Chapter 719

Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter] Chapter 719

“That makes sense! The one conducting the conclave is the one appointed by the Pope! Surely it should be Cardinal Romero who conducts it!”

Two Cardinals from Council of 9, who supported Romero, spoke up. Opposition immediately arose.

“What a ridiculous statement. How can that be the Pope’s voice! Did you not witness the vile acts committed by that devil?”

“It is clearly stated in the Code of Canon Law! Conducting the conclave is within the authority of the Prefect of the Congregation! It is only natural and appropriate for Cardinal Tusculani, who is the Prefect and Chairman of Council of 9, to conduct it!”

“To stay quiet until the day of the vote and then make such statements, I wonder what kind of sentiment led to that, won!”

Three Cardinals from Council of 9, who supported Tusculani, spoke out.

Tusculani looked troubled, but just before that, he saw Kijung watching him closely. On the day Kaztor initiated the terror, the two Cardinals from Council of 9 who died were also supporters of Tusculani, making their absence all the more regrettable now.

“Cards! Well said! However, the one with the authority above that of the Prefect is none other than the one appointed by the Pope! Naturally, it should be Cardinal Romero-“

“No, I am fine. I believe the Prefect will conduct it well.”

“-Krok, cardinal Romero...”

Romero stepped forward, stopping the Cardinals who supported him.

“Then please proceed, Prefect.”

“Thank you, cardinal Romero.”

Tusculani nodded, capturing the attention of the audience in an instant.

“As you all know, the conclave’s vote is determined by the 120 voting Cardinals, among whom 112 under the age of 80 are eligible candidates for the papacy. It is up to you whom to support among the 112 candidates. However, remember that even the one with the most votes cannot be elected if they do not surpass the majority.”

Tusculani paused for a moment, raising both hands high.

“Furthermore! I ask all voting Cardinals to swear by the Holy Altar. You pledge to elect the most suitable Cardinal for the papacy, not only for the Eswon Diocese but also for the peace of the continent. You also vow not to write your name on the sacred ballot. If you violate this oath, you shall suffer severe consequences as determined by the Holy Altar.”

Everyone followed Tusculani’s lead with the same gesture.

Kijung also raised his hands in worship towards the sky, following Tusculani’s words.

Rules:

To be elected as Pope, one must secure the support of the majority (61 Cardinals).

Vote for the most deserving candidate.

Do not write your own name on the ballot. After the ceremony for the election of the new Pope concluded, it was only then that Tusculani reached for the silver hammer on the podium.

“The papal election, the conclave, shall commence. I swear by the grace of the Lord, there shall be no illegal acts,” he declared, holding the hammer in his hand. In that moment, a tingling sensation ran through Kijung’s mind.

“Illegal acts... Could it be?”

What had fueled Tusculani’s confidence the night before? It was different from simply intending to leverage his accumulated wealth and connections in the Ezwen. Kijung looked at Tusculani. He was not looking back at Kijung but instead tapping the podium three times with the silver hammer.

“Election fraud?”

※ ※

The voting had begun. Kijung too received a gilded blank sheet of paper. The cardinals lined up to nominate their chosen candidate behind a screen and then placed it in the ballot box in front of the Prefect of the Papal Household, who also served as the election overseer.

“The ballot box has been shown to have a clean interior multiple times, and even before being locked, Tusculani had enchanted it with holy magic.”

After repeated checks ensuring there was no foul play, not even the cardinals from the Romero faction harbored any suspicions. The cardinals continued to vote in line.

As he waited for his turn, Kijung constantly scanned his surroundings. Where, what, how could he sabotage the election? Yet, driven by a sudden flash of insight, he realized that deducing and searching with only that basis were insufficient. Leaving the ranks abruptly would draw attention from Tusculani’s entourage, and in this enclosed space, he couldn’t summon any helpers.

“But then again, nothing might happen. Yeah! No matter how human they might be! It’s absurd, where am I?”

It was natural for such thoughts to flicker in Kijung’s mind, veering towards rationalization and a sense of resignation, realizing he might not be able to do anything.

They were smiling at each other, but there was no warmth between them.

“Easy?”

“Yes. Just have to choose the best person without thinking about anything else.”

A faint click, a dull sound of teeth clenching, only heard by Kijung.

“I see. I should vote like that too.”

“I hope you do.”

Kijung put the ballot into the box.

And the moment he withdrew his hand, Kijung saw Tusculani’s eyes.

“Huh?!”

“Thank you for your hard work. Now, let’s move on to the next.”

It wasn’t a gaze mixed with anger.

Though it was just a passing moment, Tusculani’s eyes held an intention to completely devour Kijung. A drop of sweat trickled down Kijung’s back as she turned away from the ballot box near the altar.

“No way... No, it’s all over now. I let go of my hand.”

Following Kijung’s vote, Romero also placed his ballot into the ballot box. It didn’t take long for the successive votes of the cardinals to finish.

“All right! We will close the first round of the conclave vote.”

Kuuuuung... Tusculani first sealed the ballot box. The cardinals, returning to their seats, watched the scene.

“To prevent any irregularities, the counting will be conducted directly here, in front of the voting members, to ensure a result that everyone can agree on. Let us all pray for it.”

Tusculani knelt in front of the ballot box, clasping his hands together. The nine cardinals from the 09 faction, who would assist in the counting, also closed their eyes and clasped their hands.

This place was like a chapel. There were long chairs lined up, and it was natural for the seated cardinals to close their eyes.

Kijung whispered, “Please, please! You know if Tusculani becomes the Pope here, the New Continent will be turned upside down, right, Ahlo? Even though it’s just a game we believe in! Wait, isn’t Ahlo the developer? Developer-nim! Please help us!”

He prayed fervently with closed eyes, more intense than anyone else.

Tusculani’s prayer lasted about 1 minute and 40 seconds. When the ritual ended and everyone opened their eyes, the seal on the ballot box was finally broken.

“Let the counting begin.”

The cardinals from the 09 faction prepared a large board. The name with the most votes, ‘Tusculani,’ would become the Pope from today.

*”117th vote, Tusculani.”

“Oohhh!”

“He’s one vote ahead!”

“As expected, Tusculani!”

Cheers erupted from the right side of the chapel, while sighs were heard from the left side. Even Kijung, who was observing, couldn’t believe his eyes.

“This is unbelievable, what is this?”

Already, the 117th counting was completed. The current score stood at Romero 57, Tusculani 58. The other neutral factions had a Parneja cardinal who had gained approximately 2 votes.

Most of the small and medium-sized factions had shifted their full support to either Romero or Tusculani, except for the Parneja faction, which declared a fair vote and didn’t align with either side.

However, despite having over 11 members in the Parneja faction, they only managed to secure 2 votes, leading to a silent power struggle within the Parneja faction at the back left of the chapel. Of course, Kijung was not concerned about this. He could understand because even though he was slow at reading the room, he knew.