What Should I Do If I Find Out My Wife Is the Pope? - Chapter 189

Chapter 189: So Many Factions United—Who Do You Think They’re Targeting, Your Holiness?
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Translation by: Weebsread👹
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As dawn broke, the gnawing guilt that haunted Lin Wei finally began to ease—if only a little.
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He glanced over at Yalis, still sound asleep, a gentle smile curling at her lips. Whatever dream she drifted through, it must have been sweet. Unable to resist, Lin Wei reached out and poked her soft cheek, savoring the innocent pleasure of the moment. There was nothing improper about it—just a quiet, simple fondness.
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“Krulu really was an accident, huh,” he muttered to himself.
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“The fury of betrayal isn’t something you just forgive and forget. Acting on it is only natural—sometimes, you have to teach people a lesson.”
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But with the adorable Yalis before him, all that seemed to fade away. She posed no threat, no reason for his temper to flare. Maybe things would stay this way—no more sudden, inexplicable outbursts.
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“All right… So, what’s the state of things among the demons right now?”
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He recalled the intelligence Krulu had shared the day before. Sitting quietly beside Yalis, Lin Wei sifted through the pieces, piecing together the puzzle in his mind.
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“First, the Cult of the Evil God appears to have united, and the new Demon Lord—whose motives remain unknown—has thrown herself into the fray. Even high-ranking imperial nobles are involved… But surely, the demons’ goal isn’t merely to drive out humanity.
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“If it were that petty, the front lines wouldn’t have collapsed so swiftly. No, it seems more likely they’re retreating to the Northern Fortress, creating the illusion that the Coalition Army has utterly broken the demons’ strength.
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“So what’s next? Pin down the Coalition’s main force at the Northern Fortress, drag them into a war of attrition, and buy time for the new Demon Lord to achieve… something?”
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If it’s not about expelling humans, then what could they possibly be after?
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And now, every assault the new Demon Lord launches is laced with the Evil God’s aura.
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“Are they siphoning power from the Cult of the Evil God, trying to evolve into something even stronger than before?”
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That must be it. Back when I first awoke, I only managed to seize the Demon Lord’s castle because I’d absorbed the Demon God’s Divinity. The new Demon Lord must have realized her own weakness outside the castle.
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So, aligning with the Cult to boost her strength makes sense. Pulling back the army is just a means to avoid getting killed on the front lines… The logic fits, but something about it still feels off.
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If Krulu’s words were true, then ever since Sabela—one of the Four Heavenly Kings—secretly conspired with the Cult and attacked at the Negotiation Scene, they’ve been plotting behind my back.
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“All that effort to raise the Four Heavenly Kings, and in the end, four and a half of them betrayed me.
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“Even Krulu kept secrets from me. Bastards… What kind of Demon Lords are they, anyway? They have no idea how to deal with people!”
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The more Lin Wei thought about it, the angrier he grew. When he saw them again, he’d crack open their skulls one by one. As for the Headless Horseman, he’d just knock him out and toss him to the goblins.
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Come to think of it, the goblin disaster that struck Lotai years ago was orchestrated by the demons and the Cult of the Evil God, too.
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“So these traitors have been plotting rebellion for ages, huh?”
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“How did I miss all the signs? And why did they betray me in the first place?”
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“I was a damn good Demon Lord—competent, respected, no one knew my human identity… So what the hell went wrong?”
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He’d never bothered to dwell on these questions before, but after meeting Krulu, the doubts kept swirling in his mind, impossible to shake.
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No, once all this is over, I need to go back to the demons and get answers. Not just out of curiosity, but because—when so many factions unite, it’s like two countries with no shared border suddenly signing a peace accord.
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So, when all these forces come together… who are they really targeting?
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Tsk… Even Alicia herself must be scratching her head at this mess.
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“Mm~”
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Just as Lin Wei was lost in thought, a soft sound pulled him back. Yalis had finally woken, blinking sleepily as his shadow filled her view.
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But the moment she caught Lin Wei’s scent, her mood brightened, as if by instinct.
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“Good morning, Mr. Lin Wei!”
