Please Stop The Pope

Chapter 87

6.

Due to restrictions placed by the system, I wasn’t able to move around actively afterward.

According to the explanation, the restrictions are lifted when needed for “self-defense,” but just like before, the scope of “self-defense” as defined by the system was very vague.

It was questionable whether the self-defense mechanism would activate even when I put myself in danger.

So, I just considered it a week-long vacation.

I woke up in the morning, played with Baekseol, then had In-wook cook lunch.

When Siyeon came back, we ordered some delicious food.

As the days passed, moving day was fast approaching.

The move went smoothly.

Initially, I had planned to hire a professional moving company.

Due to security reasons, it is not possible. Please leave it to us.

However, Director Kim’s opposition meant that the Irregular Management Department’s Irregular Special Affairs Team took over the task of moving.

Although they weren’t a professional moving company, they packed everything very neatly.

These guys can do anything, huh? I’m worried that this might lead to some “Irregular abuse” controversy.

If it were a private company, there would have definitely been a controversy.

Anyway,

By the morning, our family had finished moving and gathered in our new, larger living room compared to our old house, eating Chinese food.

“Moving day calls for Jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork. Siyeon, eat a lot. How about we visit your new school with your brother this afternoon?”

“Sure!”

“Okay, okay.”

I patted Siyeon’s head while she was eating Jajangmyeon with sauce all over her face.

The day before the move, I personally delivered gifts to the neighbors.

Department store gift certificates, a letter written by Siyeon, and a picture that Siyeon had drawn herself.

I’m not sure if it was because our family was blessed, but the neighbors all seemed to be disappointed.

Even though they had suffered some inconveniences because of me, they didn’t say anything, which made me more grateful.

I was so thankful that I had Leo secretly inscribe a blessing on Siyeon’s picture. Since it was filled with divine power, it should be very effective.

“But when I think about this morning, it’s still funny.”

“Ah, that?”

“No, it’s like, the neighbors didn’t say anything, but why did other people try to stop our move? Didn’t you think that was funny?”

As In-wook said, earlier this morning, some of the apartment residents tried to stop us from moving.

They actually flipped their bellies in front of the moving truck.

If the Irregular Management Department staff hadn’t intervened, we wouldn’t have been able to move.

To briefly describe the situation before we moved…

If you want to move, you’ll have to pass over us!

Huh? You made everything inconvenient for us, and now you’re irresponsibly running away? And you call yourself the Pope!

We oppose this with all our might! We’re protecting our home prices!

We oppose this move without the approval of the residents! We oppose it!

It was fine when you moved in, but it’s not fine when you’re leaving!

It was a total mess.

Maybe it was because it was the weekend, but even though it was early in the morning, they came out to protest.

The reason the unrelated people came out to stop the move was simple.

“They said that house prices went up a lot because I live in this apartment, right? They’re all trying to stop me because if I leave, those inflated house prices will drop. It’s obvious.”

“People are really something…”

“In Korea, house prices are worth protecting with your life, little brother. You still have a lot to learn. Heh.”

Normally, people can watch their property value increase, but they can’t watch it decrease.

In Korea, real estate is one of the most valuable assets.

It’s actually a long-standing tradition.

Keep away from facilities you dislike, and get as close as possible to those you prefer.

It’s one of the most primal human desires, so I wasn’t surprised by it, but when it happened to us, it was a bit uncomfortable.

I took a bite of my Jajangmyeon and pointed to the 86-inch wall-mounted TV that was playing the news.

“Well, the landlord who owned the house we lived in was the only one really happy. He even bought us this large TV when we moved.”

“Maybe the landlord is the real winner? He also promised to buy all the other electronics, not just the TV.”

“That’s how good he is.”

According to Director Kim’s expectations, the house we lived in would sell for at least twice the original price.

Maybe even more, depending on the homeowner’s discretion. Either way, it’s true that the so-called ‘Kim Siwoo Premium’ has been added.

In fact, there was divine power left all over the house.

It was definitely the place I had lived in, and Baekseol, who had become my divine familiar, must have left traces here and there.

“Whoever moves in after us will definitely benefit from it.”

“Yeah. Since Baekseol came, I’ve felt a lot less tired.”

