丰满多水的寡妇

Two Cardinals from Council of 9, who supported Romero, spoke up. Opposition immediately arose.

“What a ridiculous statement. How can that be the Pope’s voice! Did you not witness the vile acts committed by that devil?”

“It is clearly stated in the Code of Canon Law! Conducting the conclave is within the authority of the Prefect of the Congregation! It is only natural and appropriate for Cardinal Tusculani, who is the Prefect and Chairman of Council of 9, to conduct it!”

“To stay quiet until the day of the vote and then make such statements, I wonder what kind of sentiment led to that, won!”

Three Cardinals from Council of 9, who supported Tusculani, spoke out.

Tusculani looked troubled, but just before that, he saw Kijung watching him closely. On the day Kaztor initiated the terror, the two Cardinals from Council of 9 who died were also supporters of Tusculani, making their absence all the more regrettable now.

“Cards! Well said! However, the one with the authority above that of the Prefect is none other than the one appointed by the Pope! Naturally, it should be Cardinal Romero-“

“No, I am fine. I believe the Prefect will conduct it well.”

“-Krok, cardinal Romero…”

Romero stepped forward, stopping the Cardinals who supported him.

“Then please proceed, Prefect.”

“Thank you, cardinal Romero.”

Tusculani nodded, capturing the attention of the audience in an instant.

“As you all know, the conclave’s vote is determined by the 120 voting Cardinals, among whom 112 under the age of 80 are eligible candidates for the papacy. It is up to you whom to support among the 112 candidates. However, remember that even the one with the most votes cannot be elected if they do not surpass the majority.”

Tusculani paused for a moment, raising both hands high.

“Furthermore! I ask all voting Cardinals to swear by the Holy Altar. You pledge to elect the most suitable Cardinal for the papacy, not only for the Eswon Diocese but also for the peace of the continent. You also vow not to write your name on the sacred ballot. If you violate this oath, you shall suffer severe consequences as determined by the Holy Altar.”

Everyone followed Tusculani’s lead with the same gesture.

Kijung also raised his hands in worship towards the sky, following Tusculani’s words.

Rules:

To be elected as Pope, one must secure the support of the majority (61 Cardinals).
Vote for the most deserving candidate.

Do not write your own name on the ballot. After the ceremony for the election of the new Pope concluded, it was only then that Tusculani reached for the silver hammer on the podium.

“The papal election, the conclave, shall commence. I swear by the grace of the Lord, there shall be no illegal acts,” he declared, holding the hammer in his hand. In that moment, a tingling sensation ran through Kijung’s mind.

“Illegal acts… Could it be?”

What had fueled Tusculani’s confidence the night before? It was different from simply intending to leverage his accumulated wealth and connections in the Ezwen. Kijung looked at Tusculani. He was not looking back at Kijung but instead tapping the podium three times with the silver hammer.

“Election fraud?”

※ ※

The voting had begun. Kijung too received a gilded blank sheet of paper. The cardinals lined up to nominate their chosen candidate behind a screen and then placed it in the ballot box in front of the Prefect of the Papal Household, who also served as the election overseer.

“The ballot box has been shown to have a clean interior multiple times, and even before being locked, Tusculani had enchanted it with holy magic.”

After repeated checks ensuring there was no foul play, not even the cardinals from the Romero faction harbored any suspicions. The cardinals continued to vote in line.

As he waited for his turn, Kijung constantly scanned his surroundings. Where, what, how could he sabotage the election? Yet, driven by a sudden flash of insight, he realized that deducing and searching with only that basis were insufficient. Leaving the ranks abruptly would draw attention from Tusculani’s entourage, and in this enclosed space, he couldn’t summon any helpers.

“But then again, nothing might happen. Yeah! No matter how human they might be! It’s absurd, where am I?”

It was natural for such thoughts to flicker in Kijung’s mind, veering towards rationalization and a sense of resignation, realizing he might not be able to do anything.

“It’s pointless to say Cardinal Romero’s election as Pope might be voided- that’s even more dangerous. Tusculani kept saying himself, there’s a possibility he might not become Pope from this election. If there were a way to win 100% or if they were planning to use the worst method of election fraud, he would never say such a thing.”

Despite exuding baseless confidence, Tusculani had acknowledged the possibility of losing in this election. While he could solidify his foundation until the next election, it seemed he acknowledged the possibility of losing in this sudden election, due to the ‘underground work’ meticulously laid out from the roots.

“Yeah! Even if it’s a sham, it’s impossible. That’s ridiculous. Instead, they might be subtly pressuring me to make a mistake. Ugh, my head hurts!”

From Tusculani’s proposal to the onset of the conclave, the time was too short. For Kijung, who couldn’t meet advisors like Hyein, Leeha, or Ramhwaryun, it was a painful moment.

“Now, even if I try to put it into words… it would be difficult to convey that feeling accurately – Damn, damn, damn!”

The more he thought about it, Kijung could feel a tingling sensation in his temple.

“Hyein hyungnim must be really struggling. He must be dealing with more than this every single day, right?”Amidst everything, Kijung felt worried about Hyein while being absent-minded. One’s true character cannot be hidden.

“Exorcism Cardinal-nim, it’s your turn next.”

