Meeting the Pope
Mahadev has gifted you the Full-Body Divine Armor!
Vulcanus has gifted you the Full-Body Divine Helm!
Jupiter has gifted you the Full-Body Divine Gauntlets!
Talos has gifted you the Full-Body Divine Greaves!
Temur has gifted you the Full-Body Divine Boots!
“Gasp!”
Whoosh!
A cascade of brilliant light poured down from the heavens, enveloping his body. As he stepped out of the tent, the tribal chiefs and nobles dropped to their knees. They knew the gods were granting him something.
“Ooh! A blessing from the gods!”
“The Creator God has gifted our lord divine armor!”
“Woooaaah!”
The pure white armor was etched with geometric patterns. It felt like wearing nothing at all, with no restriction in movement whatsoever. The gods, pleased with their work, chuckled in satisfaction.
Only the god of blacksmithing, Vulcanus, showed any dissatisfaction. Each piece bore the attributes of its respective god, though their exact functions remained a mystery for now—he'd have to discover them in time. No manual came with the set, after all.
Maybe he could just remove the helm in everyday situations? The thought made it vanish like a mirage.
“Huh, neat trick.”
“Heh heh heh, the gods must truly adore you, my lord.”
“Yeah, looks like it.”
Kainus's words drew an awkward smile from him. In truth, he was barely holding back the urge to whoop and holler, all for the sake of appearances.
In the imperial palace of the Kallias Empire, the emperor was receiving various reports during the regular council meeting. He paid closest attention to the defense against the northern barbarians.
Victory reports kept rolling in, and it seemed the empire's territories would soon be reclaimed.
Then came an unexpected update from the intelligence division.
“Your Majesty! Viscount Aron has advanced beyond the Great Wall, destroying the enemy's settlements and pushing northward!”
“Oho!”
Murmurs rippled through the chamber.
To advance that swiftly! Truly a knight of God's Herculean Strength.
During the last civil war, he'd stormed the royal palace single-handedly, tearing apart royals and nobles alike. With a monster like that commanding the northern forces, even the giants stood no chance.
Command authority on the ground remained fully with Viscount Aron—no overreach there.
Soon, another intelligence agent arrived.
“Your Majesty! Viscount Aron has utterly annihilated the giants and claimed their lands for the empire!”
“What?! Is that true?!”
The emperor shot to his feet.
From the empire's perspective, the giants had been their biggest headache. Every winter, they raided, forcing the empire to supply food and troops northward. Ignoring them risked the entire nation turning to ruins, so support continued reluctantly.
But now, that burden was gone.
“However, there's a problem...”
“A problem? What problem? With the giants gone, we should celebrate!”
The emperor's mouth stretched ear to ear. His reign had just erased the giants—a monumental achievement he could claim as his own. He envisioned strengthening imperial authority. If he could bring Viscount Aron into the fold, absolute rule in his lifetime was within reach.
But his hopes lasted less than ten seconds.
“V-Viscount Aron has absorbed the giants! A whopping 1.5 million of them are migrating en masse to the empire's eastern regions!”
“What?!”
The emperor's eye twitched.
The nobles felt the threat too.
“Th-this is dangerous, isn't it?”
“To subjugate the giants themselves...”
“We must forbid this!”
“If Viscount Aron turns rebellious and builds his power, we have no way to stop him!”
The nobles erupted in protest. Even without their outcry, the emperor's anxiety surged—he knew a rebellion from Aron would be unstoppable.
Bam!
“Where is Viscount Aron now?!”
“Word is he'll arrive in a few days, Your Majesty!”
“When Viscount Aron returns, we'll hold the rewards ceremony. We'll honor his conquest of the north highly, but forbid him keeping the giants under his command!”
The emperor issued his decree.
In the imperial capital of Brontia, after relocating his territorial army and the giants to the eastern empire, he raced alone to the capital. The journey from the northern empire to the capital normally took two months, but moving at near-light-foot speed, he arrived in a week.
The inland regions were already thawing. The giants' swift march meant they'd arrive by early summer, so he needed to swing by the capital, claim his lands and title, then hurry back to prepare cities for them.
