Please Stop The Pope

Luna Lebenthon.

Luna was the commander of the Palma Knights, our church’s third Holy Knight Order, and one of the representative forces of the Holy See.

Just as Leo had the nickname “Mad Dog of the Holy Church”, Luna also had a nickname.

The Blood Saint.

I think it was quite a fitting nickname for her, who swung a warhammer while covered in the blood of enemies on the front lines of the battlefield.

Luna was skilled with all weapons, but she particularly liked the warhammer. So when I asked her the reason,

‘It has the taste of smashing heads. If Your Holiness tries it once, you’ll understand how I feel. By the way, do you happen to have time tonight? If it’s alright, let’s have a drink together in front of the Holy Church…’

…was her answer.

Regardless of her combat power, she was a person who held considerable influence within the church.

The legitimacy of being from a saint lineage and an appearance that would make anyone turn their heads at least once.

Add to that an easygoing personality, so there were many people who admired her regardless of gender.

To borrow an Earth expression, she was truly like an idol.

At a time like now when we need to expand our influence, it would be a time to welcome someone like Luna with open arms if they came over.

But last time with Leo, and this time with Luna, why do they have to get into a fight as soon as they cross over through the gate?

Of course, in both cases, the other side took the first strike, but with Leo and Luna’s skills, they could have skillfully avoided it.

I was so upset about it that I asked Leo the reason on the way to the scene.

Then Leo answered as if it was obvious.

“Lady Lebenthon and I just did as we were taught.”

“Which bastard taught such things to a priest?”

At my retort, Leo just stared at me without any answer.

…Was it me?

Anyway,

Like that, we were able to arrive at the scene of the Incheon Wolmido Gate within 20 minutes of the incident occurring, and the situation at the scene was more serious than I thought.

Kwaaaaang!

The roar that sounded like a bomb explosion rang out.

“Properly control the reporters!”

“Currently, a gate subjugation operation is in progress here! No one is allowed to enter except authorized personnel!”

“Is it true that you’re fighting with the Limen Church?”

“Please clarify the facts!”

At the entrance of the temporary barrier leading to the gate, numerous reporters were crowding in, creating a chaotic situation.

Moreover, judging by the vehicles carrying Hive Guild players continuously arriving in the distance, it seemed that the Hive Guild side had no intention of backing down easily either.

“It seems like an atmosphere that our church would risk even war.”

“It’s a matter of pride.”

The Hive Guild is the 2nd ranked guild in Korea.

They possess as many as four S-rank hunters and are a veritable giant guild with numerous chaebol companies as sponsors.

Such a guild suffered a one-sided humiliation on live stream, and their pride was hurt.

It would be stranger if they weren’t seeing red.

If I confidently walk through that entrance in this situation, a real bloodbath might occur.

If only Luna hadn’t brought up the Limen Church, the situation wouldn’t have come to this, but what can we do? The milk has already been spilled.

For now, the priority was to prevent Luna from causing a bigger accident.

If the Hive Guild deploys additional troops and engages in battle with them, it will truly be a catastrophe.

“For now, entering the barrier and meeting Luna is the priority.”

“Lady Lebenthon’s personality won’t back down. But with the entrance of the barrier blocked like that, how do you plan to enter?”

“How else.”

Crack crackle!

[Mana interference is nullified by the passive skill .]

[Serious impact is accumulating on the generated mana barrier! The durability of the barrier has significantly decreased.]

Of course, by breaking through the barrier.

Leo quietly sighed while looking at me like that, and followed behind me to enter the inside of the barrier.

“There’s an idiom called ‘rules for thee but not for me’.”

“What’s that.”

“…It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

In any case, no monsters will escape out of the barrier.

Not only had Luna and the Hive Guild players completely cleaned them up, but the gate itself had already disappeared.

In this situation, what’s the big deal about the durability of the barrier?

“It’s right ahead.”

Entering the inside of the barrier, we were able to find Luna before long.

A pure white Holy Knight standing with her back to the sea.

Her red hair beautifully fluttered in the sea breeze, and the sunlight brightly illuminated her white skin and armor.

If you look at Luna’s visuals alone, I think it’s a really beautiful scene.

“Sigh.”

Except for the Hive Guild hunters sprawled on the ground.

I held my forehead with my hand while looking at the gruesome scene unfolding before my eyes.

About 40 players, it seemed, were lying here and there in an unsightly manner.

But the fortunate thing is,

Kwaaaaang!

A Hive Guild hunter was still holding out.

In other words, their last shred of pride wasn’t broken yet.

At a glance, it seemed like one of the 4 S-rank hunters the Hive Guild possessed.

Of course, his condition didn’t look too good either.

“It seems Lady Lebenthon is deliberately testing her opponent.”

“Leo.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“Usually, when you see something like that, you say they’re toying with their opponent.”

At first glance, it may seem like they’re exchanging blows while at a stalemate, but the reality was not like that at all.

The Hive Guild’s S-rank hunter was unable to counterattack even once.

He was barely keeping up with Luna’s movements.

The fact that there were openings to decide the match everywhere, yet the match wasn’t being decided, could only be seen as Luna deliberately playing with her opponent.

However, that was short-lived.

“Your Holiness!”

Luna, who noticed me, smiled brightly and soon raised her momentum.

She was going to decide the match in an instant.

As soon as I witnessed that scene, I immediately intervened between the two.

