novelnext Chapter 102: Come to Think of It... Should I Let Lin Wei Know I'm the Pope?
Chapter 102: Come to Think of It... Should I Let Lin Wei Know I'm the Pope?
Chapter 102: Come to Think of It... Should I Let Lin Wei Know I'm the Pope?
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“Lin Wei~ Are you awake yet?”
“More or less. But seriously, what got into you last night, woman? Were you possessed or something?!”
The imperial capital’s streets, usually alive with the clamor of early risers, felt strangely hushed in the morning light. The stillness only accentuated the contrast, as if the entire city were holding its breath.
Lin Wei looked down at his wife, her cheek still pressed against him, eyes half-lidded with sleep, her expression languid and content. He rubbed his aching waist, the memories of the previous night sending a faint shiver through him—if he was honest, it was a little terrifying.
Not that he’d lost, of course. Absolutely not. But the way Veya had pressed him, relentless in her pursuit of answers, biting her lip and refusing to yield until the very end… He’d genuinely worried she might faint before she gave in.
That was the only reason he’d surrendered—he couldn’t bear to push her any further. It had nothing to do with six hours being his limit. Certainly not!
If he’d truly gone all out, he could have left her senseless for days, easily!
He just couldn’t bring himself to do that to Veya. It wasn’t about being “weak” or anything of the sort!If they went another round—
Faced with Veya’s soft, teasing voice, Lin Wei could only sigh in resignation. A promise was a promise—he’d have to keep his word, at least to some degree.
“So, what exactly do you want to know?”
“Why don’t you let me ask, and you answer?”
There were so many secrets between them—who knew how much she truly wanted to uncover? He’d agreed to answer honestly, but that didn’t mean he had to volunteer every last detail unprompted. If Veya didn’t ask about certain things, perhaps he could keep a few cards up his sleeve. At the very least, he couldn’t let anything slip about his demonic past!
“First off, are you really just an ordinary adventurer from the Northern Countries?”
Despite her lingering drowsiness, Veya perked up, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she drew closer.
“What did you actually do before? Why are you so good at outmaneuvering nobles and earning fame? It honestly feels like you’ve spent time in a royal court or something. You’re not secretly a runaway prince, are you?”
If he really was, she mused, maybe she’d have to mobilize the Holy See to help him reclaim his throne.
Veya gazed up at him, savoring the slow unraveling of his mysteries. The sensation was strangely intoxicating.
“A runaway prince, huh? You’re not too far off… Back in the Northern Countries, I was a court official in a city-state. I handled a lot of administrative work for the king,” Lin Wei replied, spinning a half-truth with practiced ease, weaving fact and fiction seamlessly.
“But eventually, a few corrupt ministers ganged up on me and forced me out. Honestly, I was tired of that life anyway, so I seized the chance—came to the Empire, bought some land, and decided to become a lord myself. Better that than spending my life serving someone else.”
It was true that he’d once managed internal affairs—but for the Demonic race, not the Northern Countries.
And as for being driven out, it hadn’t been scheming ministers, but the Four Heavenly Kings who’d cast him out. Still, he could share some secrets with Veya—just not the ones that truly mattered.
After all… Even Veya might not accept the truth about his real identity.
Ever since he’d left the Demonic race, who knew how many people in this world wanted him dead? For his own safety, he couldn’t reveal that to anyone—not even her.
“So that’s why you’re so obsessed with buying land and becoming a lord,” Veya mused, nodding thoughtfully. No wonder he was so determined to save up for a territory of his own.
She turned to him, curiosity undimmed. “Alright, second question: What level are you now? Did you make it to sixty-five? And what’s your affinity with Holy Light these days?”
After all, he’d wiped out a whole group of cultists without even alerting the nearby Retribution Knights. There was no way Lin Wei was just some run-of-the-mill adventurer.
“When I met the Dawnstar Pope, I was already above level sixty,” Lin Wei replied. After the rampage at the Magic Academy, there was no point pretending to be a clueless rookie—she’d never buy it. If anything, it might help Veya worry less about leaving him home alone while she was out working.
Rubbing his temples, Lin Wei decided to just lay out a level that would probably shock her.
