Please Stop The Pope

Chapter 103

Even if the Dog Barks, the Train Moves On

1.

After Archbishop Rapart and Toby joined the church, time passed by swiftly.

What originally began as a friendly exchange between South Korea and China had evolved into a diplomatic battleground among the three nations of Northeast Asia, including Japan.

I didn’t know what President Seo’s ultimate plan was, but one thing was certain—when it came to initiatives, he didn’t do things halfway.

Complicated political interests were undoubtedly intertwined, but that wasn’t my concern.

For me, this exchange was merely an opportunity to gather information about the Purifiers operating in China.

Naturally, I was expected to participate in the exchange, and the government even asked if Luna and Leo could join as well.

Since both Luna and Leo were registered as South Korean citizens under current nationality laws, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

While I had temporarily put off responding to the request, I was considering it positively.

If we were to participate, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to showcase the power of our church.

I could gather information about the Purifiers, earn leverage in China, and promote our church.

It was a win-win situation for us.

Anyway,

As the international situation grew increasingly complex, I was still conducting interviews in my office.

Well, calling them “interviews” might have been a bit of a stretch.

“Let me be honest with you.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“I’ve never worked at a company before, but even I can tell this résumé is off the charts. So why are you interested in joining our church? And according to CEO Choi, you’ve even been trained as a successor to your family business…?”

Name: Park Ji-won.
Age: 36.

He had completed a doctorate at a prestigious Ivy League business school in the United States. After returning to Korea, he built an impressive career at Taesan Group.

Interestingly, like CEO Choi, he was a fourth-generation chaebol, and the two were maternal cousins.

He appeared to be slightly over 180 cm tall, with a lean but well-built physique, featuring just the right amount of muscle.

His appearance exuded intelligence—he looked like the very embodiment of the word “elite.”

But for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why someone like this would want to join our church.

Someone with his background could rise to great heights within his family’s group. What could he possibly gain from joining a mere religious organization?

“Haha…I’d rather be remembered as the first entrepreneur who contributed to the golden age of the Limen Church than as the unlucky loser of a corporate power struggle.”

“You’d be responsible not only for managing the church’s operations but also for teaching our mature learners about business management. Just so you know, one of those learners is 68 years old and tends to destroy buildings when he gets angry.”

“No problem! In fact, it sounds even more exciting. Risking my life for a thrilling lesson—this is what I’ve been waiting for my entire life.”

…This man was clearly not normal.

Look at the glint in his eyes—eyes like that belong only to someone utterly obsessed with something. But what was he obsessed with?

“We’re a religious organization, not a corporation, so certain acts that violate doctrine are off-limits. Illegal or unethical practices are, of course, out of the question. Are you truly okay with this?”

“Honest and transparent management is my specialty. I’m confident! If you’ll trust me, I, Park Ji-won, will give it my all.”

This wasn’t just a fourth-generation chaebol—this was a model job applicant.

CEO Choi, and now Park Ji-won…both of them were shattering my old prejudices one by one.

Since the didn’t activate, he didn’t seem to be inherently malicious. And given CEO Choi’s strong recommendation, his trustworthiness appeared solid as well.

I tapped my fingers on the desk, deliberating for a moment.

Interpreting my hesitation as a negative sign, Park Ji-won passionately began pleading his case with fiery eyes.

“If you’re still unsure, I’m willing to work for a month without pay to prove my abilities. You can decide after seeing the results.”

“Why on earth are you so desperate?”

At this point, I was starting to wonder if Limen had personally visited his dreams and brainwashed him.

But Park Ji-won defied all my expectations.

“Romance needs no reason. Don’t you agree, Your Holiness?”

Was he just pretending to be crazy, or was he genuinely insane?

I managed to maintain my composure and forced a smile as I replied.

“We’ll notify you of the results soon.”

“Yes! I’m ready to start tomorrow if needed. I hope you’ll give my application serious consideration.”

With that, Park Ji-won left the office, leaving a strong impression until the very end.

Shortly after, Leo cautiously entered my office.

“Your Holiness, how was the interview?”

At his question, I rubbed my face with my hands and replied.

“Leo.”

“Yes, Your Holiness?”

“…Never mind. It’s my fault for living poorly. But he seems remarkable. A perfect fit for us.”

Considering that every major member of our church had a distinct personality, Park Ji-won seemed like an excellent addition.

However, with everyone having such strong individuality, I couldn’t help but wonder if harmony would be achievable.

If Park Ji-won joined, we’d have Archbishop Rapart, Toby, and Park Ji-won as new recruits.

“Terrifying.”

Imagining the dynamics between these three and our existing members, I felt dizzy already.

I tapped the desk repeatedly, lost in thought for a long time. Finally, I reached a realization.

“Things will work out somehow.”

After all, if I managed to become the Pope, what difference would one more lunatic make?

Just then, the phone rang. The caller ID read: Our hardworking Manager Kim.

Perhaps Manager Kim was the ideal person to solve my dilemma.

I decided to answer.

“Manager Kim, I was just about to call you.”

“Pardon?”

