Chapter 5 : The New Normal

"Now then," he said, walking towards the door.

"One of the priests will soon come and take you to the your chambers, I will see you tomorrow afternoon, after you've settled in." He said as he exited.

The priest came soon after and led my moms and I through a labyrinth of corridors.

He was shorter than Irene but that wasn't saying anything because Irene was taller than most in this nation. He came up to her shoulder, so I think he is pretty tall? he's older than Irene and Sheri, looks to be around his mid forties to early fifties. his hair is graying at the sides, and he has eye wrinkles, like he laughs a lot. he looks experience, I'm sure thats why that old gramps chose him.

"So, these chambers, are they perhaps the ex-pope's previous chambers?" Sheri asked.

"The goddess grants the Pope a chamber based on what he or she likes and prefers in a living space, it's like an invisible room when we don't have a Pope, and it suddenly appears when we do. It'll be made in accordance to Pope Antonio's preferences." He explained.

"It was High Priest Argunid's previous chambers, but after Master Antonio became the Pope, it was...destroyed by the goddess and made anew. So it is High Pope Antonio's chambers now. High Priest Argunid is now in the high Priest's room." He clarified after seeing our lost expressions.

"Fascinating," Sheri muttered.

"I don't get it," I muttered to Irene and she simply smiled. It was a doting smile, one you'd look at a small child with. I'm not a small child, mentally anyways. I pouted.

"I would like to learn more about all this," Sheri says.

"The process of becoming a Pope and all that it entails," she adds on.

"Me too! I want to be here for my son while he goes through these struggles," Irene says.

She's currently carrying me, hasn't let go since the Pope left. Ex-Pope now, I suppose. I think it gives her a peace of mind.

"Of course. We have a library for the Pope and his kin, in case he or she is like Antonio. There is a section filled with the diaries of all the previous pope's, sans High Priest Argunid, as he is still living, and others that you and young Antonio shall find most explanatory." He informs us.

He continues to lead us in what appears to be circles until we come upon a dead end with a single large white and gold marble double door.

"Here we are! Enjoy~" he sang before leaving us in front of the door.

Sheri tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.

Irene softly set me down before approaching Sheri.

"Let me try," she said and then grab the handle and pushed the door with her body weight.

I slowly toddled over to the door and slowly put my hand on it and it quickly gave way, leading a surprised Irene to fall. She quickly caught herself and picked me up once again, and walked into the room.

It was like Olympus meets the twenty first century. Marble was the main theme, the walls and floors were marble. And there were pillars separating the rooms that loomed magnificently over us. There was a giant fireplace in the living room, and walls covered in old and new books. There were fur rugs all over the floor, and a soft comfortable looking couch and foot rest in front of the marble fireplace.

There was a small breakfast nook, with a small mahogany wood table and chairs. There was a kitchen next to that, it was state of the art with warm colors and a blue backsplash and a island in the middle.

The bed was HUGE. Like ten people huge, and the covers were the softest I had ever felt. It was a sleigh bed, my favorite. There was a marble princess dresser, with beautiful floral designs and a big, round mirror. There was a baby pink rug in here, and there was a round open door in the wall leading to a giant walk-in closet with clothes and shoes and jewelry. All my size, I'm sure.

Through the walk in closet was the bathroom. Honestly, calling it a bathhouse would be more appropriate. There was a rounded nook where a double sink was with a giant mirror. The other side of this entryway was another nook, with the toilet. Magical toilet. Which I still secretly gushed over. Don't judge me. You would too if you were in a world with magic and a you had to press a golden crystal that would flash and then flush. I think the coolest part is that angels start singing once you flush and only stop once you leave the room.

It makes me feel nice.

Shut up.

Once you walk through the entry way, you see a giant Roman bathroom, with no ceiling. Magic. I'm sure there's a ceiling, but like an invisible one. Like Hogwarts. I later discovered that if I yell "rain", water will fall from the sky and turn my giant bath into a giant shower.

The priest explained that I technically bathe in holy water and that they sell it, because it apparently brings good luck. Ew. The water drains from my bath after I leave and while it quickly fills back up, the used water is then transported through pipes to a machine that puts my dirty bath water into containers so that the church can sell it. It's apparently our biggest money makes. So gross.

I didn't wash for three days after I heard this, but the feeling of being dirty after so many years of pampering and relaxation after work every day caught up to me and I couldn't resist. I felt like I was caked in mud. I decided to forget I ever learned such a disturbing fact.

I wrote about it in my diary though. I laughed imagining the next pope's horror when I wrote it.

"Nice chambers," Sheri said.

"I think that's an understatement. You got good tastes, kid." Irene patted my head before plopping down on my new big white leather couch.

This is nice. Very nice. I didn't know I had such expensive tastes. Maybe it's the goddess' tastes. I wince when I suddenly have a vision of the goddess carefully choosing how to make my rooms, choosing from what she knew I'd love.

"Alright, I'm sorry. Thank you. I love it." I mutter quietly, rubbing my forehead.

I feel a wave of calmness wash over me, and notice that my headache is gone. I smile at my mothers who are still looking around.

Despite living in a giant marvelous manor, they were still shocked with my godlike taste.

It really is Olympus...

I chuckle before slowly falling asleep in Irene's warm embrace. I don't know how I ended up in her lap, but it was nice. "I'm tired," I sighed and she laughed before kissing my forehead. And as she was slowly stroking my hair, I fell into a dreamless sleep.