Chapter 85: So, How Did This Useless Pope Sink So Low?
Chapter 85: So, How Did This Useless Pope Sink So Low?
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“Mmm! This is amazing!”
“How did you even make something like this?”
The pork ribs, fried to a crisp golden brown on the outside and tender within, filled her mouth with a savory, salty aroma unique to this dish.
Spread across the table were slices of equally crispy fried meat, golden potatoes, and bread layered with a special sauce and hearty fillings.
Watching Yalis devour her dinner with all the energy of a starving wolf, Lin Wei propped his chin on one hand across from her. For a moment, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction—like he was gradually filling up some invisible progress bar, bite by bite.
“It’s just a little something from my hometown,” he replied casually. “You fry the ingredients, then toss them with a secret blend of spices. If you like it, I can write out the recipe for you. Just give it to your family’s chef—they’ll take care of the rest.”
Granted, this was another world, and the local livestock and crops were nothing like those back home. Still, meat and potatoes were universal. With a little ingenuity, he could recreate the flavors of his previous life.
But as he watched Yalis polish off another mouthful, he couldn’t help but smile inwardly. She really was the textbook definition of a teenage girl. Even as her plate steadily emptied, Lin Wei found himself musing: So even the Saintess of the Church can’t resist high-salt, high-calorie fried food? Unhealthy, sure—but who could blame her? It’s just that good.
“Mm… The maids at home never let me eat things like this,” Yalis said, her lips glistening with oil, cheeks puffed out adorably as she chewed. In that moment, she looked just like a squirrel hoarding food for winter.
“Even the secretary and Her Holiness the Pope don’t let me near these dishes. They say a Saintess must keep her heart pure and free from base desires.”
“That’s why I have to sneak out and grab a few bites whenever I can. Honestly, I’ve even heard that when Her Holiness was still the Saintess, she was way worse than me!”
“Oh?”
Now that she mentioned it, Lin Wei realized he knew next to nothing about the newly appointed, so-called ‘useless Pope.’ He leaned forward, curiosity piqued—he had nothing better to do, after all.
“What was the current Pope like back when she was the Saintess? Was she really that outrageous?”
“Well... Maybe Sister Meilin exaggerated a bit, but from what I’ve heard, that’s basically how it went.”
Yalis wouldn’t have shared such gossip with just anyone. But since it was Mr. Lin Wei, she didn’t hesitate.
She swallowed her food and began recounting what she’d heard.
“Supposedly, Her Holiness was the most unqualified Saintess in the entire history of the Holy See.”
“Despite her position, she never wanted to stay in the Holy See to study the divine decree. She was lazy, unconventional, constantly breaking the Church’s rules. If the previous Pope hadn’t gone out of his way to protect his disciple, she would’ve been stripped of her title and demoted to an ordinary priest long ago.”
So that’s why people call her the ‘useless Pope.’ It seemed her reputation for incompetence had been building ever since her days as the Saintess.
“Then how did she end up becoming the Pope?” Lin Wei asked, genuinely curious.
Ever since he’d left the Demon Clan, he’d had almost no intel on the inner workings of the Holy See.
It wasn’t often he got such an opportunity—Lin Wei would regret not taking full advantage of it.
“And besides, if the former Pope went so far as to protect her, there must have been something about her he valued, right?”
“The position of Pope was chosen by the goddess Alicia herself, through divine oracle,” Yalis explained, thinking it over.
“As for her redeeming traits… The thing everyone remembers most is that, back then, the current Pope loved disguising herself as an ordinary person and wandering from place to place. She’d hang around small towns and rural villages, always picking fights with the local tyrant lords. Then, at the crucial moment, she’d reveal her identity as the Saintess and scare the daylights out of them. Maybe that’s what the former Pope saw in her—a sense of justice, perhaps?”
Lin Wei could almost picture it: a young woman standing boldly, arms akimbo and face set in a cold scowl, blocking the path of ruthless rural lords. Behind her, ordinary villagers watched in shock, hope lighting their faces for the first time in ages.
With just a few words, Yalis had painted a vivid picture of the woman. No wonder, after ascending to the papacy, she’d pushed through so many populist reforms in alliance with the Empire—policies that truly benefited the people.
From the sound of it, she was far more reliable than her reputation suggested. So how had she become so universally despised after taking the throne?
“She actually sounds pretty admirable. Why do so many people in the Holy See—including your Sister Meilin—seem to dislike her so much?”
Lin Wei’s curiosity only grew. Just what had this ‘useless Pope’ done to earn such widespread scorn?
“That, I really don’t know.”
Unfortunately, Yalis could only shake her head.
“They say it has something to do with the previous Pope’s death. The details are classified as top secret, and even Sister Meilin refuses to talk about it. She says that once I come of age and undergo the Baptism of Holy Light—once I become a true Saintess—I’ll have the right to know everything… Anyway, I’m full!”
As the two chatted, the food on the table had quietly vanished without a trace. Yalis set down her utensils, her expression suddenly serious.
A radiant smile blossomed on her face, her mood clearly buoyed by the meal.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Lin Wei.”
“Oh… don’t mention it. I promised you, didn’t I?” Lin Wei waved it off, unconcerned by the empty table.
He’d even considered her preferences and increased the portions by half. Still, he hadn’t expected her to finish everything. She looked so slender—who would have guessed she could eat so much?
Teenage girls really can eat all they want and never gain a pound, huh?
“I honestly didn’t expect you to be such a good cook, Mr. Lin Wei.” Her eyes sparkled with genuine gratitude. “You not only let me stay over, but you even went out of your way to make dinner. I feel a little guilty, to be honest.”
“Oh, right, let me take the bedsheets back with me. I’ll have the maids at home wash them and bring them back to you tomorrow!”
After all, this was her first time ever sleeping over at someone else’s house. And to make matters worse, she’d gone to bed without bathing—surely Mr. Lin Wei would find it distasteful.
“That’s really not necessary.”
But Lin Wei dismissed her suggestion without a second thought.
There was no special reason. It just felt wrong to make the Saintess carry his bedsheets home.
He could already imagine her family’s maids reporting the incident up the chain of command—until, inevitably, that kindly old father of hers came storming back from the front lines.
Now that would be a disaster.
“Anyway, it’s getting late. How about I walk you home?” Lin Wei offered, glancing out the window at the pitch-black sky. It was already close to nine o’clock.
Even in the imperial capital, there were still dangers lurking at this hour. He didn’t have anything better to do, and it wouldn’t take much effort to see her back safely.
“Eh? Mr. Lin Wei, you’re going to walk me home?”
Yalis froze, her eyes wide in surprise—this was a completely unexpected delight. She fidgeted nervously, twisting the hem of her clothes.
Was this… was this like taking a stroll together under the night sky? She’d never done anything like that with a boy before.
“What’s wrong?” Lin Wei asked, noticing her hesitation.
“It’s nothing! I just didn’t expect you to offer to walk me home, Mr. Lin Wei.” Yalis quickly stood up, answering with a hint of fluster.
Afraid he might change his mind, she mustered her courage and added, “It’s the perfect time for an evening walk anyway—let’s go now, Mr. Lin Wei!”