Chapter 22
We quickly entered the Vatican with the authority of Cardinal Cattleya leaving the long queue behind.
I thought the line of children who held their parents’ hands was long outside, but I could even see children on the inside.
This was all due to the educational enthusiasm of the parents of this country to somehow have their children awaken holy power.
Because this holiday also serves as the public selection of ‘the Sacred Sheep’.
It was a pretty deceptive event. In the first place, stigmata did not awaken the divine power in a normal way.
How could a child with the same potential as the children who were awakened by transplanting stigmata be naturally born?
If that had been the case, the Vatican would have taken notice of them earlier and kidnapped such children.
The public selection was nothing more than a show-off holiday event. Promoting the Sacred Sheep while receiving donations from parents at the same time.
[‘The world-building God’ sets the mood by saying the stronger the light, the darker the shadows.]
Even in this sacred Vatican, the dark circumstances of adults were hidden between walls and doors.
As I walked along the corridor with Cardinal Cattleya, I saw children moving in orderly lines.
The destination might be either a chapel or a restaurant.
Children have to stay for three days and finish a monotonous and boring religious retreat consisting of prayer, food, and worship to get a chance to test their potential.
At that time, a young priest from the other side approached me.
“It’s Cardinal Cattleya! You are back!”
“Ah, Brother Pavel.”
“But the child next to you……Is this the child that your Grace would personally recommend to the Sacred Sheep?”
“No. I just brought her here because she wanted to see the Vatican. Of course, you can take the test if you want.”
At Cardinal Cattleya’s subtle gaze, I desperately shook my head.
“No, no! I’ll just take a look and go home.”
I don’t want to live while being locked up in this place, forced to lead a puritan life, and treated as a public good to save the world.
I was a secular person.
Cardinal Cattleya laughed and moved on half-jokingly. The young priest brought up the main point.
“I’m sorry to say this right after you returned home, but I think you should go to the State Council right away. The budget execution meeting for this quarter has been moved forward.”
“Oh, dear. Child, I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to leave for a long time.”
“It’s all right. Go ahead.”
“Brother Pavel, I need to ask you a favor. Instead of me, show this child around the Vatican.”
“Yes! Don’t worry and go, your Grace!”
Pavel’s answer was truly credible. But when Cardinal Cattleya’s back disappeared from view.
“Do you see those kids walking in a row in the hallway? Follow them. I’m busy, so I’m off.”
“…….”
I was left alone dangling in the corridor.
Well, maybe he hates taking care of children.
After thinking about what to do for a while, I decided to quietly join the children and experience a religious retreat.
The line arrived at the restaurant because it was lunchtime.
So I sat down in front of the wooden table and looked down at the food I was served.….
[‘The world-building God’ is angry over whether a growing child can eat this.]
I couldn’t agree with you more.
A diet consisting of raisin bread, chicken bean soup and blanched vegetables was beyond the poor to the realm of poverty.
“What’s this. There is no ham or sausage.”
“Wow, it doesn’t taste good. It’s so bland.”
“So little……I’m hungry…….”
The children grumbled.
“Now, now! We don’t talk when we eat, young devotees!”
The nursery priest who was supervising stopped the spread of complaints in the name of teaching table manners. It was really cheap.
At that time, the noise in the restaurant suddenly died down.
The appearance of a special group of children effectively created a quieter and more refined atmosphere than the shouts of the nursery priest.
The newly joined children seemed to be quite distinguished.
Unlike ordinary children, who freely wore comfortable clothes, they were wearing white robe-like priestly uniforms. They were all my age, but a considerable amount of divine power emanated from each of them.
The identity of the children was clear.
‘Sacred Sheep.’
Elite children who were painstakingly nurtured by the country.
‘I’m sure he’s in there too.’
To find the pushover free pass, I thought of the original description.
Shining silver hair that symbolizes God’s blessings, and eyes that look like a glass bottle containing the light of the heavenly waters.
And….
Absolutely, very, very handsome! The most handsome man in the setting that can be recognized at a glance!
‘Yes, he’s not here.’
First of all, there was no silver hair.
Just in case I looked again but the child sitting next to me whispered lowly while eating.
“Don’t make eye contact with them. Their personality wasn’t very good….”
