"..."
"Drop what?" Felix instinctively stepped back. "Keep your hands away from me."
Sylvester chuckled and clarified himself, "I was merely going to pull out your armor and heal your skin. What did you think? I still can't bring your testicles back from nothingness."
Felix calmed down. "Then… I'll look normal? Just without the tools to procreate?"
Gabriel knew what Felix wanted, so he butted in, "Yes, you can spend nights holding your woman—Now stop talking about it and sully this Holy Land."
Felix grinned behind his visor and turned his face to glance at Isabella, "Oh… Let's get started then, Max. You're going to do it now?"
"Only the test first." Sylvester moved closer and grabbed Felix's arm. Since the entire armor was stuck to his skin, he had no other way but to cut a piece of it and pull the armor off. However, to cut the Skygem, he needed an intense and focused beam of energy, something he hoped to do at the moment.
Raising his finger to Felix's arm, he tried to replicate the Wrath of Heaven's light beam onto his finger alone. The only difference was that he didn't use the hymns this time. It came far easier this time, and surprisingly, he felt more in harmony with everything around him—the solarium felt like it wanted to enter his body without much effort.
"Arh…" Felix winced a little once Sylvester's magic sliced into his skin. The beam of light was so hot that it burned easily through the Skygem.
However, the pain was only the beginning, as Sylvester soon began to pull the small patch of armor he had cut and began to burn away the skin underneath to separate them entirely. He opted to cut it instead of pulling it all out, fearing that the muscles would also be damaged.
"Grit your teeth," Sylvester warned him and hastily finished the most crucial part.
Soon, with a disgusting squelching sound and flesh tearing apart, the piece of armor came off. But Sylvester immediately burned the wound, and he started using healing magic to see if he could completely bring the skin back to its original form.
'Why should I use the solarium reserves in my own body?' Sylvester thought and decided to attempt something new for the first time. He aimed to use the natural solarium in the air and channel it on his palm for healing instead.
It came easier than ever before, causing Sylvester to wonder if this was due to the inheritance he had received from the Elder God. Since he had been in the Elder God's realm, he couldn't stop wondering how powerful the creature was, considering its massive magical aura. On top of that, the solarium around the creature felt so much more hospitable.
At that moment, Sylvester's thoughts went to the nearby Golden Peninsula. He wondered if the massive Orb of Purity, which killed the first Pope, could someday be nourishment for him.
'Seems like the sky's the limit.' Sylvester sighed and focused on Felix's arm.
"It's healing." He noticed the reverting skin. "I think we should go inside and try this all over your body. Perhaps I can heal you fully tonight."
Felix didn't speak for a long time, but his breath was rushed and trembling. There was a scent of sorrow and hope leaking from him. Felix knew Sylvester felt responsible for what happened to him, although it was never going to be said out loud.
"Thank you." Sylvester smiled and patted Felix's shoulder, "Go to your bedroom with Isabella. I'll bring some potions and Healer Hendrix to ensure everything goes smoothly. Let the rest enjoy the evening."
"You should enjoy it too," Felix said, shaking his arm. "We all have been in a constant battle for life and triumph these past few years. So let's just celebrate the night and do this tomorrow. I've endured years like this. What's a few more hours?"
Sylvester knew Felix wanted to be healed as soon as possible and was just saying that to be considerate, "Are you sure?"
Bam!
Felix clapped his gauntlets, "Honestly, I looked somewhat badass in this armor. Isabella feels warm just seeing me like this—And when I tell her about my battles and adventures, she completely loses herself and uses her fing—"
Clank!
Gabriel smacked on Felix's helmet, "Begone! The horny devil of mind, no intelligence here you will find. Begone!"
"..."
Sylvester chuckled and decided to go and dance with Xavia, "Felix. You should try not to share intimate things you and Isabella do with anyone else. Women hate finding out their privacy was violated like this—You will learn that with age, but remember my advice."
Felix saluted, "Understood, O' wise old sage Pope."
'I 'am' old.' Sylvester shook his head and walked away.
The bards didn't sing that night; they only played music. Sylvester had to teach them a few new things, and they eagerly learned. After all, ever since Sylvester had become famous, the status of all bards had increased, and they now received so much more respect and higher prices. So, anything from the big boss bard was basically a gold mine.
Sylvester danced with Xavia, talking with her about their life and journey from the beginning to now. "...I will transfer you so you can work in the Pope's Palace soon."
She sighed and touched Sylvester's face, "Dear, you don't need to worry about me. Just be well, that's all I want."
"I won't stay the Pope forever," Sylvester revealed, surprising Xavia. "I'll likely live for over four centuries, and I'm merely twenty-six right now. Meanwhile, the Popes in the past rarely served even a hundred years. I fear that if I stay in power for too long, the world will turn complacent and too weak from the prolonged peace—So I want to allow more Popes to come to power, and I'll be an overseer during their rule to establish further checks and balances that will endure even after I'm gone."
