Please Stop The Pope

   5.

Team Leader Kim’s resourcefulness was amazing.

   As they say, fathers are great.

Wearing a small bracelet that his daughter had given him, Team Leader Kim did a great job of organizing the crowd, despite the extreme conditions.

“Well, let’s pretend this incident never happened, do you both agree?”

This is the conference room of the Anyang Branch Office of the Ministry of Ability Management.

   The incident at Anyang Gate just an hour ago was being put to rest much faster than I had expected.

   An accident where the representative of Korea’s leading guild, the Goblin Guild, was unilaterally thrown to the ground.

   When you look at it this way, a big accident is a big accident.

   Starting with the appearance of the Otherworlders, and ending with Choi Seo-jin being knocked to the ground twice.

   It was enough to shake up the country if it got out.

“Isn’t it okay for men to have a few spats? Hahaha! I’m not sorry, it’s just that I’ve had a taste of spice for a while, and it’s refreshing.”

   “The CEO has made a great concession.”

   “A concession? It’s just that I got excited. I’ll have to check my kids’ mouths, but…… the chicks were stunned, and they’re my kids who were holding on to their wits, not the ones to go around talking, so I’m not complaining.”

   Surprisingly, Choi Seo-jin didn’t take issue with this at all.

   In fact, he apologized to me as soon as he came out of the ground.

   Did he say that he couldn’t resist the simmering animosity?

   Anyway, the fire was extinguished, and we moved on to discuss what to do next.

“I guess we can put this one behind us, then.”

   Kim exhaled loudly, as if relieved.

   “I’ll have the Demon Guild take all the byproducts from the gate, and you have no objection to that, Shi Yu?”

   “Yes.”

   “And Mr. Choi. I hope you’ll be careful to maintain confidentiality. I know this is a sensitive matter…….”

   “Don’t worry about that.”

   Seo Jin Choi took a cool gulp from his glass of water, then burst out into another hearty laugh.

   “Our boys are proud to be part of the goblins, do you think they’re going to go out there and say that our captain jumped on them like a horny dog and broke a table, hehe.”

“……Horny dog bastard is a bit…….”

At my comment, Mr. Choi waved his right hand and smirked.

   “May I suggest something, Mr. Shi Yu?”

   “Sure.”

   I wondered what he was going to ask.

   I nodded, and Mr. Choi continued, his eyes shining.

   “I was wondering if you could form an alliance with our Demon Guild. We have people here who can attest to the alliance agreement, and it should be simple as long as we both agree.”

   “An alliance agreement?”

What a bunch of nonsense.

“It’s common down here. We can join together to raid, share dungeons, share infrastructure, etc.”

“I think there’s some misunderstanding, we’re not a guild, we’re an order, an order.”

Despite my clarification, Mr. Choi continued, still smiling.

“This is a group with two Awakened who can overpower S-class rankers. Surely you don’t think others would view themou as a mere religious group, do you, Team Leader Kim?”

   At Mr. Choi’s sudden point, Team Leader Kim, who had been listening to our conversation, nodded.

   “That’s what the Ministry of Ability Management thinks, too.”

   “Hmph, look. Mr. Shi Yu. This isn’t something you can just think about so easily, don’t forget, there are already quite a few people watching Mr. Shi Yu, some of them are already making moves…… ah, the alliance, you just need to think about it slowly.”

   With that, Mr. Choi finished his business and stood up from his chair with a flourish.

   He quickly extended his hand to me and said.

   “I hope to see you often in the future, Mr. Shi Yu.”

   “Ah…… yes.”

   “Thanks to you, I’ve gained a lot of enthusiasm after a long time. I’ll be sure to repay you for this favor, and I’ll take my leave now, hahaha!”

   Mr. Choi left the meeting room without hesitation with his characteristic laugh, and I and Team Leader Kim looked at his back without saying a word.

   Kuung-.

After the door closed.

   I said in a voice lacking in gin.

