I’m Going to Destroy this Country

Everyone sighed as if dumbfounded.

So now, that Isaac guy is saying this? That he found maggots in White’s totem, so he replaced White’s totem with the Imperial Family’s totem?

The Cardinals frowned.

‘It’s questionable how he got the totem from the Imperial Family in the first place.’

Because there’s no way the Imperial Family would give their items to priests.

But what’s important now isn’t the Imperial Family. Even if it’s concerning, what’s more important now is that Isaac cheated.

“Where’s the original White totem?”

If they examine the original item, they can find the answer. It was the only evidence that could prove Isaac’s words were false and that they were innocent.

The Gold Cardinal held out his hand menacingly.

“Hand over the original totem.”

If they fall out with White, it will be troublesome for them.

But Isaac smiled brightly.

“I’m so sorry, I’ve already disposed of it so I can’t show you, what should we do?”

The Gold Cardinal let out a hollow laugh.

“So you disposed of it, but we’re supposed to believe your words?”

“Yes!”

As Isaac smiled innocently, even the fox-like Red Cardinal rarely let out a dumbfounded laugh.

“Wow, this bast… the Blue is mocking the other Cardinals now?”

Though the Red Cardinal quickly corrected his speech at the Blue family head’s gaze, he couldn’t hold back his anger.

“Hand it over.”

The Gold Cardinal, who rarely agreed with Red, held out his hand.

Despite the intimidating gesture that would normally scare someone, Isaac was relaxed even though he had three Cardinals as enemies.

No, rather, he was sly.

“Are you sure you want me to show you? If I show you, it might be very troublesome for Your Eminences, you know?”

“…??”

At Isaac’s sly smile, the Gold Cardinal who had held out his hand seemed rather flustered. His eyebrows, usually as hard and imposing as bricks, rarely wavered uncertainly.

The Red Cardinal was the same.

‘What is it? What does he have that makes him so confident?’

When I checked, there was nothing in White’s totem, right? The Black Cardinal wasn’t flustered, but he stared at Isaac as if interested.

At this point, even his subordinate couldn’t help but worry first.

[…Is it okay to bluff?]

‘It’s not a bluff though?’

[What? Wasn’t there no Infinite Maggot in White’s totem?]

‘Right. There was no Infinite Maggot.’

[…!]

Isaac smiled brightly and spoke kindly to the White Cardinal.

“I’ll show it to Your Eminence the White Cardinal separately later.”

[Wow… That detestable smile.]

Whisper shuddered. Perhaps it was incomparable to when he was a baby who couldn’t control his expressions.

But as Isaac acted like this, the other Cardinals rather looked uneasy.

‘What is it? What does he have?’

Everyone tried to figure out Isaac’s intentions, but the White Cardinal didn’t seem to care about such things.

What was important to her wasn’t Isaac’s scheme.

“Anyway, thank you for paying attention even to the White’s items.”

“!”

For Isaac to act like this, there must have been something in White’s totem.

No, in the first place, something unthinkable happened, like planting maggots at the sacred faith selection ceremony. And the Cardinals even neglected that incident.

In fact, it wouldn’t be strange if White suffered any damage. This time, it was just the Blue who became the target instead of the White.

“The Blue must have been busy with your own matters.”

“…!”

At the White Cardinal’s words, the other Cardinals flinched.

“In such a situation, to replace it with a safe item, moreover with that precious Imperial Family’s totem. And not even your own item, but White’s.”

“…!!”

“And above all…”

The White Cardinal’s cold gaze turned to the other Cardinals.

“Thank you for letting us know what kind of behavior and thoughts our colleagues usually have.”

“No…!”

As the Cardinals tried to say something, the White Cardinal cut them off and spoke to Isaac.

“As the head of White, please allow me to express gratitude to the Blue.”

At the White Cardinal’s words, Isaac inwardly grinned.

That’s right!

This is it! This is what I’ve been waiting for!

But he shouldn’t show that he’s too happy. Isaac pretended to be a bit troubled, as if he disliked it.

“Please don’t, Your Eminence. I only did what was natural as a priest.”

[Master, please wipe your drool.]

The Blue family head looked at his grandson as if to say ‘look at that, look at that greed’.

The White Cardinal smiled as if to say this is indeed typical of Blue.

“Just say it. I want to thank you personally.”

Isaac rubbed his forehead as if he was really troubled and pretended to be in difficulty.

“Ah, actually Blue is a bit short on money to give to the new recruits, but I don’t want to ask White for help…”

“Ah, if that’s the reason, there’s no problem.”

The White Cardinal smiled brightly and looked at the other Cardinals.

“The others can provide it for you.”

…W-What?

The Cardinals looked at the White Cardinal as if doubting their ears.

Us?

Provide money for the Blue’s new recruits?

Why us?

It’s bad enough that we lost the recruits, but why us???

Then the White Cardinal smiled radiantly.

“Ah, yes. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. If you say you won’t do it because you have no conscience, what can we say?”