Taken aback but understood the reasoning behind his words, Xavia patted his chest, "I believe in whatever you decide, Max. I always will—That's what mothers do."
'I sure am blessed in this aspect of life.' Sylvester told himself and silently enjoyed the evening. Even Miraj enjoyed the squishes from Xavia and all the tasty food.
However, Sylvester couldn't spend all his time relaxing. Once those who weren't inhumanly powerful had gone to sleep, he chose to enter the underground secret chamber where all the past inventions were hidden.
It was time to make an inventory of everything, sort it all out into categories, and plan the implementation of some of the technologies. At first, he felt surprised to find some of the machines, as they were impossible to make for someone from ancient Earth.
However, when he remembered that the creations were likely from great inventors from Earth who gained immense power and lived for centuries here while improving—the inventions made sense.
Clocks, books on various engineering methods related to machines, tools for medical care, for traveling, and even diagrams of what appeared to be a simple, small internal combustion engine powered not by liquid fuel but by fire crystals and controlled by runes to regulate the bursts.
"Maxy, look what I found—Are there treats in this box?" Miraj grabbed something huge in his jaw, a black box-like thing with a single round opening.
Sylvester looked at it with interest. However, he wasn't prepared for the ingenious inventions in his hands, "I-Is this… This is brilliant! Such use of light crystals and trap runes… Who made this…!"
Such reactions were common. It was a goldmine, and Sylvester knew he would be busy for the next few years. His goals were set—train with the Elder God, rule as Pope, implement inventions, and unite the world.
Sounded simple… But it wasn't.
…
If one were to look throughout history, why do so many kings, queens, emperors, and empresses become inept? If one were to see history in detail, the said monarchs were overachievers throughout their lives—they fought for the throne and won it. Incompetence only came afterward.
The reason was simple—a lack of purpose. After getting the throne, what was next? The monarch grew bored, unable to find another challenge. Some become lazy and drown themselves in wine and women. While others become paranoid, trying to find challenges and hidden schemes in their own administrations.
For Sylvester, life became somewhat regulated once he became the Pope. No more traveling, no more urgent mysteries to figure out, no more crimes to solve—nothing to investigate personally.
His daily schedule was quite simple.
"I'll see you later."
With those words, he left Bright Mothers' residence each morning, a bowl of food still in his hands sometimes. As usual, his regal carriage awaited him, with the reinsman on his knees pleading, only to get ignored and follow behind Sylvester on his bicycle.
After reaching the Pope's Palace, Sylvester entered his office first and looked at the schedule, signed documents, and oversaw the various drafts of plans and reports from his Sanctum Council. Afterward, he got busy with multiple meetings and then held the Holy Court—every single day. Some sought his blessings, while others came to speak of their grievances. He would always remain available to them, building a sense of trust and affection among the commoners toward Sylvester.
It was crucial to rebuild people's trust in the faith of Solis. Therefore, Sylvester tried everything that could help the realm. But his propaganda printing press never rested, churning out new pieces every single day.
By the time evening came, Sylvester ate dinner and entered the Elder God's realm to receive further training. It was mainly about receiving the essence of solarium left in the huge creature's body and its knowledge. However, the knowledge remained inaccessible as it posed the risk of his head exploding.
Afterward, he always went to the secret old inventions chamber, and worked inside to sort things out, preparing some of them for eventual revelation to the world. There were also plenty of books, and he had to read them all by himself.
That was his schedule, day in and day out. A week passed, and then a month passed. The realm noticed visible improvements everywhere, but Sylvester appeared increasingly tired, annoyed, and frustrated in response.
Finally, he began to understand why so many Popes in the past went corrupt. It was the only exciting and interesting thing left to do.
As usual, a month after Sylvester became the Pope, he took his throne in the Holy Court. However, something was different this time. There was a big smile on Sylvester's face as he wore incredibly more regal clothes. Multiple layers of holy robes, red, golden, and various formal ornaments adorned him. On his head, the mitre shone, and in one of his hands, he held the magnificent staff of the previous Pope.
The entire Holy Court was packed to capacity, and everyone wore official, regal clothes reserved for special occasions. Furthermore, Xavia, Guardians of Light, and Sanctum Council members stood beside Sylvester's throne on each side of the platform.
Loud murmurs had taken over the massive space.
Thud!
Right then, the gigantic double doors at the end of the hall began to open with a resounding noise. The herald bellowed at the top of his lungs, ensuring each corner of the hall heard him.
"In the house of Solis—Arrives the King, His Majesty Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, the King of Elves! Accompanied by Prince Avanss Xeek Eldaron—Bearing tidings of peace!"
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