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“Mm… Morning, Yalis.”
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One problem at a time. Lin Wei collected himself and greeted her as usual. For now, reaching the Selm Labyrinth and figuring out what was happening took priority.
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After all, seven entire teams had already been lost in that place. For him, it might as well be the apocalypse waiting to happen. If someone stumbled into a hidden chamber and woke everyone up…
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Well, hell—whether it was the new Demon Lord or the old one, both would be marked for extermination.
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“Wash up—we’ll be heading out soon.”
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With a flick of his hand, Lin Wei conjured a splash of water magic for her to freshen up. His tone was even, betraying no special emotion toward Yalis.
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“We need to reach the City-State of Brook before noon, find out what happened there, and help with the rescue.”
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“So, for breakfast, it’s just dry rations and wild fruit. Think of it as… experiencing the humble life of an adventurer.”
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Of course, no real adventurer would have a bodyguard like him. Still, who could bear to let a Saintess suffer too much?
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“Don’t worry, Mr. Lin Wei—I’m not picky at all.”
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“Every week, the Holy See holds a special ‘Remembrance Day’ decreed by Alicia, where dinner is just the most basic coarse grains, so we can experience the life of a commoner… Compared to that, this is actually quite nice.”
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The rations were soft, sweetened with honey. The wild fruits were crisp and fresh—honestly, it felt more like a picnic than hardship.
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As she nibbled at her rations, Yalis snuck a glance at Lin Wei, only to catch him looking back at the exact same moment. She immediately ducked her head, flustered, searching for an excuse.
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“By the way! Miss Iresha should already be at Brook, right? When we get there, are we going to act alone, or meet up with her? I get the feeling you two get along pretty well, Mr. Lin Wei.”
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“You mean the tsundere?”
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He hadn’t expected Yalis to bring up Iresha. Lin Wei didn’t mind, though—he just chewed his breakfast and answered casually.
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“She’s a bit of a fool with more money than sense, but she’s got a good heart. I did save her life, so it’s only natural we get along.
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“As for meeting up… Not necessary. My relationship with the hero Oshu is terrible—teaming up would just slow us down. Besides, it’s not every day you get to visit a labyrinth like this.”
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“I want you to experience what a real high-pressure battle is like.”
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Teaming up with the tsundere would only work if the hero stopped being a pain, which was about as likely as pigs flying. Honestly, even he wanted to lock Oshu up in the subjugation squad’s slumbering chamber.
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“If it weren’t for that damn ‘Hero’ status, I would’ve finished him off a long time ago.”
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The only reason he let Oshu live was because of that. In this world, there was no one else he’d tolerate for so long.
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Back when he first arrived and became Demon Lord, he’d learned from the Demon God’s Divinity that the Demon Lord’s invincible Authority was utterly countered by the Hero.
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It wasn’t just a warning—he’d seen it for himself. His power nullified, strength drained, even his defenses shattered.
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No matter how hard he trained as Demon Lord, against a forcibly empowered Hero, he’d always be half a step behind.
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It sounded absurd, but it was the truth.
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No matter how much power he amassed, it was never worth risking his life. Heroes appeared every year, and you could never kill them all. Locking them up was the only real solution.
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Actually, if I joined the humans and wiped out the demons, would the Holy See even need to keep selecting heroes? Now that’s a question worth pondering.
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“By the way, I never asked—what’s your class and level?”
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He’d known Yalis for a while now, looked after her, but only just realized he didn’t even know her class.
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“I’m a Swordsman.”
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The answer came so quickly, Lin Wei nearly choked.
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“Wait, what?”
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He slapped a hand over his mouth, coughing hard. Yalis just scratched her cheek, puzzled by his reaction.
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“Um… Back when we first met, Mr. Lin Wei, you saw my weapon, remember?”
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She summoned a two-handed greatsword out of thin air, space rippling as the blade appeared. Inlaid with precious gems, forged from high-grade alloys, its gilded hilt gleamed—luxurious from tip to pommel.
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Yalis lifted it effortlessly, her delicate, adorable face and clear eyes at odds with the massive sword—a contrast so stark it was almost comical.
