Chapter 61 : So It Was a Worldly Reason

In the silent stillness of the darkened cathedral, an old man stood alone.

His back was hunched, his skin lined with wrinkles, and his frame was thin, yet his expression exuded gentleness.

At the moment, his face was marked by a look of surprise, deepening some of the wrinkles on his aged visage.

But as a smile gradually spread across his lips, a warm kindness began to radiate.

“Well, well, what brings you to the cathedral at such a late hour?”

This was Igor Benestian.

The current Pope of the Holy Spirit Order and a towering figure who had held the position for more than thirty years.

Usher, caught off guard by the unexpected encounter, hesitated momentarily before stammering out a response.

“Your Holiness… why are you here at this hour?”

“I was organizing the sacred objects in preparation for prayer. When duties pile up, I often lack the time to pray, so I make use of hours like these.”

“Isn’t it too late for such work?”

“When one grows old, sleep becomes less necessary. But what brings the saintess here at such a late hour?”

Regaining his composure belatedly, Usher gave an awkward smile and replied, “I couldn’t sleep either, so I came to pray…”

Hearing this, the Pope’s eyes reflected surprise once more, but soon his smile grew even deeper.

“What a coincidence. Then would you mind assisting me for a moment? Once this is finished, we can pray together.”

Before he realized it, Usher found himself nodding.

The position of Pope in the Holy Spirit Order was somewhat unusual for a figure with ultimate decision-making authority.

Typically, rulers are expected to steer the direction of their groups and make decisions independently, but the role of the Pope starkly contrasted with this notion.

The Pope of the Order was far removed from the idea of “deciding the direction of the group.”

The doctrines and policies of the Order were ultimately dictated by the Divine Parent.

It was the saintesses who conveyed those divine messages.

The Pope’s role was primarily to act as a check against the potential excesses of the saintesses and to make external decisions for material gains that were forbidden to the saintesses.

But did this mean the Pope lacked authority?

The answer was a resolute “No.”

The selection of the Pope was conducted under the strictest conditions, precisely because it served as a counterbalance to the saintesses.

Only priests who had devoted their entire lives to the Order and demonstrated outstanding ability were chosen for the position, serving their ten-year terms.

In Igor’s case, he had undergone such a rigorous selection process. What set him apart from previous Popes, however, was one thing:

“He’s been reelected three times.”

The Papal term, traditionally a decade, would see a change in leadership upon its conclusion. Yet Igor Benestian had, exceptionally, been reelected for three consecutive terms.

The reasons were many, but the most significant was undoubtedly a divine revelation.

When Igor’s retirement approached over twenty years ago, the Divine Parent delivered a rare directive through the then-twenty-something Halia:

Entrust the management of the Order to him.

It had been centuries since the Divine Parent issued a command to someone other than a saintess. Such individuals were regarded as messengers chosen by the Divine.

Under this extraordinary blessing, Igor had served as Pope for over 30 years, and just last year, his fourth term had been approved, granting him another decade in the position.

He was a historical figure in his own right, and for Usher personally, he was someone deeply respected.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him.”

It was Pope Igor who had presided over Usher’s knighthood ceremony. Usher still remembered the words he had spoken that day:

“May the mercy of the Divine Parent be with you.”

He lived up to his reputation as a humble and compassionate man. Though their interactions had been brief, the impression he left on Usher remained vivid.

The atmosphere was tranquil. Igor worked in silence, carefully arranging the sacred objects, while Usher trailed behind, assisting him.

After lighting candles and placing the sacred items, the preparations were complete.

“Shall we begin the prayer now?”

“Oh, yes…!”

Rather than sitting on a chair, Igor knelt directly on the floor.

With his hands clasped reverently, he closed his eyes and began to pray.

Usher followed suit.

Though the situation felt more solemn than expected, he figured it was better to devote himself with such sincerity, considering the prayers he had neglected.

“Divine Parent…”

About thirty minutes passed.

When Usher finally opened his eyes after praying, he noticed Igor was still motionless, eyes closed as if he were asleep.

Unsure of what to do, Usher felt a bit awkward, wondering if he should continue praying. Just as he began to consider this, Igor spoke, his voice calm.

