Jin-seong was staring at a rusty key in the military academy drawing-room. It was a key the size of a palm with the cubics that fell off.
Name: ??
Rating: ??
Description: A key that was once fancy, but now rusty.
??:??
There were vague letters engraved on one side of the old key.
‘What are these letters?’
The key was a reward for sealing the magic swordsman and achieving ‘See you at the Paradise!’.
“What’s this key?”
Kang Min-ah, who was with Lee Jin-seong in the drawing-room, showed interest in the key in his hand.
“….Well, I don’t know. We’ll have to find out.”
Jin-seong thought as he looked at the letter.
‘Lee Yeo-jin will know what these letters are.’
Lee Yeo-jin, who became his strong supporter, was more widely known as a genius archaeologist than as the granddaughter of the first hero. She was one of the most talented people he knew. She was knowledgeable about the ancient language as well as the languages of this world.
-Creak….
A foreigner in his thirties in a black priest uniform with a purple fascia with a wave pattern around his waist was entering the drawing-room. He was Italian. Contrary to his smiling mouth, his strangely shiny blue eyes gave Jin-seong a sense of incongruity.
Jin-seong slowly stood up from his seat and greeted him.
A friar in a black robe standing next to him introduced him.
“Professor, this is Philip Monsignor, a messenger from the Vatican.
Jin-seong and Philip shook hands.
“Nice to meet you.”
Philip also greeted Jin-seong with a bright smile.
“Piacere di conoscerti.”
Then, he also greeted Kang Min-ah standing beside him.
Jin-seong gave them a gesture, telling them to take their seats.
“Please take a seat.”
“Grazie, signore.”
They sat on the sofa with a table in the middle and started the conversation.
Philip was a tall and skinny man. He talked to the interpreter in Italian with a unique accent.
The interpreter friar delivered the words from Philip.
“The Pope greatly admires the victory your team brought at the Forest of Decay. Moreover, we heard that you’ve subjugated the dead in Korea at once. We want to give our heartiest congratulations and respect towards your great achievement.”
They were praising Jin-seong. It was publicly known that the dead were inveigled and captured by Jin-seong’s strategy.
Jin-seong answered with a calm voice.
“Thank you.”
Philip continued to speak to the interpreter.
“It is very interesting that Korea is able to remain as such a wealthy country even though there are not many believers.”
“It’s because the top rankers and the best opener training institutions are in this country.”
“Hmm…!”
Hearing that, Kang Min-ah shrugged her shoulders.
Philip spoke as he smiled.
“Speaking of which, have you ever thought about visiting the Holy Kingdom, Professor Lee?”
Kang Min-ah showed jealousy at the interpreter’s words.
“Wow, is Jin-seong going on a trip abroad?”
But Jin-seong shook his head.
“I’m sorry to tell you this, but I don’t think I’ll have time to visit the Holy Kingdom.”
As if he already expected that, Philip began to reveal his real intention.
“You don’t need to feel any pressure. If you come with us, we will allow you to sit on the third seat behind the throne of the coming Messiah with indulgence.”
Jin-seong wanted to laugh but he responded without his face changing even slightly.
“Well, I don’t know. It doesn’t really convince me…”
Hearing that, the messenger smiled.
“We’re giving you an unconventional offer. Our holy king was promised the first right seat of the throne by the Holy Spirit, the first on the left was promised to the first saint, and behind the throne is the place promised to the heroes. Therefore, by taking the third seat, you’re getting the highest position you can get right now!”
He spoke passionately, using the typical hand gestures of Italians.
They seemed to believe that if they appoint the seats to people, those who are appointed can really go to heaven.
Kang Min-ah also seemed to find their words funny. She asked.
“Who’s giving the indulgence?”
“The Pope, who is communicating with the Holy Spirit, has written indulgences and delivered them to those in need, and as an exchange, he receives their ‘sincerity’. Of course, the greater the sincerity, the greater the effect.”
Kang Min-ah frowned. Then, she whispered into Jin-seong’s ear.
