Argelio, uncharacteristically dazed, frowned deeply.

“The reason monsters are swarming that forest...? There’s no special reason, is there? It’s just a remote area, so they naturally gather there.”

“Click, click.” I tutted and shook my head. “You’d be hopeless at investing. That kind of simplistic thinking won’t get you anywhere.”

Argelio's frown deepened further, his expression almost crumpling in irritation.

Relishing his frustration, I continued, “I’ve got a hunch as to why monsters gather there. It’s probably because of a treasure buried in that forest.”

“Treasure? What in the world are you talking about? I’m starting to get seriously concerned here.”

“You don’t believe me? Fine. If it comes to it, I’ll take full responsibility.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do that? You have no means to take responsibility, even if you wanted to.”

His skepticism wasn’t surprising. A man with nothing to his name, daring to speak of ‘responsibility,’ must have sounded laughable.

But contrary to his assumptions, I still had one card to play.

“If there’s no treasure found there, I’ll personally bow my head to the Imperial Palace and the Count of Philmar. After that, I’ll resign as Pope in penance.”

“Your Holiness!”

The voice that cried out wasn’t Argelio’s. Luciana stormed toward me, her tone sharp and her steps heavy.

She leaned close, her voice dropping to an intense whisper only I could hear. “What on earth are you saying? Resign as Pope?”

“Why not? It’s a solid plan.”

“... ‘Solid plan,’ you say?”

“Come on, the Emperor and the Count are already grinding their teeth, wishing someone like me would disappear. If I voluntarily step down, they’ll happily cover the cost of the Blonka Forest subjugation. The Count might even waive the reparations he’s demanding.”

I grew up dirt poor, thrown into society with nothing but hardship to teach me one thing: nothing is given for free.

Even as a Pope with a scandalous reputation, that truth held firm. With things as they were, any move I made would face resistance. The only way to gain trust was to put something on the line—even the Papal seat if necessary.

“The Church won’t suffer for it. I’ll make sure of that.”

I thought my reasoning was sound.

But Luciana ground her teeth in frustration, her anger becoming even more palpable.

‘...What’s her problem? Considering her relationship with Nikellus, this isn’t out of concern for me. Did I fail to convince her?’

Since merging with Nikellus, I’d inherited three months’ worth of his memories. According to those, Luciana’s feelings toward him were mostly disdain.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Sure, she’d helped Nikellus a few times, but that was likely out of a sense of duty as the Knight Commander, tasked with supporting the Pope.

It seemed clear that her frustration wasn’t about me, but rather the Church—and, by extension, her own position.

“Hah. So, you’re saying that, when the time comes, you’ll just step down? Do you even have it in you to follow through? Or will you come crawling back to me for help again? How long do I have to keep cleaning up your messes―”

“Then ignore me.”

She blinked, not fully understanding. So, I clarified, “Not that I’ll need your help, but if I do ask, just leave me be. Let Argelio or the other priests use what I said today to kick me out of office.”

“...”

“That way, you won’t have to waste energy fixing my mistakes.”

Her grip on my wrist slackened, her hand dropping away like the string of a puppet suddenly cut.

I hesitated, wondering if I should say more, but Argelio interjected, barely hiding his delight.

“Did I hear that right? You’ll step down?”

“Yes. Although I wasn’t planning to go that far. Even if no treasure is found, I was prepared to resolve the issue using the Church’s resources alone. If we do find anything, every last coin will go to the Church.”

Carefully laying the groundwork, I continued, “But since you brought up the subjugation costs, I’m willing to put the Papal seat on the line. That’s a risk I’m taking for this.”

“...What do you want from me?”

At least he caught on quickly. I appreciated that about him.

“Simple. You take responsibility, too.”

“What sort of responsibility, exactly...?”

“If we find something in that forest, you cover all the costs—like the expedition team’s wages.”

“Excuse me?! That’s outrageous!”

The man who had barely contained his glee moments ago now exploded in protest.

Realizing how embarrassing his reaction was, he quickly calmed himself.

“Hmph. Fine. I’ll cover the expenses personally. But in return―”

“I get it. I’ll keep my word.”

“...Very well. Scribe, are you recording this conversation properly?”

“Yes, Your Eminence. It’s all being documented.”

Argelio, ever the cunning one, ensured there’d be a record to hold me to my word. He probably thought the odds of treasure being found were slim, making this a perfect opportunity to oust me.

‘Go ahead. Celebrate while you can. When we uncover that, you’ll be biting your tongue figuring out how to pay up.’

Suppressing a smirk, I watched the meeting dissolve.

Luciana left without a word, while Argelio threw out a mocking “Good luck,” before leaving.

The other two high priests, silent observers until now, approached me.

I glanced at them in turn.

‘Delci. And Bliss.’

First came Delci, her silver hair fluttering as she stepped closer.

Though a commoner and still a minor, she had risen to high priesthood thanks to her rare and extraordinary abilities.

When she reached me, she clasped my hand firmly, speaking through the peculiar medium of her duck-shaped doll.

[You must have a plan, Your Holiness. I believe in you. Quack-quack.]

Even now, the absurd “quack-quack” sound accompanied her words. It had taken some getting used to.

Still, Delci’s loyalty was genuine, and in this den of vipers, even one ally felt invaluable.

“Trust me. I’ve got a plan, and I don’t lie. You know that.”

She hesitated, her lips twitching as if to say something, but in the end, she only nodded before leaving.

That left Bliss.

‘Bliss von Frisk,’ I thought, recalling his full name.

Once a crown prince, he’d been forced to abdicate and was now exiled here as a high priest.

“Quite a spectacle,” he said, smirking as his golden eyes gleamed with amusement. “If the Church does throw you out, consider coming to my estate. I could use a new attendant.”

Ah, so he came to provoke me.

Feigning calm, I replied, “I’ll pass. I’ve heard enough about what happens to your attendants.”

Bliss’s reputation preceded him—a madman with a penchant for making his servants disappear.

“You’d prefer the streets, then?” he asked, his smirk widening.

“Of course. Though I won’t be the one ending up there.”

Satisfied with my jab, I dismissed him. Bliss only chuckled darkly, retreating with a haunting grin.

‘What a creep.’

At last, I returned to my private office to prepare for the challenge ahead.

Opening my Quest Log, I reviewed the critical task:

Find and purify the ancient artifact hidden in the temple of the Crimson Moon within Blonka Forest (0/1).

A smirk tugged at my lips. “Let’s see who’s laughing once I uncover this treasure.”