Please Stop The Pope

Episode 22

Ten minutes had passed since we started discussing the temple.

We moved to the conference room located one floor below the representative’s office.

Surprisingly, the conference room was already prepared for the presentation.

Min-Soo had his PPT materials displayed on the screen and grabbed the microphone.

“Then, I will begin a brief briefing on the temple construction plan.”

I alternately glanced at Min-Soo’s face and the screen, then unintentionally laughed in dismay and threw a question.

“Brother Min-Soo. Did you prepare this in just 10 minutes?”

At my question, Min-Soo slightly bowed his head as if embarrassed and answered,

“Actually, these are ideas that I had already prepared separately.”

“Since when?”

“Since the day Your Holiness saved me and Limen saved me. I thought building Limen’s temple on Earth was the mission given to me.”

I can’t understand the thought process of a fanatic.

I only healed him once, but he’s thinking of building a temple for her.

Who in the world would think like that?

However, unlike me who couldn’t understand at all, Leo, who was sitting next to me, started clapping his hands while nodding his head.

Clap, clap, clap.

“What an excellent worker. I can’t help but admire your faith, Brother Min-Soo. Limen will surely be pleased.”

It seems there is something that connects between fanatics.

Before I knew it, Leo’s expression, which had been stoic until now, was filled with emotion.

And at Leo’s words filled with sincerity, Min-Soo bowed his head respectfully and answered,

“I merely did what I was supposed to do!”

“I will always pray for you, brother.”

I sighed while watching their continued interaction.

“Hey, do the praising later. Let’s continue with the presentation.”

Only after I said that did the presentation continue.

Min-Soo nodded once, then displayed a screenshot of his MyTube on the screen.

“This is a method that I have tried a few times on my MyTube channel before. It’s a way for viewers to participate more actively, and it’s also a familiar method to most users.”

I nodded my head while looking at the image on the screen.

“Community voting.”

“That’s right. We also used this method when finalizing new content, and we were able to draw quite good responses.”

MyTube community voting was a system that I had frequently seen even before I was kidnapped to Eden.

I remember that it was also highly accessible, as you could participate with just one click.

The mainstream content of MyTube has changed, but the systems I remember seem to remain the same.

Min-Soo calmly continued the presentation.

“Handing over the choice of the temple site to the public is equivalent to starting from a completely different starting line than existing religions. I think it will be easier to build the image of a communicative religion and a religion that works together, which Your Holiness desires.”

It’s a plausible story.

The frame of is the image I envisioned from the beginning.

Moreover, it’s a matter that I have already discussed with Limen.

However, there is a problem that arises here.

I lightly folded my hands on the desk and asked Min-Soo,

“I want to build the church’s first temple in a place with special meaning.”

It’s the first temple of the Limen Church to be introduced on Earth.

I didn’t want to build it in a place where there is simply a high floating population or where people can visit quite often, like the facilities of other religions.

However, Min-Soo smiled as if he had been waiting for my question and moved to the next slide of the PPT.

A familiar yet unfamiliar photo appeared on the screen.

Gyeongbokgung Palace, the representative palace of South Korea located in Jongno.

Up to this point, it was a scene I already knew, but the ridiculously tall blue wall built next to Gyeongbokgung Palace was definitely an unfamiliar element.

“Since Your Holiness has returned after 5 years in Earth’s time, that huge wall may feel unfamiliar to you.”

Saying that, he pressed the remote control, and a photo of an area that had turned into ruins appeared on the screen along with the words .

A place where traces of humans could no longer be found.

The huge blue wall surrounding the area made the atmosphere even more eerie.

“This place is commonly known as Ground Zero. It is also the area where the first chaos gate appeared after the began 5 years ago. In terms of location, it is the Gahoe-dong area of Jongno-gu, or to put it simply, you can think of it as the Bukchon Hanok Village area.”

“I understand.”

“The photo currently displayed is an old photo, and it was taken outside the wall. Please note that I cannot show you the inside as it is not possible to film it.”

I have memories of going there with my family.

I lightly nodded, and Min-Soo continued to speak.

“After countless sacrifices, we were able to destroy the gate’s core, but the mana contamination in the central area of the gate was inevitable due to the prolonged process. As the mana purification technology advanced, the contamination in the relatively outer areas could be decontaminated, but…”

“The mana contamination in the center could not be resolved. So instead, that area was blocked off with a wall like that.”

“That’s correct. It consists of a total of 5 layers of walls, including an inner wall containing mithril, a mineral that can absorb mana.”

Mana is a power that allows the wielder to surpass their limits, but anything in excess becomes a problem.

Extreme mana causes contamination, and contamination destroys the existing order.

The result of destruction is naturally a disaster. Land contaminated by mana can no longer sustain life.

Like the dead city on the screen.

“Ground Zero doesn’t only exist in Seoul. It also exists in Daejeon and Busan. However, the reason this place feels more special to the people of South Korea is because it is South Korea’s first Ground Zero.”

At first, when Min-Soo abruptly started explaining about Ground Zero, I wondered what it was about.

However, somehow, I could easily understand it from the passionate glow in Min-Soo’s eyes.

I took a sip of water and slowly said,

“So, Brother Min-Soo, you want our church to build a temple there, right?”

“If we can build our temple in Ground Zero, the Limen Church can gain many things. For example, salvation and hope. These kinds of icons.”

It was an imagination I had never even tried, but hearing his presentation made me laugh unintentionally.

Indeed, the position of a MyTuber with 5.4 million subscribers doesn’t seem to be a position achieved by luck.