“…!”

“We’ll just use it as a topic of conversation with our clients. Then it might reach the ears of people from other countries, and we’ll think twice about dealing with people without conscience. We’ll doubt your words a hundred times more. That’s all. It’s a trivial matter, so don’t worry about it.”

You’re going to act like this…?

‘Damn, we’ve been properly marked.’

When the White says they’ll ‘think twice’, it doesn’t really mean they’ll think twice. When they say they’ll think twice and doubt, it essentially means they’ll cut off relations.

Above all, the White Cardinal is kind but in a different sense, the scariest and strongest.

“Surely the noble Cardinals wouldn’t complain about raising new recruits? Or are you thinking of abandoning them like this time, pretending not to know because they’re the Blue’s recruits?”

“…”

In the beautiful eyes of the White Cardinal asking politely, there was rarely a mix of disgust. She was indirectly telling them not to disappoint her.

At this point, the Red Cardinal clicked his tongue.

‘It would be troublesome to be on bad terms with White.’

Finally, as if understanding, Red spoke. It was an action seemingly trying to look good to White.

“Well, regardless of faith, they’re all priests of Hella. We’ll gladly provide support. Write down what you need and send it… Huh?”

At the Red Cardinal’s words, the corners of Isaac’s mouth rose slightly.

Did this bastard just say to write down and send ‘what you need’?

That’s what he said, right? Huh?

Of course, the Black Cardinal seemed like he wouldn’t easily agree, looking contemptuous, but this bastard said to write down and send what you need, right? Right?

Perhaps understanding how Isaac took his gaze, the Red Cardinal rarely flinched. It was a look that realized this might not end with just losing a penny or two.

“…No! Come to think of it, I think there’s someone who can help together!”

The Red Cardinal desperately grabbed the Gold Cardinal’s arm.

“We’ll do it together!”

At this drowning man’s tactic, the Gold Cardinal glared at the Red Cardinal as if this crazy son of a bitch had gone mad.

“What are you doing?”

“What’s good about having friends?”

As the Gold Cardinal pushed away the Red Cardinal as if saying who’s your friend, the White Cardinal asked Isaac.

“Young Master Isaac seems to know who the real culprit is who put the Infinite Maggots in.”

Isaac chuckled.

“Are you curious?”

The culprit?

Well, this goes without saying.

“Who else could it be? Someone related to the Papacy.”

Then, as if on cue, everyone stared intently at the Gold Cardinal.

The Gold Cardinal made a rotten expression as if dumbfounded.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Then who…”

Isaac smiled as if detestably.

“I think it’s about time they arrive.”

“What?”

It was right then.

“His Holiness the Pope has arrived!”

* * *

The Pope appeared at the Colosseum.

With the Pope’s appearance, the atmosphere in the Colosseum completely changed.

“Why would His Holiness the Pope come to a place like this…!”

“Oh, my goodness…!”

The apprentices bowed their heads with eyes full of reverence.

Even the Cardinals, who hurriedly left the Red’s waiting room and paid their respects, seemed rarely flustered.

Of course, they had heard rumors that the Pope would participate in the faith selection, but they didn’t think he would really come.

‘We thought he would only come briefly when all the new recruits’ places were decided and for the blessing ceremony.’

The Pope looked towards the Blue’s waiting room full of new recruits.

“So the rumors of Blue’s revival were true.”

“…!!”

At the Pope’s words, the Gold Cardinal’s complexion changed a bit. Because he knows better than anyone what those words mean.

At that time, the Pope held out his hand with the Pope’s ring and adjusted his sleeve. All the priests who knew well the meaning of that action immediately tensed up and composed themselves.

It meant to express loyalty to the Pope.

Indeed, the priest attending the Pope shouted.

“Pay your respects to His Holiness the Pope!”

All the apprentices and priests in the Colosseum knelt down and bowed their heads. It was a majestic sight.

Then the priest said.

“Cardinals, offer your greetings.”

At those words, the Gold and Red Cardinals moved first.

“May God’s glory be with His Holiness the Pope.”

They knelt before the Pope and kissed the ring. This was the Cardinals’ oath of loyalty, saying they would die for themselves and follow the Pope, and also their greeting.

Isaac took in that sight as if it were detestable.

‘Forcing loyalty and confirming the Cardinals’ loyalty.’

Originally, this isn’t done in a place like this.

So why do it?

‘Because new recruits flocked to Blue. It’s telling Blue not to get cocky.’

There must be the vision issue too, and he must have come to warn the Blue family head.

And it was then.

After the Gold, followed by the Red and Black, finished their greetings, the priest looked at the Blue family head.

“It’s Blue’s turn.”

However, the Blue family head and Isaac just stared blankly at the Pope without kneeling.

The Pope’s attendant and other Cardinals also looked puzzled.

“Blue?”

The priest gave a troubled look.

The Pope also stared at the Blue family head.

Soon, as the Pope’s attendant was about to ask if there was a problem, the Blue family head opened his mouth.