RD | Chapter 50

Before Keith’s swords were completely spent, it seemed the squire was about to fall.

“Sir Keith!” Someone shouted.

“It was all lies! There’s no way Sir Keith could be a heretic!”

“Sir Keith, we’ve been waiting for you!”

The murmurs grew louder. The crowd had clearly heard the exchange between Keith and the squire with their own ears. They now understood the evidence pointing to the Vatican offering sacrifices to demons. As people of faith, they knew which side was more righteous and closer to the “teachings of God.”

They began chanting Keith’s name.

Ian found the sudden shift in atmosphere unsettling.

‘This doesn’t feel right.’

There’s no such thing as an easy boss in games. Even if the timeline had shifted and the boss wasn’t fully prepared, this was still the Vatican, a place teeming with challenges. And wasn’t there more than one boss in the Vatican?

Sure enough, the heavy doors to the Pope’s chamber creaked open, and out stepped the Pope himself, his white beard flowing majestically.

‘Of course.’

It was the start of Phase 2.

“What is all this commotion, my people? …Sir Keith.”

“Johann Kluft II.” Keith no longer addressed him as the Pope. His gaze was cold and piercing.

“Silence! What is this madness in the House of God? Sheathe your sword at once!”

The Pope’s voice was grave and authoritative, exuding a natural charisma that made the previously clamorous crowd instinctively fall silent. Even the squire lowered his sword and took a step back. Keith, unwilling to attack an unprepared opponent, allowed the confrontation to pause.

“Johann Kluft. Answer me. What happened to the injured knights and priests, the sick who were brought here for treatment, and the countless starving orphans who knocked on the Vatican’s doors?”

“The injured were healed, the sick received care, and the hungry were fed. All returned to their rightful places, as you well know.”

“Don’t feign ignorance. I speak of those who never returned.”

Keith’s words were sharp, but the Pope deflected them smoothly.

“Sir Keith, I hold you in great respect. Despite your alleged betrayal of God, you have served the people for many years. However, you seem to have forgotten your reverence. Is this who you truly are?”

The Pope was skilled in handling people. Answering questions directly was never wise. His words, measured and dignified, stirred unease among the crowd. Keith was still Keith. But could the kind and benevolent Pope really be lying?

‘Fools.’

The Pope felt a mixture of pity and disdain for the people. He had ruled over them for so long that he knew their weaknesses, cowardice, and frailty all too well.

Ultimately, people believe what they want to believe.

This was the Vatican. Soon, the soldiers would arrive. He intended to kill Keith here and now. Whatever miraculous means had brought Keith back, it didn’t matter. If he was slain now, his patron would surely forgive the Pope’s failures.

And the same people, ever loyal to the victor, would once again declare Keith a heretic.

The Pope understood people perfectly. He smiled gently.

But Keith wasn’t swayed.

“I asked you what happened to those who disappeared. Will you not answer? Will you claim ignorance? In this Vatican, there’s nothing you don’t know. Are you admitting to dereliction of duty? Answer me, Johann Kluft.”

“I have already answered. They received what they needed and returned. Those who did not return to their homes have gone to the arms of God. You know as well as I do that life and death are beyond human control. Do you wish to blame me for sacrifices made for God? If so, then do so. If it eases your conscience.”

The crowd stirred uneasily. The Pope’s words sounded reasonable. He couldn’t be blamed for deaths that occurred during service to the church, nor for the tragedies faced by those who sought sanctuary from demons.

But among the crowd was someone who required a different kind of persuasion.

“But Your Holiness… isn’t that a lie?” Keith’s squire, Maverick, spoke in a trembling voice.

“Didn’t you tell me otherwise? You said those sacrifices were necessary, that there was no other choice. You once promised me you would never lie to me, even if it was easier. Why are you now lying to the people?”

‘Foolish boy.’

The Pope suppressed a sigh and closed his eyes. Managing the ignorant masses was always difficult. There was no use getting angry over things he already knew.

In a kind voice, he said, “…Yes. Some among them made sacrifices in a different form, for God.”

“What…!”

“Your Holiness! What are you saying?”

“You mean to tell us you actually offered them to the demons? How could you, Your Holiness?!”

The crowd erupted in anger. This was why the Pope had avoided telling them the truth.

“They willingly sacrificed themselves. It is thanks to their sacrifice that we have enjoyed long years of peace.”

“That’s absurd…!”

“Your Holiness!”

The people felt the Pope was making excuses. They wanted to shout in outrage, but the Pope continued speaking.

“Can we dishonor their sacrifice by calling it ‘demon fodder’? Would you defile their noble sacrifice? And who has defiled it? You, Keith!” The Pope’s voice suddenly became harsh.

“The Vatican enjoyed long years of peace until you angered the demons and desecrated their sacrifice! Who is to blame for the demons now roaming these sacred halls? You, who refused to accept a noble sacrifice and instead returned alive! Because of you, these poor people are starving and sick in their homes! Answer me!”

“……!”

The crowd wavered. If the Pope’s words were true, then Keith’s refusal to accept his own sacrifice had enraged the demons, causing them to unleash havoc upon the Vatican.

When demons first breached the Vatican’s wards, people wandering the streets in ignorance had been devoured before they could even scream.

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t that around the time Keith’s name was added to the heretic list?’

The people remembered.

They turned their gazes toward Keith. He could feel their stares.

How could these people, who shared his faith and sense of righteousness, fall for such lies?

Keith felt tormented and couldn’t find the words to defend himself. Sustaining the Vatican through deals with demons was wrong. He couldn’t agree to maintain the current Vatican in such a state.

That meant the Vatican had to be abandoned—even if it meant demons would take over. The people living here would have to leave and find a new home.

When Keith didn’t answer, the crowd’s looks shifted to one of disbelief.

“Sir Keith…” Their voices wavered.

Keith shook his head.

He couldn’t accept what they wanted. If they hoped for a Vatican free from deals with demons but still standing as it was, wasn’t that a contradiction? Such a thing was impossible. The Vatican was already in the demon’s’ grasp.

As the people’s anger began to turn toward Keith, Ian spoke up.

Unlike Keith, Ian didn’t overthink it.

“What are you even talking about? The demon you made deals with is dead. Sir Keith killed them. That’s why their underlings are running wild in the Vatican. Why do you lie every time you open your mouth?”

“……!”

Jeong Yiwon had been born with a talent for stirring the pot, which often got him into trouble with upperclassmen even before he was an orphan. After losing his parents, it only got worse. He knew that to win an argument, you didn’t need to aim far; you just had to strike the immediate logic.

In other words, you had to seize on the weak points in their words.

And Ian excelled at that.