Ku-woong!

And while deflecting Luna’s warhammer and the man’s sword at the same time, I spoke in a low voice.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, so let’s stop here.”

You can’t scoop up spilled milk, but you should at least prevent more milk from spilling out, right?

Life never flows according to plan.

But sometimes, things not going according to plan can be better.

“Team Leader Oh Jun-woo. What are you saying now?”

“I’m telling you that we also bear responsibility. It was us who attacked first despite several warnings from the other side.”

Just like now.

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at the bizarre situation unfolding before my eyes.

When I entered this barrier to fetch Luna, I was prepared to directly clash with the Hive Guild.

It was a situation where I thought it was enough for the other side to misunderstand.

But the situation afterward flowed in a direction I didn’t expect.

As soon as I stopped the fight, the Hive Guild troops waiting behind arrived at the scene.

Until then, I naturally expected the other side to start a full-fledged protest, but my prediction was nicely off the mark.

“Team Leader Oh Jun-woo!”

“Even if you say that, what is wrong is wrong. Rather, I think it’s a situation where we should apologize first.”

The Hive Guild’s S-rank hunter, Oh Jun-woo, who had been fighting Luna until just before, suddenly started actively advocating for us.

Moreover, he wasn’t recklessly advocating for us.

“Team Leader, you only designated the beings that came out of the gate as enemies based on the Special Ability Act and engaged in legitimate subjugation. Then why do you keep insisting that the responsibility lies with us?”

“The being that came out of the gate expressed that they had no intention to fight on their own. And in Korean that we could understand. Despite having sufficient room for dialogue, it was our side that issued the combat order.”

He was saying the lines I had prepared with his own mouth.

It was a situation I couldn’t comprehend at all.

And it wasn’t just me who couldn’t understand him.

“No, why are you really doing this, Team Leader Oh! Yes? The Team Leader’s subordinates were miserably crushed. No matter how much the representative cherishes you, Team Leader Oh, if you do this, you won’t be able to avoid disciplinary action.”

“I will gladly accept disciplinary action. But I cannot stand by and let harm come to that person.”

Even the other person in charge of the Hive Guild who arrived with the support troops started raising his voice as if frustrated.

I watched their argument and sneakily asked Luna.

“Luna. Did you, by any chance, brainwash that Oh Jun-woo person?”

“Eyyy, as if I have that kind of ability. And if I had the ability to brainwash, I would have brainwashed Your Holiness first. Hoho.”

“Then why the hell is he acting like that?”

“I don’t know either. If Your Holiness is really curious, can’t you just knock them all down and ask? Just give the word.”

“…You just stay still. That’s how you can help. Just shut up and stay put.”

Luna shrugged her shoulders and then turned her gaze to look at Leo, who was standing behind me.

And soon, she slapped Leo’s back heartily and said,

“Leo! Have you been well? Didn’t you miss your older sister?”

“…Lady Lebenthon. If you do this here…”

“When siblings are rejoicing in their reunion, what’s the big deal?”

Of course, those two are not biological siblings.

But Luna’s logic was, ‘Since both the saint and the holy maiden originate from Limen, aren’t they naturally siblings?’

…Well, she often did that in Eden too, so let’s not mind it. The important thing right now is to get out of here.

I sighed while looking at the two of them, and then turned my gaze forward again.

Before I knew it, the Hive Guild’s argument seemed to have reached its climax.

The person in charge who arrived late was shutting his mouth with a flushed face, and Hunter Oh Jun-woo was also looking at us with a flushed expression.

To be exact, towards Luna.

Only after seeing Oh Jun-woo’s expression did I accurately grasp what kind of situation this had turned into.

“The people from the Limen Church can go back.”

A flushed face.

Eyes that don’t leave Luna.

And a voice that doesn’t stop trembling.

All of that pointed to just one fact.

“Did you say… your name is Luna Lebenthon?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“Thanks to you, Luna Lebenthon, I gained a great realization.”

That hunter named Oh Jun-woo fell for Luna.

And quite hard at that.

In response to Oh Jun-woo’s words, Luna laughed heartily and replied,

“You turned out to be a better guy than I thought. Your swordsmanship will become really good if you just fix a few bad habits.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. I don’t lie about these things.”

At Luna’s words, Oh Jun-woo hesitated for a moment, then asked in a trembling voice,

“If I visit you separately later and ask for more guidance, would that be alright?”

“If His Holiness the Pope allows it, there’s nothing difficult about that.”

Luna said that while giving me a slight wink.

Sometimes, this girl Luna knows very well how to make use of the fact that she’s pretty.

What a fox-like creature.

I shrugged my shoulders and then spoke to Oh Jun-woo.

“Visit the temple when you have time. Come and learn swordsmanship from our Lady Lebenthon, and have a good conversation before you leave.”

Even I thought it was no exaggeration to call it a real cult, but such things didn’t seem particularly important to a man in love.

At my answer, Hunter Oh Jun-woo politely bowed and replied with enthusiasm.

“Thank you for your consideration!”

“Eyy, I’m the one who’s grateful.”

Thanks to that, a troublesome issue was resolved, so of course, I’m more thankful.

If things go well, we might even be able to pull him to our side.

In fact, there were a few such cases in Eden too.

“Then we will trust only Hunter Oh Jun-woo and take our leave.”

“Yes!”

At that time, I didn’t know.

The ripple effect that incident would bring.