804 – Blood Is Eternal – 1

Tanian’s wedding ended with a deep impression on the guests.

The wedding of Tanian, who is already treated as a saint and is only given the name of successor because he is not yet of the legal age, and Cardinal Alexandriana, a saint. The combination of these two alone was enough to attract attention across the continent, and the Pope was officiating the wedding ceremony. He even showed consideration by giving a blessing to the child in the cardinal’s arms.

This means that the Pope actively supports Cardinals Tanian and Alexandriana, and is nothing short of boasting that these two are the future of the denomination. The denomination demonstrates that its talent pool is wide and strong enough to enable a generational change right away.

Of course, without showing off, no one knows that the next saint and the 30th cardinal are the future of the denomination. No matter how politics is an abyss where we cannot know what tomorrow will bring, if those two are to be removed from office, it will only be possible if the denomination is destroyed.

‘Still, knowing secretly and admitting it are different.’

The difference between informal and formal is only one letter, but their status is worlds apart. Moreover, year-end and year-end events are coming soon, so Tanian can be at the center of social circles before this shock subsides.

This can only be said to have been decided by the Pope. I decided to actively raise Tanian, who already boasts considerable power.

And the reason may be that they hope that the denomination will remain firm and unwavering during the large-scale event of changing the Pope.

‘Only by laying down this level of foreshadowing can abdication be possible.’

It was bitter. If you think about it, he prepared for the abdication with great care, and the noise of the abdication was minimized with the tremendous achievement of conquering the north.

Even when he was a political monster that could not be compared to someone like me, he did not proceed with his abdication lightly. The Pope, who is an equal in the situation, is also putting in this effort to abdicate.

‘Retirement was also an ability.’

Let’s reflect. Even those who were at the top of the continent made such efforts to abdicate and retire, but I only talked about retirement. No effort was made to commensurate with freedom.

A perfect successor, a perfect cause, patience and patience for years or even decades. We must strive to have all of these. It’s not possible just by putting your mind first.

‘Not even 10 years have passed yet.’

Also, the problem is that my life as a civil servant was too concentrated for a short period of time, and the time I spent as a civil servant was less than 10 years. Why did I, who was not even 30 years old and who had not worked for 10 years, want to gain freedom? Why was there such a rush?

Thanks to the Pope, Tanian, and Cardinal Alexandriana, I was able to realize the beauty of waiting. I remembered the words of an old sage: the more urgent you are, the more you go back.

Let’s move forward calmly without forgetting what happened today.

As soon as I returned home, I realized again why I was in a hurry.

“Brother St. Carl, are you here? Come on, please sit down.”

I dreamed of escape and freedom because of this b*stard. Because I can’t stay under this b*stard even for a moment.

“Oh, my God. How can you say such sad things?”

“I’m so sorry. How many people are more worthy of being a saint than you? Has there been any miraculous thing that happened recently that you weren’t involved in?”

When he saw the emperor making the sign of the cross, his fist naturally clenched.

That damn guy. His expression was very serious, but the corners of his eyes were trembling from before. Like desperately holding back laughter.

“Although I am the emperor, the fact that I am a mortal who fears the Lord and receives His protection does not change. How happy I am that a saint who is favored by God and works miracles is with me.”

“It is a truly heartbreaking statement, but Sosin was not canonized.”

I managed to utter a rational retort while holding back the curse that rose to the top of my throat.

Yes, I am a blessed person, not a saint. He was only assured of canonization by the Pope during his lifetime, but he did not actually become a saint. Because canonization is not something that happens in an instant.

Moreover, right now, a big event has occurred: the wedding of the next saint and cardinal. In this situation, if the canonization is carried out while the Pope is still alive, the atmosphere created by the Pope will subside in an instant. The attention that was directed to the wedding will now turn to the canonization.

Therefore, it seems that at least several months will pass before canonization during his lifetime His His will be discussed─but the emperor did not stop teabagging despite my logical rebuttal.

“Brother. Could you please watch my back?”

“Why suddenly…”

As soon as I turned around following the emperor’s words, my body froze.

Portrait. No matter how I looked at it, there was a portrait hanging on the wall that seemed to be of me.

It is not an ordinary portrait, but a portrait with a brilliant light source behind it.

A portrait painted in a sublime light reserved only for adults.

“It seems like the church already considers you a saint.”

“No, that is.”

“Anyway, the result is the same whether after death or while alive, so just accept it… Haha!”

He heard a sound that felt like his heart was being torn apart, and when he turned his head towards the emperor again, the emperor was bending down to his waist and laughing.

Damn you b*stard. A b*stard who can’t comfort a subject who has been to a foreign country, but only laughs at him.

“I’m sorry, Minister. I tried to hold back as much as I could, but I just couldn’t.”

The emperor, who had now even thrown away his honorary title, laughed even more fiercely.