“But after undergoing the Baptism of Holy Light, I’ve managed to reach level 70—the normal upper limit for most beings—over the past two years,” he said calmly. “As for breaking through that limit, I haven’t had the chance to seek out a Divine Inheritance yet. Since the Baptism ties me to the goddess Alicia, maybe someday I’ll have to visit the Holy See and look into it.”
Level 70. For ordinary creatures, that was the absolute ceiling—humans and most other races simply couldn’t go further on their own. To surpass that boundary, one had to find what was known as a Divine Inheritance.
These inheritances were the precious legacies left behind when the ancient gods merged with the world itself. By drawing on the power of a god, a chosen individual could strengthen themselves, unlock their True Name, and even temporarily wield a fragment of divine authority.
Of course, activating a True Name was no simple feat. The conditions were often absurdly strict, sometimes hinging on details as specific as terrain, time, or even the weather.
Back when he’d still held the title of Demon Lord and possessed the Demon God’s Authority, his domain granted him the absolute power of “invincibility” within the Demon Lord’s Castle. But the moment he left its boundaries, that authority weakened with every step.
If not for that, when he first crossed into this world—powerless and at rock-bottom level—he would have been torn to shreds by other demons long before he could establish himself. There was no way they’d have ever knelt and listened to his commands.
“You reached such a high level and didn’t bother to tell me?!”
Veya’s eyes went wide as his words sank in. After the initial shock, a wave of exasperation crashed over her, and she nearly kicked him out of bed.
“Do you know how worried I’ve been every time I leave for work?! If I’d known you were this strong, I wouldn’t have bothered coming home once a month to check on you!”
Back then, just to keep Lin Wei safe, Veya had secretly dispatched strike teams to patrol Aurens Town and protect him from the shadows.
And yet—this man… this man had been hiding all of this from her the entire time!
At this point, who was really protecting whom?
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to give you a fright,” Lin Wei said, putting on his most apologetic face. “Now that everything’s out in the open, Miss Veya, please find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“Ugh, as if!”
Despite her words, Veya couldn’t suppress the surge of happiness bubbling up inside. Her fists clenched, but her heart felt light. If Lin Wei was really this strong, then he could take care of himself—she wouldn’t have to worry so much anymore.
Even if he hadn’t obtained a Divine Inheritance and was only at the very peak of what a human could achieve, that was more than enough. No matter what kind of trouble found him, he’d have a good chance of getting away in one piece.
And if he put in a little more effort and managed to secure an Inheritance—if he could unlock that ultimate power—then wouldn’t he be even safer?
The thought struck Veya all at once.
That’s right!
“Lin Wei, why don’t you just join the Holy See?” she blurted out.
“…Huh?”
The question blindsided Lin Wei so completely that his mind went blank for a moment.
Faced with such a sudden invitation, Lin Wei could only point at himself, his expression twisting in disbelief.
“Me? Join the Holy See?”
Invite the Demon Lord to the Holy See? Are you out of your mind? Aren’t you afraid the goddess Alicia will strike you down the moment she finds out?
“That’s right!” Veya replied, completely serious. “There are wild Holy Light users out there, sure, but they’re all low-level commoners. Only the truly devout—those who sincerely worship the goddess Alicia—ever awaken the Holy Light.”
“But your Holy Light was bestowed by the Dawnstar Pope himself, as his dying act. He saw great promise in you and entrusted you with his final baptism. That’s practically the same as having a personal recommendation from the previous Pope!”
Veya’s voice grew more animated as she spoke, her excitement shining through. To the outside world, the Pope was always calm and composed, but now, none of that serenity was anywhere to be found.
“So, doesn’t it make perfect sense for you to join the Holy See? You could even have a shot at receiving a Divine Inheritance from the goddess Alicia herself! And with any authority you awaken, your future in the Holy See would be limitless. Besides, do you really want to leave your poor Veya all alone, struggling to hold her own in the Church?”
“But… I…”
For once, even Lin Wei—the Demon Lord—was at a loss for words.
This wasn’t just about his future prospects. The real issue was what would happen if the current Pope met the Demon Lord face-to-face. Wouldn’t they try to kill each other on the spot?
Do you even know who I am, you silly Veya?
I’m the Demon Lord! Ruler of the Demonic race! The arch-nemesis in this war, the very monster humans fear most!
You want me to join the Holy See—and maybe even claim a Divine Inheritance from the goddess Alicia herself?
