Chapter 239
Chapter 239
~The morning I was supposed to return to Korea~
For some reason, I woke up to a call from the Vatican.
"Sister. Did I do something wrong?"
"I don't know, I'm not sure."
"You do know, don't you, Sister?"
"Well, I'm not sure."
"Elena, you know."
"I don't know. I'm not sure either."
"You're beating me to the punch."
I thought I could go home, but suddenly Michaela and Elena showed up at the hotel room I was staying in.
At first, I was nervous that it was a church call, but then I realized that Elena was with her, so it couldn't be a bad thing, and I decided to follow them.
We arrived at Palermo Cathedral.
Inside, it was already packed with people who looked like Catholic officials.
The mood is very cheerful, but what the hell did they call me here for?
"Sister. Don't you think you should tell me something sooner rather than later?"
"Yes, after you've come this far, you won't be able to run away."
Run away? Me?
"Actually, the reason I've brought Junior here today is to present him with a medal from the Vatican."
"Yes? You mean a medal?"
Suddenly, what medal?
"Well, didn't Junior's handle Fafnir in the past, and your great contribution to the capture of the Etna volcano, saving the Vatican's subjects from the horrors of the Etna volcano? For those things, I've taken the initiative to present Junior with a medal."
No wait.
The medal presentation in the report was real and not a joke?
"The ceremony will begin in just a moment, but first, please take your seats."
I'm swept up in the atmosphere and end up sitting in the front pew of the cathedral.
I opened my mouth cautiously, my thoughts still not fully organized.
"Sister. But why am I the only one getting it? Didn't the others fight just as hard?"
"It's because I can't think of anyone other than Junior to represent the entire thing. I asked everyone else, and they all said Junior's name, so please feel free to take it."
Apparently it was a hidden camera that everyone knew about except me.
A medal from the Vaticannot bad.
"Eugene Han Corleone, forward."
Then, my name was called from the front.
The man presenting me with the medal was the cardinal I'd seen on Mount Etna.
He was, in effect, the second in authority in the Vatican after the Pope, and the highest-ranking man in the Vatican in terms of combat power.
Surely, Michaela had said that he was her mentor?
When I stood before the cardinal, he began to recite in detail what had happened on Jeju Island and my exploits on this occasion.
Apparently, there was a separate record of how I fought and behaved then.
"It is believed that you contributed greatly to the destruction of the evil dragon and the evil god. I, Ambrosio, on behalf of His Holiness Pope Benedict, do hereby confer upon you, Eugene Han Corleone, the Order of Saint Gregory the Great, with the gratitude of the Vatican."
Finally, when all was said and done, he lifted the medal from its luxurious box.
It was a medal with a picture of St. Gregory in the center of a luxurious design.
I bowed my head in respect and meekly accepted the medal but I thought to myself, "Is this all there is to it?
"I also award you the Order of the Golden Spur."
From a second box, out of nowhere, came another medal.
No, how many medals are there? Just as I was about to feel overwhelmed by the growing weight on my chest.
[Hidden Achievement Earned!]
[Achievement: "Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great"]
[Deals an additional 10% damage against Evil Attributes.]
[Praise to the Great Templar!]
[Hidden Achievement Earned!]
[Achievement: "Knight of the Golden Spur"]
[Deals 10% additional damage against Evil Attributes.]
[Achievement: You shall be a Knight with the Sword of Faith and the Shield of the Word!]
Any other medals?
* * *
~After receiving my medal from the Vatican~
At the airport, Ludvio, who had first welcomed me, Elena, with whom I had made a new friendship, and Michaela came to see me off as I boarded the plane.
"It's a shame you're leaving like this."
"We'll see each other again when you enter the Seoul Hero Academy."
"Still."
Elena still looks sad, but behind her, Michaela nods.
"I'm sad to see Junior go, too. He's the first friend I've made outside of the Vatican, and parting is always sad."
Her eyes are uncharacteristically droopy, too.
Apparently, Michaela and Elena had grown quite close over time, having trained and fought together.
"Sister. If you have time later, please come over. I'll have plenty of your favorite wine waiting for you."
"Do you really mean that?"
"Of course, what's wrong with being friends?"
"There's a bishop I know on Jeju Island, and it would be perfect for me to vacation there."
"Jeju Island No way, you mean Bishop Augustus?"
Was it because I suddenly recognized the name? She looks at me with surprised eyes.
"You must know Bishop Augustus?"
"Of course I do, his handling of the evil god Fafnir was the feat of the century, and Junior was a guest of the Vatican because of it."
Somehow, that made the Vatican friendly to me.
I could see why the Catholics were so nice to me after the raid.
The next person to speak to me was Ludvio.
