A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Chapter 164:

Byzantium (3)

***

I carried the unconscious Luna on my back as we entered the Papal Palace.

Since it was just a simple fainting spell, there was no need to visit the Temple of Life, and she was likely to wake up soon.

Of course, her loud scream had drawn some attention, but fortunately, it passed without much incident. People seemed to think it was just a prank.

At any rate, we entered the Papal Palace, which, judging by the entrance, resembled a dungeon. However, the interior wasn’t as complicated as the entrance suggested.

In fact, it was quite clean. It seemed that whoever designed the Papal Palace decided to keep the interior relatively simple.

“You’ve arrived. The Holy Warrior mentioned you were coming.”

As soon as we stepped inside, an attendant approached us.

He was a sturdy-looking man, and what stood out was that his muscles were prominent despite wearing priestly robes.

Actually, the robes seemed to emphasize his broad shoulders even more. Though not as imposing as Rize, he was still quite impressive.

“My name is Gaspard di Amante. I am a faithful servant of Chaos.”

“I am Rod. What is Rize doing at the moment?”

“She’s training with the Pope in the training grounds.”

Did I mishear that? Who did he say she was training with?

Kara seemed just as confused as I was because she asked Gaspard in an incredulous voice.

“Wait a minute. She’s training with the Pope?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s just...”

People usually have a certain image that comes to mind when they think of a Pope. A gentle, portly old man.

But if the Pope is training with Rize, then he’s probably far from that image.

“...I don’t know much about Byzantium, but is the Pope usually chosen as a follower of Chaos?”

“Yes. Buaia or Gulak.”

“To maintain balance?”

Even Byzantium can’t escape power struggles, it seems.

This isn’t just a matter of the gods but also of humans. It’s been this way since the dawn of civilization.

“No, that’s not it. They’re chosen by drawing lots.”

“Excuse me?”

“By drawing lots. The Papal Palace gathers all the believers ranked bishop or higher and conducts a lottery. That’s how the Pope is chosen.”

What kind of crazy country is this? They pick their highest authority by drawing lots?

Boht bizarre.

“It’s a tradition that has been passed down through the ages. To be honest, the Pope is more of a figurehead, not a prestigious position.”

“But does the country even function like that?”

Kara was so astounded that she couldn’t help but question it, despite her usually composed nature. And this is coming from someone whose country, the Tatars, was only recently founded. ℟�

The Tatars are still in the early stages of nation-building, with much left to be desired. But even to her, this sounds absurd.

After all, they’re choosing their highest leader by drawing lots. If another country did this, it wouldn’t be surprising if they collapsed immediately.

“Yes. Since the one chosen is directly selected by Chaos, nobody disputes it. Moreover, the governing system isn’t solely centered on the Pope.”

“Even so...”

“I don’t fully understand it either. But this tradition has persisted since the war against the Demon Lord, so there’s nothing more to say.”

I’m not sure if this makes any sense, but it seems to work, so I have nothing more to say.

Perhaps Chaos sub all the sects follow it without question.

‘Why does Chaos have such high authority? From what I’ve seen, he’s fickle and rarely offers direct help.’

I’m not criticizing Chaos; I’m just stating the facts. The fact that no message appeared suggests Chaos agrees.

Maybe the lack of authority is why people think he’s fair. There’s a lot to ponder.

As we followed Gaspard, I surveyed the interior of the Papal Palace. It was evident that great care had been taken in its design.

“... ...What’s that?”

“Oh, that’s the head of a Red Dragon. I believe it was hunted by the knights long ago.”

“Why is it displayed here...?”

“Is there a problem?”

Of course, the Papal Palace was filled with the unique, eerie designs characteristic of Chaos. While the interior was clean, the decorations were rather crude.

Dragon head taxidermies were common, and there were plenty of other stuffed creatures. Amidst the civilization’s grandeur, the barbaric design stood out.

It felt like a tribal village inside, especially with the dungeon-like entrance. The presence was overwhelming.

‘If nothing else, the taxidermy is really...’

lass windows and chandeliers.

“To make you faint. Now, please offer your neck willingly.”

What does knocking me out have to do with Chaos? I looked at her with a puzzled expression.

But Rize remained firm. She showed me her enormous fist, making it clear this was less of a request and more of an ultimatum.

“Will you faint voluntarily, or should I make it hurt?”

The answer was obvious. Resisting would be futile.

Besides, Rize isn’t someone who would do something reckless. I bit down on my lip and quietly replied.

“Okay... just make it gentle...”

“Understood.”

Thwack!!

And with that, an even stronger impact than before shook the back of my neck.

“Aagh!!”

“Hmm. It still wasn’t enough.”

Thwack! Thwack!

After being struck two more times, everything went black.

******

Before Sivar lost consciousness, Luna was experiencing something rather peculiar.

She was already shocked that Sivar had knocked her out as a joke, and now, she was dreaming. Not just any dream, but one where she could move her body.

‘What’s going on? Where am I?’

Luna blinked and looked down at her hands. For some reason, her hands were much rougher and more calloused.

It wasn’t just her hands. Her outfit was also heavily armored, as if she were preparing for battle.

If it were just this, she could dismiss it as a mere dream. But the surroundings were far from anything she could dismiss as a simple dream.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The world was on fire. Quite literally, everything was burning.

The flames roared as if they would consume her, contrasting sharply with the dark night sky.

Even though it was a dream, she didn’t feel the heat. Her eyes didn’t sting at all.

‘What the...’

Luna, still bewildered, began to walk. Standing still seemed like a bad idea.

As she continued walking, she witnessed a scene even more horrifying than the waves of fire.

‘Oh my god...’

A sea of corpses. Mountains of bodies and rivers of blood.

The scene before her was like the embodiment of the phrase “mountains of corpses and seas of blood.”

Jusht was terrifying.

‘What’s that...’

And atop the mountain of bodies, someone was standing tall. The person’s back was turned, so Luna couldn’t see their face.

But she saw them clearly, as if they were right in front of her. Perhaps it was her special vision.

Judging by the broad shoulders and build, it was definitely a man. One hand held an axe, and the other a sword.

Both weapons were too large to wield with one hand, but the man held them effortlessly in each hand.

‘That figure looks... familiar...’

Luna was thinking this when—

“...It

Luna’s mouth moved on its own. She didn’t intend to speak, but the words slipped out.

She was startled, and her lips trembled. For some reason, she couldn’t move her body.

It was as if she had lost all control, and her body moved on its own. Meanwhile, the man atop the mountain of corpses turned around.

“...!!”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock. The man had turned around, and she could see his face clearly.

The man’s appearance was... shockingly similar to someone she knew.

His hair was slightly longer, and his youthful features had mostly disappeared, but if he grew up, he would look exactly like this.

At the same time, she knew this wasn’t the person she knew. His eyes were a deep, deep red.

“...You’re here.”

But the eyes of the man standing before her now—

“Friend.”

—were a vivid, vivid purple.

End of Chapte