An influx of 1.5 million souls—surpassing even a duchy in scale. No wonder the emperor was losing it.
He met with Amon's informants planted in the capital to gauge the emperor's reaction.
“...And so, he declared clear rewards and punishments.”
A captivating woman with red hair and an intellectual face explained. She'd bought a fallen noble's title to pose as a noble lady—Amon's methods were impressive. She was known in high society, and Amon said she could serve as a continued contact.
In social circles, she went by Charlotte—not her real name, but he didn't need to know it.
“He absolutely won't allow recruiting the giants?”
“From the emperor's standpoint, isn't it the natural response?”
“Mm, I figured there'd be backlash.”
“Everyone's worried you'll spark a rebellion, my lord.”
“Can't blame 'em.”
“Are you really going to?”
“No need to fish for info from me.”
“Hehe, caught me?”
She'd skillfully probed with feigned nonchalance. She'd told Amon, but seemed unaware he was under his command.
“Without some justification, they'll all foam at the mouth.”
“Unless you take the emperor hostage and threaten him...”
“That'd mean facing the whole empire alone.”
“Yes, it's not time yet.”
He looked up at her. This time, she'd drawn it out naturally. He'd warn Amon later—no more prying games.
“Keep a close eye on political movements.”
“Will you head straight to the palace, my lord?”
“Need to think it over.”
“I'll be in touch!”
She winked playfully and vanished. The wink felt genuine—was this how she charmed info out of men? A master manipulator.
With Amon running an info guild and assassins, cultivating talent like her was child's play.
Alone in the inn's suite, he pondered. How to gain justification?
Nothing but nailing it as the gods' will.
“Gotta meet the pope. Otherwise, the emperor's gonna flip his shit.”
The Vivian Church headquarters. Imperial and church authority were separate, but as the state religion, the pope could intervene in politics if he chose. Yet Vivian priests remained largely uncorrupted, prioritizing divine will over meddling—which the royals respected, rarely interfering in church affairs.
The priests sensed something upon seeing his god-gifted armor and treated him kindly. When he revealed his identity, they paled and contacted the pope—knowing he could raze the church if crossed. Within thirty minutes, he had an audience.
The pope sat on a throne-like seat in ornate, uncomfortable robes, flanked by cardinals and high priests—like entering a royal court.
Pope Andro VI was in his mid-fifties, relatively young. Sturdy bones at that age. To enrage the gods, he'd need a mad stunt—steel yourself.
Provoking the pope might be harder than the emperor. The upright cleric stirred a twinge of reluctance to strike him.
This won't do. Gotta show the gods I'm the real lunatic.
Business as usual with the gods' drugged-out banter.
He strode in boldly and greeted the pope.
“I'm Auron Blaine. Nice to meet you.”
“Heh heh heh! So you're the Viscount Auron Blaine, beloved by the gods? I've heard the tales. Quite radical moves, but all under divine will, I presume.”
“Spot on. So, I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor? What might it be? It's only right to heed one favored by the gods.”
The pope's face remained kindly. What if he just agreed outright? A slight worry.
“The emperor's throwing a fit over me absorbing the giants. I'd like Your Holiness to step in.”
“Giai...nts? Those heretics?”
“Yes.”
“Out of the question! How can you keep heretics under your command?!”
Hm, the oracle hadn't reached him yet. A smirk tugged at his lips. Perfect.
He'd been agonizing over a pretext.
“That's the gods' will.”
“Keeping heretics under you is divine will?! Absurd!”
“So you're opposing the gods' will, Your Holiness?”
“Heavens, what a travesty! A villain claiming the gods' love.”
“Doubting the gods' will now?”
“Leave us.”
Bam!
He sprang forward like a coiled spring, right before the pope.
“Gasp!”
The holy knights, caught off-guard, lunged to block—but too late. He dispatched the pope's guards in a flash and grabbed his collar.
“You... you fucking punk, time for a beating.”
“Y-you madman! I-I'm the pope!”