Inheriting a Lost Bloodline, My First Task is to have heirs?!-Chapter 662 - Meeting with the Pope and the Council (Part 3)

Being in front with all of these people was kind of uncomfortable for me. It was not because I suddenly had some sort of stage fright but because their gazes at me were definitely weird.

Some were staring at me with curiosity which I must say is normal for someone whom you have seen for the first time so that was fine. The others looked at me in confusion since the pope and elders were very cordial to me and even Clarence was holding my hand in such a public setting.

There were a few glares which should be coming most likely from the paladins who were still thinking that I am a pervert that likes peeking at males. The last one was the most uncomfortable type which was a look of fanatical devotion. The last group must be people who already have an insider’s information about who I was as per the pope’s declaration or maybe a better way to say it was the pope’s decision that I am the saintess.

I still smiled amicably and nodded at the crowd but I was very careful not to stare or have eye contact with anyone just in case it will misconstrued as interest or liking. You know how mindless fans are, right? For them to be a member of this religion, they can’t be perfectly right in the head. I am quite sure about that.

We started the day with a short meet and greet and as expected, the pope loudly declared that I am the new saintess of the Church of Lumienere without asking me first. The whole audience suddenly went down on their knees and then bowed like I am some statue of a god. I looked at the pope with an evil smirk on my face. He looked at me and was stunned for a few seconds, coughed nervously and then looked away.

After that, everybody in the hall moved towards another area which is a spacious dining hall filled with long tables. The front was an area where the food was continuously served from what seems to be a back kitchen. They seem to have a simple commissary and a storage at the back of this hall as well where all the cooking ingredients are being kept. I wonder where the pharmacy and infirmary is then.

The breakfast that the church prepared had a lot of options The menu was simple, a little bland at times but palatable nevertheless. The ingredients tasted fresh so it must be either from a farm nearby or foraged from the forest. It was surprising that they also serve meat here. It might just be my assumption that holy people eat a vegetarian diet, I guess.

After breakfast, I, the pope, the members of the council, Clarence and a bunch of the paladins marched out of the dining hall to go to another place to talk. It was finally the time for the long due meeting, huh?

We walked through the winding hallways again until we reached the conference hall that we were in earlier. When the doors were opened, it was already transformed into a more formal meeting room with chairs and a huge round table in the middle. A bunch of the priests must have arranged it while breakfast was on going.

I was ushered to my seat and Clarence automatically sat to my right as if it is the most natural thing in the world. The five council members sat across from where I was and the pope sat on the seat to the right of Clarence. The seat to my left stayed empty.

Two of the paladins stayed by the door as guards while the rest stayed a few steps aways from the meeting table as if making sure to guard the highest positioned members of the church. As to what they are protecting them from, it is most likely me since I am the only stranger as of the moment.

I smiled in amusement and asked a question out of the blue, "Do you really want me here? It seems that I am quite a scary existence to everybody in this room."

Clarence being the lovestruck fool immediately answered without even thinking of the context. He simply said in a jolly mood, "I am not scared of you. You won’t hurt me and have always taken care of me."

The pope coughed to stop Clarence from blabbering cheesy words further. I can feel the tension simmering in the table and the stillness of everyone in the room.

The pope was the first to speak as the representative of the church as he clarified, "We are not scared of you. We are just being cautious because you did not like Clarence calling you a saintess before and we do not know what you think about our church as a whole."

I looked at him with one of my eyebrows raised and asked, "Are you more of a cult than a church perhaps?" The pope’s eyes widened and he turned pale a bit. The council members also looked down and some even coughed out the water they were drinking. I guess it is not the first time they were called one, huh?

The pope hurriedly said, "We believe in the Goddess Lumienere. She definitely existed and was walking amongst the beings of this world according to our records. Some of our methods might seem unacceptable to others but that is the only way we can do to could keep this religious order running for so many years."

I looked at each of the elderly men sitting around the table with a cold face and did not speak for a while. The silence extended with only the sound of their shaky breaths being heard in the room. Even the paladins guarding the room was as still as stone statues as if they are scared that if they made a move, it will sour my mood even further.

I don’t know why they look so nervous right now. I wasn’t even angry at them. I am more of inquiring and curious but not angry. On top of that, I actually want to help them improve their way of life and get them what they need to keep the church running.

I could only sigh at my situation. This has always been the issue with a person with a resting bitch face. You look like you do not like everything and everyone around you even if you are thinking about happy thoughts.

I finally spoke after a few minutes with a thought-provoking question, "If I were to accept the position of the saintess of your church, will you be willing to follow the changes that I want to implement in this territory and its people?"