“How can I bear this when the spectacle in front of me overlaps with the spectacle in the portrait!”

As the emperor’s laughter grew louder, I just cried with my heart.

For some reason, I felt like I was crying in the portrait, but it was probably just my mood.

“Well, anyway, congratulations. The wedding gift prepared by the Minister will be the Cathedral of St. Thanian, built by St. Karl.”

It was an ugly name that made my heart flinch just by hearing it, so I closed my eyes tightly.

I sincerely doubt whether it is okay to give such an ugly thing as a gift.

My torn heart was able to recover thanks to the comfort of my wife.

Of course, the wives were happy at the honor of their husbands surviving and becoming saints, but at least they seemed worried that the burden would be greater rather than laughing at me.

I almost cried because of the kindness that congratulated and worried me at the same time. I’m just grateful that you focus on the burden I have to carry rather than my husband’s honor.

‘That b*stard doesn’t even have this basic consideration.’

Eventually, the emotion turned into resentment. If that emperor had shown even the slightest disapproval at the news of my canonization during my lifetime, he wouldn’t have been hurt like this.

When the very common sense that canonization takes place after death is broken, when someone becomes a saint rather than a beaten person while alive. If we had thought about what the aftermath would be, we wouldn’t have been so angry.

‘Does she have anything?’

That’s why she thought about the children playing happily in the garden.

In this world, a subject’s credit is the emperor’s credit. If I have performed all kinds of miracles, the repercussions will inevitably reach the emperor as well. If I lived and achieved a feat that would make me a saint, the emperor also has a share in the miracle.

Let’s think about it carefully. Among the miracles I have caused, is there anything that even the emperor could claim a share in? What kind of logic should the church use to send him a portrait too?

‘The only thing that’s okay is the revival of the World Tree.’

The World Tree that Apels burned was resurrected during the reign of the current Emperor. It can be argued that this is a miracle that occurred because the current emperor’s virtue reached God.

However, no matter how well it is done, this is a posthumous beatification. It is a level that saints cannot even dream of, and even a blessed person can reach when he dies. I guess I absorbed all the shock when the World Tree was just revived, so I’m weak at using it again.

So, did the northern nomads, who had been at odds with the settlers for a long time, submit to the emperor? No, if you bring this up, the situation, not the current emperor, will be brought out.

Or are the ancient beasts from 2,000 years ago awakening again?

‘This is okay.’

Leviathan, Behemoth, and Ziz are creatures that could never be created using the magic and technology of today’s continent. If you package this well, I think you’ll get good results.

Good. A great emperor who awakens even the beasts that fell asleep 2,000 years ago. A great emperor who is obeyed by those who break common sense. If we conduct a public opinion war like this, somehow—

‘What?’

As my head was being consumed by desire, the communication port in my arms emitted light and I flinched.

For a moment, I thought the emperor had discovered my ambition. As expected, when you’re plotting, you react sensitively even to trivial things. I’m suspicious of things that don’t make sense based on common sense.

-Your Excellency. I am the minister’s secretary.

“Uh, what’s going on?”

When I answered the call, trying to compose myself, I saw the face of the minister’s secretary, who was as blunt as usual.

A special talent who takes charge of the Ministry of Inspection on behalf of this ugly minister. If he were younger than me, he would have been the next Minister of Inspector General. Unlike someone living in Taeyangjeon, this is a face that is satisfying just to look at.

– I have something important to say to your Excellency, so I have contacted you at the risk of being rude.

“To me?”

However, contrary to his satisfied face, he did not contact me for a very pleasant reason.

In fact, he is a secretary who holds authority at the level of acting minister. Unless the minister’s approval was absolutely necessary, he handled the work on his own, and even for tasks that required my approval, he did not press me first. All you have to do is pay in one lump sum once a quarter or half a year.

Still, the secretary contacted me first? It’s definitely not an ordinary thing.

“Tell me. If it’s something I need to handle, I should do it.”

– That is…

The secretary hesitated for a moment and then spoke carefully.

– A small disturbance has occurred in the Narzen family, so it seems that an inspection needs to be conducted.

“So?”

– Yes?

“Huh?”

There was a somewhat awkward silence. My secretary and I just looked at each other in silence, and no one spoke first.

I am waiting for the words to come out after the Narzen family inspection.

– Me, Your Excellency. This is Count Narzen.

The secretary looked as if he needed further explanation.

What? If the secretary reacts like that, does that mean there is a reason why it is difficult to proceed with the inspection? But does a single count family have enough power to avoid inspection?

‘…Narzen?’

But why? The name Narzen is strangely familiar.

– I understand that your aunt is the daughter-in-law of the Narzen family head.”

“Ah.”

It was only after hearing the secretary’s additional explanation that I remembered it.

One of my aunts went to the Narzen family.