Although you could say the fatigue is gone, there are still dark circles under your eyes, right?

Maybe the dark circles have been there so long that they’ve become part of the body.

In short, you’ve evolved into a panda.

I looked at In-wook sympathetically and placed a piece of pickled radish on top of his Jajangmyeon.

“Still, this is our home now.”

“If Mom and Dad saw this, they would’ve been so happy that we bought a house in Seoul. Wait, no, maybe they would’ve been disappointed since it doesn’t have a Han River view?”

“Instead of a Han River view, we’ve got a Cheonggyecheon view. So I think they’d have acknowledged it to some extent.”

This place was undoubtedly a historic one for my brother and me.

“How about we visit the cemetery with Siyeon this weekend? We haven’t properly paid our respects lately.”

“This weekend, Luna’s planning some content for the channel…but I think it’s fine to take a short break.”

By the way, the most viewed videos on our official channel are the ones Luna appears in.

Her beauty is clearly on display, and she speaks very casually, so she definitely has a solid fan base.

Looking at the view count, it’s clear where the public’s attention is focused.

“What kind of content is she planning this time?”

“It’s going to be like a documentary format. You know the new players who joined the group? She plans to film how she trains them. Leo is also helping with it.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“It’s a pretty common plot, but it’s a solid one. Minsoo also did something like this with the ‘Newbie Academy’ content, so he’s giving us lots of advice.”

I think it will be very beneficial for the group’s image. It’ll also help attract new players.

Still, In-wook is really putting in a lot of effort. I didn’t expect him to work this hard.

As our family ate lunch and chatted, an interesting story came up on the TV.

“During the temporary National Assembly session, the Irregular Special Law was passed unanimously. We’ve invited Professor Seon Ho-jun from Korea University to discuss the Irregular Special Law. Hello, Professor.”

“Yes, hello.”

“Many viewers are curious about the powers given to Kim Siwoo, the Awakened. Could you explain them to us?”

“Well, first, the Irregular Special Law was quickly proposed by referencing American legislation, and it grants judicial privileges to Irregulars…”

A law related to me had been passed unanimously.

This meant that, at least partially, I was going to be granted immunity.

“Well, you kept your promise.”

President Seo kept his promise to grant me powers. And it was faster than I had thought.

As I listened to the conversation between the announcer and the panelists, I smiled to myself.

Things were going well.

Following the Irregular Special Act, the outbreak of an infectious disease in the Daejeon refugee camp was reported, causing a continued sense of unease throughout South Korea.

Although this was a situation where many victims could have emerged, I managed to resolve it quickly, and as a result, the number of deaths was very low.

The patients in a mind-altered state required continuous treatment for the time being, but thanks to the efforts of the new players in our group, led by Luna, we were able to significantly reduce the number of severe cases.

Some of the carriers who had escaped from the refugee camp were also largely dealt with thanks to the relentless pursuit by the Department of Ability Management, and with the source removed, they were no longer a significant threat. Therefore, it could be said that the situation had been completely resolved.

「(Photo) Players from the Limen Church, led by ‘Sister’ Luna Leventon, are treating patients.」

「Once again, Kim Siwoo! The hero who saved South Korea from countless crises, now gaining wings through the Irregular Special Act!」

「Luna Leventon, ‘I received much help from Pastor Seo Seong-shin, who had been serving here for a long time. Regardless of religion, I respect him.’」

「’The Saint of Daejeon,’ Pastor Seo Seong-shin. Who is he?」

Luna, having gained media-savvy abilities, conducted interviews with ease. During the process, she also spoke about Pastor Seo, acknowledging his humanity.

Alongside Luna’s interview, the results of measuring Pastor Seo’s divine power, announced by the Department of Ability Management, became an excellent catalyst.

Currently, the Department of Ability Management has been measuring divine power through the holy stones provided by our church, and Pastor Seo has reached the highest level ever recorded since measurements began.

Naturally, the Protestant Church was in an uproar.

A new apostle had appeared, marking the beginning of the revival of Protestantism.

It was only natural to make a fuss since an unprecedented talent had emerged…but, well, it may not have been entirely good news for them.

Anyway,

Our church had temporarily gained a new member.

