How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 80

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Family (80)

“Do you understand what you just said?”

In the frozen atmosphere, one of the bishops broke the silence and spoke up.

“The appointment of cardinals is a power that only His Holiness possesses. Not only is this overstepping authority, but to bring up such matters first in his absence is absurd.”

“Finding a suitable person was His Holiness the Pope’s command.”

Narke answered gently and continued.

“Also, you spoke correctly. Ordination cannot be accomplished without your consent. However, as you said, the appointment of cardinals, which only His Holiness the Pope has authority over, is a different matter.”

“That’s not what I meant…!”

“Your Excellency Aurelino, Bishop and Papal Legate, I would be grateful if you could quickly send word to His Holiness the Pope.”

Narke politely gestured to the bishop called the papal legate.

‘…No, you could have spoken to the Pope yourself before holding such a meeting.’

Didn’t he say he received direct orders from the Pope?

On the surface it seemed like a natural procedure, but this was something that didn’t require holding such a meeting.

There was definitely a desired outcome in mind.

Then, the cardinal who was presiding raised his hand.

“Everyone please calm down. We’ll recess and resume in 10 minutes.”

* * *

He escalated something that could have been finished by speaking directly to the Pope.

Since the intention was clear, there was no need to think about it at length.

‘Most likely, negative opinions about my ordination were dominant.’

Even though this wasn’t a scheduled meeting, several people knew I lacked a baptismal certificate.

Since mages who freely use divine power are rare, there must have been internal discussions about honorary position qualifications, and I would have been eliminated long ago for being unqualified.

If cardinal appointment proceeded in this situation, there would inevitably be opposition.

So Narke probably held this examination to share the weight of responsibility that would fall on the Pope, and incidentally to directly prove that Nicolaus was not a heretic.

―”I didn’t expect you to be thinking that far ahead already.”

Narke approached me with a smile.

The bishops were gathered among themselves having conversations at the end of the cathedral, and I was the only one seated.

Seeing him speak casually, he seemed to think divine interference wouldn’t reach at this distance.

―”Was this your plan from the start?”

―”Haha, what do you think?”

―”You must have planned this far.”

―”You know me well~ Still, if those people had settled for just priest, I wouldn’t have forced it to continue this far. Even if it’s an honorary position, cardinals have a lot of work to do.”

―”Right, like being Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.”

When I said this with a smile, Narke laughed with a rarely flustered expression.

―”…I wasn’t trying to deceive you. You know that, right?”

He probably thought there was no need to mention such things.

I was a little surprised, but it’s not an important issue.

―”I know. It’s impressive.”

―”It just happened from sitting around for a long time, nothing special. So, how about the cardinal position?”

It’s a perfect defensive tool without even needing to ask.

Of course, the clergy position itself is beneficial, so whether I become a deacon or priest within that doesn’t matter to me at all. Rather, cardinal is excessively burdensome.

‘But whatever it is, it’s an opportunity.’

It bothers me a little to take a position despite lacking faith, but it would be foolish to miss such an opportunity just because it’s burdensome.

Now that time was up, the bishops began returning to their seats.

“Let’s resume.”

Then, the papal legate bishop stood up.

“I’ll speak directly. Your Eminence Farnese, I cannot contact His Holiness the Pope for someone who doesn’t even have the qualifications. No matter how much cardinal appointment is His Holiness’s authority, even His Holiness cannot violate canon law.”

Narke, who had been listening with wide eyes, stroked his chin and replied.

“Canon law… I trust you know that even laypeople can rise to the rank of cardinal deacon.”

“But Lord Nicolaus Ernst isn’t even a layperson. This is no longer a matter of receiving baptism or not. Moving solely for divine power – that itself is the problem.”

The bishop answered decisively with a weighty voice.

‘…Hmm.’

This is an opinion that could reasonably come up.

From what he’s saying, he seems to be a regular clergyman, and from their perspective, the appearance of hastily giving baptism just to obtain divine power would inevitably be seen as an affront to their pride.

“Of course, if Your Eminence Farnese speaks directly, I have no way to stop it. But you should know that there are others in the Vatican who share my opinion.”

“…”

Narke looked at him while maintaining his smile.

Probably, Narke would say he would seek a direct papal audience as the man suggested.

‘But if it ends here, Narke’s purpose would only be half achieved.’

Narke held this meeting to demonstrate Nicolaus’s integrity and secure legitimacy. This way, the latter wouldn’t be fully obtained.

‘What should I do.’

If direct physical contact is the problem, then naturally I should reveal it indirectly.

‘…There is a way.’

There’s an optimal method that only believers can use, and those who hear its contents must not reveal them anywhere.

I stood up and said.

“I will make confession to His Holiness the Pope.”

* * *

Now only I remain in this cathedral.

There was opposition saying that confession wouldn’t be valid if one wasn’t a believer, but with Narke’s strong words that the Pope would make the judgment, it was settled and contact could be sent to the Pope.

‘Look how interpretations are already splitting.’

Saying confession wouldn’t be valid if one wasn’t a believer – it was absurd.

I thought that bringing up confession would naturally be heard as me saying it because I was a believer, but it wasn’t.

So I’m even less inclined to speak directly about it.

‘Imagine all you want.’

The more possibilities split, the more helpful it is.

Then, there was a sound of something moving inside the confessional.

―”This is our first meeting like this.”

It was a voice I’d never heard before.

Since there was no curtain, I could see inside the confessional, but it appeared completely empty.

In a world with magic, this wasn’t a particularly surprising sight.

I knelt and grasped the confessional window frame as Narke had instructed.