However, there were a few problems here.

I slightly frowned and asked Min-Soo,

“Is it possible to build a temple on contaminated land?”

“Of course, we will have to purify it.”

“No, you said even the government couldn’t do it.”

“Just as you purified the lich’s curse in Guro-gu, I believe Limen will once again show a miracle through Your Holiness’s hands.”

At those words, Leo, who had been silent until now, nodded his head and answered,

“You are right, brother.”

“Hey.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“Then why don’t you just be the pope, huh?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Mana contamination is fundamentally different from the lich’s magic contamination last time. There are clear limitations to purifying it through divine power.

However, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Because I had the now.

If I declare sacred ground in the contaminated area using the , it would be sufficient to expect a purification effect.

However, for now, I can’t declare the entire area as sacred ground.

Anyway, since it’s not impossible, let’s move on.

I raised an additional question that had been lingering in my mind for a while.

“Assuming we build a temple in Ground Zero, you said earlier that the site would be determined through voting. What if people don’t vote for Ground Zero? Wouldn’t it all be a useless plan?”

Public participation and symbolism.

Is it possible to catch both rabbits?

However, Min-Soo once again changed the screen as if he had been waiting and said,

“We will have a total of two options to put up for community voting.”

As Min-Soo said, a total of two options were displayed on the screen.

「Tentative Title: Vote for Your Temple!」

After all, wouldn’t it be better to have a place with high floating population and favorable accessibility? – Gangnam Station or Hongdae Station

Absolutely not this place – Ground Zero

I stared at those options for a long time, then said to Min-Soo in disbelief,

“You said it’s a vote.”

At those words, Min-Soo confidently nodded his head.

“It is a vote. But now, with a side of unfairness…”

“Will people really vote for option 2?”

At my question, Min-Soo answered in a firm tone,

“Of course.”

“On what basis?”

“Do you remember the Parmesan Chocolate Cereal incident in the early 2000s?”

At his answer, I pondered for a moment, then nodded my head.

“That should work.”

Building a temple near Gangnam Station or Hongdae Station, and building a temple near Ground Zero.

It is basic common sense to build a religious facility in a relatively easily accessible location. Therefore, it can be said that building a temple in the former mentioned areas is naturally rather than Ground Zero, which no one can access.

So if you really care about the Limen Church and want the development of the Limen Church, of course, it is right to vote for Gangnam Station, which is option 1.

However, given the nature of online community voting, expecting things to flow ‘sensibly’ was almost impossible.

Immediately after the meeting with Min-Soo, a simple promotional video featuring me was uploaded on Min-Soo’s channel, and voting began right away.

The content of the video was nothing special.

I just went out wearing priest’s robes and said, “Vote for your temple!” That’s about it.

And the voting was conducted from 6 pm yesterday to 4 pm today, and the results are as follows.

「Vote for Your Temple!」

After all, wouldn’t it be better to have a place with high floating population and favorable accessibility? – Gangnam Station or Hongdae Station / 3.6%

Absolutely not this place – Ground Zero / 96.4%

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but it went according to plan.

It’s in human nature to want to do more when told not to do something, and looking at the comments on the voting and video, I could roughly grasp what kind of image our church had so far.

「How long will this concept last?」

「LOL He said he was in another world and came back, but it seems he still hasn’t grasped the situation properly. Gangnam Station? No way. Just go straight to Ground Zero」

「Guys, let me make a prediction. They will reverse the voting within a week LOL」

「Even the US couldn’t solve the mana contamination in their Ground Zero, how can we do it? If they can really build a temple in Ground Zero, I’ll donate all my assets. By the way, I’m the owner of the 29th floor of Doge LOL」

「Your next delisted coin」

「Min-Soo… Have you really become a pseudo-religion now? I’m disappointed. I’ll unsubscribe.」

「Why don’t I believe that this guy is an irregular? Honestly, even top-ranked hunters can catch a lich, right?」

「Yeah, there were even rumors that the Ministry of Supernatural Management deliberately manipulated it LOL」

It seems that the activities shown in Guro-gu and Yeouido cannot easily change public opinion.

Still, it really garnered a lot of attention.

Quite a few reporters are busy spreading stories with titles like , .

And above all.

[The completion condition of the main quest has been updated.]

[Completion Condition: Use the holy relic to form sacred ground in located in Seoul.]

[Caution! If the sacred ground is formed in a place other than the designated area, you will acquire the penalty trait . If you possess the trait, the divinity points you acquire will be reduced by half.]

The main quest completion condition has also been specified.

It’s unpleasant that there is now a failure penalty, but it doesn’t really matter.

I’ve already made up my mind anyway.

I liked the presentation Min-Soo gave yesterday.

The icon of salvation and hope.

It may be an excessive leap, but doesn’t it sound like a really appealing title?

So I immediately started working on it.

Since Ground Zero is an area officially managed by the government, the first thing I did was to meet with Team Leader Kim.

Team Leader Kim, who had already been monitoring me, immediately responded to my contact, and as always, we met at the cafe in front of our house.

“I will tell you the conclusion first. Currently, it is impossible to grant access to Ground Zero.”

I was firmly rejected from the start.

It was such a firm rejection that I could only laugh in dismay and ask for the reason.

“May I ask for the reason?”

“It’s not because there is a problem with the plan you mentioned, Shi Yu. I want to make that clear. I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

“Then why…”

At my question, Team Leader Kim let out a deep sigh, then lowered his head and answered,

“Currently, a serious problem has occurred inside Seoul’s Ground Zero, and it is under investigation.”

…Causality, is it you again?