Chapter 40 (2)
Chapter 40 (2)
"It's the Pope. He is the one who can best convey his voice to God, more than anyone else in the church, here and including the diocese."
Lucian turned his head and looked straight at Leo.
"The prayers you and I make are really small and insignificant, but the prayers the Pope makes might be a little different. Maybe even the usurers who fall to hell can go to heaven under his prayers. God is so merciful."
Leo's eyes sparkled.
"The Pope? Who is he?"
"He is the highest-ranking person in the church. And he is also the closest person to Saint John."
"The closest person to Saint John?"
"Yes, he is closer to Saint John than anyone else. So he can convey his voice to God better than anyone else."
At that moment, Leo imagined himself becoming the Pope for his brother Rockefeller, who worked at the bank, and for the other brothers who wanted to follow Rockefeller.
"Father Lucian, can anyone become the Pope?"
At that question, Lucian could only laugh.
The position of the Pope has been said to be a divine appointment since ancient times.
"Of course, not anyone can become the Pope. But if you become a priest and gradually rise to higher positions in the church, you might be able to meet him someday."
"Not becoming the Pope?"
Lucian couldn't help but laugh.
"For us, just seeing him is an infinite honor. You don't become the Pope just because you want to. His position has been determined by God since ancient times."
"Really?"
"So, do you want to become a priest too?"
Leo did not hesitate at all in answering that question.
"Yes! I love praying to God here."
"Is that so?"
Anyone could become a priest unless they had special disqualifications.
However, they had to suppress their inner desires, live a very restricted life, and had an extremely busy job that was much busier than it appeared.
All the big and small tasks within the diocese were their responsibility.
"But this job is not easy. It can be so hard that you might give up halfway. Do you still want to do it?"
Leo's answer remained unchanged despite the question.
"I still want to become a priest. As long as I can pray for my brothers, everything is fine."
Lucian, who had been nodding his head, stood up from his seat and spoke.
"Then can you come back tomorrow? I'll ask the higher-ups, and if there's a place available, I'll help you become a priest."
"Really?"
"But remember this. Becoming a priest is really hard work. You always have to fight against another me inside you."
"I'm fine! I can do it."
"Alright, see you tomorrow then."
After finishing his conversation with the young priest, Leo told Rockefeller about the events of the day during dinner that night.
"You suddenly want to become a priest?"
"Yeah, I want to be a priest and pray for my brothers."
It seemed like just yesterday when he was sent to the church, and now he wants to become a priest.
'My fourth brother wants to be a priest...'
While Rockefeller was lost in various thoughts, Andrew and Joshua, who were just as bewildered as Rockefeller, began to talk to Leo.
"Why do you suddenly want to become a priest? It's not fun at all."
"Leo, you should make money like us."
"Yeah, money is the best. You don't know because you're young, but being a priest is really boring. You can't even get married and have to live alone for your entire life."
Despite his brothers' objections, Leo's resolve did not waver.
"I want to become a priest to pray for our family. Can't I be a priest?"
Could they really stop their fourth brother, who wanted to become a priest for their sake?
After thinking for a while, Rockefeller hesitantly opened his mouth.
"Leo, is there a specific reason you want to become a priest?"
"Yeah! If I become the Pope later, I can pray for you guys so you won't go to hell."
At that, Rockefeller couldn't help but laugh.
The Pope was the ruler of the church.
Perhaps even higher than the emperor of the empire.
Could someone who wasn't born into a noble family or someone without exceptional divine power, but rather an ordinary person from a commoner's family, really achieve such a position?
'No.'
Then Rockefeller realized he had thought wrong.
Was there a law that said commoners couldn't become the Pope?
'Maybe it's a good thing for Leo and all of us.'
"Do you really want to be a priest?"
The fourth brother, Leo, did not change his mind.
"Yeah! I want to become the Pope later. Then I can pray for my brothers near St. John. Then we won't have to go to a place like hell. I'll keep praying."
Although the possibility of realization seemed slim, Rockefeller didn't just take Leo's words as a joke.
If Leo couldn't do it on his own, Rockefeller would make it happen.
'I've always wanted to get close to the church anyway. The power of the church is absolutely necessary.'
"Alright. If you're really determined, I won't stop you from becoming a priest. But let's make one promise."
What could that promise be?
"What promise?"
"No matter what happens, our brothers here must come first. No matter what position you're in or what situation you face, our family must always come first. Then I'll do my best to help you become the Pope."
Although it was a difficult thing for Leo to understand, it didn't sound bad.
After all, the reason he wanted to become a priest was for the sake of his brothers here.
"Yeah, I'll always pray for my brothers."
Without realizing it, Rockefeller nodded and continued the conversation they had left off yesterday.
"Since it's come to this, it would be good to work with the church on selling beer."
Rockefeller smiled brightly at Leo, who was staring at him intently.
"Because that will also be a good thing for our Leo."
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