―”It’s an honor to meet you. Thank you for granting my request at this late hour.”

―”The confessional is always open.”

I simply smiled at the Pope’s half-amused words.

―”After hearing about today’s events, I was thinking I should invite you sometime, and Cardinal Farnese has conveniently arranged this meeting with you.”

―”I see. Next time I’ll meet you properly while seated.”

―”Good. Now, I know time is short. Only an hour and thirty minutes remain.”

I nodded at the Pope’s words and opened my mouth.

―”In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it’s been half a year since my last confession. The sins I must atone for now are…”

I stopped speaking and brought up what I had to say first.

―”First, I cannot be certain of my faith.”

―”…”

I have no intention of acting out lies before those who devoted their lives to religion.

Also, if someone later finds a new method of proof and finds fault with my faith, everything that happened here would be for nothing.

I must reveal the truth with my own mouth at this time designed for confessing impure hearts to avoid future troubles.

―”Second, even at this moment when everyone is confused by matters of the Church’s conscience, I cannot reveal with my own mouth that I am a confirmed believer.”

Silence continued.

After staring into space for a while, the Pope spoke.

―”Extend your hand.”

I reached my arm through the confessional window.

Something seemed to grab my wrist, and cold divine power flowed in.

―”It’s true.”

The Pope continued speaking.

―”I understand well what you’re concerned about. Indeed, it would be hard to accept whether someone without faith should sit in holy office.”

―”That’s correct.”

―”We face an unprecedented crisis. Pleroma has been running tirelessly for the past 10 years with the goal of absorbing the entire world into their sect. Ernst has proven today what form their achievements have taken.”

Though I didn’t answer separately, the Pope continued speaking.

―”I know that insincere people sit in honorary positions. They think everything ends with memorizing doctrine and performing mechanical pastoral duties. It’s true they don’t look entirely favorable. But if we can save many lives by standing against a greater evil, we can willingly compromise until the darkness lifts.”

‘This… I’m not sure everyone will agree.’

However, these are the best words he can say in this situation.

Honorary positions became the exclusive domain of nobility long ago. Compared to that history, this side trying for a greater cause certainly sounds more compelling.

―”I believe the Papacy serves as the world’s repository of divine power, binding mages together. The fact that we could immediately send hundreds of mages to the Empire at your request today was also because of the Church’s compromises.”

The Pope said this and released my hand.

―”I see. Thank you for your words.”

―”I hope peace comes to your heart. As for penance… yes.”

The Pope continued lightly.

―”Let it be living faithfully in service.”

* * *

“…They’re taking quite a while.”

“He must have much to say.”

The bishops who had moved to the nearby cathedral muttered while looking at their watches.

“There’s less than an hour left until the portal closes. Plus it’s a 40-minute walk to where the portal is, so shouldn’t they wrap up around now?”

“His Holiness must know as well.”

Narke spoke without taking his eyes off the stiff paper on the platform.

In the silence, only the sounds of crackling flames and dripping candle wax continued.

A priest who seemed anxious, chewing the inside of his mouth, whispered to another honorary priest using divine power.

―”…Roman Priest, do you think it will work?”

―”Nonsense. How can someone who hasn’t even been baptized be elevated to honorary office?”

―”That’s what I thought. To think he hasn’t been baptized at this age, isn’t Ernst from continental nobility anyway? It makes no sense unless he believed in Alara down there.”

The priest nodded.

It’s a world where even some in Pleroma have been baptized. They cannot employ someone who doesn’t even meet such basic qualifications.

‘Above all…’

The position of Cardinal is a lifetime appointment that cannot be revoked once given, and there are limited positions.

If positions are taken up like this one by one, it reduces the opportunities for those living in the same era.

The priest held his forehead with bloodshot eyes.

―”…It’s like a bolt from the blue. Isn’t this like a rolling stone displacing a settled stone?”

Of course, it would be resolved if he became stronger as a mage.

He knew this well himself.

But he couldn’t swap talent, and becoming stronger wasn’t an easy task.

Only by thoroughly filtering out even those unqualified like that could he rise higher.

“…”

Narke’s gaze briefly touched upon them.

―”His Holiness the Pope must make a wise decision.”

The priest nodded at the murmur from the seat beside him.

Due to papal infallibility – the quality that the Pope does not err in matters of faith and doctrine – no one could add their words.

Everything was entirely in the Pope’s hands.

“…!”

Clatter―!

At that moment, Narke drew in a breath and shot up from his seat.

The bishops’ gazes turned to Narke.

“What’s wrong?”

“…They’re coming.”

“Pardon?”

Whoosh―

When Narke whistled sharply, a pure white dove flew in through the open window.

Narke rolled up the paper and tied it to the dove’s leg before sending it off.

A bishop asked with puzzled eyes.

“Your Eminence, that bird is…”

“It’s a carrier pigeon from The Papal Curia. Don’t you know?”

The Curia is the department that handles the Papacy’s political and diplomatic affairs.

A priest narrowed his eyes.

Seeing him call The Papal Curia’s carrier pigeon in this situation…

“Don’t tell me…!”

The priest who had turned pale shot up from his seat.

An elderly bishop who grasped the situation also raised his voice.

“What in the world…! You should at least tell us what happened, Your Eminence!”

“It’s not such an urgent matter, so I don’t understand why you’re getting angry.”

“I’m not trying to get angry, but since it’s such a critical matter…!”

“I understand. I should tell you.”

Though the other party’s tone wasn’t particularly polite, Narke answered with a relaxed smile.

“From midnight on the 11th, Nicolaus Ernst is to be appointed as Cardinal – this is a message from His Holiness the Pope.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————