Chapter 134: Was it Really Me?
The Pope’s mood was actually quite good today. He had just felt the breath of the gods, a divine presence appearing in this world, signifying that the seeds of the gods had been sown and the great undertaking was about to begin.
Coincidentally, tonight was the night of the convergence of the twin moons, a time of immense magical tides. Surely, some like-minded individuals were taking advantage of this opportunity to spread the miracles of the gods.
Thus, the Pope eagerly summoned his followers again, wanting to share this good news with everyone. However, just as everyone gathered, he saw a girl accompanied by undead, her entire body enveloped in a potent divine aura.
This aura was so thick that it startled even the Pope, making him feel as though he were gazing into the abyss. Not only him, but all the other believers also looked on in amazement at the girl half-lying on the ground.
“Cough, cough, I just encountered some patrols and was almost discovered. I also had a fight with a group of undead, so I was forced to use some spells to fight.” To avoid any misunderstandings from these cultists, I decided to tell the truth.
Of course, I omitted certain details, such as the fact that I hadn’t actually fought with the patrols; on the contrary, we were on the same side. I also didn’t mention that the undead were a group of water spirits. I wasn’t lying.
“Oh, oh.” A group of cultists perfunctorily nodded. It was clear they didn’t believe a word I said, even though I was telling the truth.
The Pope then said to me earnestly, “You’ve worked hard. We are still in the planning stages, yet you have already taken action. You’re much more diligent than us. It must be very difficult fighting those lackeys of the kingdom, right?”
Ah, yes, it was quite difficult, but not because of some lackeys of the kingdom, just a few water spirits. Anyone present could have easily crushed them.
“Everyone, I am delighted to tell you good news. Just before this meeting was convened, the seeds of Our Lord have been successfully sown across the world!” the Pope announced loudly.
“Oh!” The cultists excitedly raised their fists in unison, expressing their excitement.
“And the one who accomplished this great feat is this lady! Under the siege of the kingdom’s patrols and necromancers, she fulfilled her mission and took the first step towards the great undertaking!” The Pope gestured towards me.
It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it! Don’t spread such rumors!
“Now, please pay tribute to this outstanding colleague! When the great undertaking of Our Lord’s descent is completed in the future, you should be credited with the first achievement!” the Pope said, and thunderous applause filled the cave.
After the Pope absorbed some unknown aura from me, I felt much better, and my brain could finally begin to think about a few things.
First, they must have misunderstood something, attributing the sowing of seeds to my accomplishment, when in fact I didn’t even understand what they were talking about.
Never mind that. He just told me that I had suffered a backlash from magic. The Witch’s Notes also recorded that using Black Magic comes with a price. Could this be the reason for my current unwellness?
Then, the Pope had just absorbed some aura from me. This aura was very similar to the maggots he had given me. He also smiled subtly when he took it, which I noticed. This indicated that he needed this aura very much and wasn’t simply treating me out of kindness.
At the same time, this aura was very similar to the maggots, likely produced by my previous use of the Plague of Maggots. After the Pope absorbed it, I felt a little more comfortable, which suggested that using the Plague of Maggots also placed a burden on my body.
The Pope definitely didn’t kindly give us a miracle; he must have ulterior motives. I need to be careful in the future and use the Plague of Maggots less. I am not aware of the specific side effects, nor do I know what contingency the Pope has left.
At this time, the Pope continued, “As soon as I felt Our Lord’s glory spreading, I couldn’t wait to tell you all this good news.”
“Alright, enough with the pleasantries. Where exactly is the location of the gospel? We are unwilling to be left behind and wish to contribute to the great undertaking.” A terrifying monster spoke with a hoarse voice, as if it had phlegm in its throat.
The monster was skinny as a rake, as if only skin covered its bones, yet it was very tall. Its ferocious face looked like melted wax, with a set of terrifying teeth and claws as large as pitchforks.
What was most terrifying was its back, where six tentacles writhed and swayed incessantly, looking extremely disgusting. I had no idea what kind of monster it was.
“It is in the Iberian Empire, in Castile!” the Pope said.
Damn it, Castile. It seems he truly didn’t misunderstand. It’s likely indeed me, but what did I do to make him think I spread some great undertaking?
I only brewed a pot of potion and used a few spells to fight earlier. Somewhere in this process, things must have gone wrong.
“You know what we want to know. The specific location, where in Castile?” they asked impolitely.
“Well, I just felt Our Lord’s grace and rushed to gather you all. I’m not too clear about the specific location. It seems someone involved will have to answer us,” the Pope said.
Everyone looked at me. Now they all considered me the instigator of this matter. No matter how much I denied it, they wouldn’t believe me.
Moreover, the Pope could already detect that the incident occurred in Castile. Pinpointing the exact location would be a simple matter for him. And if the Plague of Maggots was tampered with, location tracking might be a basic function.
So, I even suspect that he already knew it but deliberately shifted everyone’s attention to me to test me.
After some thought, I pretended to be unconcerned and said lightly, “In Cando City.”
The others immediately started discussing, “Cando City? Isn’t that already very close to Toledo and Madrid?”
“The security there is very strict. To dare cause trouble next to the capital, she is quite bold.”
I keenly captured this statement. Combining their previous attitudes and the known intelligence, I spoke decisively, “Don’t all crowd over there at once. I’ve already had conflicts with the guards before, so they are very vigilant. You appearing all together will easily expose you.”
“Heh heh, you needn’t worry about that. We have our ways of concealing ourselves and infiltrating,” the terrifying monster said. Then, its figure suddenly shrank, and its tentacles retracted.
Soon, it transformed into a normal, thin, and tall man, wearing a black outfit. He looked just like an ordinary person. So, this fellow could transform into a human.
“Wait a moment. She’s right. Even if you transform, with the guards on alert, they might still recognize your Ghoul form, especially if you all rush over. There will be too many targets. Who could bear the wrath of God if the great undertaking is ruined?” the Pope questioned sternly.
So, it’s a Ghoul after all.
