My Nerdy Neighbor Is the Master of the Magic Tower
Chapter 9
“If you will step inside, I shall bring His Holiness to you.”
Cecilia nodded and walked into the Prayer Room alone.
The surroundings were silent, thanks to Miguel leading Knox away as they withdrew.
“Nothing’s changed here.”
From the paintings of gods filling the domed ceiling to the magnificent stained glass where sunlight shattered into fragments, and the marble statue as tall as the building itself standing at the front.
It was in this very Prayer Room that she had first opened her eyes after the possession.
She still had no way of knowing why Cecilia, who was said to be suffering from a high fever at the time, was in the Prayer Room rather than a recovery room or an infirmary.
Recalling the bewilderment and despair of that moment as if it were yesterday, Cecilia reached the front of the statue.
She gazed silently at the god, who wore a blindfold and a benevolent smile, and then slowly knelt.
And instead of clasping her hands together, she raised her long, straight middle finger.
‘O God, if you are the cause of this dog-awful dream, I shall grant you absolution, so please just return my academic credentials.’
It was an arrogant and impudent prayer, but she had been secular even in her past life; a god of another world was even less of her concern.
Besides, wasn't this being the most likely culprit behind this unwanted miracle?
If she had ten middle fingers, she would have raised all ten of them.
“O God?”
“…….”
“No answer, typical.”
She hadn't expected the development where an enraged god would descend and tell her how to go back. Her interest cooling, Cecilia stood up from the floor and brushed off her knees.
Or rather, she intended to—until she spotted something beneath the altar.
Halfway through standing up, Cecilia picked up something poking out between the floor and the altar.
It was an old notebook wrapped in yellowed, faded parchment.
‘Is this the Pope’s?’
This Prayer Room was a place permitted only to Cardinals, the Pope, and the Saintess.
She was just about to check the first page when—
“Saintess-nim.”
She flinched and turned around at the gentle voice.
An extraordinary figure stood tall at the entrance of the Prayer Room.
With long, white hair flowing like bird feathers and wearing a refined smile, it was the heart of the Temple and the Messenger of God—the Pope.
“Under the blessing of God, I greet Your Holiness.”
As she placed her hand over her heart and bowed her head slightly in greeting, the Pope strode closer, narrowing the distance.
“I apologize. Have you been waiting long?”
“Not at all. Time passed quickly as I was offering a prayer to God.”
Though it was something closer to slander than a prayer.
Answering brazenly, Cecilia lifted her head to face him.
A being as noble as the Emperor of the Empire.
Even if she was currently a shell with nothing inside, she knew well enough how great the Pope was.
A being born with a vast Divine Power that appeared perhaps once in a century.
A saint of this era who, despite being closest to God, sought out the lowest places to give and give again.
Above all, he was also a godfather who cherished Saintess Cecilia dearly.
Since she had no memories of her biological father, memories of her godfather naturally didn't remain either.
But seeing as her heart felt at ease just by facing him, it seemed Cecilia had regarded him quite closely.
In fact, immediately after the possession, when she was running away like a madwoman unable to accept reality, it was the Pope who had taken off his own shoes to put them on her bare feet and poured Divine Power into her all night until she recovered.
“Oh dear. I called you here to offer a prayer together after such a long time, but I am a step too late. Had I known, I would have prepared the tea you like.”
“No, tea can be had anytime…….”
Cecilia, who was continuing the conversation, suddenly fell silent.
‘Hmm?’
It was because she felt an intense gaze from somewhere.
Finding the culprit wasn't difficult.
Behind the Pope’s back, a small, thin girl was peeking her head out.
“Your Holiness. That child is…….”
“Ah, I forgot the introduction. She is a child I formed a bond with while out volunteering in a territory suffering from severe drought. She recently awakened her Divine Power and is currently serving as an apprentice priest. Her name is Sena.”
The child’s black eyes sparkled like obsidian.
“Sena likes the Saintess-nim so much that she was quite insistent I bring her along.”
The child twisted her body, seemingly too shy to step forward.
It was a cute sight that would make a normal person smile automatically, but Cecilia could only sigh.
Because the thing inside this shell was a modern person who was surely cursed rather than loved by God.
However, since she couldn't break a child’s innocence, she hurriedly rummaged through her pockets.
The only things her hand caught were two pieces of candy she had hidden from Knox to eat on her way home.
“Hello, little one. Would you like a candy?”
As she held out the makeshift gift with a kind smile, the Pope added awkwardly.
