Chapter 134: Veya Selena? My Wife is the Pope!?

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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“Huh?”

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Yalis was just about to deliver a noble speech about vanquishing evil—something stirring and righteous, maybe even worthy of being carved into memory. But Lin Wei’s sudden question struck her like a slap, cutting straight through her momentum and leaving her momentarily speechless. Her radiant smile froze on her delicate face. Several seconds slipped by before she truly processed what he’d just asked.

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“Veya Selena?”

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She frowned, puzzled. “That name sounds so familiar… I’m certain I’ve heard it before in the Holy See, but who was it?”

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The familiarity tugged at her, lingering at the edge of her memory. Veya Selena… she was sure she’d heard it, just not when or how.

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Yalis scratched her head in confusion. “I'm pretty sure it’s someone in the clergy. There aren’t that many in the Holy See with a name like that.”

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Tilting her head, still caught in thought, she glanced at Lin Wei. “But why do you ask, Mr. Lin Wei?”

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Why, indeed! Lin Wei nearly blurted out his real concern—Because that name is far too suspicious!—but he held back. With people bustling about nearby, this wasn’t the time or place to draw attention.

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He forced himself to inhale, steadying his thoughts and setting aside his confusion for now.

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Ever since Duke Ous had mentioned the name just moments earlier, Lin Wei had been stunned. He’d been busy dealing with the aftermath, but finally, he had a moment to chase this nagging suspicion that had wormed its way into his mind.

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“Oh, it’s just that I happen to know a Holy See cleric named Veya Selena,” he replied, striving to keep his voice casual. “And just now, I could have sworn I heard that your Pope’s surname is also Selena. So, well... it got me wondering if they might be related, or something like that?”

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“So even the Pope’s family has plenty of people working in the Holy See, huh?”

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As soon as the words left his mouth, everything seemed to click into place.

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No wonder—no wonder Veya, who seemed so ordinary at first glance, had somehow managed to catch the Pope’s attention and make her way into the inner circle.

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So that’s it. They’re actually family. No wonder she venerates the Pope as if he’s divine.

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“But even if they’re family, does she have to treat me like a pack mule?”

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The more Lin Wei thought about his experiences since marriage, the more he wanted to tear his hair out.

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Heaven knew how overworked Veya had become this past year.

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From the beginning, he’d noticed how busy she was, never finding much free time. But this… this was something else. Was this what came from slaving away for your in-laws?

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“If that’s the case—after everything I’ve done for the Holy See lately—between those accumulated merits and her family connections, Veya should be in line for a serious promotion. Otherwise, what use are all these relatives in power?”

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The thought made his heart pound faster, ideas tumbling over themselves in his mind.

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He’d had it all planned out: win the Saintess Yalis to his side, gain her complete trust, then maneuver her into becoming the next Pope.

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His own status would rise with hers. He’d carefully keep his identity as the former Demon Lord hidden, steadily gaining real power within the Holy See.

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It would even set up the delightfully absurd situation of “investigating myself as the alleged Demon Lord.”

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But if Veya was connected to the Pope by blood—directly related, even—then it all made sense. No wonder, whenever he broached this scheme, Veya became so flustered and implored him to drop it.

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If he’d realized all along that the Pope was family, he never would’ve embarked on these convoluted plans. All he needed was to help Veya stack up achievements, then watch her seize control of the Holy See, putting himself comfortably at the center of power.

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Flawless plan. Everything laid bare.

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All Lin Wei had to do was wait. The next time he saw Veya, he’d reveal her connection to the Pope for all to hear.

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After all, for most people, the name “Pope Selena” might as well be a blank slate. Everyone just called her “the Pope,” or—if gossiping behind closed doors—“that useless Pope.”

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It was much the same as the former “Dawnstar Pope”—almost no one even knew her real name.

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“Um… yes, Her Holiness is indeed from the Selena family.”

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“But, as far as I’m aware, that family line ended years ago.”

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The answer hit Lin Wei like a pail of freezing water, his triumphant smile faltering in an instant.

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Yalis shifted awkwardly before blurting, “When I was training at the church, we had an intensive papal history course.”

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“I remember reading about Pope Selena. Her family—middle-ranking clergy in the Holy See—were killed sixteen years ago, during the Demon Horde’s invasion of the Northern Countries. They called it the Great Demon Tide.”

