Archbishop Karleya, not Cardinal Karleya.
Cassandra, who grasped the meaning of those words, shot a fierce glare at McLaren.
“McLaren! You really…!”
“Don’t blame me, Cassandra. Haven’t you always told me to live within my means? I merely followed your advice.”
“As a rich tycoon’s pet!”
“What can I say? A rich tycoon can lead a more abundant life than an Archbishop of the Church.”
McLaren only smirked at Cassandra’s genuine rage.
In fact, it was not Cassandra but him who was glancing sideways, gauging my reaction.
Having fulfilled all the promises, it was now my turn to give something back.
“Former Cardinal McLaren, here it is.”
“Oh, ohhhh…!! What is this…?”
“It’s the ownership of the mansion in the prime location, along with the surrounding land. Not to mention various tax exemptions and plenty of savings in the bank.”
“T-thank you! Thank you!!”
Regardless, the man who once stood atop hundreds of millions of believers bowed his head continuously.
In response to that spectacle, Cassandra, Skoll, and even the Saint who received help made faces of disgust.
However, Karleya, who had always harbored disdain for McLaren, wore a complicated expression.
That was because she had come to understand why McLaren was so obsessed with money.
──I have a daughter. A daughter born from my heart.
──What do you mean by that…?
──Unbeknownst to anyone, Cardinal McLaren is supporting young girls who couldn’t even enter the orphanage to grow up properly.
──Then, if we talk to the Church officially…
──He was rejected during his time as bishop due to budget constraints. I heard he wants to ensure that other girls don’t end up like his mother, as he is the child of a prostitute.
──………
──It costs a lot of money to support girls from all over the world. For that reason, McLaren takes on the role of a rich tycoon and gathers money.
──B-but.
──I understand what you want to say. It’s true that McLaren has personal wealth. Do you know what he asked for in this matter?
──No, I don’t.
──A priest cannot own land. He asked for the mansion and land to establish an orphanage. It seems he intends to leave the Church entirely, not just step down from being a Cardinal.
──………
──Was the money he personally collected for the orphanage’s operating costs? Or was it personal greed? We cannot know, as we are not McLaren… but one thing is clear.
──What is it?
──McLaren has handed over his Cardinal position to you.
──Ah.
──Now, let’s go.
McLaren Schwartz. A Cardinal who maintained neutrality and is regarded as the most corrupt in history.
Was it all a disguise or was he truly corrupt?
Though he claimed he would establish an orphanage, no one knows what will happen with that mansion and land.
What could be the reason he demanded a mansion in a desolate valley?
Cardinal Karleya was overwhelmed by all these thoughts.
“If it were normal, I wouldn’t even have thought of coming here.”
Since Karleya was in this state, I had no choice but to come too.
There were just too many stairs to climb, making it quite the struggle…
But the timing seemed rather appropriate.
“Wait a moment, even if we assume Archbishop Karleya is right, why is the fortuneteller here?”
“Cassandra, you are speaking of Cardinal Karleya, not Archbishop. I’ve come here to represent newly appointed Cardinal Karleya’s words.”
“How dare an outsider enter the Room of Proof…!!”
“The Room of Proof is where faith is judged, not a place for worldly interests. That’s something the court down below can handle. Proving oneself before God is the very essence of this room… so, from the moment you compromised its purpose, it matters not whether I step in or not, Cardinal Cassandra.”
“………….”
“You look puzzled for various reasons. Well, it does differ a bit from what I told you yesterday, right?”
“Does the rich tycoon know about this…?”
“You’re still clinging to worldly interests. If you must know, yes. He’s quite aware. We’re on friendly terms.”
“You tricked me…!!”
“Consider it a political maneuver.”
As I lightly bowed my head, Cassandra’s voice rang loudly within the room.
However, she had no choice but to remain on that terrace. It wasn’t like she had any strong faith or self-restraint── if she moved recklessly, the Pope would intervene.
‘That utilitarian is crazy in various ways.’
Since that person is the strongest in this world, it truly is a headache.
Anyway, I turned to Skoll, who had a rather unsettled expression, leaving Cassandra’s furious shouting behind.
“Cardinal Skoll, it’s been a while.”
“How…? The top of the Cathedral is supposed to be guarded by priests and holy knights.”
“I slipped in behind Cardinal Karleya and spread a bit of bribe among the priests and holy knights. Those with a solid economic mindset let me in.”
“………….”
