The Pope Who Returned After Having Three Children

“How on earth is she… going to persuade my brother-in-law?”

Seo-yoon cast a skeptical glance at the Goddess after hearing about her solution. It was a reasonable doubt.

It was true that Lerorna and Kim Yi-jeong had made an impressive impression during their interview. But then again, they were just job seekers.

At only twenty-three, he was still a fresh young man who had only recently finished his military service.

Putting him in charge of taming a beast like Liam already seemed like a stretch.

Moreover, Kim Yi-jeong looked like a punk and was the one who had absurdly nicknamed me “Teacher Lady.” Trusting him was a tall order.

But the Goddess didn’t seem to share that sentiment.

“Do you think I did something weird like Seo-yoon?”

I hesitated to answer, flapping my lips without a sound, and shook my head.

“No way. This is quite ordinary compared to what you’ve done so far.”

-…

The Goddess fell silent for a moment at my words before speaking again.

“I’m not doing this without thought. Bring me his resume.”

Her voice was filled with confidence. It seemed she wasn’t just acting on a whim.

I quickly fetched the resume and carefully examined it starting from the first line.

Kim Yi-jeong’s resume was devoid of the usual sections like skills and certifications that one would typically cram into an application for other companies.

Instead, he had cluttered the “Special Notes” section with various bits of information.

If a routine HR officer from a regular company had seen it, they would have clicked their tongues, but I was delighted. This is exactly the kind of “MZ-type” resume I wanted.

Anyway, among the many details, the hobby particularly stood out.

[Hobby: Reading]

“I strive to enjoy all newly released or popular books without missing any. I read across various genres, including novels, history, humanities, science, comics, and light novels.”

Contrary to his punk-like appearance, Kim Yi-jeong had cultured hobbies. He wasn’t like the young generation that hardly reads.

If he reads a lot, he might be more adaptable in thought compared to an average person, making it easier to persuade Liam. Was that why the Goddess decided to trust him?

“Eluke, not that—the bottom of the front page.”

I thought it was a feasible assumption, but I was wrong.

I quickly flipped the resume forward and scrutinized the bottom section. That’s when I found what likely caught the Goddess’s attention.

[Military Service: Served in the Military (Military Dog Handler)]

“I was an objectively competent military dog handler. Thanks to having six pets since childhood, my ability to care for dogs is exceptional.”

While there was no evidence, Kim Yi-jeong was a man who cared well for dogs. And Liam sometimes behaved like a dog.

‘…Is this it?’

I waited anxiously for the Goddess’s explanation. It was logical, but still, this was a bit much.

“That’s not it. Look directly below.”

Thankfully, it was a misunderstanding.

I calmed down and lowered my gaze further. Then I discovered something I’d missed before.

[Motto: If you just dive in headfirst, things will work out somehow]

I had heard that phrase somewhere before. Especially from the person I was currently speaking with.

The Goddess then cheerfully said, “His motto is exactly the same as mine. Isn’t that fascinating? That’s why I decided to trust him.”

“……”

I unconsciously covered my face with my palm.

“This time I’ll handle it, so you just watch, okay?”

“…Yes.”

I replied half-heartedly, then glanced around cautiously before whispering to Seo-yoon.

“I have an alternative plan ready, so you don’t need to worry.”

It felt like blindly trusting could lead to a major disaster.

*

Liam was soaring through the sky.

Since he was adjusting his speed while flying, the broad sky and ocean came into view beautifully. It was a breathtaking sight.

As he continued to admire the magnificent scenery, Liam suddenly squinted his eyes.

“This place is further away than I thought.”

America was quite a distance.

He was glad to have flown slowly, conserving mana. Otherwise, he might have fallen into the ocean along the way.

Indeed, the mana here was extremely thin. Compared to the world he originally lived in, it was about the difference between the sea and a lake.

Presumably, it was because the natural environment was polluted. Mana is the pure essence of nature, after all.

In other words, this place was heavily corrupted. The so-called science or whatever seemed limited in purifying the polluted air and water.

‘Should I step in?’

The long-forgotten desire to perform a good deed stirred within him. It was instinct as a hero.

With magic, spirit manipulation, and sacred spells, he could easily restore the polluted environment. It might take longer if it was severe, but the important thing was that he had a method.

By purifying without any compensation, his image as a believer would benefit the order.

Liam admired the thought he had come up with.

And he was surprised. He was seeking out work on his own without anyone even asking him to do so. How long had it been?

His unemployment had continued for quite some time. Ever since defeating the Demon King, he hadn’t held a job for almost twenty years.

While he felt guilty about his hard-working wife, there was nothing he could do. In a world where the Demon King’s army had been eradicated, a retired hero was of no use.

All he could do was fight, but now that he couldn’t do that, he ended up living as a slacker. It was a reasonably justifiable excuse.

Yet, being human, Liam started feeling self-conscious from just lazing around.

So, he had burst out like this. Isn’t it a slacker’s responsibility to follow through with what his wife asks?

‘She’ll probably praise me, right?’

Immediately starting to fly as soon as she asked, she would be delighted and say it was nice that he was so quick. Just imagining her still beautiful face smiling like when they were young brought a smile to his lips.

As Liam was lost in thought while flying, suddenly—

“Hello, Hero.”