-Is he alright??? How can a person be free from their sin by ‘buying’ indulgence?
“……”
Indulgence.
And the seat next to the throne of God.
It’s the 21st century but he was speaking confidently about something that could only be said before the Reformation back in the 16th century.
He was basically saying that they can give them the right to go to heaven.
‘They can talk nonsense like this because the number of passionate believers has increased since the appearance of the angel.’
At the time when everyone was dying due to the Cataclysm, the saints were saved by the appearance of an angel who answered prayer.
After the Cataclysm, it was the ‘Descent of Angels’ incident that set the seal on the disappearing atheism. As even atheists who believed that God did not exist began to believe in God, the Vatican began to be regarded as the last ark of mankind.
That is why the world’s goods and people began to concentrate in Italy, where the Vatican is located, and became the most powerful country in the world. Most of the ruined European refugees moved to the Italian peninsula, and Italy developed into a united state called the ‘Holy Roman Confederation’, centering on the newly strengthened faith.
Individual governments in exile in Italy still exist but are incapacitated, yielding solely to the authority of the Pope.
‘So there’s no way that the Pope’s direct priest, Philip Monsignor, is not arrogant.’
Jin-seong was the first to break the silence.
“Is it because of the holy spear?”
The smile disappeared from Philip’s face as he heard Jin-seong’s words from the interpreter.
“The holy spear Gae Assail is a relic. It should be managed by the Holy Kingdom.”
“How did you know that I have it?”
There was no way for the Vatican to know that Lee Jin-seong has the holy spear.
“There was a divine message.”
“……Divine message?”
“The Pope received the divine message. He came to know that the one who currently has the holy spear is Lee Jin-seong.”
“…..Hmm.”
The Pope had not awakened his supernatural powers nor he was dead, and besides, he was not a chosen person like a saint. Therefore, it was very hard to trust that ‘divine message’ they just mentioned.
‘Something terrible is already on the move.’
Jin-seong could already guess the source of that divine message.
Philip spoke with a serious face.
“Gae Assail is a weapon used by the saint of our nation who received the protection from the angel. We have the right to take it.”
Kang Min-ah stared at them as if she heard something ridiculous.
“What? All of a sudden?”
“Professor, wait.”
Jin-seong calmed Kang Min-ah, who was expressing anger, and waited for Philip to speak.
“And I also think that the dead body of the magic swordsman should be enshrined in our country. Although unfortunately, the body was taken out this time, it was just an accident…”
Kang Min-ah stood up in anger.
“Wh, what?! Taking the magic swordsman? And what? Accident?! You’re going to take everything we’ve managed to solve?? Stop talking bullshit!”
Jin-seong put his hand up to stop her.
“If not, you’ll be against the Holy Kingdom. There will be diplomatic conflicts between our country and Korea as well.”
Despite Philip’s threats and provocations, Jin-seong was calm.
Rather, he supported Philip’s opinion.
“True. Without the angel’s holy spear, the Lord of Corruption would have descended to the Korean Peninsula, leading to the fall of the country. So, I also think the holy spear should be returned to the angel.”
Kang Min-ah couldn’t hide her surprise at his words.
“Jin-seong…. I mean, Professor Lee?!”
Philip slightly trembled in excitement when Jin-seong gave the response he wanted. He then smiled brightly.
“God will also be happy about your decision!”
In response to Jin-seong’s friendly attitude, the messenger stood with his arms wide open as if congratulating him.
Seeing that, Jin-seong asked back to Philip.
“But can you take the holy spear?”
Philip looked confused.
“….Aren’t you coming to the Vatican with us?”
Jin-seong made a sad face.
“As I said before, I’m very busy so I can’t leave Korea for the time being. Someone from your country must come to take the spear.”
Philip, who was confident the whole time, suddenly became impatient at the words of Jin-seong, who had no room for negotiation.
“What do you want from us?”
He added.
“I will do anything for you if you come to the Vatican!”