“Moreover, it’s rather peculiar that someone so economically aware has decorated their office in gold. Do you enjoy looking at it by yourself? If I dare say, you might even have more hidden wealth than McLaren.”
“…The time for that has passed, Fortuneteller. Even if Karleya came in place of McLaren, the outcome wouldn’t change.”
“No, it will.”
Thud.
Well, Skoll wasn’t entirely wrong. This essentially meant that someone from the supportive faction replaced McLaren, who was originally on board.
Ultimately, the numbers remained oppositional: three against one in dissent.
Yet despite all this, I had a reason to set Karleya in motion instead of McLaren.
That was because there was someone here who could be persuaded.
“Cardinal… Cardinal? Ha! Cardinals are elected on feast days. Right now, Karleya is merely acting in McLaren’s stead! Taking advantage of the opportunity where those who could impede Cardinal Karleya’s succession are gathered here…!!”
“Your words hold some truth, Cardinal Cassandra. But ultimately, at this point, Cardinal Karleya is a Cardinal, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Ugh…!!”
Of course, it’s not Cassandra.
And neither is it Skoll, who’s looking at me with suspicious eyes.
“Criminal… comrade.”
“Saint, do you remember what I told you before?”
“Before…?”
“I said I would save Eileen. Just trust me and leave it to me. The same applies this time.”
“……….”
“It’ll be over soon.”
There’s one person who would support this saint, overwhelmed by lofty ideals but now disillusioned by reality.
That kind, smiling old man.
“Your Holiness.”
“Oh, esteemed guest! I never expected to reunite in this manner; even this old man is surprised.”
“I never expected it either. I simply came to hear a piece of good news.”
“Haha! Truly sounds like a fortuneteller now. Well then, please speak. But I can’t afford to give you much time.”
The Pope.
A mental case in both a good sense and a bad sense, as a utilitarian.
To persuade him… only one thing is needed.
The happiness of the majority.
“One trillion dollars.”
“……Hmm?”
“I have prepared one trillion dollars (approx. 1300 trillion KRW).”
“………….”
“How much was the Vatican’s annual budget this year? I recall it being around 1 billion dollars… that’s a thousand times more.”
“What… is that…?”
“Specifically, an anonymous rich tycoon provided 400 billion dollars, the temporary diplomatic budget of the Daehan Empire amounted to 360 billion dollars, and the introduction fees from Arthur totaled around 240 billion dollars.”
“………Oh.”
“With this amount of money, how many can find happiness? At the very least, the Church could carry out all the things it could never do due to budget issues literally.”
“………….”
“For that price, all you need to do is lightly nod, Your Holiness. That’s enough.”
The Pope closed his eyes.
If he were plotting to bring about the downfall of the saint like Skoll or Cassandra, he wouldn’t have blinked.
But the Pope merely followed the happiness of the majority.
Thus, to sway his heart… I need to assure him of such happiness.
“Your Holiness…?”
“Oh, no…?”
At that moment, Skoll and Cassandra’s anxious gazes turned toward the Pope.
An old man full of wrinkles opened his previously closed eyes.
“It’s insufficient, esteemed guest.”
“………….”
“One trillion dollars… is a vast fortune this old man may never touch or lay eyes upon, but compared to the current proof that Raphael Martina has lost his position as the Saint, unifying the Church’s intent is worth much more. Achieving a unified political position is something money cannot accomplish.”
“…I see.”
“Of course, it may seem trivial compared to worldly values, but if the Church’s intent is unified, it can efficiently bring happiness to many more than just throwing money. So—”
“Two trillion dollars.”
“—you can nod your head right now, can’t you?”
“Of course.”
…Thank goodness I asked Liu to fetch more.
Then again, she brought properties and stocks instead of liquidity, insisting that I sign a waiver since there needed to be collateral… but hey.
I doubt she’ll actually threaten me.
Anyway.
“Your Holiness! What are you saying!!”
“Skoll, two trillion dollars is not child’s play.”
“Are you saying unifying the Church’s will is child’s play!”
“It is indeed. After all, even if you manage to unify it in this way, how long will it last? Maybe ten years at best before it tears apart again. It would be better to stick to the two trillion dollars.”
“Your Holiness!!”
“Please don’t get so angry. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be on Skoll and Cassandra to guarantee some kind of return beyond the guest’s proposal?”
“………….”
“…………….”
Two trillion dollars, two trillion dollars.
