“Stefan Caravel!”
My name rung out, and I, stood in a daze.
“What?”
I questioned, not in my mind. It was heard by everyone here.
In my stupor, I was standing still. Looking at everyone, who were looking at me as well. With…strange eyes.
I had become ready to accept whatever fate lay in front of me, I was ready to fight them all to escape, get to my room, get Gaebolg and run.
But… Nothing went to plan. Not even the damn election. Someone else was supposed to be the pope…those bastards would never vote for me.
‘Are they playing…a trick, perhaps?’
The thought came to my mind. It could very well be possible. These scheming, heinous bastards would of course think of such.
But, there is a slight…echo in my heart. An echo that whispers to my mind that this is true. Maybe it is my ambition, or maybe it is just…my wish becoming alive.
However… I must not succumb to it. Hurriedly, I used my holy power to discern their intentions. I need to know!
But I found nothing yet again, only pure fanatics…of me.
Not of our deity, but…me? Have they truly gone insane?
No, that cannot be it. They are right in the head. My powers deem it to be so. So I am right!
The voice in my mind, the warning from my heart, my guts and instincts are wrong.
I am right!
They…really did choose me.
“Pope Stefan?”
The priestess said, to gain my attention.
‘Pope.’
‘Pope.’
‘Pope.’
That word resounded in my mind…millions of times. For so long, I had… I had dreamt of this. Wished for it. Prayed for it.
Fought for it.
And it was granted to me…like that?
Preposterous! It could not be this easy. It must not be this easy! It…can’t be this easy.
They are all my enemies, I know it in my heart, but my powers tell me the opposite.
They truly believe that I should be pope.
‘But then…’
Why?
Why oppose me for so long? Why make my life a hell? Why make it so that I would be weak? That I would die every second of my life.
Was it…to nurture me? That they would not actually kill me, but would rather just do it to make me stronger?
No, that is wrong. Multiple times I have almost died, and the assassins and demons I faced were out to kill me. Every one of them wanted to kill me.
Only by the grace of my deity was I able to survive. And the nature of these bastards didn’t sit right with me, nor their current actions.
For example, the bishop of gold. A greedy bastard who did anything for money. I once called him out on public and disgraced his image. He hates me as if I am the person that killed his entire family.
But he agrees of my stance.
The cardinals, five of them, who are my bitter enemies… They voted for me.
“… Ouch.”
I pinched myself, wanting to see if this was a dream or not. Maybe…this is just a bad dream.
But it was not. Furthermore, it fucking hurt.
“Pope Stefan, will you ascend to your seat?”
They called out, everyone looked at me with expectant eyes. They were not eyes filled with deceit.
I did not move, but I moved. My feet left my original position and began to walk towards it, climbing the stairs.
Why am I moving? I don’t want to. Not until I know what the fuck is going on here.
Why am I moving?! Stop!
But I still continued to move. My body betrayed my mind, becoming a traitor and marched forth. My will to stop it also relinquished. I accepted it.
Maybe…this is the heavenly will. Maybe…they were all enlightened.
No!
It is! It is not maybe, but I am sure it is! I can not be wrong.
I walked up the stairs, and sat on the seat.
My body did it like I was used to it. I felt no excitement. I felt nothing.
They all clapped. But it sounded weird.
Each, and every strange clap, followed by an interval of nothing but them staring right into my soul.
‘Thump!’
My heart began to beat loudly. My body began to shiver.
Taking heavy breaths, I calmed myself. I should not get mislead here. I am the pope now, I have many duties to uphold. Not only that, but I am just letting suspicion drive my mind. They have all been enlightened.
They have now…become true believers, of me.
“My…”
I opened my mouth, but no word came after that. My body began to shiver once more. I tried to calm myself, but to no avail.
“WHAT IS HAPPENING?!”
I screamed out. They continued to stare at me in silence. My sudden outburst did not take them by surprise. I looked at the High priestess, her cold stare and kind smile pierced me.
Shivers ran down my body. Each and every cell of my body wanted me to run. But I was glued to the seat, to the power it bestowed upon me. My mind was drunk on it.
‘The seat is a curse, but it is holy’
Now I understood the words of my master. The previous pope. But I felt odd.
They started to clap once again. Each and every clap sent strange murmurs in my mind. Which increased my alarm. I began to sweat, unable to take the toll.
But then it changed.
They stopped clapping. They all looked at me. I was given a moment of respite. I had done nothing of significance, but I felt exhausted. Furthermore, I felt so mentally and physically fatigued I could…do nothing.
Mustering up all my courage, all my strength, I managed to say.
“We must hold the funeral…of the previous pope.”
Why was it so hard to say these words, Why?
“Scratch that, We must hold a festival for my coronation.”
What? I don’t want to say that… Why did I say that?
The words left my mouth, so easily, I was shocked. I tried to take it back, but it didn’t work.
“Tsk tsk.”
I heard someone click their tongue. They were behind me. Yet I did not dare look back. I tried to move my neck, but my muscles were scared.
My body was scared. I felt like the demon king was behind me.
‘Demon king…’
I thought. Maybe it is the demon king who planned this. Who took control of them!
In my sudden assumption, I had forgotten that my holy powers had told me there was nothing but pure fanatiscm in their minds. I was just so ready to grab at any string I could see, so I could escape.
I devised a plan to use Stella and end him, and get rid of the curse on the people here.
“I thought you wouldn’t succumb to the power… I was wrong.”
I paused.
The voice that accompanied the wind to my ears. I knew of it. I knew of this voice a few days ago and remembered it clearly.
“What’s wrong? Scared?”
The barbarian…how?
He was simply a pawn for me to use to get more favour, to appear more merciful… So am I hearing things or not?
I turned around, strangely, there was nothing stopping me now. I turned around and I was correct. It was the barbarian. But he possessed hair like golden silk now. His eyes were still the same emerald green, but I believe there is something else within them. He still towers over me, and his smile…
His smile is wicked.
“You…?”
I questioned, hesitant but curious. I want to know what is going on here.
“Yes. Who else?”
His voice rang in my ears again, like a drum. Reverberating through my brain. My heart skipped a beat.
I fell from my seat, down the stairs and onto the ground.
He followed me, and sat on the seat. I looked at him from above.
“I had hope for you, Stefan, I thought at least you…wouldn’t be greedy and succumb to the mightiest wine that is power. You became drunk in mere seconds.” 𝘪.𝑐ℴ𝘮
What is he talking about?
I wondered as I massaged my ass. I had regained some clarity and I looked at him, and said.
“What…are you doing?”
Why do you dare sit there? Who has given you permission? You are still a barbarian.
“Why are you sitting there? Come down this instant!”
That is not your seat, but mine! Mine!
I am the pope, Not you! You came here only because I was merciful enough… So how dare you?
“Come down there?”
He cackled, I began to walk up the steps, but he stopped me. Strangely, I listened to him.
“Woah there. Stop. If I want to sit here…”
Staring right into my eyes, he continued.
“Who can stop me? Whowantsto stop me?”
He said, addressing not just me, but everyone here.
𝑖𝘦𝑎.𝗇t