   “He’s not an easy guy.”

   “Didn’t I warn you beforehand?”

   “Yes, you did, but who knew he’d be that bad?”

   “Still, I’m glad things went a lot easier than I expected. Mr. Choi must have taken a real liking to you, Shi Yu.”

   Why did it sound so creepy to say that the muscular brute had taken a liking to me?

   I squirmed slightly, then sipped the coffee in front of me and asked Kim.

   “When can we expect to bring Leo back?”

“We’ve already run some basic tests. We’ll make arrangements for you to go home with him, and we’ll get in touch with you later for identification, including the Awakening registration.”

   “It’s seem’s to be an inconvenience every time.”

   “……Thank you for your understanding.”

   When I make some money in the future, the first thing I’m going to do is buy Kim a supplement.

   In any case, the day went well.

   For now, let’s take Leo home with us.

   6.

   My original plan was to change Leo’s clothes before moving on.

   But there was no clothing store nearby, and even if there had been, it wouldn’t have fit Leo’s size.

   So I just hailed a taxi.

   Leo and I could have run, but we didn’t want to end up on the internet with a “Shocking bipedal monster?!” video.

It’s no secret that Leo’s size meant we had to take a large taxi, and the driver looked at him with fear.

   Anyway.

“I’m home.”

It was almost dinnertime when we arrived home.

The smell of savory miso stew hit my nostrils as soon as I opened the front door and stepped inside.

   I was still a little hungry from the exertion at the gate earlier and only had coffee.

   “Brother!”

They were eating rice, and Shi Yeon came running up to me with a piece of rice stuck in the corner of her mouth.

   I patted her head and smiled.

   “Did you have a good day at school, Shi Yeon?”

   “Yes! What have you been doing?”

   “I’ve been working hard.”

“Why don’t you hurry up and have dinner with us…… ah? We have guests! hello!”

Shi Yeon, who was nuzzling her face in my arms, noticed Leo behind me, and soon bent down to greet him.

   And in return, Leo greeted her warmly.

   “How are you?”

   He returned the greeting with an expression that I couldn’t tell if he was smiling or not.

The stern expression he wore until the moment he was knocked to the ground by my fist was long gone.

   He was the kind of guy you could stab and not draw a drop of blood.

   “Right.”

   I finally remembered.

   “You like kids, don’t you?”

   Even in Eden, Leo had been unusually good with children.

   Whenever he could, he would go to the nursery school in his parish and be with the children.

   However, he was not very good at it and always stood stiffly in front of the children.

   At my words, Leo looked at the demonstrator and nodded.

   “Because children are the proof that God hasn’t given up on the world.”

“Say hello. This is my sister Shi Yeon, and this man is called Leo, and he’s going to help me with my work.”

   “Hi, Mr. Leo. You’re so tall! You look great!”

   Leo pauses for a moment at Shi Yeon ‘s compliment.

   He seems to think for a moment about what to say, but then he nods stiffly and responds.

   “Thank you for the compliment, Shi Yeon . I’m Leo Lumen, and I look forward to serving you.”

   With that, we were exchanging pleasantries on the porch.

   “Your brother’s here…….”

   I was in my room editing a video when In Wook popped out of the small room.

   In Wook froze in place as soon as he saw Leo.

   That’s definitely how most people react when they see Leo for the first time. It’s a bit unusual to see him not laughing and being afraid.

   I scratched my cheek with my finger and said to In Wook.

   “Didn’t your brother tell you earlier that he was bringing a missionary?”

   “…… Is he, eh is he a missionary?”

  “I know it looks like it, but he’s a well-respected priest in Eden, and one of my most trusted allies in the war against the demons. Say hello to him.”

This time, Leo obeyed.

   “I am Leo Lumen, a faithful servant of the Lady Limen. Mr. In Wook Kim.”

“Do you know my name?”

“His Holiness the Pope has told me many times.”

   Um, did I?

   I’m not sure. Did I tell him over drinks?