“The recruitment offer I made earlier still stands. I’ll match whatever salary you want, so please consider it seriously…”

“I appreciate the offer, but now doesn’t seem like the right time to discuss that.”

The moment I heard his voice, I knew.

Something had happened.

“What’s going on?”

“Under the newly enacted Special Irregular Act, Irregulars Kim Si-woo, Leo Lumen, and Luna Leventon are being urgently conscripted. Details will be provided during transit. A helicopter will arrive in five minutes.”

I knew it. Things had been too peaceful lately.

Self-Inflicted Trap

The term “self-inflicted trap” refers to being ensnared by one’s own words and actions. That was exactly my situation right now.

The Irregular Special Law was originally designed to grant me significant judicial authority to deal with villains or those possessing demonic energy at my discretion.

But with all power comes responsibility.

While the South Korean government granted me such privileges, they also secured the grounds to conscript me in emergencies.

Being conscripted under this law meant that a crisis had occurred.

“A B-rank gate, initially scheduled to open in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, has shown abnormal signs,” Chief Kim briefed me quickly via the helicopter headset.

“An unexpected gate?”

“It’s not an unexpected gate, but spatial distortion has occurred, shifting the gate’s emergence point to an urban area. Additionally, two distinct energy waves have been detected through the wavelength monitor. Normally, only one type of wavelength is detected per gate. The only exception is when a returnee is involved.”

Returnee.

Since my return to Earth, I hadn’t heard of any additional returnees appearing in South Korea.

By that logic, this returnee would be the one coming after me.

“Moreover, upon scanning for magical energy using a mana detector, we identified readings that exceeded the detector’s maximum range.”

Not all returnees were dangerous, but the urgency of the government conscripting me spoke volumes.

“It must be a disaster-class returnee.”

“Yes, that’s correct. Under the previous protocols, all S-rank hunters in South Korea would be put on high alert, but after the enactment of the Irregular Special Law, the protocol has changed.”

“You personally explained the changes to me back then, Chief Kim. I remember.”

The reason for conscripting me was simple: to prevent the worst-case scenario.

There was no guarantee that all returnees would willingly cooperate with the government. In the U.S., there had already been incidents where Irregulars eliminated returnees.

An uncontrolled powerhouse is a catastrophe in itself.

Even if a returnee had achieved great heights in another world, there was no assurance they would return with goodwill.

In the worst-case scenario, it could be a monster filled with hatred and hostility.

“Due to the returnee’s presence, the gate’s activation time has been significantly reduced! Evacuation operations are underway on-site, but it is unlikely they will be completed in time. If the returnee’s condition is unfavorable…severe civilian casualties could occur.”

The situation was dire.

A disaster-class returnee in an urban area where evacuations weren’t completed.

If things went poorly, it could result in a catastrophic disaster akin to Japan’s Yamata no Orochi incident.

“What’s the operational plan?”

“First, the Special Investigation Division of the Department of Ability Management will attempt to initiate dialogue. However, if the returnee refuses to communicate or reacts with hostility, neutralization is the top priority. If neutralization is deemed impossible, immediate termination is authorized.”

If the returnee could be persuaded, South Korea would gain a powerful ally.

Given that disaster-class awakeners had been absent since Jin-young left for Japan, the government’s interest was understandable.

For my part, I welcomed the idea of the government assuming more of the burden, especially if it meant securing another powerhouse.

But for some reason, I felt uneasy—unsettled, even.

And that wasn’t a good sign.

“Mr. Siwoo! We’ve arrived. Please disembark!”

Despite my unease, we reached our destination. As soon as I heard Chief Kim’s words, I removed my headset, exited the helicopter, and gestured to Leo and Luna to follow.

“Let’s move to the temporary camp. This way!”

The streets of Chuncheon were in utter chaos.

Civilians fled in terror.

Police officers and soldiers wore grim expressions as they assisted with evacuations.

Hunters darted through the crowds, trying to manage the situation.

It was reminiscent of the scene I encountered at the Guro District Gate. Although evacuation efforts were underway, there was a high likelihood that not everyone had made it out.

“Leo. Luna.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“At your service.”

“I’ll handle the returnee. You two focus on helping with the evacuation. Prioritize the elderly and vulnerable, understood?”

At my command, they nodded simultaneously and quickly headed off to assist.

“Let’s go.”

“Understood.”

Chief Kim didn’t question my decision. He simply and quietly guided me to the temporary camp.

We arrived there promptly, and the moment I stepped into the camp, every gaze turned toward me.

“Kim Siwoo?”

“It’s Kim Siwoo.”

Murmurs filled the air.

Shortly after, hunters from the Department of Ability Management hurried over, immediately beginning their report.

“Chief Kim! The negotiation team is ready. The second defense line has been fully deployed, and…”

As I listened to their report, I silently gazed up at the sky.

The sky was tainted violet by magic.

Clouds had gathered thickly, darkening the area to near twilight despite it being midday.

Barely an hour ago, I had been joking around in the temple, completely at ease. What an unpredictable day.

But was it really just my imagination?

‘The scent of blood?’

A faint, metallic tang tickled my nose.

Frowning, I turned my gaze toward the gate, which was beginning to reveal its form.