"Eugene. Thank you so much. I am once again indebted to Corleone today."
The real reason I was here, the man who had given me all this great gear.
He walks over to me and grabs my hand, smiling broadly. I take his hand in mine and shake my head.
What debt? Hasnt Maestro also given me a lot of things?
"It's only natural for a craftsman to make good things for you just as Corleone never forgets a debt."
A reply that showed his attitude toward life.
"I will not forget my debts, either, and I shall see you next time."
"Yes. Always be in good health. Maestro."
I take the hand he offers and shake it, then share a quick hug with the other two.
"Take care. Eugene."
"Don't be a slacker and train hard."
"Isn't that obvious?"
"May the Lord always be with you, Junior."
"And you, too, Sister."
With that, the hug ends, and I turn and look at the three of them.
"I'll see you at the Academy."
"Bye. See you next year."
"Junior, you've been a great enlightenment to me. Thank you so much, Junior."
"You too, Sister. Thank you very much. And, since we're friends, feel free to call me Eugene."
"Is that okay? Well, in that case, Eugene can call me by my first name, too."
"Okay. Well, I'll see you later, Michaela."
". Take care. Eugene."
Now it was time to say goodbye for real.
As I boarded the private plane, I waved to the three people outside the window.
Now I'm going home for real.
The system window popped up in front of me.
[Quest Complete!]
[Hidden Quest Complete!]
[Return of the Maestro]
[Ludvio, the world's greatest shoemaker, is in a difficult situation due to some events in his past. Help him solve many problems and become his benefactor]
[Objective: Complete the Maestro's request]
[Reward: Increased favorability with the Maestro, influence on the island of Sicily]
[Increase Maestro Ludvio Marco's favorability to maximum]
[Rumors of you are circulating in the back alleys of Sicily; those located within Sicily feel a mild fear of you]
[The citizens of Sicily are deeply grateful to you for your attack on Mount Etna]
Sitting here on the airplane, looking at the quest window, I began to realize that I was really going home.
"You must have really gotten emotional, Master?"
Latte, sitting next to me, smiles at the sight of me.
Apparently, she was organizing the information she had gathered in Italy.
"Well, we fought for our lives together, so we're bound to get along."
They don't call them comrades-in-arms' for nothing.
"But why are you suddenly going home today? You still have a lot of vacation left."
"It's becausesomething came up that I need to go back to Korea as soon as possible."
"Work?"
"Yes. Very important work."
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and entered the Familia' chat room.
[5 days ago]
[Jin-woo: It looks like you didn't do anything during the vacation. Shouldn't we get together soon?]
[Se-ah: Eugene, is out of the country. How can we get together?]
[Jin-woo: Oh, right. When is the boss coming back?]
[4 days ago]
[Jin-woo : @Eugene When is the boss coming? Are you going to buy me a gift?]
[Choi Yeon: When he comes, gelato.]
[Jin-woo: Oh gelato is good. I want gelato]
[3 days ago]
[Jin-woo : @Eugene boss when are you coming?]
[2 days ago]
[Jin-woo: @Eugene [photo][photo][photo]]
[2 days ago]
[Jin-woo: @Eugene boss when are you coming]
[Yesterday]
[Jin-woo: @Eugene@Eugene@Eugene@Eugene@Eugene@Eugene@Eugene @Eugene]
[Jin-woo: Jin-woo sent a gifticon]
[SeA : Are you really going to look for it, I thought you sent me a gifticon]
[Jin-woo : Aaahhhh]
[Jin-woo : When is the boss coming?]
[Today]
[Jin-woo: I have to meet with @Eugene Familia, but I can't because the boss is gone~ When is he coming?]
I need to beat this asshole up.
* * *
[Diary entry]
[Today Corleone Jr. left but since writing reports on him has become a routine, I thought I'd write a journal entry today as a farewell.
Today I was scolded by the Cardinal of Intelligence.
My original mission from the Vatican was to help the Medici secure the essence of fire.
Although I failed in my mission, I did a great job in dealing with Typhon. Receives a mild punishment of two days of fasting and prayer for my role in the "expulsion of the heretics," but I escaped the monastery to say goodbye to Corleone Junior.
This week with Eugene was truly amazing and exciting.
I've befriended him and had many adventures with him. He turned out to be a surprisingly good man, not what I thought he was.
Although I am sad to see him go today, I have a strong feeling that I will see him again someday.
The being who saved my life a few days ago. I've been thinking about the Magical Rogue.
My visor was down when I was clearly falling. But for some reason, he instantly recognized that I was a girl, which suggests he knew who I was.
Not everything you learned in the Vatican is right.'
His words have stuck with me to this day.
Was everything I had been taught at the Vatican correct?
Michaela's first diary entry.
The end.