v2c25

Kays Translations

Just another Isekai Lover~

Chapter 25: Pope’s Statement

“Ah, you’ve come. Fimia, and Hero-dono.”

A luxurious letter with embossed foil handed to Saran.

It was a summons from the Pope of the Sardin Orthodox Church himself.

Despite the solemn contents, the attitude of the Pope who welcomed us in the solemn temple was somewhat gentle.

Unlike that nauseating third-rate scum, the atmosphere was so different that we felt overwhelmed.

Even though they were someone we didn’t know well, their calm demeanor made us feel like we were letting our guard down.

That’s me.

“Pope, it’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has been a while. Fimia. You’ve become quite robust.”

The Pope smiled gently.

The wrinkles on his face had deepened, reminding me of… well, an old man in the village.

It’s disrespectful to say this to His Holiness, who bears the entire faith of the kingdom, but…

“May I ask for your name, Hero-dono?”

“Jurg. My name is Jurg Dreadnought.”

Thanks to repeated practice, I was able to say my name without stumbling.

But if this conversation continued, my flaws would be exposed soon.

“Oh, it seems the hero I see is very well-mannered unlike what I’ve heard. Fimia, did you put a cat’s skin on the Hero?”

“He made an effort to put it on himself. Please don’t pry too much.”

As the two clergymen chuckled softly, I sighed inwardly.

Even though it’s a cat, I’m like a borrowed cat right now.

I don’t even know what to say.

“Jurg, it’s okay. His Holiness is that kind of person.”

If Fimia says so, should I believe it?

And… even if I try to speak politely, it seems like I’m already found out.

“You’ve become quite pleasant. Heroes should be like this.”

“I’ll take your word for it, Pope. So, could you tell us why you called us here?”

At my words, the Pope nodded slightly and looked at Fimia.

“First, I wanted to exchange words with the Hero of this generation. I used a summons for that. It’s also a service to Saran Zolark-dono.”

The Pope smiled with a friendly face.

It’s hard to believe that even the leader of the organization is so gentle… but I reconsidered that this atmosphere is necessary precisely because he leads the faith.

There’s a charisma that makes me want to join the faith inadvertently.

“Tell me, Pope. Will the ‘Culling’… happen again?”

“You’re getting straight to the point. That’s good; it’s much more comfortable than dealing with nobles.”

The Pope smiled as he placed an old book on the table.

“Pope, what is this?”

“I haven’t shown it to Fimia either. This is a secret book inherited only by the Pope. It contains the insights and prophecies obtained by successive Popes.”

With a black cover embossed in gold.

It certainly looks valuable, but… it doesn’t seem like something grand.

But it’s not something to joke about.

“Three hundred years ago, during the Rajai Dynasty, a god from another world called the ‘Silver Triangles’ swept across this continent. It was a disaster that distorted the existence of many creatures, including humans, truly worthy of being called a ‘Culling.'”

“They overcame that, didn’t they?”

“Yes. At that time, a Hero chosen by the Saint faced it at the cost of their life… and saved the world.”

Indeed, that’s what a Hero is supposed to be.

But there are some things that bother me.

‘The Scarred Beast’ was somewhat insufficient as a ‘Culling.’

He was a formidable opponent, and he did possess special powers.

However, it’s hard to believe that it was a danger that could determine the fate of the world, as the Pope just described.

Surely, with several holy knights armed with relics, even if they weren’t Heroes, they could have exterminated them.

“However, there was a problem.”

“A problem?”

“The remnants of what was exterminated became accustomed to this world and caused distortions. It brought distortions to the eastern end of this country—now called the Hilte Territory.”

“No way…”

A cold sensation crawled up my back.

It traveled down my spine and shook my brain.

“Didn’t you find it strange that such a remote place had a strong barrier?”

“——…!”

“The reason a research base was established there is to monitor the ‘remnants of the foreign gods.'”

“In that case, the ‘Culling’…”

“It’s not over yet. It’s what’s commonly known as the era of the ‘Third Culling.'”

Fimia’s face turned blue.

And I too felt my heart pounding loudly with tension and fear.

With the presence of the Saint and myself… it meant that a situation requiring a Hero was about to occur.

In my hometown. In the “Pioneer City of Malhas,” which had become a paradise for adventurers.

“In the first place, the cause of what is called the ‘Third Culling’ stems from the ‘Second Culling’ that occurred in ancient times… starting with the Dimensional Rupture Incident.”

“Do you have records of that, Your Holiness?”

“Only the successive Popes, Saints, and Heroes know about this. It’s fine to tell your comrades, but please don’t let it leak out.”

“And then? What kind of ‘Culling’ was the Dimensional Rupture Incident?”

“The sky split apart.”

Speechless at the succinct words.

I couldn’t understand what it meant for the sky to split apart.

“In fact, it’s still split. It’s just that we can’t see it.”

“What? So, does that mean… none of the ‘Cullings’ have ended…?”

“Exactly, that’s probably the case. And occasionally, it bares its fangs as if to remind us. That’s why there are clergy like us and Heroes like you to protect innocent people.”

The Pope chuckled weakly, seeming somewhat powerless.

I messed up. I sounded like I was blaming him.

“Fimia, and Jurg. Return to Malhas. Surely, the answers will be there.”

“…Understood, Your Holiness. I will definitely fulfill my duty as the Saint.”

“It’s okay to run away, Fimia.”

Fimia shook her head faintly at the Pope’s words.

“It’s okay. Because Jurg is here.”

“I see. That’s reassuring, indeed.”

The Pope’s deeply wrinkled face softened into a smile at those words.

Being told like this, I had no choice but to brace myself.

Besides, abandoning Malhas was never an option from the start.

“By the way, Fimia. There’s one thing I need to confirm.”