Chapter 683: I'm Really Sober Now
"……Why?"
Hearing Gray's words, Aiwass was stunned for a moment and widened his eyes slightly.
His mind was still in a state of intense flusteredness—not the kind of excitement and imbalance that comes with being drunk. It felt like curling up in a dry, warm bed on a cold winter's day. If he closed his eyes at this moment, he would probably quickly lose all thought and enter a state of infinite tranquility.
Because of this, Aiwass felt that his brain was working so slowly for the first time.
Fortunately, his instincts were still working, and he keenly sensed that something was wrong from this accident - although he couldn't immediately figure out why he felt something was wrong, Aiwass subconsciously wanted to raise his hand.
No matter what happens, I can't handle it in my current state. So, I might as well refuse and deal with it later when I sober up.
This thought flashed through his mind for a moment.
——But then, Aiwass found that he couldn't raise his hand at all.
His dominant hand, which he used to comfort Grey, was now firmly pinned down by her, unable to break free.
He was stunned for a moment, and was about to raise his left hand... when he heard Gray speak again: "Raise your hands if you agree."
The next moment, eleven cardinals raised their hands. Aiwass quickly lowered his left hand, which was about to be raised.
In addition to Aiwass, there were nineteen cardinals present.
Eleven votes in favor undoubtedly exceeded half, and the bill could proceed to the discussion stage, but it had not yet reached two-thirds - the number of votes required for direct approval.
Therefore, according to the rules of the Church, the Saint and those who have not yet voted can make an additional round of narration.
Gray grabbed Aiwas's hand and said to the cardinals, "There is no doubt that I cannot continue to participate in the papal election in my current state.
“But we must elect the next Pope here—because the current Eternal Pope is nearing his physical limit. We don’t have time to wait until March 3rd next year.
"I've appointed Aiwass as Acting Pope, meaning 'he will temporarily assume the throne and preserve the Holy Crown until I recover.' This doesn't mean Aiwass will truly rule the Theocracy. In other words, if you intend to elect me as Pope, you can choose Aiwass first. And during this interim period, I will assist Aiwass in continuing to govern the Theocracy. Do you have any objections?"
"I have objections."
Cardinal Cyril spoke.
His voice was hoarse and he looked quite unwell.
Once he left his ritual site, Cardinal Cyril's equilibrium was disrupted. The tree-like and amber-like traces on his body became active—it looked as if the vines were twisting and devouring the crystals, then gradually crystallizing.
Aiwass looked at him worriedly.
The cardinal was the last to arrive and was probably the one who least wanted the election to take too long... He had to get back to his room as soon as possible.
Cardinal Cyril spoke, his voice tinged with the creaking of a sturdy vine. "Your Highness's words...are an admission that I will recover from my amber state as quickly as possible. But if I don't recover in a short time, will Cardinal Aiwass rule the Theocracy for decades?"
yes.
When people heard such doubts, they suddenly woke up and waited for the response of the Pure White Saint.
Gray nodded solemnly and replied:
"Cardinal Europa claims that this poison will be over within a few months... so let's tentatively set it at three to six months.
"If I recover before June 3rd, we will complete the transfer of the Most Holy Crown before June 6th. If I recover before September 3rd, we will complete the transfer on September 9th. If I am still not recovered by the 'Day of the End', then the second round of the papal election will be held on that day - excluding Aiwass and me.
"In other words, he will only be an interim pope for six months at most. I don't think this will be risky or violate any taboos."
The Pure White Saint said solemnly and seriously.
The bandages on her eyes were gone, and people looked at her face and felt that it was a little strange.
But at this moment, this expression seems more sincere.
"I have objections, too."
Cardinal Belisarius slowly raised his hand. "If Cardinal Aiwass is elected Pope, he will be the supreme ruler of the Theocracy and the spokesperson for the Ennead. If he refuses to return the Holy Crown on September 9th, we will be helpless. After all, we must obey the orders of the current Pope."
"So, how can we ensure that Aiwass, as a human, will not abuse his power, and at the same time, return the power to Pure White in a timely manner?"
Same as what Cardinal Cyril said earlier.
Cardinal Belisarius's question was exactly what the elves were most worried about. He was like a mouthpiece, speaking for the elves who were not present but had something to say!
At this moment, voices from all over the Theocracy applauded Cardinal Belisarius' courage and justice.
Pure White just shook his head slightly.
She raised her head, supporting her seemingly frail body, but said firmly, "Although Aiwass is a human, he is also the darling of the Candlestick and a cardinal recognized by the Nine Pillars.
"As the only human cardinal currently in office, and even more so the only short-lived cardinal, we must believe in the possibilities presented by this miracle. Rather, precisely because Aiwass is human, making him acting pope is the least risky decision.
"It's well known that the people of each ring are close to the cardinals who govern that layer. This is because elves are free—we can freely choose the environment in which we live, and thus live and dwell wherever we wish. Over the long course of time, we will eventually arrive at the area that best suits us.
"And because of the charisma of each cardinal, each has their own supporters. Besides each cardinal's own supporters, the Theocracy also has various factions, including the Mediators, the Homelanders, and the Ancient Monuments Restoration Society. Each faction is composed of multiple cardinals... Therefore, whoever is elected will undoubtedly receive the support of the residents of their circle, their followers, and the support of their own faction.
"But on the other hand, I'm currently caught in an unexpected situation due to the Hawkeye Organization's assassination attempt. If I were to miss the Pope election at this time, and allow one of you to be elected Pope, this could potentially cause controversy—the controversy stemming from the question of whether the situation would remain the same if Pure White had participated in the election normally.
"Since there will be people who support someone becoming Pope, there will naturally be people who oppose him. Those who oppose me will certainly use me as an excuse to make it seem like I'm an opponent of His Holiness the Pope—I don't want that to happen. No matter who becomes Pope, he will be the ruler of the Theocracy and the sacred leader of the Church. I don't want people to be hostile to each other because of this, and I don't want the Theocracy to be divided because of it...
"So I made the bold decision that even though I am not fit to be Pope now, I will still run for the election as a 'proxy'."
The Pure White Saint has a clear mind.
She went through all the situations very clearly with everyone.
It also emphasized one point: indeed, I can choose not to be Pope, and neither can Aiwass. But what if a cardinal you dislike, or a cardinal from a faction you dislike, becomes Pope? What will you do then?
Should we just accept it, or make trouble by saying “it’s unfair, let’s have a rematch”?
If it was the former, he would be uncomfortable and unwilling to accept it; if it was the latter, the Theocracy would be divided. Given the backdrop of the Saint being attacked and forced to withdraw from the election, no matter who was elected, they would not be recognized by others.
Aiwass looked at the Pure White Saint in confusion.
He gradually understood.
——This should have been discussed.
You're playing me, right?
(End of this chapter)
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