure desire to look pretty.
The handmaidens stared at her, their eyes wide and mouths agape.
Without even looking back at the mirror, Cheon Yeo-wool gently tugged at the hem with both hands.
The line of her legs was subtly revealed, and a shoulder strap slipped down just so.
The curves of her body were laid bare.
Cheon Yeo-wool picked up a second outfit from another hanger.
“What about this one?”
This time, it was a pajama top with silk bottoms.
But the front… wouldn’t close all the way.
The handmaiden, her face flushed, pointed a finger.
“This one… is prettier….”
Both were undeniably beautiful and suited her perfectly, but this one seemed just a little better.
At her words, Cheon Yeo-wool nodded slightly.
Then she slowly walked toward the full-length mirror on the wall.
“Thank you.”
The handmaiden watched her for a moment before clasping her hands and speaking quietly.
“But… are you really going with… him?”
Cheon Yeo-wool gave a small smile at the question.
“Yes.”
The handmaiden bowed her head and quietly left the room.
“Hmph….”
As soon as the handmaiden was gone, Cheon Yeo-wool let go of the clothes she was holding.
The nightgown she had draped over her underwear slowly slid down, revealing her completely naked form.
She lay down on the bed just like that, pulled the covers over herself, and turned on her watch.
Truthfully, it was something she had been agonizing over as well.
[1000_y]: I’m going on a trip tomorrow
And so, Cheon Yeo-wool decided to light a match.
She fanned the flames properly.
She didn’t say who she was going with, but they would all probably know.
– Ding, ding.
As expected, the replies came quickly.
[RIN]: You're going to keep your head on straight, right?
[RIN]: You're not an animal, are you?
The response was brutally blunt.
For a second, her head spun at the thought that if things had gone just a little differently, she might have been the one sending that message.
But, in the end.
It meant she wasn’t.
[1000_y]: lol
[RIN]: ?
Cheon Yeo-wool stared at her phone screen for a moment, then let out a short laugh.
Immediately, a call came in from Kang A-rin.
She coolly rejected it, of course.
Another message followed.
[Sion]: You’re way too much of a coward.
[Sion]: Like you’d actually do anything.
“Ugh.”
That hit a nerve.
They had drawn a line among themselves, agreeing not to cross it until Jung Hae-in’s realm had surpassed a certain level.
Cheon Yeo-wool didn’t want to trigger any unnecessary Suppression Force either.
However…
Could she keep that promise?
She asked herself the question.
“Haa… I don’t know.”
That was her honest feeling right now.
*
The ground distorted.
The moment the light swirled, my body felt like it was being sucked in, and then my senses returned.
“…Ugh.”
Dizzy.
No matter how many times I used a Portal, I never got used to it.
The place we arrived in was a hall finished in marble.
Beneath a soaring dome ceiling, guards in full armor watched us with expressionless gazes.
The Vatican’s Portal Clearance Office.
Cheon Yeo-wool stepped forward first.
“The Saintess of Arcadia.”
Her introduction was brief.
Her face was more of an ID than any ten words could be.
The verification was over instantly.
“And your companion is…?” a guard asked cautiously.
Even if one was the Saintess’s companion, it seemed the security check itself couldn’t be skipped.
“Jung Hae-in.”
The guard asked again.
“Would you mind submitting any weapons you have in your possession for a moment?”
I held out Catastrophe, which was wrapped tightly in bandages.
Ever since Bulgaram’s touch, it had been radiating such a murderous aura that I had to keep it wrapped in magically treated bandages.
Infusing it with mana would automatically unravel them.
The nun in charge of the inspection stared intently at the bandages before speaking.
“By any chance… are you the one from Bulgaram’s Trial?”
“Yes.”
It seemed I had certainly become famous.
At my answer, she nodded silently.
A few of the nearby guards flinched.
Surprised eyes turned toward me.
“……Identity confirmed.”
I took Catastrophe back.
But at that moment.
Clank.
Clank.
The guards began to straighten up.
Without a single flaw in their timing, they all snapped to attention.
“…?”
I instinctively raised my head.
From the far end of the hall, someone in pure white robes was approaching.
Their steps were slow, but exuded grace.
“It has been a while, Saintess Cheon Yeo-wool. May Terna’s blessing be with you.”
The voice was gentle, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of reverence.
Cheon Yeo-wool quietly bowed her head. It was a gesture of respect, but an elegant one.
“It is good to see you again, Your Holiness.”
The Pope smiled slightly and nodded.
“I pray you will find what you seek.”
Then, his gaze shifted to me.
“And… you must be the esteemed Jung Hae-in who has accompanied her.”
I bowed my head in greeting.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
The Pope observed me for a moment, then gave a calm nod.
“You seem more steadfast than the rumors suggest. I believe I now understand a little of why the God of Blacksmiths chose you. You have an exceptional air about you.”
The Pope finished his words with a gentle smile.
“You’re too kind.”
I replied briefly.
The Pope then looked back at Cheon Yeo-wool and said, “Thank you both for making the long journey here. We have already arranged your schedule and taken measures to ensure your comfort.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a nun standing behind him bowed her head.
“I will guide you to the lodgings we have prepared. You may begin the rest of your schedule after you have had sufficient rest.”
“Thank you.”
Cheon Yeo-wool nodded quietly.
Lodgings?
Something felt off, but Cheon Yeo-wool and I followed the nun in silence.
The place we arrived at was on a completely different level from the tourist accommodations I had expected.
The moment I stepped inside, a gasp of admiration escaped me.
“Wow…”
Luxurious marble and antique furniture.
Turning my eyes to the window, I could see the entire city of Rome spread out below.
But, in the center of it all.
There was a bed, adorned with red curtains and white sheets.
“……”
The problem was, there was only one room.
And only one bed.
I immediately turned to the nun beside me and spoke.
“Excuse me, about the bed. A cot would be fine. Would it be possible to add one?”
At my words, the nun flinched, her shoulders trembling slightly.
She glanced cautiously at Cheon Yeo-wool.
Then, she shook her head slightly and said, “I apologize, but… we do not currently have any spare beds within the Order. No other form of bedroom or lodging is available….”
Her voice was calm, but it was tinged with a reluctance to explain further.
“…Now then, please have a good night.”
“But it’s morning.”
It hadn’t even been two hours since I woke up.
As I added that, the nun’s steps faltered slightly.
But she didn’t look back.
The sound of the door clicking shut.
Only then did the room fall silent.
In this luxurious space, there was only the two of us.
It was Cheon Yeo-wool who broke the silence first.
“Is there a problem?”
Cheon Yeo-wool asked.
Naturally, with a slight tilt of her head.
She then walked over to the bed and plopped down.
Swoosh. Her fingertips gently swept across the pristine white sheets.
That one small gesture seemed to make the air in the room feel strange.
“It’s so soft~”
She murmured, resting her hands on her knees and leaning her upper body back slightly.
Just then, Cheon Yeo-wool slowly turned her head to meet my eyes.
The corners of her lips rose slowly, almost imperceptibly.
“Want to come and sit?”
She patted the bed twice with her hand.
I met her gaze.
But in that instant, Cheon Yeo-wool shook her head as if to herself and stood up.
“Ah, never mind.”
She took a breath.
“It’s still morning.”
She walked over to the window and drew the curtain back slightly.
Sunlight flooded the room, brightening it.
“I’ll let you off… for now?”
The sight of her was dazzling.