After waiting for more than ten minutes, a fat, middle-aged man dressed in silk ceremonial robes finally appeared.
But he probably wasn't Pope Kitaryu Shingen, since his build didn't match.
"High Priest!"
"High Priest!"
The other priests, including Kaneda Hideki, all bowed to greet the fat, middle-aged man.
According to the information Kaneda Hideki had provided earlier, the High Priest was named Wakamatsu Kazuki.
Whenever Pope Kitaryu Shingen didn't appear in person, he handled all the church's affairs. He could be said to hold a position second only to the Pope himself.
Although Wakamatsu Kazuki wore the High Priest's ceremonial robes, he didn't look like a religious figure at all. He looked more like a businessman.
A kindly smile spread across his fat face, and his voice was warm and gentle. "Thank you all for your efforts. You must be getting anxious after waiting so long. His Holiness the Pope will be out shortly. Please maintain order and keep the noise down. Everyone will have their turn, one at a time."
After saying this, he stepped aside and called out, "We welcome His Holiness the Pope!"
The other priests joined in, prompting many of the Wishers to shout along.
At last, Pope Kitaryu Shingen appeared.
He looked almost exactly as he did in the photographs, wearing an exquisite robe and a golden crown, with various ornaments around his neck.
A strange mask covered his face, making his features impossible to see.
The moment Kitaryu Shingen appeared, the entire hall fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Because of his height, Fang Cheng had been placed at the back of the line. Even so, his excellent eyesight let him spot an ornament in Kitaryu Shingen's chest decorations at once. It was in the style of the Ultimate Bliss Cult: