Chapter 14

The Pope hated me. My body ached all over. Especially ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my back and arms—they felt like they were on the verge of shattering—yet I just lay there motionless. My body had zero intention of moving. Not even my eyelids, clamped shut. So, was this a dream? Well, compared to the agony I'd felt fighting that monster, this was downright mild. Unless I'd been lying here for weeks, there's no way it could've improved this fast. Yeah, definitely a dream.

Smooth stroke. Otherwise, who the hell would be touching my head while I slept? Some mysterious someone kept caressing me—brushing back my hair, pressing a palm to my face. Small, soft hands. And from the feel of it, they were lying right beside me, one hand resting on my chest. If it was a woman, jackpot. If a man...

'Ughhh, blegh...' Just imagining it... No, I didn't even want to go there.

But luckily, it was a dream. No woman like that around me right now. And definitely no men. So who was this in my dream? No way it's a guy, so a woman it is. Only one came to mind.

"Saint... ess..."

Hmm, such delicate hands. I'd never actually held the saintess's hand, but maybe my brain substituted with the feel of some other woman's. That's what I thought as I murmured her name.

Smack!

"Gahk! Hup?!" A sharp pain exploded on my forehead, snapping my eyes wide open. At the same time, my body—which had refused to budge—bolted upright.

"Which bastard was that?!" Who the hell smacked my forehead and ruined my saintess dream?! Forgetting my aches entirely, I growled and scanned my bedroom. But no one else was there.

Hiss, dreams with pain? Sketchy as hell.

Right on cue—

Creeeak!

"Lord Earl?!" Tecus burst into my room, probably hearing my yell. "A-Are you conscious, my lord?"

"Uh, yeah... How long was I out...?"

"Two days have passed."

"I see... Wait, two days?"

"Yes, that's correct."

I got out of bed and twisted my arms and body every which way. Arms fine. Waist and back, no pain. Finally, I stood before the bedside mirror and swept back my bangs.

"Hm, forehead's perfect too."

That much pain should've left a mark, but nope—dream confirmed. Pain in a dream, though? Never experienced that even in my past life.

"Are you truly alright?" Tecus eyed me with deep concern.

Not thrilled about a guy fussing over me, but my head pieced together the situation. Probably, after I took out the monster and collapsed, Tecus or another Holy Knight—now recovered—found me. They hauled my busted ass and the injured knight back here. Even Tecus thought my wounds were bad, but full recovery in two days.

"Ah, yeah, I'm built tough."

"...It certainly seems that way."

What was with that look on Tecus's face? Like he was debating whether to say something.

No way they spotted my Kyu-ing, right?

"Congratulations, Lord Earl. You've awakened both divine power and mana."

"Huh?"

"When I barely recovered my strength and headed to the passage..."

Tecus's story explained his hesitation. Once healed, he'd rushed after me toward the passage. Midway, ominous crashing echoed from the mine—had something gone wrong with me? Then he sensed a familiar aura. Divine power. Emanating from the passage, but not from any ally. It didn't match the divine power of Pel that he knew. Hot, violent divine power. What could it be?

Arriving at the main passage, he found the monster down. And me crushed underneath, passed out—but a faint energy lingered on my body.

'Ah, mana with attributes...'

He wouldn't mistake mana for divine power. But if they were mixed, his confusion made sense. Tecus concluded I'd awakened divine power alongside fire-attribute mana.

But you might ask, two powers sound great—why the grim face? Mana and divine power don't mix well; they hinder each other's growth. I'm not the only dual-awakener—research on others proved it.

"Ah, got it..." I nodded at Tecus's explanation, feigning disappointment. But inside:

'Fucking jackpot... Tecus sees my divine power as fused with mana.'

Kyu-ing's secret safe. Even if it looked like divine-fire mana hybrid to him, better safe than sorry with the saintess and others. Gotta play it careful.

"Right, what about the other Holy Knights?" No point dwelling; changed topics.

"The ones who fought with me are fine, but the knight who held the passage alone needs proper treatment back home. Leg injury's severe."

"...I see."

"Don't be too saddened, Lord Earl. He admired your plan and guesses, blamed his own lack of skill. And with formal treatment, he'll recover quick."

"......"

Should I care some dude got hurt? But he aided my plan, so a twinge of guilt. Tecus said formal care would fix it, though—relief.

"Whew, so when do you head back?"

By original schedule, two days left. But with an injured comrade, they'd want to hurry.

"In two days. Excluding the injured one, everyone's recovered... And above all, don't you still have uses for us, Lord Earl? Haha. My men suggested it first."

Wonder if Gaban was on board. I thanked Tecus anyway.

"Appreciate it. I'll put you to good use these two days and send you off satisfied."

"By all means."

Thus, the remaining two days. I put them to work for the territory folk. First, surveyed needs and distributed supplies. Not a ton after dividing, but everyone was thrilled. Then, repaired the "wall"—generous term for the crumbled mess. Just packed stones into breaches, but it'd block any stray monsters now.