It was great advice, thanks. And just as they said, the gaze of a black-haired kid staring at me was very fierce.
“Thank you. Eat this.”
I took a lemon madeleine from the satchel and handed it to the child. It was nice to see their brightly blooming face.
“Come on, when you’re done eating, go to the chapel. It is time for worship.”
Hearing the loud voice of the nursery priest, I decided.
‘Let’s bail.’
I turned on the map, figured out the way, and sneaked out through the back door. Like a scene from a spy movie, I succeeded in escaping out of the restaurant building by clinging to the wall.
At the back of the building, there was a flower bed that was relatively neglected.
‘It’s the best place to do a quest.’
I walked through the trees, looking for weeds. Thanks to the cultivation package I bought at the Cash Shop the other day, I was able to know the name through ‘Plant Insight’ just by putting my hand on it.
“This is a simple weed, and that one daisy….Where the hell is it hiding…Ah! found!”
[
Category: Herbs
Although it is misunderstood as a weed, the tuberous roots that have been grown for about three years can be used as a medicine. It grows in a place with sufficient divine power.]
There were several more nearby. I had to breed them, so I dug up all of them and put them in my inventory.
I felt like a farmer who finished work. It was at that time that I proudly stretched my back and wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand.
“Did you come to a treasure hunt by yourself?”
“Oh my god!”
An unfamiliar voice rang out from nearby. The moment I turned my head in surprise.
“……Huck.”
I was at a loss for words at the sight of my opponent’s face.
Brilliant silver hair. Eyes that go back and forth between blue and cyan depending on the angle of light. Above all, a handsome face that seems to enlighten the viewer.
A handkerchief was held out in front of me, who had lost my mind.
“You wiped your face with your dirty hands.”
“…….”
That was my first meeting with the Pushover Free Pass.
‘I can’t believe the child protagonist that has yet to pass by a time regression is right in front of me….’
[‘The world-building God’ urges you to be extra careful with remarks that may affect the original work because you are in front of the original protagonist.]
[‘The Spoiler Inspector’ opens his eyes and watches you for spoilers.]
My mind was blown.
Meanwhile, the sea-blue eyes looking at me narrowed. It was when I thought that he seemed like he was suspecting something.
“What?”
“Don’t be surprised. I have a duty to be kind.”
The Pushover Free Pass, no, Thesilid wiped the dirt from my forehead by hand. It was an expressionless face and a rough hand that really only showed a sense of duty.
Of course, I know why.
Thesilid’s main character buff doubled as a pushover debuff, ‘The Seven Good Virtues and the Seven Deadly Sins’.
He had a lot of restrictions and obligations because his divine powers increased only by getting good points. To put it bluntly, could it be said that the reason for using respectful words to everyone in the original work was because of the ‘humility’ item of the Seven Virtues?
Thesilid, who was not yet humble, muttered a little to himself.
“Why am I the only one who has to take on this duty?”
Why? It’s because you have to spread kindness all over the place, regardless of age or gender, so there’s room for a harem.
By the way, hearing his complaints made me a little confused.
‘If it’s a compulsory thing, won’t he get deducted points again?’
Because of the lack of sincerity, it becomes like a taboo word, I wonder if it’s okay to spill it twice in a roll.
Thesilid, who took his handkerchief, said.
“I came here because I felt the energy of the relic, but I didn’t know that a child like you could be the owner.”
“You’re a child, too. But what do you mean, holy relics?”
“You didn’t know? Your necklace, that’s a relic of Saint Agnes. She is one of the dungeon closing heroes that this Holiday of Sacrifice honors.”
“Saint, hero?”
……Cardinal Cattleya, what did you say again? You said it was a keepsake of your best friend, but you didn’t say that your best friend was a hero-class saint.
It wasn’t until then that Thesilid’s tone became a little questionable.
“Didn’t it belong to Cardinal Cattleya?”
“Don’t get me wrong. Because the cardinal gave it to me.”
“Her relic?”
As soon as he asked back, Thesilid’s face narrowed the distance from mine.
“You don’t seem to have any divine powers at all….”
As expected, he was indeed the main character, the force of his gaze that looked at me was as if he could see through anything. It was only for a moment, but I was scared and almost flinched…
Grumble!
……What? I think I just heard a big sound.