Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 394: The Pope’s Invitation

Chapter 394: The Pope’s Invitation

The knights were about to pick up the weapon the monster had wielded but Ferdinand stopped them.

"Don’t touch it. It may have a curse or poison on it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The knights stopped at that and simply guarded the weapon instead, so it won’t be recovered by those who sent the monsters.

[My senses are dulled in this body. But I can tell the spikes seem to be laced with poison. It doesn’t seem to be laced with a curse but it’s better to let Alwin check it for sure since some of his limiters are still lifted.]

Ferdinand thought that since they were able tame a monster and train it to receive orders, they may be able to hide curses neatly as well.

Rendell, Valeria’s Grand Knight Commander, the Knight Commander of the Supranational knights, and the leader of the fighters from the Great Temple teamed up and successfully slew the gigantic monster. Riley and temple magicians supported them.

Monsters did not spawn from the monster’s corpse again since those who were summoning them had left. It simply turned to dust and vanished.

Shortly after Alwin returned and grimaced upon learning that Ferdinand himself had to fight a monster.

{My apologies for being late. They quickly left the dungeons when I went there but they had left monsters to open the gates and free the prisoners or kill them. I had to eliminate all the monsters there before returning.} Alwin reported why he did not return immediately even after sensing a stronger monster here.

It became clearer that those who came to Medeus did not come to fight but to recover or eliminate Lindon. Since they released monsters in the dungeon, it was likely the latter.

{Ah, and it seems they also went to the temple since it had its own prison called the Halls of Reflection. But when I went there, the Pope* of the Great Temple seems to have noticed them and went to the said halls. He eliminated the monsters there himself, so I left quietly. I believe he noticed me though even with my invisibility spell.} Alwin added.

He said that the Pope of the temple seems to be a powerful magician. Alwin wanted to have a fight with him one day to test what the latter could do.

"Save that for later. Check that weapon first. It was used by the humanoid monster," Ferdinand pointed at the mace.

The weapon’s handle was broken but Alwin easily restored it with magic and checked it for curses or poison.

He didn’t find any curse or dangerous spells, but the spikes were indeed poisoned as Ferdinand had noticed earlier.

Ferdinand made Alwin send it to the Magic Tower for safekeeping and further study later on once things were settled here.

Riley and the temple magicians were healing the injured knights.

Valerian knights only sustained minor injuries, but the others were injured more severely.

The Pope of the Great Temple arrived. He was garbed in clothes that Arabella learned from Alwin’s thoughts were heavily imbued with magic and holy power.

The Pope looked rather young. Like someone in his twenties. But Ferdinand and the other Estrellians with them could tell that the Pope was so much older than he looked. He was using magic to keep looking young.

Arabella did feel that the Pope oozed with so much authority and power. It didn’t feel like he was young at all despite his misleading face.

Everyone except for the rulers bowed their heads as the Pope walked. He headed to the injured and healed all the injured fighters from the temple in one go.

Everyone was awed as even the grave injuries were healed in a matter of seconds.

Arabella was astounded as well since she had only seen the Estrellians on their side be able to do that.

And it made both Alwin and Riley stare at the Pope.

Arabella learned from their thoughts that Riley was apparently healing at the pace of the temple magicians for them not to be suspicious of him. And for him not to get attention to himself.

But now, Riley’s competitive streak was clearly triggered. Alwin as well.

The two pursed their lips and glanced at Ferdinand’s permission.

Ferdinand chuckled lightly and nodded.

With their lord’s approval, the two healed all the others who were injured including the supernational knights shorter than the Pope did.

That earned more gasps from their spectators.

[That was even faster than the Pope himself!]

[Just how capable are they?]

[We thought he only had one magician. But now he had two. And they could heal faster than the Pope.]

The magicians and fighters from the Great Temple gawked and whispered among themselves. It was their first time to see someone heal much faster than the Pope.

The other royals wondered how many more cards Ferdinand was hiding up his sleeve. And only Arabella knew but she wouldn’t dare tell or everyone would fear them. Fear does things after all.

"Wonderful. Simply wonderful," the Pope beamed.

Alwin and Riley were wide-eyed when they realized they had been had. The Pope intentionally triggered them to see what they could do.

"Why won’t you two join the temple magicians?" the Pope shamelessly asked despite Ferdinand being present.

[Amazing! An invitation directly from the Pope himself?!]

The onlookers were even more astounded.

The temple magicians were envious of such an honor. They felt insulted and gawked at the response from the two.

"I only serve, His Majesty, the Emperor of Valeria" Alwin responded.

"I am merely His Eminence’s assistant, and we only serve His Majesty," Riley seconded.

They both eyed the Pope with some animosity since he was being rude to Ferdinand.

Arabella rather had high expectations of him but if he was this rude despite being the leader of the Great Temple, maybe, he wasn’t that great after all.

"Ah, I see. What a pity. I’d love to have you both or at least one of you join the temple. I knew you both would decline. But I still decided to try," the Pope said, and his magicians were even more astonished.