“Oh, yes! Cardinal Romero. Hehe, I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“Haha, being able to think of something else during the conclave. Indeed, you are resolute Holy Knight.”

Romero, standing behind Kijung, burst into a chuckle.

Embarrassed by the pure laughter of admiration devoid of mockery, Kijung felt ashamed. And finally, he entered the polling booth and unfolded the gilded ballot papers.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. Shin Nara-ssi’s Fibiel support shooting was outstanding. They have already submitted documents regarding the establishment of Kaztor Search Team to the Aeswon faction. Having confirmed Pielle’s proactive stance, there should be no wavering in support from Romero’s faction.”

So, they should compete fairly through the vote.

Kijung gripped the prepared pen. Surely, nothing would happen. It’s too late to do anything now.

“The Aeswon people, especially the priests. Ah, they are, as promised, close to god! Like a living, breathing god! They wouldn’t commit any wrongdoings, it’s impossible, they won’t!”

What is the reason behind the swift conclave?

To be elected as the pope, one must obtain more than half of the support. Unless minor factions unite, the leader of that faction cannot be elected.

Moreover, there are Rule 2 and Rule 3 that make it possible.

What is the driving force behind it?

“Not to lie on oath before God! Ultimately, everyone here knows that! It’s the greatest sin. In the end, there won’t be many candidates. According to Cheka’s information, only the Parneja faction among the cardinals insisted on voting for themselves. In the end, mentioning only two or three names is the proper voting flow!”

Romero, Tusculani. Or Romero, Tusculani, Parneja.

Only the names of these three people will be mentioned. Isn’t the race of the Aes exorcists, who cannot keep an oath sworn to God, supposed to move properly even so?

“Write. Writing. I’m writing, casting my precious vote!”

Kijung barely managed to steady his trembling hand.

And then, gritting his teeth, he wrote down the name. Square, square, square.

“Huuu… Is it really this difficult just to write down a name?”

All that was left now was putting the gilded ballot into the ballot box. Kijung pushed it in with a completely drained expression.

“Have you thought carefully before voting, Exorcism Cardinal?”

“Yes, of course.”

“You must have had a lot on your mind since being newly appointed.”

“Oh, no, that’s why it was actually easier.”

Tusculani and Kijung exchanged formal greetings in front of the ballot box.

They were smiling at each other, but there was no warmth between them.

“Easy?”

“Yes. Just have to choose the best person without thinking about anything else.”

A faint click, a dull sound of teeth clenching, only heard by Kijung.

“I see. I should vote like that too.”

“I hope you do.”

Kijung put the ballot into the box.

And the moment he withdrew his hand, Kijung saw Tusculani’s eyes.

“Huh?!”

“Thank you for your hard work. Now, let’s move on to the next.”

It wasn’t a gaze mixed with anger.

Though it was just a passing moment, Tusculani’s eyes held an intention to completely devour Kijung. A drop of sweat trickled down Kijung’s back as she turned away from the ballot box near the altar.

“No way… No, it’s all over now. I let go of my hand.”

Following Kijung’s vote, Romero also placed his ballot into the ballot box. It didn’t take long for the successive votes of the cardinals to finish.

“All right! We will close the first round of the conclave vote.”

Kuuuuung… Tusculani first sealed the ballot box. The cardinals, returning to their seats, watched the scene.

“To prevent any irregularities, the counting will be conducted directly here, in front of the voting members, to ensure a result that everyone can agree on. Let us all pray for it.”

Tusculani knelt in front of the ballot box, clasping his hands together. The nine cardinals from the 09 faction, who would assist in the counting, also closed their eyes and clasped their hands.

This place was like a chapel. There were long chairs lined up, and it was natural for the seated cardinals to close their eyes.

Kijung whispered, “Please, please! You know if Tusculani becomes the Pope here, the New Continent will be turned upside down, right, Ahlo? Even though it’s just a game we believe in! Wait, isn’t Ahlo the developer? Developer-nim! Please help us!”

He prayed fervently with closed eyes, more intense than anyone else.

Tusculani’s prayer lasted about 1 minute and 40 seconds. When the ritual ended and everyone opened their eyes, the seal on the ballot box was finally broken.

“Let the counting begin.”

The cardinals from the 09 faction prepared a large board. The name with the most votes, ‘Tusculani,’ would become the Pope from today.

*”117th vote, Tusculani.”

“Oohhh!”

“He’s one vote ahead!”

“As expected, Tusculani!”

Cheers erupted from the right side of the chapel, while sighs were heard from the left side. Even Kijung, who was observing, couldn’t believe his eyes.

“This is unbelievable, what is this?”

Already, the 117th counting was completed. The current score stood at Romero 57, Tusculani 58. The other neutral factions had a Parneja cardinal who had gained approximately 2 votes.

Most of the small and medium-sized factions had shifted their full support to either Romero or Tusculani, except for the Parneja faction, which declared a fair vote and didn’t align with either side.

However, despite having over 11 members in the Parneja faction, they only managed to secure 2 votes, leading to a silent power struggle within the Parneja faction at the back left of the chapel. Of course, Kijung was not concerned about this. He could understand because even though he was slow at reading the room, he knew.