Four Split Personalities

[Neva • Fao, the 572nd Pope: Saint•Neva•Fao]

[Neva•Fao (9391-9480), the second longest-serving leader in the history of the Church of the Dawn, a compassionate preacher, a resilient ascetic, the epitome of the Regulation Sect, with strength unrecorded, neither truly accomplishing nor failing, died at the age of eighty-nine.]

[His only recorded intervention was in the Holy Year of 9441 when, with his overwhelming divine might, he seized the head of Andrei Melgani, the Grand Knight Commander of the Justice Sect, in Saint Pure Lightning Town. He cleansed the great evil demon magician ’Soul Refiner’ Madon Mei, who was at the end of his tether, ahead of everyone else. This brought the Church of the Dawn a total bounty of seven million Gold Coins, one-third of which he donated, without any compensation, to the seventy-two cities in the eastern portion of the Holy Land that were severely afflicted by natural disasters.]

...

"Because the head was seized, it’s not considered an ’accomplishment’?"

Motan twitched the corner of his mouth as he finished reading the two paragraphs below the previous pope’s portrait. He laughed dryly, "It seems that even within the Church of the Dawn, the evaluation of this pope is quite subtle..."

Yu Chen, standing beside him, peeked at Neva•Fao’s portrait, tapping her lips quietly, "I remember Saintess Sister saying that Fao was a person with an exceptionally elusive presence, rarely staying amongst popes even after his coronation, always preferring places with good lighting... Um, like the steps outside the cathedral, poring over various Holy Scriptures. As a result, many believers who did not recognize His Holiness mistook him for a doorman."

Motan carelessly pulled out the [Ancient Dawn Scripture] from his bag and transformed it back into the [Neva•Fao Manuscripts], perusing it and asking, "Then did he have any glorious moments? I refuse to believe a pope wouldn’t have at least one highlight in his life."

"Of course there are, aren’t they written right here?"

Yu Chen pointed to the lines of gold-printed small text floating below the portrait frame and smiled, "Saintess Sister mentioned it to me during our chats, she was there when it happened, watching as Fao, in order to solve the deficit problems of the Sect, personally entered the fray. He hid in a water tank in a civilian’s house for two days and two nights, and when that Just Knight Commander drove the enemy into the house, Fao burst forth and cleansed that ’what’s-his-name Mei’ with a Decree Art."

Motan’s eyes twitched, "I feel like there are too many punchlines in what you just said. That Knight Commander really has a good temper, having his head stolen like that is truly too disheartening..."

"But, Saintess Sister told me that if it weren’t for that quick, accurate and ruthless final blow from Fao, that Knight Commander of the Justice Sect might have already been martyred."

Yu Chen tilted her little head, recalling bedtime stories Xia Lian had told her, and spread her small hands, "But I don’t know the reason, though. If you’re interested, you can ask her yourself."

Motan pondered for a moment, thinking that although he was now just a novice who had gone astray on the path of the Regulation Arts due to mistakenly receiving this manuscript, he must still be considered half an inheritor of Fao. Therefore, he slowly nodded, "If there’s an opportunity, I’d indeed like to try to understand..."

Although the notes on the item suggested that Fao was ’a common, kindhearted person with not particularly lofty ambitions, who had not yet transcended low-level tastes,’ he was after all, a pope. Paired with the little ’insider information’ Yu Chen had mentioned earlier, if it turned out that Fao was truly a hidden powerhouse, and this book in his hands that could freely switch between damaged manuscript and old Holy Scripture indeed contained the old man’s life’s work or something, and if he could get to the bottom of it or extract some Epic or Legendary quest from it, his own strength would surely surge. The current situation, where he clung to Yu Chen’s coattails and freeloaded, might greatly improve—an absolute blessing!

As another young person who had not transcended low-level tastes, Motan suddenly indulged in a series of nonsensical wild imaginations, and then stood there foolishly grinning, holding the manuscript of [Neva•Fao].

"But why are you so interested in Fao... Ah! I remember now!"

Yu Chen suddenly slapped her forehead halfway through her sentence, belatedly realizing, "You told me before, that you were tricked into becoming a Regulation Priest by an old priest with something called the [Neva•Fao Manuscripts]!"

"Yes, you’re right, that was the [Neva•Fao Manuscripts]."

Motan looked at Yu Chen in surprise, realizing that this seemingly absent-minded and dazed girl was actually quite attentive; she even remembered something he had mentioned nearly two months ago. He immediately sent a copy of the manuscript’s item information to Yu Chen’s message bar and, before she could express her surprise, turned and pointed to the portrait opposite them, "Also, the old priest who gave me that class-change item was this one..."

"Wow, really Fao’s... Eh?!"

Yu Chen was taken aback for a moment, then dumbly turned around following the direction of Motan’s pointing finger to look at another portrait, blinking, "Eh?"

[The 573rd Pope: Saint•Luke•Tifilo, currently alive (??)]

[Luke•Tifilo (9440-??) the predecessor pope Neva•Fao’s adopted son, God’s Chosen, the Saint Heir, the most talented pope in a millennium, the creator of the great Divine Arts [Twelve Holy Steps of Dawn], and the sole practitioner of the supreme Decree [Faceless Light] in three thousand five hundred years.]

[Luke was adopted by Fao at the age of four, baptized the same year, becoming the youngest God’s Chosen in history;]