I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Bangguseok Choseon （6）

━ Paladin Noah.

“Yes!”

I contacted Bangguseok Choseon through Noah before going to the cathedral.

The possibility of Karon controlling Bangguseok Choseon to lure me in was close to zero, and there was a high probability that there would be followers of the Goddess Religion inside the cathedral, even if it wasn’t the Pope, but there’s always a what-if.

I haven’t completely let go of my suspicions yet. There are Paladin groups like Dina’s Special Forces, so isn’t it a little strange that the request came to us?

Even in this case, we first asked the Special Forces, but we can assume that the Special Forces couldn’t help because the number of personnel was greatly reduced due to Asha’s plot.

Anyway, even if they were being threatened by the Evolutionist School who joined hands with Karon, it’s suspicious that the guy who’s called the Pope would so easily ask for help from a pagan god.

“Ah, they said they just confirmed that the demons’ presence has disappeared and lifted the barrier. They’ll be waiting inside the cathedral.”

━ Inside the cathedral?

If it were usual, I would have gone in thinking, ‘Hmm, should I take a look around?’, but I didn’t feel like it. What if this is a trap?

It’s the cathedral, the home ground of the Goddess Religion, and there’s the Pope who can maximize the cathedral’s functions （I don’t know much about it either）.

━ I’m hesitant to enter another god’s altar. I’ll move right away, so tell them to pack their things and come out of the cathedral.

It seems like I’m being too suspicious even though I came all the way here to save them, but let’s just say I’m being cautious. Well, if there’s no problem, we can accept them as members of the Tribal Federation right away.

At first, they’ll be monitored like all the new people who joined, but if we conclude that they have no ulterior motives, we can get along well.

“She said she understood! Ah, a text message!”

━ I’ll wait there.

I waited for Bangguseok Choseon and the Pope with Rake, Paya, Noah, and Tteunteuni in an open space.

Rake hasn’t completely let go of her suspicions either, as she’s holding her hand on the Meteor Sword.

“Ah, they’re coming!”

After a few minutes, the people we were waiting for appeared. It was a group of about ten people, with an equal mix of women and men.

“Ch… Bangguseok Choseon. You’re Malak-nim and the Tribal Federation, right?”

A thin female Paladin waved her hand from the front with a slightly anxious expression. She was an introverted and timid-looking woman.

━ Who’s the Pope?

“Ah…!”

She seemed surprised by the talking totem, but then she realized I was Malak and forced a smile.

She’s good at socializing.

“Hahaha! I’m late to greet you! Everyone, you’ve worked hard coming all this way!”

Choseon was about to speak again, but a middle-aged man who suddenly rushed out from beside her was faster.

This man is… how should I say it? He looks like he’d appear if you turned on a current affairs debate or political channel.

“Great being! I am Holland, the Pope of the Goddess Religion! Thank you for helping us! I will never forget this grace!”

His voice is as loud as Kanto’s. The Pope chuckled and finished his introduction. No matter how I look at it, he looks more like a politician than a Pope.

By the way, this is so different from the image of the Pope I had in mind. I thought it was a position that only someone who was strict, solemn, serious, and devoted to religion could hold.

He doesn’t look strong either. Maybe being the Pope doesn’t mean you become someone with superhuman strength like Paladins.

“…I-It’s an honor to meet you, God.”

“I sense a holy and powerful divine power.”

“I heard that you are a strong and wise person. Seeing you up close, I can really feel that you are a great person.”

The people who were watching me and flattering me behind the Pope and Choseon were also ordinary. They’re just nuns and priests. Like Sister Grace who joined the Golden Sun Tribe.

No matter how I look at those slender limbs and physique, they’re not combat jobs.

━ Pope Holland. Are you serious about wanting to join the Tribal Federation?

“Of course!”

━ Do you know what kind of being I am?

“…Of course.”

━ Tell me what you know.

“Aren’t you the Wind and Rain God, Malak-nim? I heard that you descended to help all humans on Earth. I learned about it through Paladin Choseon here.”

The Pope understood the Paladin community as a concept similar to ‘telepathy’. It seems like he doesn’t think Paladins are possessed like other civilized people do.

…Wait, this is a little strange. Didn’t the Evolutionist School guys call Noah a ‘possessed person’?

Let’s move on for now.

━ Do you know about the incident between me and Ishtania?

I once destroyed a cathedral of the Goddess Religion. To be precise, it wasn’t me, but Jin Malak.