No matter how I look at it, doesn’t that just sound like a death flag waving over my head?
“I just want to live as an ordinary person. The Holy See really isn’t my thing,” Lin Wei said, doing his best to sound casual and uninterested. “Joining the Church… I think I’ll pass.”
“Yeah, I guess asking you to join right away is a bit much,” Veya admitted, snapping out of her excitement before Lin Wei could even finish making excuses. She’d gotten a little carried away and nearly forgotten—her identity as the Pope was still a secret!
If she dragged Lin Wei to the Holy See now, he’d definitely figure it out.
Of course, she felt a twinge of guilt; after all, Lin Wei had just laid his secrets bare, while she was still keeping hers under wraps. But after all these years together, blaming everything on the “useless Pope” had become second nature for her—she’d done it more than a few times.
Still, coming right out and announcing her identity just didn’t feel right.
At the very least, she should wait until she’d gotten the Holy See’s internal affairs sorted out, until she’d finally shaken off that “useless Pope” reputation. If she didn’t, Lin Wei would never let her hear the end of it.
Worse yet, if she couldn’t use her title to keep him in line, what if he ended up pinning her down right there in the Pope’s office?
No way!
That kind of sacrilege against the goddess—she’d never allow it.
Not in this lifetime!
“Ahem… But honestly, with your abilities, it’s a bit of a waste not to help out the Holy See.”
Lin Wei was still puzzling over why Veya’s face had suddenly turned red mid-thought when she finally seemed to snap out of it. Composing herself, she put on a serious expression and explained her new idea.
“How about this! The Pope’s been fretting over the logistics of getting supplies to the front lines lately. Anyway, most of the good ideas—like sending Commander Meilin to the border for reconnaissance—have been yours from the start. Why not just take on the whole operation as an external consultant?”
“I’ll be your guarantor. With all the credit you’ve built up, no one will object. That way, you don’t have to officially join the Holy See, but you can still help me out… And once it’s all over, I’ll finally be able to take a long vacation and come home to spend time with you.”
Damn it! What’s with that look in her eyes?
So cute… Don’t act all sweet like that, I really can’t take it.
Those golden eyes, usually so cool and collected, now shimmered with a gentle allure. Under Veya’s steady gaze, Lin Wei had to admit—his heart skipped a beat.
And honestly… he’d only given her advice and written those letters in the first place to help ease her burdens.
That counterattack letter to the Pope had been written to push the nobles into a corner, to force a showdown. Even though the nobles had backed down for the time being, there was no way they’d just let things go. Sooner or later, they’d make another move—and Veya would get caught up in it again.
Might as well take the job head-on and deal with those bastard nobles once and for all.
A man hiding behind Veya, maneuvering the so-called “useless Pope” from the shadows, and indirectly controlling the entire Holy See…
In reality, he was the ruthless, world-destroying Demon Lord!
…Huh. Now that he thought about it, that was actually kind of cool.
“All right, fine,” Lin Wei agreed at last.
He’d already been giving advice this whole time, and he’d promised to help Veya investigate the recent attacks on supply convoys. This just meant stepping out from the shadows a little—he’d still be pulling strings behind the scenes, just in a more official capacity.
Honestly, there wasn’t much difference at all.
“Just make sure to tell that useless Pope that all the credit goes to you,” Lin Wei said, reminding her with a sly grin.
“And let her know I’m only agreeing to handle the logistics for the front lines. If there are other tasks, she can authorize them directly, but don’t breathe a word of this to anyone else. We can’t risk any accidents.”
“Don’t worry, I know,” Veya replied smoothly.
Even if Lin Wei hadn’t said so, there was no way she’d go around bragging about this. With Lin Wei’s help, she could finally stop losing sleep over these endless supply headaches. Maybe now, she could actually hand off the whole mess and get some rest for once!
“My Lin Wei is just amazing,” she said, her voice full of genuine admiration.
“Yeah, yeah… Now hurry up and go tell the Pope what’s happening, will you?” Lin Wei grumbled, only to be startled as Veya leaned in close, her eyes sparkling.
This woman bounces back even faster than I do. Two rounds of six hours each in just a few days—anyone else would be down for the count!
“I really need to figure out how to organize my work schedule from now on.”
Lin Wei fell silent, lost in thought as he began to seriously plan out his next steps.