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“Level 39, Holy Light Swordsman Yalis, reporting in.”
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“What’s wrong, Mr. Lin Wei? Is it so strange for me to be a melee class?”
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With a wave of her hand, the sword vanished, swallowed by a ripple of space. Yalis, still munching her rations, puffed out her cheeks at his stunned silence.
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Do I really not look the type?
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I wanted to be a Judgement Knight at first, you know.
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But that’s not the point.
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The future Saintess of the Holy See, heir apparent… a Swordsman? The thought was just… odd.
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“Well, Alicia is all-powerful. Her Legacy includes the Holy Light Swordsman advancement path. As a Saintess, it’s my duty to uphold justice and vanquish evil.
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“So picking Swordsman isn’t strange at all. My father and Her Holiness weren’t thrilled, but they let me do it anyway.”
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“I see…”
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The almighty Alicia really did leave behind every kind of Legacy. Maybe I should look for a suitable one myself, hidden somewhere in the Holy See…
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“Worth thinking about.”
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“So… has Krulu arrived yet?”
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Lin Wei tapped his fingers against his sleeping bag as time trickled by, waiting for the nextChapter of this story to unfold.
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◇
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City-State of Brook
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【Super Labyrinth: Selm】
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“Eileen, hurry up and finish this thing off!”
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Rein’s voice echoed down the corridor, urging her on. The monster before them towered like a giant, spewing molten fire along rivers of lava.
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“Don’t worry.”
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Shield raised, Rein braced herself at the front. Eileen, calm and practiced, drew her bow and nocked an arrow. An icy flare sliced through the air, bursting forth with dazzling light—
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“Bow Art: Dance of Ice!”
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“ROAR—!”
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A surge of ice magic erupted, blanketing the entire area. The monstrous brute, arms flailing, was sealed in crystal and toppled, its body and final scream vanishing into the lava.
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“Whew… That was close.”
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With the threat gone, Rein collapsed onto the ground, sneaking a glance at Eileen before snapping back into her usual team-leader bravado, laughing like an excitable fool.
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“Haha! I thought we were goners for sure. Good thing you were here, Eileen!”
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“And this is just the fifth floor… How the hell did those demons expect to bring hostages down here? I seriously doubt they’ve got what it takes.”
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It wasn’t just bravado. Even with a team full of hidden dangers, having the Hero Oshu as their anchor—and so many promising prodigies—meant even monsters above level 70 weren’t a problem.
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Hell, even up against a Legacy-level Transcendent, they wouldn’t flinch.
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But somehow, even Rein was struggling just to keep up.
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“Selm Labyrinth is one of the world’s top five, after all. Supposedly, it’s a relic from an ancient era—the main battleground of the gods during the Age of Gods.
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“Countless fallen deities’ powers converged here, warping the energy into chaos. After ages, it became what it is now… Of course it’s tough. That’s why the Coalition asked us to investigate.”
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Eileen stowed her bow with a faint smile, her gaze sweeping the area before settling on Iresha, who’d been silent this whole time.
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“Not that Iresha’s been any help.”
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“It’s a lava field, and you’re a fire mage—haven’t you learned any other element skills? I’m stuck carrying all the offensive weight here, you know.”
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“You think learning different elements is easy? Try switching terrain and see how you do!”
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Iresha’s patience snapped. The heat was bad enough—now she had to put up with this? She raised her staff, ready to smack Eileen over the head.
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“I can use different arrows in other terrains, you know.”
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“Well, you’re an elf. As long as you’ve got gems prepped, you can swap any time.”
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“Human mages don’t get that luxury.”
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Eileen’s tone was teasing, a singsong mockery that only fueled Iresha’s temper.
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“Fine! I’ll show you what a human mage can do!”
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“That’s enough!”
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At that moment, Oshu stepped in, sword drawn. Ever since Lin Wei had left, Oshu’s confidence had returned. He scowled at Iresha, blocking her with his blade.
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“We’re in a labyrinth, and the journey’s far from over. If a few words are all it takes for you to start a fight, don’t push it, Iresha!”