Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Vatican Audience
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In the Vatican, they were puzzled by the sudden contact from Cardinal Kim Soo-jeong Paul of the Seoul Archdiocese.
What could be the reason for reaching out from the Seoul Archdiocese to us?
When they asked, the response they got was astonishing.
An angel had descended due to mutation, and they had encountered the Holy Spirit.
It was absurd, but the problem was that the speaker was Cardinal Kim Soo-jeong Paul.
He was a man like a father to the lowly, who had steadfastly contributed to peace as the head of the Seoul Archdiocese with his piety and grit.
Since it wasn't someone prone to nonsense, the Vatican had no choice but to treat it as a grave matter.
And so, right now.
Han-gyeol was wrapped in an inexplicable tension.
Of course, Seo-hyun didn't care and was comfortably sprawled out on the flight to the Vatican.
‘……Is this really okay?’
Right now, she was on her way to meet the Pope.
The head of the Catholic Church, whom she had only ever seen in media.
She knew things would turn out this way, but it was too fast.
Aren't they handling this too quickly?
She could understand it.
The descent of an angel and Yahweh. It was obviously a miracle that needed to be reported as top priority.
The Seoul Archdiocese in Korea might even become a new holy site.
No, they might already be debating it as one.
It felt too unreal.
‘What is this, not some national pride video? Seo-hyun got her fill of national pride once, and now it's my turn?’
No, it was too early to get excited.
They were flying on a private jet to prepare for any contingencies, hiding her wings and halo, moving in secrecy.
They had informed the Vatican side that they didn't want public attention, so they would have arranged for only a small number of people to meet.
……Surely they did. Otherwise, she'd have to cause a scene.
Han-gyeol thought that as she crossed her arms and tapped her elbow with her fingers. It was one of her habits to calm herself.
As she did, Seo-hyun, who had been sleeping soundly beside her, opened her eyes.
* * *
Upon waking, I glanced around and asked Han-gyeol.
“How much longer until we get there?”
“A while. Go back to sleep or something.”
“Ugh……! No, I'm wide awake. I don't even need sleep anyway; I just had nothing to do.”
“You're so lucky. Some of us can't sleep from nerves.”
What, she's digging a hole in the ground again.
Ever since becoming an angel, she's gotten so timid. Or rather, burdened? Anyway.
“How many times are you going to stress over that? God Himself said it, right? Just go wild.”
“……Honestly, Father doesn't seem all that reliable.”
Come to think of it, that was true.
He felt a bit off, not quite omnipotent.
But could a Seraph serving the holy God say that? I don't care since I'm agnostic.
“What's wrong with that? Father would understand. He's more benevolent than you think.”
“……Didn't He flood the world? If anything, the world now is just as fallen, if not more, than back then.”
It was a sudden thought. The world hasn't gotten less corrupt since then, yet He leaves it be somehow.
“Well…… He said He takes the changes of the times into account? If it's developed this far and only this corrupt, it's fine……. Especially since there are so many faithful people. And like He said before, He won't sweep away animals and humans in a flood again.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. No need to worry, basically. As long as I don't screw up. But I won't, right?”
“Who knows. Gods from other religions might pop up, and they could claim proxies like you.”
“But usually, the chief gods in myths all want a peaceful world, so maybe no big issue?”
Thinking about it, they all were like that.
Greek, Roman myths or whatever, even if gods acted like thugs, their ultimate goal was a peaceful world.
As we debated—not quite a debate—how the world might go, we arrived at the Vatican.
To visit as secretly as possible, we flew in on a private jet, avoiding any public fuss.
Han-gyeol had also tucked away her wings and halo before stepping out.
At first, she was clumsy with her powers and couldn't hide her halo, but after communing with the Lord, she could now, or so she said.
Anyway, we arrived at St. Peter's Basilica.
“Wow…….”
As someone with zero travel experience as a human, massive structures like this made my eyes spin.
I had seen the World Tree and such in America, but this was a grand edifice built by human hands.
The more I looked, the more a sense of reverence and piety seemed to seep into me unbidden.
Not really, but that's the feeling I got.
I could see why people felt overwhelmed.