Jin-seong nodded. There was something he wanted to check.
“Um, I don’t know. If it’s that urgent, why don’t you ask the saint to come to Korea?”
Hearing that, Philip hesitated to speak.
“I, I think that’s..… going to be difficult……. The saint is currently not feeling well……”
Jin-seong was convinced.
‘These guys can’t call the angel.’
From what he knows, the Pope and the first saint don’t get along with each other.
But the holy spear was a relic used by the angel. If not by the angel, the holy spear Gae Assail can only be used by a person who was qualified to use it.
Unless the first saint follows their plan, there was no way for them to take the holy spear. The only possible way would be to use Jin-seong to transport the holy spear to the Vatican.
Jin-seong smirked as he crossed his arms.
“Will you give me three relics of the Vatican? If so, I will consider going there.”
Hearing that, the interpreter’s face turned white. Philip hurried him to deliver Jin-seong’s words.
And…..
“…..Che cosa?”
Philip looked perplexed.
Their plan was to take the holy spear not to give away three relics.
Jin-seong continued his words.
“I really want to give you the spear but the thing is, Korea also needs at least one relic to resist the devil. If you contact the government, they will probably say the same thing.”
Of course, Jin-seong’s request for three relics may be a little overkill, but the Pope needs the holy spear more than anything else.
Philip’s face turned red.
He abruptly got up from his seat and began spitting curses.
“…..vai a cagare!!”
He realized that Jin-seong was playing him for a fool.
“Monsignor, please consider my request again.”
Jin-seong. who stood from his seat, bowed, and left the drawing-room.
“W, wait…! Go with me….!”
Kang Min-ah, who seemed angry until just before, hurriedly followed Jin-seong in confusion.
“P, Please wait!”
Jin-seong could hear the interpreter shouting but he didn’t mind.
Near GwangHwamun, Seoul.
“….Are you sure you want to leave the room like that?”
Kang Min-ah asked Jin-seong in worry, sipping the cappuccino on the table.
“They’ll contact us again. They won’t want to make things too big.”
“….Umm, he won’t fly off the handle, right?”
Jin-seong answered calmly.
“I came here to check that.”
They sat by the window and checked where Philip was heading. Jin-seong took a sip of the espresso. As he swallowed the coffee, a strong scent stayed in his mouth and nose for a while and disappeared.
“….It’s good.”
“I know right. This place makes great coffee.”
After taking another sip, Kang Min-ah murmured as if she was scared.
“…..But what are we supposed to tell Setz? We screwed up the meeting.”
Kang Min-ah trembled as she recalled getting slapped by Setz on her forehead.
“I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry.”
“….Really?”
“Yes, yes.”
Kang Min-ah smiled at his response.
Then, she patted on Jin-seong’s shoulder.
“…..Hey, look.”
Kang Min-ah with a coffee cup close to her mouth was looking at Jin-seong. There was a lot of soft white foam on her lips.
“Hihi, how do I look? I look cute, right?”
Then she smiled.
“……”
Jin-seong spoke as he looked at her.
“It looks like a white beard, and it suits you well.”
“…..Seriously!”
Just then,
Outside the window, Jinseong saw Philip, accompanied by the attaches, entering a building.
Jin-seong finished his coffee at once and got up from his seat.
“Please take care of Professor Setz!”
“…..What?! Are you telling me to talk to Setz?!”
When Jin-seong left the cafe like a wind, Min-ah dropped her head and murmured.
“I’m dead…..”
Jin-seong immediately went into the alley.
Then, he picked up a black cloth from the inventory.
Name: The Angelo’s Camouflage Cloak
Rating: SS
Effect: Users can disguise themselves to surrounding objects.
Description: A cloak said to have been worn by the god of thieves. This animated cloak allows the user to disguise themselves as objects suitable for their environment, wherever and whenever they may be. With the hood on, the user’s face cannot be recognized by the naked eye or by any equipment or abilities.
Jin-seong immediately wore the cloak with the hood.