Even if Skoll’s hidden wealth or those from the opposing faction led by Cassandra mustered all they had, could they gather even half that?
No, if they emptied their pockets, perhaps they could do so. The position of Cardinal isn’t just for show.
But that would mean sacrificing everything. Really everything.
In the end, this is all to survive, to live comfortably, to live as a rich person.
If one were to offer everything up, it feels like a reversal of the whole point.
For that reason, Skoll and Cassandra had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.
“Now, it looks like we have a 2 to 2 standoff. However, we can’t end things on such an ambiguous result, can we?”
“………….”
“……….”
One of you two will have to make the first move and confess your guilt. Naturally, the remaining one will bear the brunt of all the blame, right?”
“…………….”
“………….”
So they’re not going to give in this way?
Even if they’re told their sins would be forgiven, after all, they’d still fall out of favor with the Saint. Could Skoll really maintain his Cardinal position after betraying him?
Especially for Cassandra, who leads the opposing faction; if she were to flip sides, she’d lose all justification for her faction. At the very least, a decline in support and loss of position would be certain.
‘Well, I suppose it wouldn’t matter if it ended like this.’
2 to 2. The conclusion regarding the proof was not reached, but this is enough.
After all, once I step down from the tower, and show the Saint’s <Holy Radiance> in public, I can claim legitimacy and justification.
If the Saint can use <Holy Radiance>, yet didn’t grant proof? Skoll and Cassandra would undoubtedly have to step down from their Cardinal positions.
In any case, there’s only a dead end ahead.
Even I find designing such a trap in these circumstances extremely tricky and difficult… but with money enough to bypass rules, everything ends up getting resolved smoothly.
‘…I remember the annual budget of South Korea being about 600 trillion.’
Let alone the Daehan Empire, the strongest nation, alongside Arthur, who dominates Europe, and the world’s richest tycoon combining forces makes even 2600 trillion seem like pocket money.
Anyway, with this, everything is resolved.
I just need to delay a bit before heading down to the Room of Proof──
<Well, can things really end with a draw like this?>
──Huh?
I hear a voice.
A voice.
A voice?
The source of the voice was easy to find.
Everyone in this room looked up, as if they had all made a promise.
There, where the throne stood.
It surely seemed like a chair for the divine to watch over the proof, a sort of display.
Someone was seated there.
<The Room of Proof… truly has been a while. I had faced the former usurper here once.>
“…Who are you?”
<What am I? I am a man, a woman, a child, an old man, a corrupt debauchee, and a conqueror from another world.>
“………….”
“……….”
“…No way.”
<Yet you all refer to me as such.>
“Oh, ohhhh…!!”
<The Creator of the world, the God.>
The presence swirls around.
Despite merely sitting on the chair, most of his body hidden by it, and with numerous fractures in his arms and legs, that monstrous voice resonates.
And thus he introduces himself.
He is God.
“…God?”
<Oh, Namgoong Min. How long has it been since we last met at the Holy Sword? Are you not curious about the usurper? >
“How are you here?”
God—the former God whose divinity has now been usurped by Jisoo—is currently in a precarious state.
Till now, every meeting occurred in places far from mundane reality: the Gate’s space, dreams, and the gaps where the Holy Sword lies.
But how come here?
<Did I not mention earlier? This room, this space, I crafted myself. As my handiwork, it’s natural I could be here.>
“………So, what is your business?”
<Haha! Well, it’s quite simple. It has been ages since the Room of Proof has been utilized, and you intend to end with a 2 to 2 draw?!>
“………….”
<For one, the fact that there is an even number of those judging the proof is already ridiculous. I must be included for it to be odd. Some conclusion is bound to arise, one way or another.>
God looks down.
The bewildered expressions of Skoll, the quickly kneeling Cassandra, the speechless McLaren and Karleya, and the Pope’s kind smile.
Beyond them, beyond the person staring back at God—his gaze lands on the Saint.
<Saint. My child, my son.>
“…Ah.”
<Since I appointed you as the Saint, wouldn’t it also be my will that you be opposed? >
“…Ah?”
<I declare as the Creator of this world. Raphael Martina has lost his title and position.>
That cracked hand points toward the Saint, Raphael.
<Thus, I deny the proof.>
Two in favor.
Three against.
At that moment, the conclusion of the proof was reached.
![[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TS-Obsessed-Gamer-The-Ultimate-Return2.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return")
