I Became The Pope, Now What?
chapter-691

"You wish to take more of my flesh?"

Nehilius sounded almost faintly surprised when Sylvester came with a massive bucket this time, wishing to store it well. This had been the second time he had appeared in the past two weeks, and it was a speed he didn't expect.

Sylvester nodded and created a blade from his pure magic, the magic of creation, to manipulate elements. Right away, he started chopping various parts of the massive body in wonder if different parts would taste different.

"I understand how helpful your flesh is for me, Lord Nehilius. I don't wish to waste time anymore and focus on gaining more strength. We never know when the Primordial Gods would strike. I don't have a naive belief that they wouldn't know what I'm doing. Saint Scepter's magic only hides me, but they can still see the rest of the world and its development," Sylvester talked while working and moving around.

"The true omnipotence resides within the arcane arts thy kind dubs 'magic.' To attain such mastery, you must ascend as a celestial entity, a perpetual metamorphosis until I am no more, and you reign supreme over this abyss, this boundless dominion of mine," Nehilius said.

"I know, and that's what I'm trying. You've already reforged my body once. So tell me what I need to bring for the next stage," Sylvester asked as he ended his chopping spree and closed the lid of the metal container.

Nehilius immediately started listing the things required, "To elevate your mortal essence into a semblance of my own divine self. You shall require the Essence of Life, which is the soul of a sacrifice. The stronger, the better."

"That's like getting the dragon?"

"A soul proves elusive, resisting captivity in its intangible essence. The manner in which you surmount this challenge lies within your grasp. But the Essence of Life stands as the simplest of tasks. The subsequent item to secure is the Source of Elements. Bring me items with greater affinity to each element. Then, at last, the Source of Existence, which is also called the Source of Star—"

"You can't be serious," Sylvester exclaimed. "Don't tell me you want me to get you the core of a sun."

"How you accomplish this is up to you."

'Seriously? Even I don't feel comfortable ripping out the core of a sun. And which sun should I target?' Sylvester wondered.

"I shall make it," Nehilius proposed, knowing Sylvester's thoughts. "You only need to take out the Source."

"Then why don't you take out the Source as well if you can make it?"

"The voyage holds equal significance to the ultimate destination."

Sylvester sighed and finally agreed. He knew he was in no position to negotiate with this being. Nehilius was one individual he couldn't outsmart or overpower, no matter how cunning he was. "I'll return after getting the Essence of Life and Source of Elements. Until then, I'll focus on making my physical body stronger."

With that, Nehilius sent Sylvester back to the exit, and Sylvester left with the massive metal container on his back. Outside, Chonky was already waiting for him, sleeping on the side near a torch and taking its warmth.

"Let's go."

"Ummm…" Without even opening his eyes, Miraj lazily fluttered his wings and landed on Sylvester's head, hugging him and again falling asleep.

"Put this container in the Chonky Bank."

"Aaaa…" Once again, Miraj lazily opened his mouth, or was it a yawn? But he drew the metal container into his belly. "Too much food last night… My belly… oh… it's tickling from the inside."

"You mean bellyache?" Sylvester asked. "You never ate that much before?"

"Nyo… There was never that much to steal."

"Oh," Sylvester remembered what kind of sad life Miraj lived before meeting him. Unable to be seen, the furball likely had to resort to stealing from various Bright Mothers. "Drink water and walk around a little. It'll go away soon."

"Umhmm…" Miraj remained lazy.

"We're going to inspect the newly built Green City today. It's almost complete now, and Isabella wants me to inaugurate it," Sylvester muttered, talking to the humming Miraj. "I'm interested in seeing how all the modern elements I introduce worked out for them."

"Yes, yes… mew too…"

Leaving Miraj to rest, Sylvester went out to get into his carriage this time. Since it was an official visit, he had to take the Holy Knights with him as his regal guards. The city wasn't that far away, now even less so with upgraded roads and lane separation.

…

The newly built Green City, the capital of the Gracia Kingdom, wasn't inaugurated. But residents had already started to return to their homes.

Newer, better, and with stricter regulations, it wasn't easy for the people to adjust to so many new things. But, after experiencing the convenient changes, digesting the rules became less of a hassle.

"Look at you. I think you're addicted to bathing."

"Of course I am. The water comes directly into my house now. I don't have to bother going out and see all your ugly faces," Replied Old Hank from the neighborhood as he arrived at the corner shop where his old friends gathered to sit and read the newspapers. Now, even their city had a local newspaper that gave them all sorts of snippets of major crimes or events in the city.

"You used to bathe once a month."

"Now I bathe once every three days," Old Hank replied while brushing his flawless white hair with his fingers and rubbing his beard. "What's new?"

"The Pope is coming to inaugurate the city."