Archmage Beatrice said that my name was written many times in important documents of the Goddess Religion. The Pope, the de facto highest authority of the Goddess Religion, couldn’t possibly not know.

“…The two of you aren’t on good terms.”

The Pope was speaking as vaguely as possible.

━ Do you know about Ishtania?

I asked if he knew about the situation where the followers of the Goddess Religion might have to rely on a pagan god.

“…”

The Pope made a troubled expression and put on a fake smile. It’s hard to say. After a few seconds of silence, he opened his mouth again.

“Ishtania-nim knows everything. Even if she doesn’t communicate with me or the other followers, she knows everything.”

Hmm.

“She is the one who bestows revelations and powers, not the one who answers prayers. She does not interfere with our judgment….Even in this situation.”

This is a somewhat convincing answer. She was called the God of Games. You can tell just by looking at how she possesses Earthlings as Paladins.

She probably thinks this land is a playground, and the followers are just small animals following her.

“I don’t know if that answered your question. Hahaha…”

Well, I knew he was losing his faith from the moment I first saw him. Holland was standing in front of me in plain clothes.

The Pope, of all people, not wearing his religious robes… It was too obvious from the start.

Perhaps the Pope also vaguely realized amidst this unprecedented disaster. That the god he believes in and serves doesn’t place much importance on the lives of individual followers.

━ No, I understand.

Five years. It’s been five years since the demon apocalypse started. Isn’t that enough time to change a person’s beliefs or faith?

I decided to accept them.

Ishtania… I, Malak-nim, will take all the followers you neglected while only sending a few Paladins.

━ Do you know about the attack on the cathedral?

I told the Pope about Necromancer Karon and the Evolutionist School. He was surprised to hear that the Necromancer had returned.

“Necromancer aside, the Evolutionist School… That immoral group of mages still remained.”

The Pope seemed to know quite a bit about them.

━ They were looking for a blind nun. Do you know anything?

“A blind nun… The Saint?!”

The answer came from behind. The follower who had been quietly listening to our conversation reacted in surprise.

“…It’s not that there aren’t any blind people in the Goddess Religion, but the person they’re looking for is probably the Saint.”

The Pope, who glared at the young, talkative follower, answered.

Saint. Saint. Just by the name, she seems like a very important person.

“What’s a Saint?”

Rake, quick-witted, asked the Pope instead of me.

He said she’s Ishtania’s representative, and while she can’t exercise superhuman strength, she can use special abilities like reading a person’s past or essence.

Therefore, she’s also called a Seer instead of a Saint.

“The fact that the Saint is blind was known only to a very small number of people until before the apocalypse. I don’t know how, but it seems they got the information.”

They’re cooperating with Karon to find the Saint. No matter how I think about it, I can only imagine ominous things.

━ Do you know the Saint’s location?

“Of course.”

I need to secure the Saint before Karon achieves his goal. Hearing from the Pope, it’s not that far away either.

If we ride Tteunteuni, we can get there within an hour.

━ I’ll go see the Saint and come back. Wait a moment.

If she’s still there, I’m thinking of evacuating her to our Tribal Federation.

“I’ll be needed to persuade the Saint. I’m confident in healing and defense. I’m the Pope, you know.”

He’s someone who put up a barrier and defended against three mid-ranking demons and dozens, hundreds of lower-ranking followers for several days. He’ll be a great help.

I put the Pope in Noah’s place. No matter how strong Tteunteuni is, it’s hard for him to fly for a long time carrying four people.

“Let’s go!”

Screech━!

Tteunteuni, carrying Rake, Paya, and the Pope, took off.

Ah, should I ask some things I’m curious about while I’m at it?

━ I heard that if you close the dimensional gate, the demons will self-destruct. Is that true?

Mage Harry said this claim came from the Goddess Religion and didn’t sound confident. The Pope should know the details.

“Yes, that’s right. For them to roam this land, the existence of demonic energy is essential. If there’s no demonic energy, they won’t be able to maintain their form and will self-destruct.”

Oh. He said it with confidence, so it’s trustworthy.

Does he know this too?

━ Do you know what the demons really are?

The Pope, who had been chattering excitedly, glanced at me for a moment.

“Malak-nim, there might be room for misunderstanding in my words…”

━ It’s okay, tell me.

What’s this guy doing, making me curious and then stopping.

“Loa from another world.”

What?

“That’s what I know.”