“…And so, for the time being, we have Oh Junwoo, who will be teaching combat and monsters at Limen Church. It’s a pleasure to meet you all again!”

“Everyone, applause.”

-Clap, clap, clap.

It was Oh Junwoo, the whistleblower from the Hive Guild.

What does a hunter belonging to the Guild Coalition do after stabbing a knife into their back?

I quickly took him in.

He was an S-class hunter with many raid experiences, so I thought he would be a big help to the new players in our church.

Moreover, Oh Junwoo himself was extremely favorable about joining our church.

Perhaps it was because…

“I knew it. I’m happy to see you again, Junwoo.”

“Yes, yes! I will do my best! I’m also very glad to see you again, Luna!”

Perhaps it was because he had fallen for Luna at first sight?

Of course, it wasn’t just that he was infatuated with Luna that brought him here.

He probably realized that no other group could protect him as well as our church. Honestly, who would leave their future in the hands of a woman?

“I’m really glad Junwoo is here.”

“I’m very…happy too!”

…Hmm, is it possible he might be here?

Luna gave a light wink toward Oh Junwoo, who was blushing while looking at her and Oh Junwoo was startled by her wink as he tried to calm himself down.

If this keeps up, his face is going to catch on fire, seriously.

I looked at Oh Junwoo’s face, and then carefully brought my lips close to Luna’s ear.

“Luna. Keep him useful until he becomes reliable. Got it?”

“Of course, isn’t that obvious? Are we in a position to be picky right now? Even if you didn’t ask, I was planning on squeezing every last drop out of him. When we dealt with him last time, there were too many unnecessary movements. Heh heh, where should I start torturing him? I’m already looking forward to it.”

I guess there’s no need to worry.

Moreover, since he had been a key figure in a major guild, he would be very helpful when we eventually form the Paladin and Priest Orders in the future, based on the Earth-style.

He was a mana user, which was different from us, but the situation in our church wasn’t one where we could afford to care about such distinctions.

Given the current manpower shortage, anyone who worked well and obeyed was sufficient.

Even Minsoo, for instance, was a mana user.

Since our church wasn’t a particularly conservative group, there were no issues with doctrine.

“We’ll hold Junwoo’s welcome party later. Luna, have you found any good candidates for the priest path among the new recruits?”

“There are quite a few. I’ll write up a list of the candidates and submit it by the end of today.”

“That’s good to hear.”

For the stability of the temple, priests were just as important.

While the Paladins dealt with external threats, the priests played a role in maintaining the church’s internal structure.

“I’ll take care of the list once you confirm it, Leo.”

“Understood, Your Holiness.”

Recently, I felt like Leo’s influence had been somewhat reduced.

I should bring him over soon and put him to good use.

It’s said that a leader who discriminates between subordinates is the worst kind of leader, so I’ll make sure to treat him just as I treat everyone else.

I nodded in satisfaction.

By the way, there was something I had asked Director Kim about. By now, I should be getting an answer…

Ring ring ring-

“You’re not cut out for this, I told you. Hello?”

Then, Director Kim’s voice came through the phone.

“Mr. Siwoo, is this a good time to talk?

“Yes, yes, feel free to speak.”

“To get straight to the point, I checked on that D254 dungeon you asked about, and it has already been bid on. Buying the bidding rights with a premium could be an option, but it’s not going to be easy.”

There was one dungeon I had to bid for.

It was related to the otherworldly holy relics, just like the last time in Busan.

A quest had occurred even with some system restrictions, so it was definitely related to otherworldly holy relics.

I immediately spoke to Director Kim about it, but it seemed like it wasn’t going to be the result I had hoped for.

“Is it very expensive? We do have some surplus funds in our church.”

“It’s not the price…the problem it’s with the party that placed the bid.”

Director Kim sighed over the phone, and then spoke in a heavy voice.

“The bid was placed by a guild called Seolhwa, which, unfortunately, is a mid-sized guild affiliated with the Guild Coalition.”

Bad karma is just like that.

Even if you don’t want to get involved, you end up entangled. That’s the real bad karma.

I sighed along with Director Kim.

“It looks like we can’t let this one slide either.”

That’s just how my work is.

I didn’t even expect otherwise.

Ugh.