"Really? The City Center will be crowded then. Let's go early and find a good spot… Ah, I feel excited just thinking about riding that metal box again. So convenient, so smooth, and breezy. The city stinks less of horseshit now." Old Hank dreamily thought about the tram system that was already operational across the city streets. "I'll go to nightschool right from there."

"Alright, alright… You and your fetish with the Pope."

"Not fetish. It's called faith."

…

Sylvester arrived in the city just as planned. It had been months since he last saw the place as he handed over the construction work to the dwarves and many other wizards who wanted to form a construction company to utilize their Earth Elemental magic. More so now, since there was peace.

"T-This is the city I designed?!" Sylvester looked at the magnificent, massive city sprawling on a huge river island that sat between the branches of White River, where they met the Gold River. The entire island was a city, and now much better, bigger, and more beautiful than in the past.

"Why are there so many tall structures?" Sylvester asked in shock. "I don't remember designing these many tall buildings."

Beside him, Isabella, Felix, and Elrog of the Sol's dwarves rode on their horses. They all made their way through the wide streets surrounded by tall buildings, but they looked beautiful as there was a lot of greenery everywhere. Foliages, vines, flower pots—clearly, the Gracia family hadn't forgotten their roots.

"What do you mean, Your Holiness? I worked just as you instructed in the requirement list." Elrog said, being the chief architect. "It said that residential buildings can be as tall as thirteen stories high."

"What?" Sylvester was taken aback. "Thirteen? I only remember writing three."

"..." Elrog was speechless. "I… It can't be…"

"Ah!" Sylvester just realized something. The written script of this world had a larger comma, and the number one was also very similar to the shape of a comma. "The comma before three… At least tell me you didn't compromise the integrity of the buildings. Because I can easily see there are buildings way higher than thirteen floors in the distance."

Elrog scoffed at that. "Of course, Your Holiness. When I read the requirement of thirteen floors, I knew conventional methods wouldn't work. So I read about the book you wrote about basic engineering. Don't worry, the foundation of all the buildings is strengthened with steel rods, and even the pillars of floors use steel and reinforced stones with magic. The entire city will last thousands of years, I have no doubt."

Ting! Ting! Ting!

"Halt!" Felix shouted just then.

Right there in front of them, as they were crossing a street, the tram passed by with its three carriages. It ran on electricity provided by overhead wires, making a loud sound of its metal wheels sliding on the track. It was filled with people, and they all took to cheers and cries as soon as they saw Sylvester there.

'This… warms my heart.' Sylvester felt while looking at the happy faces of the people. Overall, everything felt so clean now. The entire city was a marvel to him. Everything seemed perfect, but that was merely the beginning.

"The trams use bells to alert people. But we're thinking of finding a different, sharper sounding method as bells don't always alert, considering the monasteries also use them." Isabella explained as they continued their journey. "Let's pick the pace now. I will show you around the city during the night when it's empty, after the banquet."

Sylvester slyly glanced at her and japed. "Are you sure you'll be free during the night?"

A deep, red blush appeared on her cheeks right away. "I… It's alright for one night."

"Stop teasing my wife-to-be," Felix barked at Sylvester. "Only I can do that."

"From that, I remembered. Why did you two postpone your marriage?" Sylvester inquired since the initial date had passed weeks ago. "The Holy Land would have delightfully hosted you two."

"But then we wouldn't be able to include the people in it," Isabella said, her voice containing the firmness of a Queen. "I want this to be a wedding worth remembering. A celebration of the people across the city. Of course, you and Mother Xavia are to come and bless us—and this kingdom."

'She grew up fine,' Sylvester nodded silently and followed the entourage to the City Center. A massive open, paved area in the middle of the city where festivals were usually held. But today, it was filled with people, crowd managers, and a high stage at one end.

"Pope!"

"Pope!"

The people began chanting his designation for no reason as soon as their horses reached the stage. The inauguration had no ribbon to cut; rather, the tradition was to plant a tree so the inauguration may be remembered forever.

However, before Sylvester could take one step onto the stage, he froze and kept staring at the massive cloth hoarding on the stage, tied high with two poles. It had the name of the city on it, but the name was something he didn't recognize. But after reading it, a hypothesis arose.

"This… Are you sure?"

Isabella had donned her regal cloak with fur and green silk, with the crown on her head. She lowered her head toward Sylvester with respect and invited him over. "Without His Holiness, there would be no Gracia, no Sol—No Queen Isabella."

Sylvester walked closer to her and gazed at the massive crowd with her on his side. The scent of pure worship was so strong that it was almost uncomfortable for his nose. "I just did what was right."

"And that is why this place will no longer be called Green City," Isabella spoke loudly into some magical contraption that amplified her voice, "From today, this will be Maximilia, the blessed city."

Just like that, there was chaos in the city. Chaos of worship, cries, screams, prayers—Immortalising Sylvester's name with countless happy tears.

The city of Maximilia was born.