“Um, Sena is five years younger than the Saintess-nim.”
“Ah.”
If she was five years younger than Cecilia, that meant she was fifteen.
An age where one isn't crazy about candy, nor referred to as a ‘little one.’
‘I thought there was at least a ten-year difference! Is it because she’s so thin?’
Just as Cecilia, having unintentionally committed a rudeness, was about to hurriedly withdraw the candy—
“Th-thank you!”
Sena quickly snatched the candy away.
Then, as if she had become shy again, she tucked herself behind the Pope’s back.
“There are many who admire the Saintess-nim just like this child.”
Gently stroking the head of the flushed child, the Pope continued.
“That is why I am telling you this, but I would like the Saintess-nim to perform the conclusion of the ritual in my stead for this Relief Festival. What do you think?”
I think poorly of it.
A human who believes God is just another species participating in a ritual.
This time, the insulted God might actually show up.
‘Wait, now that I think about it, that sounds good?’
It was a rather tempting idea, but as a rational intellectual, it was a proposal she ought to refuse.
“The offer is an honor, but I have not yet been officially appointed…….”
Since the Pope must have heard of Knox’s failure, it was a suitable excuse.
However, the Pope shrugged his shoulders lightly as if it were no problem.
“The only thing that matters is that you are a being personally looked upon by God; why should the will of a mere creature be of such importance?”
To interpret, it was a pointed remark suggesting the Emperor’s opinion didn't matter at all.
Unable to find a better excuse, Cecilia replaced her answer with an awkward smile.
But whether the Pope took that smile as a sign of affirmation or simply decided to take it as such, he began to walk ahead on his own.
“I must go and inform everyone of this joyful news immediately.”
“What? Right now?”
“Yes, let us go to the main Prayer Room together. It happens to be the time when the believers’ worship ends.”
“Um, Your Holiness?”
“I am already looking forward to seeing how happy the believers will be.”
“Your Holiness!”
In her urgency, Cecilia grabbed a fistful of his robe.
“Saintess-nim?”
“Ah, that is…….”
‘I’m going crazy.’
No matter how friendly he was to her, the man was the Pope.
While racking her brain to smooth over her rudeness, Cecilia abruptly held out the notebook that was still in her hand.
“This! I found it under the altar!”
“This is…….”
“Is this your property, Your Holiness?”
“……Does the Saintess-nim not know what this is?”
“This notebook?”
The Pope’s expression as he looked down at the notebook was subtle.
It looked like just a bundle of old paper. Was it something quite important?
As she looked on curiously, the Pope carefully accepted the bundle of paper.
“This is not just a notebook; it is a diary.”
Oh my god. Not just a notebook, but the Pope’s personal diary.
It would have been a disaster if she had seen even a single page.
Cecilia explained hurriedly.
“I didn't even flip it open, so don't worry!”
The Pope, the epitome of benevolence, believed her claim exactly as it was.
Putting the diary inside his long sleeve without another word, he turned slightly.
“Then let us go to the main Prayer Room at once!”
No, had you not forgotten about that story…….
Cecilia, staring blankly at the Pope’s receding back, trudged along behind him.
‘I’m screwed.’
Actually, reciting a prayer without a shred of sincerity in front of many people wasn't the problem at all.
The problem was what came right after.
Immediately after being told by the Marquis to participate in the ‘Relief Festival,’ she had looked up records of past events.
According to the records, at the end of the ritual signaling the start of the Relief Festival, the ‘Messenger of God’ would ignite a holy flame on the altar.
‘A flame ignited with Divine Power.’
How do you even do that?
Stopping beneath a building opposite the main Prayer Room, Cecilia watched the believers pouring out in a swarm, led by the Pope, with a look of utter despair.
She could easily picture the scene of herself breaking into a cold sweat because she couldn't use holy power, while those people with shining eyes cheered her name.
“Saintess-nim!”
“Cecilia-nim!”
‘Right, shouting like that…… huh?’
Amidst the people calling out, she heard a somewhat familiar voice.
Between the believers, a familiar robe poked out.
That towering height and that awkwardly slouched back were definitely ‘Lien.’
‘……Why are you coming out of there?’
Why on earth was he here when he should be guarding the house…….
It was then.
“Cecilia!”
For some reason, Lien, pale as a sheet, shouted desperately as he pushed through the crowd.
“Get away!”
‘From what?’
At that moment.
Crash!
A sharp shattering sound pierced her ears.
Cecilia looked up reflexively.
Shattered stained glass was raining down over her head like a storm.
