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Wake Not a Sleeping Lion – Part 01

The Pope was dead.

In a world where receiving Blessings through soul cards was a natural part of life, and the existence of gods was unquestioned, the Church, empowered by these very gods and in control over the production of soul cards, naturally amassed power.

At the heart of it all, wielding the greatest power, was the Pope.

Initially, only a select few were aware of the Pope’s demise. Infected by the Accursed Toxin created by the Man Gnome Ranna, he ultimately succumbed while receiving continuous healing magic to prolong his life—a hazardous environment where even the mages risked infection. Among them, the one who had cast the most healing magic, witnessed by the attending priests, was the Archpriest Luvain.

Miraculously, none of the priests had contracted the Accursed Toxin, but they shared a common question: why hadn’t the Pope recovered when there was an antidote to the poison he should have been taking?

Nevertheless, the fact remained. The Pope had passed away.

News of his death somehow leaked, and within an hour of his passing—though they had searched thoroughly during the treatment and found no one—the twelve archpriests began to appear one by one, gathering in the Pope’s chamber. They refused to even look at the Pope’s lifeless face to avoid potential infection.

“Well then, with your permission, I shall assume the role of the next Pope…”

“What nonsense! I have made the greatest contributions to the Church!”

“Really, now? Before his death, His Holiness told me that I would be his successor.”

“Don’t jest, you fatty.”

“What was that?! You’re fat yourself!”

The twelve archpriests all shared common traits: obesity and insatiable greed.

And then, an exhausted Luvain appeared, along with the priests who had tended to the Pope during his illness. The archpriests ran up to him.

“Great job, Luvain. You can leave the rest to us.”

“You might want to keep your distance,” Luvain said.

“…What?”

“We have been treating His Holiness until moments ago and have just taken his remains to the mortuary. There’s a high chance we’re carrying traces of the Accursed Toxin in our bodies.”

The archpriests stepped back, clearing a path for Luvain, who strode along and positioned himself before the chair where the Pope usually sat.

“Temple guards.” Despite his exhaustion, Luvain’s voice rang out clearly, summoning about thirty temple guards. “You saw their reactions just now, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” the guards replied with a hint of confusion.

“Arrest all of them.”

“Understood!”

The guards all sprang into action, apprehending the nearby archpriests and the central priests who followed them.

“What is this madness, Luvain?!”

“Don’t get cocky now! It’s not too late. Release us at once!”

“You little scoundrel!”

The archpriests protested, but Luvain paid them no heed.

“These individuals made no effort to be present during His Holiness’s passing and neglected their duty of salvation as priests.”

“What?!”

At that moment, the archpriests finally grasped the situation.

Beneath Luvain’s thin eyebrows were slanted eyes—eyes that were unperturbed by anything, eyes that suggested he took everything in stride, eyes that, to put it bluntly, revealed a heart devoid of ambition. Or so they thought.

Right now, his spirit burned darkly, and the archpriests, knowing that his fury was directed at them, swallowed hard.

“His Holiness the Pope uttered these words in his final moments: ‘You will be my successor, Luvain.’ Isn’t that right?”

“Yes,” affirmed the priests who worked to treat the Pope, and knelt before him.

“We are committed to spreading the teachings of the gods and saints under the guidance of the new Pope,” said the eldest among the priests.

Luvain nodded. “Detain the archpriests.”

“Wh-Why?!”

“I have no objections. I believe Luvain should be our Pope, yes.”

“You sure changed your tune quick, you bastard!”

While the arrested archpriests clamored, Luvain raised his hand slightly, silencing them.

“We will conduct an investigation to determine whether you have upheld your responsibilities with integrity. If the investigation finds no wrongdoing, you will be allowed to continue your duties. However, if corruption is uncovered…” Luvain paused, and a deathly silence enveloped the room. “…you will pay for sullying the Church’s name with your lives.”

“What?!” the archpriests shrieked.

Unable to fight back against the temple guards, the archpriests and their retinues were temporarily confined in cells within the Tower.

“Priests.”

“Yes…”

Only the priests who had been by the Pope’s side until the end remained in the chamber, along with some deacons.

“I am grateful for your efforts. I am certain His Holiness felt the same.”

“We are honored. Unfortunately, we weren’t strong enough.”

“Indeed.”

A sincere warmth shone in Luvain’s eyes, a stark contrast to when he confronted the archpriests earlier.

“We lack power. Therefore, we must redouble our efforts to better ourselves. The Church faces a new dawn, but we are also beset by adversities: the conflict against the Beastmen army and the Quinbrand Empire’s invasion. However, the gods do not burden us with trials beyond our capacity. Will you tread this arduous path alongside me?”

“Absolutely!”

The priests all agreed in unison. Exhausted and overcome with emotion, a few burst into tears.

“Rest for now. You will commence your duties soon.”

“Understood. Please take a moment to rest as well, Your Holiness.”

“Thank you.”

Everyone exited the chamber, leaving Luvain alone in the Pope’s chair.

“This chair is surprisingly hard,” he muttered under his breath. “You desperately clung to this seat?”

Luvain wore a look that said he was weary of everything, as if he had grown disillusioned with the world.

In truth, he could have healed the Pope. The poison was an enhanced version of the Accursed Toxin. Silver Face’s companion had fallen victim to it, but Luvain had managed to cure her. And he still had mana to spare, a deliberate choice on Silver Face’s part.

Silver Face was the mastermind behind the Pope’s poisoning, so he knew what would come next.

But Luvain did not heal the Pope. He could have, but he chose not to.

“This is not the time for rest.”

Luvain rose from his seat and made his way to the Pope’s private chamber, adjacent to the room where the man had passed away.

Back then, Luvain had weighed the Pope’s life against his own future. The Luvain of before would have saved the Pope without hesitation, but a strange emotion he had never felt before suddenly stirred within him.

A mild desire had taken root—to seize the Tower, the Theocracy of Bios, the Church, faith—all of it, with his own hands.

Luvain had offered encouragement to the Pope until his final moments. He assured him that the temple guards were dispatched and would return with Ranna. Then, the poison could be neutralized. He continued casting healing magic on the Pope to give him faith, all the while enduring the nausea that overcame him.

The Pope had stated that he would leave the Tower in Luvain’s care until his complete recovery. In the event of his death, he directed Luvain to assume control of the Tower.

It was only natural. The only archpriest attending to the Pope on his deathbed was Luvain. The other priests had heard the Pope’s words, and they would provide testimonies.

Shortly after, the Pope drew his last breath, his body covered in black spots. Luvain carefully wrapped the remains in clean cloth before carrying it out of the room.

We must dispose of it soon. A body like that would only tarnish the Church’s dignity. We don’t want the other archpriests seeing it and making a fuss. Plus, we don’t know how long the poison will linger, so it’s best to cremate it as soon as possible.

The temple guards stationed outside the Pope’s private room lowered their heads as Luvain approached.

By now, it had been announced to all the temple guards that Luvain was the new master of the Tower. Luvain was well-acquainted with the temple guards’ captains, as he had been responsible for treating the guards, a duty other archpriests avoided because they considered it unprofitable.

The temple guards were elated to learn that Luvain, who had always been there for them, would ascend to the position of Pope.

You never know what will turn into a blessing.

Nodding to the guards, Luvain entered the Pope’s private chamber. It was a simple room, adorned with the finest materials but still exuding an air of austerity. The Pope had despised luxury, something Luvain wished to showcase to the other archpriests.

“Maybe the pressure got to him.”

Although official announcements had not yet been made, Luvain didn’t feel the exhilaration or satisfaction that one might expect from becoming Pope.

It was pressure.