A soft voice rang in his head. It was a phenomenon he had experienced a few times before. He was mentally connected with someone else.

But this was the first time he had heard that voice.

“Who are you? Why are you mentally linked with me?”

He irritatedly asked, a habitual reaction to annoyance.

Liam wasn’t fond of people trying to get close to him. He had no desire to be friendly with anyone outside of family or comrades.

Other people felt the same way. Rarely did anyone want to approach Liam, who always spoke so harshly.

For various reasons, some were too afraid, while others simply didn’t want to associate with him. Sometimes, even those who approached with interest would quickly become fed up and run away after a short conversation.

“Nice to meet you. It may seem sudden, but I’ve been instructed to help you, Hero.”

Yet the individual on the other end didn’t flinch, panic, or feel unpleasant at all, unlike an ordinary person. They simply continued to speak calmly and peacefully.

Such individuals had been rare. It was the first time since Eluke, who had steadfastly followed him despite his outrageous behavior.

Maybe that’s why Liam unconsciously subdued his usual temper and said, “So who are you?”

“I am Kim Yi-jeong, recently assigned to handle external affairs for the Nuset Order. To be precise, I will be soon, but I haven’t been selected yet.”

An external affairs officer.

Thinking about it, Eluke had mentioned conducting assessments and interviews for such a person. Whatever the position involved, they would surely be quite significant.

But why was he mentally linked with a guy like that?

‘…This feels off.’

The title of ‘external affairs officer’ was making his heart race for some reason. Did he mess up again?

This sort of thing happened from time to time. Even when he did good deeds like now, Eluke would sometimes coldly berate him to the point of anxiety.

With an uneasy mind, he found himself asking a question he would usually never ask.

“Did I make a mistake?”

Liam contemplated if there was something wrong on his part. If Eluke knew, she would have been overwhelmed with tears of gratitude.

“No, not at all. There was just some misunderstanding.”

Kim Yi-jeong’s bright words brought a sigh of relief from Liam. Then, he halted mid-air.

Meanwhile, the calm voice continued.

“The Pope says to come back. There’s no need to broadcast nursing publicly.”

“Oh really?”

“And she also mentioned this.”

Kim Yi-jeong paused for a moment before whispering.

“Please come back quickly for a kiss. If you hurry… well, she seemed too shy to continue after that.”

“……”

Liam quickly turned around.

“I’ll head back right away.”

He had to rush back. It didn’t matter that his feelings had suddenly changed.

It was rare for Eluke to request a kiss first. An opportunity like this came only once every few months. He couldn’t afford to miss it.

Moreover, Liam was curious about what the part she couldn’t say was.

Then, just then…

Flap, flap.

With the sound of flapping wings, someone approached rapidly. Their flying speed was extraordinary.

Add to that the formidable presence emanating from them. This was a highly skilled individual.

To think there was a strong individual like that in this world. Liam’s mouth curled up as he turned to look.

“Hey, wait a second.”

Before long, the one with the flapping wings flew close and stopped. They looked quite unique.

Huge wings extending from their back, feathers sprouting from their arms, bird-like legs – they were clearly a “Returnee.” There were no other races in this world.

However, the shiny bald head had nothing to do with being a Returnee. It was said that many people in this world walked around like that even if they weren’t bandits.

The man addressed Liam.

“I am Quick Eagle. If you don’t reveal your origin and name, I will consider this a violation of sovereign airspace.”

The words conveyed through the translation magic contained hostility. Given the circumstances, it was understandable. After all, he had invaded another person’s land without permission.

Liam understood this wasn’t something an ordinary person would do. He didn’t care, though.

“I’m the husband of Clitia Eluke, a Returnee from Korea.”

“……”

Quick Eagle frowned as he eyed Liam. Then, he stretched out one arm. A sharp feather was held in his hand.

“What’s your purpose for coming this far?”

While he was threatening Liam, he didn’t seem eager to engage in a fight right away.

Had he grasped the difference in their power to some extent? He was a rather wise man. There was no reason to go all out if the other party showed no intent to fight.

Liam grinned widely and stated his purpose.

“My wife wanted to nurse on television, so I was trying to go to some tribe or something, but I was about to give up and just head back.”

“……”

Quick Eagle’s expression became strange. He looked as if he was trying to ascertain the truth.

I just told him the facts, so why was he questioning me? Just as he was tilting his head in confusion, a voice rang in his head.

“Did you meet Quick Eagle?”

It was as if Kim Yi-jeong was listening from their mental connection, promptly chiming in.

But for some reason, he was chuckling softly. It was a suspicious and odd laugh.

“Say it like this. I’m sure it’ll work out well.”

Then, Kim Yi-jeong began giving advice. Though he sounded like a third-rate villain, his tone remained calm as ever.

Maybe that’s why Liam began to trust him a bit.

Normally, he wouldn’t listen to someone who wasn’t family, but this time, he decided to follow the advice.

“Quick Eagle? Is that your name? Anyway, I have something to say.”

Liam immediately relayed what the external affairs officer had told him. He kept a stern and serious expression as instructed.

“I am a politically correct activist who supports political correctness. I believe every piece of creation should include at least one black character.”

“……”

A moment of silence. Quick Eagle hesitated for a second but soon broke into a hearty laugh.

“Welcome to America, my friend!”

It was an overly cheerful greeting for someone who had just been antagonistic.