“There’s no need to match my pace. Prayer is something personal.”

Startled, Usher flinched. Igor opened his eyes and looked at him with a gentle smile.

“This old man takes a long time to organize his thoughts, so my prayers tend to run long. There’s no need for you to force yourself to follow.”

“I, I see…”

Usher struggled to find words, and Igor’s smile deepened. Rising to his feet, the Pope concluded, “Let’s call it a day.”

“If it’s because of me—”

“It’s not that, so don’t worry.”

With that, Igor retrieved something wrapped in cloth from his robes. It was bread, studded with raisins.

“Would you care to sit and share this with me before you go?”

“Oh…”

He was a gentle person, but his invitation had a certain power that made people want to follow him.

It was a different kind of charisma compared to Sir Whales.

Sitting in the chair next to him, Igor tore off a piece of bread and handed it to Usher.

As Usher accepted it, Igor muttered softly.

“When I was young, I really liked this bread. The reason I joined the Order was because of this bread. At one point, I gathered orphans from a nearby church in my hometown and handed out this bread every Sunday… Yes, I, an orphan, was able to meet my parents because of this bread.”

Usher was shocked.

This was something even he hadn’t known before.

“When I was young, I thought priests must eat this bread with raisins every day. I wanted to become a priest too. That’s how it was.”

“Ah….”

“It was the first time I ever had such a desire in my life. Fortunately, I had the ability to handle divine power, so that wish was soon fulfilled.”

Igor tore off a piece of bread and put it in his mouth.

A deep sense of satisfaction appeared on his face.

“But, once I started eating the bread with raisins every day, it wasn’t as delicious as I thought. I came to realize that there were many other things in the world that tasted better. I wanted to be fuller and to try different things. I was like that when I was a teenager.”

Usher also took a bite of the bread.

It was cold and hard. It was hard to understand Igor’s satisfaction.

But soon, what was said next cleared up Usher’s confusion.

“Looking back, I’m still embarrassed. I was definitely mesmerized by luxury. The position of priest was revered by all, and I may have been intoxicated by that.”

“So, there was a time like that for you…”

“One day, I became numb to everything. Nothing felt new when I ate it, and nothing was satisfying when I wore it.”

It was right after that.

Igor’s smile grew even more gentle.

“At that time, I went out for some volunteer work. I packed a lot of bread with raisins, the same bread I ate as a child, and went to the slums. After praying there, I handed out the bread to the children. Then, suddenly, when I looked at the children, I had an epiphany.”

Usher blinked.

Igor’s words had a hint of amusement in them.

“The children’s smiles were truly happy. It was as if they had been waiting for this moment. The discomfort they had during the prayer was nowhere to be seen, and they were smiling brightly, eating the bread. I saw myself in those children.”

Igor tore off another piece of bread and looked at Usher with a pleased expression.

“That’s when I understood. The reason why the bread tasted so sweet that day was because it was preceded by waiting. It wasn’t the sweetness of the bread that captivated me, but the sharing that came after the wait. The bread I ate that day was just as sweet as when I was a child. I ate it greedily, and the children scolded me for it.”

The bread disappeared into Igor’s mouth.

“It was an embarrassing moment, but it was a precious lesson for me. I realized that sharing and waiting are the most luxurious banquet granted by our Parent. After that day, I was no longer swayed by luxury.”

Igor smiled playfully.

“Anyway, that’s why I pray alone late at night. After praying for a long time and eating a piece of bread in front of the holy relics, I can feel the sweetness that I truly love.”

Usher smiled softly at that moment.

“So it was for worldly reasons, this prayer.”

Igor picked up another piece of bread.

“Still, sharing the bread is really delicious, isn’t it?”

Usher chuckled and nodded.

The atmosphere definitely made Usher feel at ease.

All the anxiety and worries he had felt up until now had disappeared, and the void was filled with the old man’s kindness and calm demeanor.

The bread, which he had felt was cold and hard just moments ago, now became sweeter as he chewed, bringing a smile to his face.

It was at that moment.

“So, Sir Therbion, has your worry been somewhat resolved?”

Usher froze, his body stiffening.