'Why's this dug out? Pretty big.'

Tecus asked en route to repairs. He meant the huge depression smack in the territory center.

'Oh, that. Oasis remnant.'

'Oasis? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠First I've heard.'

'Deserts sometimes pool water. Called oases. Records say this spot had one, but it dried up.'

'Water pooling in a desert...'

Tecus muttered in disbelief, but I knew the science: aquifers exposing in low spots, or rain trapped by mountains. Mine was likely the former—shallow aquifer to begin with. Desert rains are rare cycles. Last one over a year ago, scant too. Key point: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rain happens. Aquifers exist. New oasis possible. Monsters permitting.

Chatted like that, finished wall repairs. Last chore: good ol' grunt work. Mining.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Me and three others pickaxing deep in the mine.

'How long on this... Huff.'

'Leaving tomorrow—gotta grind today.'

Entrance stripped bare of topaz ore, so we pushed inward. Blasted new paths, careful on hard rock to avoid collapses. Hunted topaz veins. Day well spent: jackpot, found a cluster.

Next day. Sad farewell to my mining slaves, off to central continent.

"Hate to see you go."

"H-Haha... Me too... regret... leaving..."

Tecus got my sincerity. Holy Knights packed lighter than arrival. One wagon stayed, wounded knight aboard.

"Get well."

"Thank you, Lord Earl."

"Heal up and visit again. You rested two days alone, haha."

"Haha, nice joke, Lord Earl."

"......"

"H-Ha... A joke... right?"

"......"

Little hiccup, then they departed. Gaban still glared, but silently hauled the wagon with his comrade.

Quiet now. Back to serene Earldom.

After twists and turns, monsters nesting in my cash cow mine—killers of my parents—slain.

I slowly moved to the small clearing behind the manor. A grave there, sword stabbed beside it. Mother's grave, father's blade. Found it scouting passages for the monster fight. Handle engraved Toypus. Holy Knights grabbed it when hauling me back. I placed it by mother.

Stood silently before them.

"Dad... Mom..."

Hesitated, then words they'd never hear.

"You can smile now and make a second kid. I'm solo, but you two..."

Fiercely denying me, Kyu-ing popped up. Figured Holy Knights gone = safe.

"Yeah yeah, you're here too."

"I'm not alone, so you two as well..."

Trying to continue, including Kyu-ing, to Dad and Mom—

"L-Lord Earl..."

"Lord Earl...? Are you there...?"

Territory folk at the manor.

"Haha, not just two—whole crowd. Back later."

I'm the lord; duty calls.

Finishing the mine monster fight, the Holy Knights who'd rolled around the Earldom two days hustled back to the Papal See. Reported to the Pope, rushed injured comrade to treatment.

"Cough, Tecus, good work."

"Not at all. Just did my duty."

Pope coughed lightly, scanned Tecus's report, then spoke.

"So... What was Toypus Earl like, in person?"

"Good man, good lord, in my eyes."

"I see..."

The Pope knew Yuran La Toypus's character and plight. Past report: Yuran's vulgar words to the saintess reached him. Saintess requested intel on him then. Lately, even from the North, she'd asked directly.

The saintess sent a letter explaining the Earldom, pleading aid for Yuran and folk. Did the Pope truly ignore Toypus woes? Hardly. Nuns and priests hailed from there; impossible not to know.

Yet no aid till now: simple. Money, manpower, politics.

The Church doesn't charge for salvation. Runs on meager tithes and potion profits. Founder's policy—Pope couldn't easily change it. Funds strained him too. Manpower? Northern monster surge tied everyone up. Divert elsewhere? Empire and neighbors griped: We're bleeding in the North, why pull support? West just needed border watch—no excuse for elite like Holy Knights.

Politics and public eyes: Aid one spot free, others whine. Same now. Reports piled on Pope's desk. Despite cover-up attempts, leaks on West aid.

Simply put:

Villages griping. Nobles, Empire, kingdoms subtly pressuring for Church perks.

They likely leaked to villages. Traitors inside Church colluding with nobles.

"Sigh..."

Saintess's plea—hard to refuse. Reality matched predictions perfectly. Silver lining: scant aid to Toypus. No big gains for complainers. Grumbles would fade.

Tecus dismissed. Pope alone in office.

"Cough, the man who spoke crudely to Cecily... but good lord at least. Relief."

He treasured her request fulfilled. Tecus's report validated helping, despite distaste. Other reports too: Gaban, still seething from two years back, demanded punishment.

"......"

Pope agreed somewhat, but Cecily begged no pursuit. He let it slide. He'd already defied her other plea—no guards or watchers on her travels. How could Pope, loving her, let her roam alone? Guilt lingered, so he honored this.

"Tsk, cough... Toypus, that rotten bastard..."

Having read every crude word Yuran spat, Pope loathed him.

Days later, loathing deepened.

Another letter from saintess, begging.

"Toypus, what the hell makes him... cough, cough."

Pope's cough worsened.