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Ten seconds.
This is the only opportunity that Pope Shion would give you.
Saga has found it, since the very first time having an audience with the Pope in a group. If you fail to pique the Pope’s interest in ten seconds, he will never pay any more attention to you ever again.
It is the same, even though the destination of this recruitment is the Pope’s homeland.
The Pope glances left and right and walks straight through the middle of the two rows. For these elites selected by the respectable elders, the Pope doesn’t bother to give a look.
As the Pope’s deputy, Saga stops and praises them one by one with a smile, then calmly catches up with the Pope. How a pope could treat his own people like this for two hundred years but still be supported, Saga wonders; after becoming the Pope, I will take time to listen to everyone’s voice.
The Pope is still decisively going ahead.
Actually, Saga also knows where the Pope is going. Despite being small, it is indeed a cosmos.
It is a boy who is so young that he could hardly be called a boy rather than a toddler.
“Are you surprised that I can pass through the defense you set up?”
No, Saga ponders, not at all. In fact, the boy’s unperturbed look doesn’t even change a bit.
Looking up from the book he was reading, he stares deeply at the Pope who invades his space. That look can hardly be called a boy, either; adversely, it should belong to a matured, wise, grown man—
In his way of reading, he calls out words from the book to list them in the air, and reorganizes and interacts.
“Do you think this is your original creation? Wrong.”
By throwing his jeweled robe sleeve, the Pope makes the words arranged in the air into REINVENT THE WHEEL.
“You have an extraordinary talent, which I totally agree. Even without being educated, you can still develop all the skills I’ve learned all by yourself. Nevertheless, human life is limited. Why don’t you learn from the achievements accumulated by your predecessors and spend your precious energy and time on more meaningful creations?”
For the first time, the boy speaks. “You want to teach me.”
“No.” The Pope rebuffs. “I don’t have time. Moreover, I don’t have time.”
Saga notices what he has heard. That means…
“But I can give you this.” The Pope slowly pulls out a space between his both hands, where the small opening covertly exhibits boundless broad. Infinite, endless bookshelves—
An unfathomable library.
“Perform the rite of three kneelings and nine head-knockings to me, then your apprenticeship with me will be officially established. Every ten days, we will hold a meeting. I will answer your questions, and evaluate what you have achieved. If you fail to make a progress three consecutive times, I will kill you."
“Then,” the boy says, “what will I give you as the mentoring emolument?”
“Your life.” Simply. “Martyrdom.”
—The boy lifts one finger.
Through the distant space, in the library of nowhere, keywords are picked out from books, floating in the air. There are too many languages and Saga is unable to recognize them all. What he can only see are those words are connected and exchanged with each other, forming a dazzling and visually captivating scene in front of them, just like genetic codes.
The boy concentrates on reading and finally nods.
“Looks fair. One condition. You must support my parents for life, including my future siblings.”
Danger…! Saga thinks. No matter how talented and intelligent, a boy is still a boy after all. He knows the literal logic, but not the human hearts—
The boy turns his eyes and looks at Saga’s frown.
Then he says:
“No, I’ve changed my mind. A lump-sum settlement.”
Straightforwardly, the Pope raises the eyebrows with their common characteristics. “Accepted. Saga, you calculate the price with him.”
“Yes, your honor.”
So, that’s your name—the boy gazes at Saga deeply. The Chief—Master, now—and this beautiful fair-haired young man, Saga, are not ordinary people.
Nor are they good people.
“Also,” the Pope smiles, satisfyingly, “you take the responsibility for training his arms to be at least the same width as his small face. Although Aries is spiritually strong, I won’t allow my successor to lose in any hand-to-hand combat. Be sure to train his physical strength as well!”
Upon their leaving, the boy’s mother bursts into tears and drops to the ground. Saga walks over to comfort her gently.
“Your son has a promising future and will make unlimited achievements. It is a good thing that you should be proud of—”
“Good thing?! I am a Muvian of Jamir! Do you think I don’t understand what ‘Saint’ means?” She cries loudly, collapsing into Saga’s big heart. “I knew, I knew he is not ours… He was just born through us… But, but…I gave birth to him after all—!!”
“I will never come back again.” The boy knees down to say goodbye. “I will never contact you again. Use that money to have other children.”
At the moment, Saga has believed that there’s a specific purpose for such cold words.
As considering whether to hunt down Mu, Saga realizes that those words were meant for him, finally—
after one year.