   Well, whatever. They’ll just have to get to know each other better.

   I stared at the two of them for a moment, the awkwardness palpable, then rubbed my hands over my stomach and roughly kicked off my shoes.

   “Let’s talk about this over dinner. In Wook, aren’t you eating?”

   “I was eating, but I was in the middle of sending an urgent email.”

“Good. Let’s eat together. Leo, you should join us, too. In Wook is a really good cook.”

   “Are you sure about that?”

“Why not. Is that okay, In Wook? Shi Yeon?”

   “Huh? Uh…….”

   “Yeah!”

It is said that Mt. Geumgangsan becomes a regular view after a drink.

   With that, Leo and I kicked off our shoes and walked into the house, heading straight for the dining table.

“This is a real treat. Don’t you think so, Leo?”

   “That’s right, it looks like you put a lot of effort into each dish.”

   The table was set with miso stew, fresh kimchi, and the rice papers his grandmother had given him for Chuseok.

“When did you say your grandmother was coming?”

   “That’s right. She called me yesterday. She said she made a friend in the U.S. and would be back in a little while.”

   “She didn’t answer my call.”

   “That’s just the way she is.”

   I’m a little sad to hear that my grandson has returned safely from the other world.

She’s always been a bit of a cranky old lady.

   I nodded and sat down at the table, and Leo sat down in the chair next to me.

   I soon began to feel Leo’s thick deltoids on my shoulders.

   The table is definitely narrow.

   If I had known this was going to happen, I should have spread out the table in the living room.

   Did the two of us look awkward like that?

   In Wook asks as he lets go of my cutlery.

   “Should we just eat in the living room?”

   “No…….”

   Leo replied, and Shi Yeon, who had been watching us, pulled up a chair next to him.

   “Come eat next to me, Leo, I’m small, you won’t mind.”

   Hey, good girl.

   Leo glanced over at me, and I nodded.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, Shi Yeon-sama.”

   “Hehe, you can call me Shi Yeon or all you want.”

“I wouldn’t be so rude to His Holiness’ sister.”

   “My brother is the Pope?”

   I just smiled at Shi Yeon’s question and picked up my cutlery.

   “Let’s eat first. I’m hungry.”

   I’ll have to find time later to tell her the story. Now that I think about it, I haven’t told her what happened in the other world.

That’s how mature she is.

I thought she’d be the first to ask.

   “I’ll eat again then!”

Shi Yeon picked up her cutlery again.

   “Thank you, Limen, for giving us our daily bread again today.”

   Leo said a quick prayer, then awkwardly picked up his spoon.

   I glanced at them both for a moment, then began to eat.

   “This.”

   The rice was very tasty, considering the market.

   A savory miso stew and a lightly sweetened pan-fried jeon.

   I couldn’t have been happier with the flavorful miso stew and the slightly sweetened jeon in the skillet.

After all, Koreans are all about the rice.

   It was the flavor I missed the most in Eden.

   As my meal continued to satisfy me, a pretty funny scene unfolded before my eyes.

   Snap.

Leo, who has never used chopsticks before, shows me his newfound chopstick skills and quickly wolfs down his meal with me.

   “Chopsticks are really hard to do for the first time, so why are you so good at it?”

   “It’s nothing compared to fighting with demons for 39 hours, isn’t it?”

“That’s not something to compare…… in the first place, just keep eating.”

   That wasn’t the only thing.

He spooned the miso stew without any hesitation, and soon his eyes widened, and he let out an exclamation.

“Oh. Limen.”

   I couldn’t help but chuckle at the suddenness of the exclamation.

   “Tsk.”

“Um, I’m sorry. Holy Father, even though it’s the first time I’ve ever eaten it, it tastes so good…….”

   “I’m glad to see you like the food. Eat up.”

   I nodded in satisfaction as I watched Leo eat.

   He’s going to be a difficult guy tomorrow, so make sure he eats well.

You know what they say about ghosts that eat and die?