A secret arrival at the Vatican.
And whom we met was the current Pope, Innocentius XIV.
The leader of a massive religion had an unmistakable benevolence, kindness, and piety etched on his face.
Of course, his eyes were shadowed from fatigue as the price.
After simple greetings, we faced His Holiness the Pope and got straight to the point.
The point being Han-gyeol revealing her angel wings and halo.
“Ooh……!”
His Holiness recognized it at a glance.
He knelt before even seeing her fully.
It was reverence toward God's messenger.
Han-gyeol wore a complicated expression.
Well, unavoidable. She hadn't been an angel long.
Seeing the Pope kneel before her must have been overwhelming and surreal.
But the real show was just beginning.
This time too, Yahweh appeared in the form of the Holy Spirit.
A spotless pure white dove.
And Yahweh's voice emanating from that dove.
-This is an age rife with decay and corruption. Yet my daughter shall shine light upon you. Do not announce that my daughter has come; simply leave her be. Thus, she will naturally bring light to the world.
“Aah…….”
Cardinal Kim Soo-jeong Paul, who had fainted last time, now shed tears of emotion as he received God's voice.
The Holy Spirit soon vanished, wrapped in radiant light.
Everyone present was speechless.
Han-gyeol broke the silence.
But her voice didn't come from her mouth; it resounded in our minds.
Like telepathy.
-As Father said, please do not announce to the world that I have come. It would only bring chaos.
“……Aah.”
At that moment, clear regret and longing appeared on the Pope's face.
-I will simply watch the world quietly. I will correct wrongs, aid the weak, and punish the wicked. You all fulfill your duties, and make the world peaceful with love instead of hate.
“O holy messenger of God. If it is not too much trouble, might you permit one request?”
-What is it?
“……May we speak of the Lord coming to visit us? You need not reveal yourself. Just, at the next mass, may we tell the faithful that the Lord came to us?”
Han-gyeol seemed to ponder.
The Pope's demeanor was desperate.
To spread the word of Yahweh's arrival in this world, they needed proof.
As expected, religious leaders couldn't easily yield on such matters.
Faced with that earnest gaze, Han-gyeol's eyes wavered.
But knowing what that feeling was, Han-gyeol glanced at the sky and said.
-So be it. Father promised. At the next mass, He will appear as the Holy Spirit.
The Pope and the cardinal shed tears at the hard-won permission.
* * *
“What should we do?”
“Hm?”
Han-gyeol asked me in a deeply troubled tone.
“Should I, like, descend or not?”
“You begged them to keep it quiet, and now? Yahweh said He'd appear as the Holy Spirit at mass anyway.”
“Still, wouldn't it look better if I showed up too? You know, to go full holy, why not go all out? Angel descends, Holy Spirit appears…… Maybe people would fight a little less?”
“Hmm…….”
Not without merit.
With God's apostle blatantly appearing, pointless fights might decrease a bit.
It could change people's hearts somewhat.
“Suddenly changing your mind—what's the reason?”
“I get how Catholic believers feel now. Maybe my existence could give them some hope.”
A subtle sense of mission settled on her face, though she hadn't wanted to at first.
“The one who was so dead set on hiding—who flipped the switch?”
“……Dunno. Just feels like it's not just about me anymore.”
Something must have moved her.
The meeting with the Pope, or whatever.
As a lifelong Catholic, her feelings might have shifted moment to moment.
“Jeez. Since when do you think of others?”
“Like other mutants, it's my racial trait. Maybe Father's influence hit hard…….”
“Wishing people wouldn't fight every day?”
“Just a stronger longing for peace, I guess.”
Amazing.
Well, a body made by God—its spirit can't help but be influenced somehow.
“Feels a bit heavy, but not bad. Even if it tires me out, it'll just be tiring, you know? And how much attention can people give? It'll flare up once and die down if I don't show again.”
“……Maybe.”
“Dunno, wanna try it.”
She decided to just go for it.
Yeah. Can't hide forever.
Better to get used to it now.
In the end, she decided to reveal herself at the next scheduled mass in the Vatican.
With a bit of surprise flair.
Wait, isn't she just craving attention?
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