To be precise… the Pope and the King arrived together.
Each sat in their own steam-powered car, arriving at Morning Sun Academy under the escort of the Imperial and Church guards.
Today could be described as the busiest day in the history of Morning Sun Academy.
Chiyang and Anya also came to the academy entrance to watch the spectacle.
Although Anya’s injuries had healed, she seemed disinterested in such a grand scene, even showing a hint of disgust.
After all, with the King of the Empire present, she naturally wouldn’t be happy.
Chiyang, on the other hand, was quite delighted.
Because the academy was in a semi-open state today, many famous snack shops from the Entia Kingdom had moved inside.
The Magic Dragon held Ice Tree Honey Hawthorn in one hand and Magic Pork Fries in the other, watching the two luxurious steam carriages of the King and the Pope drive onto the campus.
“Whoa… how impressive…”
Chiyang spoke while chewing on her snacks.
“But… why is the King getting out of the car before the Pope?”
Chiyang frowned as she watched the elderly King, protected by guards, step down from the vehicle.
“Because the Entia Kingdom is a country where faith in the Order of the Church is greater than the King’s authority,” Anya said with disdain.
“The King is nothing more than a puppet.”
“And looking at him, he might even have some senile dementia.”
“I see.”
Chiyang nodded and took another bite of her fries.
These fries were made in an interesting way.
Because the meat of the Giant Magic Boar was too firm and had a dry texture, the clever snack shop owner wrapped semi-cooked magic pork inside hollow potato strips.
It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making Chiyang narrow her eyes in enjoyment for a moment.
“This is really delicious! Anya, you should try some too!”
Chiyang held the fries out to Anya.
Anya frowned at the oily potato strips and said, “It’s a bit too greasy. I can’t eat that. You enjoy it… the doctor told me to keep my diet light.”
“Oh, oh, that’s such a shame…”
Chiyang said the words, but she immediately stuffed the potato strip into her own mouth.
The fragrant and oily taste made Chiyang feel a bit overwhelmed, so she took the Ice Tree Honey Hawthorn from her other hand and popped it into her mouth.
This honey hawthorn was less of a snack and more of a fruit.
The Entia Kingdom had a specialty species of Lesser Demon Beasts called Flame Magic Bees.
When the weather was hot, the Flame Magic Bees would produce a large amount of honey.
They would pour the excess honey into the ice hawthorns on the Ice Trees.
This allowed them to dispose of the extra honey while cooling themselves down.
Consequently, every summer, the ripe ice hawthorns on the Ice Trees would be filled with honey, ready to be eaten as soon as they were picked.
The moment it entered the mouth, the honey would melt out of the hawthorn.
That icy and sweet texture was perfect for cutting through greasiness.
If one bit into the hawthorn, they could experience the sensation of a cold exterior and a warm interior.
“Ah… this is bliss…”
Chiyang narrowed her eyes and enjoyed it for a while before looking at the snacks in her hands and muttering,
“If Joey were here…”
“He could fight me for these.”
Anya, standing nearby, didn’t hear her.
She suddenly remembered something and looked at Chiyang.
“Hey? Where is Aiki?”
“Her?”
Chiyang thought for a moment while chewing.
“She… she should be in the library reading books… don’t be fooled by her cold exterior; she’s actually quite a bookworm.”
Anya frowned.
“But today is the day Joey becomes the Saint Child. As a subordinate, how could she not be present?”
“Uh… well… I’m not really sure about that,”
Chiyang said, rubbing her head since she couldn’t think of a decent excuse.
Just then, a burst of cheering erupted, drawing the attention of both Chiyang and Anya.
“Hey! Look, that woman is coming down. The cheers are even louder than they were for the King!”
Chiyang pointed at the woman wearing a crown.
To an exaggerated degree, as soon as the woman stepped down, some people cried with excitement while others knelt directly on the ground.
“That is the Pope,” Anya said coldly.
“The person who truly holds the real power in the Entia Kingdom. She has made the entire nation believe that everything in the Entia Kingdom is a blessing bestowed by the Goddess. Furthermore, it’s heard that she can predict the future and change destiny.”
“Some even say it’s because of the current Pope’s arrival that the Entia Kingdom enjoys such favorable weather. How ridiculous. Even with technology this advanced, they still cling to these superstitions. The Entia Kingdom is truly beyond saving.”
Anya’s lecture made Chiyang’s head throb slightly.
She could only nod obediently and say, “So that’s how it is…”
“Huh?”
At that moment, Chiyang saw something else peculiar.
“Why is that little girl getting out of the Pope’s car? Is she the Pope’s daughter?”
“The Pope doesn’t have a daughter.”
Anya was about to criticize further, but she realized the little girl looked somewhat familiar.
“That little girl… she seems to be…”
“The King’s Granddaughter.”
“As I thought.”
Anya seemed to realize something as her expression became knowing.
“It’s just as I heard. The King has been sidelined… his granddaughter is being held by the Pope, who secretly controls the country. Looking at it now… it’s not even secret control anymore! It’s practically a demonstration to everyone that she already controls the Royal Family.”
“Eh?”
Chiyang frowned and asked, “How do you know so much about the affairs of the Entia Kingdom?”
“Ah… I…”
Anya’s expression turned guilty.
She rolled her eyes and said, “I just heard my elders talking nonsense back then… you know how nobles gossip about these boring trifles after tea.”
‘Oh, is that so…’
Chiyang nodded and didn’t pay it much mind, continuing to eat her snacks.
“Then that little girl is quite pitiful.”
Chiyang looked at the little girl who was dressed magnificently but didn’t have a single smile on her face.
“This… is probably the burden of the Royal Family…”
Anya watched the girl, her gaze gradually becoming complicated.
***
On the other side…
Joey had finished putting on the Holy Son Uniform and stood with Zilan in the private office established specifically for the Pope within the Church Office Building.
The young man pulled at his collar uncomfortably.
“These damn clothes are so hard to wear. They’re even more annoying than the Demon King Attire.”
Zilan maintained her usual gentle smile, but as she watched Joey’s discomfort, a playful glint appeared in her eyes.
“The Saint Child must mind his image. This isn’t your Demon King’s Castle. The only one who’s going to be toyed with… is you. Besides, if the clothes are hard to wear, just endure it for a bit.”
The purple-haired beauty leaned in closer to Joey and whispered in his ear, “After all… they’ll all be torn apart soon anyway.”
The tips of Joey’s ears turned slightly red from Zilan’s teasing, and he gave her a sharp glare.
“That wouldn’t be your turn to do the tearing.”
“Heh, I’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future.”
As the two were bickering, the door to the Pope’s office was slowly pushed open.