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“And if those internal records—restricted to only high-level clergy—are true, then Pope Selena has no surviving relatives. None at all.”

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Her blue eyes shone with sincerity, her conviction plain as day.

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Yalis looked up at Lin Wei, blinked, and suddenly put a hand over her mouth, as if realizing something startling.

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“Wait! Didn’t you say you met a church official named Veya earlier today, Mr. Lin Wei?”

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“At the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy?”

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“Oh—yes, I did. Were you there as well?”

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Lin Wei’s smile twitched. Just moments ago, he’d been feeling smug; now the corners of his mouth barely held steady.

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For some unfathomable reason, seeing the shock dawning on Yalis’s face gave Lin Wei a creeping sense of dread.

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“Knew it!” Yalis nearly bounced on her toes.

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“No wonder her silhouette looked familiar to me this afternoon!”

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It was as if she’d just uncovered some great, conspiratorial secret.

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Clenching her fists in excitement, Yalis practically trembled as she said, “The first time I got a good look at her, she looked exactly like Her Holiness—the Pope!”

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“Mr. Lin Wei!” she blurted out, her words tripping over each other, “The ‘Veya Selena’ you’re talking about… don’t tell me she’s actually Her Holiness, the Pope herself?!”

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His heart stopped—or at least skipped violently.

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Lin Wei instinctively wiped at his brow. To his surprise, his hand came away clammy.

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He stared down at his palm. Cold sweat.

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So it really was just sweat.

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Could Veya rattle me this much? Seriously?

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You’re overreacting, Saintess.

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Even as a Pope, does she still sneak around, running elaborate schemes in secret?

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Disguising herself, teaming up with random adventurers—only to reveal her true identity and give everyone a scare at just the right moment…

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It sounded impressive enough to be legendary. Her Holiness really was something else.

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Scaring them?

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No—this scared me out of my wits.

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Lin Wei felt his heartbeat pounding in his chest—stronger than back when, as a commander, he’d broken through the Coalition’s weakpoint and pushed them all the way to the Empire’s borders. He’d been clear and sharp-headed then. Now, his pulse seemed ready to leap right out of his throat.

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All because of a sudden flash of realization?

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So you’re telling me—the Veya Selena I met just this afternoon… is actually the Pope?

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Veya—who comes home exhausted every night, begging him to comfort her after work. Veya whose “endurance” in battle never exceeds two hours—unless she’s suddenly fired up and manages to pin him down at last. That Veya, the Pope?

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Hold on. Is the Pope really such a scatterbrain?

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Maybe I’m not awake yet. Maybe the Church of Dreamlust did meddle with my dreams last night…

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“Is something wrong, Sir Lin Wei?”

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“Don’t worry, Her Holiness is much more approachable than you’d imagine.”

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Yalis’s encouraging smile was bright, likely because Lin Wei had gone pale as a ghost. She must have thought he was just overwhelmed. With perfect ease, she tried to soothe him.

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“We’re almost done here, Lord Lin Wei.”

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Just then, Guga strode over, breaking Yalis’s train of thought.

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For Lin Wei, the Vice Commander of the Knights of Retribution was a godsend. He latched onto the distraction, taking a shaky breath to steady his nerves before asking,

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“Vice Commander Guga, may I ask you something?”

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“Do you know anyone named Veya Selena?”

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“Hm? Wait—how do you know that name, Mr. Lin Wei?”

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The reaction that flashed across Guga’s face was pure shock—far more than Lin Wei anticipated.

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The man stared, his expression tangled between confusion and amazement.

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By rights, anyone trusted by Her Holiness should at least be familiar with that name. That wasn’t strange.

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But from his look, Guga seemed not to know this person at all.

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“I… I know the name,” Guga finally replied, after a heartbeat’s hesitation. “But I’m not at liberty to say more.”

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He paused, as if calculating, and settled on a deliberately vague answer.

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“In any case, that individual holds considerable sway within the Holy See. If you’re truly curious, best to ask them yourself. I’ll finish up and return to report to headquarters.”

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With a respectful bow, Guga turned away.

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“I’ll take my leave, Mr. Lin Wei!”