The Reversed Hierophant

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“I bore the weight of a radiant crown and a glorious reputation, a saint walking through the valley of death, only for the ones I blessed to send me poisonous snakes and sharp blades to devour me completely.”

– After rebirth, Rafael looked back at his previous life and remarked.

The illustrious House of Portia had placed him upon the highest throne of the earthly kingdom. Under the crown of the Pope, Rafael had tirelessly worked to deal with several powerful empires on the verge of war, maintain peace, and shepherd God’s people. The people hailed him as the most just and learned Pope in the history of Florence, a shining beacon amidst the corruption of the Holy See.

….Then, he was poisoned in his bed, a dagger piercing his heart, and no one cared after his death.

His mu*dered soul wailed and shrieked in the river of time, and saw the only legacy left for him in the history books was a harsh judgment: “Sistine I, a staunch adherent to outdated principles, was granted the final mercy of death before the dawn of a new era. It was the last grace of the Lord to him.”

But Rafael opened his eyes once more, returning to the very day of his coronation. Red-robed cardinals bowed before him, fireworks and doves filled the sky of Florence, and sixteen cannons roared, announcing the birth of a new Pontiff.

With the dazzling crown in his hand, Rafael slowly revealed a bloodthirsty smile. “Since you have trampled on my tolerance, scorned my mercy, and deprived me of justice, then you shall no longer enjoy my benevolence. From now on, you shall only kneel before me, fear me, and pray to me!”

This is a story set in a world blending multiple elements, a chaotic mix of science and the supernatural. It’s a one-sided love story with a harem of admirers, a relentless power struggle, and a protagonist who prioritizes his ambitions above all else.

Warnings:

1. While there are romantic elements, the protagonist does not end up with a romantic partner. Please proceed with caution if you are sensitive to such plot points.

2. This story contains significant alterations to religious beliefs and practices. Due to the author’s limited knowledge, there may be inaccuracies or inconsistencies. If you have strong religious beliefs, this story might not be suitable for you.

Associated Names
One entry per line
The Reverse Pope
逆位教皇
Related Series
N/A
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Recommendation Lists
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Latest Release

Date Group Release
06/06/25 Moonlight River c72
05/29/25 Moonlight River c71
05/22/25 Moonlight River c70
05/14/25 Moonlight River c69
05/08/25 Moonlight River c68
04/30/25 Moonlight River c67
04/22/25 Moonlight River c66
04/15/25 Moonlight River c65
03/27/25 Moonlight River c64
03/20/25 Moonlight River c63
03/08/25 Moonlight River c62
03/01/25 Moonlight River c61
02/21/25 Moonlight River c60
02/15/25 Moonlight River c59
02/08/25 Moonlight River c58
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reader272
New reader272 rated it
May 24, 2025
Status: c70
After reading a few novels translated by AI with minimal edits, it's extremely refreshing to read one that was edited with care so thank you translator for the hard work! I ended up purchasing chapters to support the author.

To answer the translator on why it's not that popular on JJ despite how well-written it is, China is officially a atheist country, and novels centered on religion just don't do very well (not to mention western fantasy religion). In comparison, Japan and South Korea novels tend to popularize western fantasy, so... more>> if this novel debuted on those sites it probably would've been more popular. Just look at how popular Stigmata (Religious BL with a similar sypnosis) is. With that said, this novel really deserve high praise for the amount of thought and research put into it. None of the characters are one-dimensional and the MC especially is multi-faceted. Each character have their own motives and take actions to reach their goals. I was initially taken aback by how many characters were morally dubious, but it makes sense since they are going through a power struggle.

If you must know one thing about the period the novel is referencing, it is that human life is worth almost nothing. This novel really displayed the brutality of nobles seeking power and it was frankly disgusting how so many of them succumb to absolute greed. The MC is not a goodie-two-shoe holy father, he becomes ruthless for survival, shaped by his harsh environment and need for answers. A lot of his actions I disagree with, but sympathize, because I wouldn't even know how to survive if I was in his shoes. There is little satisfying face slapping or revenge reversals because everyone has their own greed. Good guys turn bad and bad guys reflect. Human nature is fickle in the face of power and the author really did a good job humanizing all her characters.

As noted, there is no ending CP but there are multiple suitors pinning for MC. Some are absolutely obsessed and some are complicated. A warning for potential readers that one of his suitors is probably blood-related and another is literally groomed into being loyal to him. If you can't seperate the author from the fictional content they write, you can turn around now.

What I like is that MC isn't solely a male magnet like how many danmeis like their MCs to be, but he is lusted by different genders of different age groups. MC is a master manipulator and honestly it was really sad to read about MC condemning himself for involving people who love him. Some of the love directed to him were extremely immoral and toxic and based on where I am, it's pretty much established that survival is MC's top piority.

There are a lot of NP (no-pair) danmeis out there that are brilliantly written and I honestly don't think it's a con for the MC to end up with no one. It makes a lot of sense considering the setting of the novel. My biggest complaint is that some descriptions get a bit long-winded and I'm not that big of a fan for flowery language in a complicated narrative. It's very well-written don't get me wrong, I just prefer writing that gets to the point and tend to skip convoluted paragraphs. All in all a really good novel I'd reccomend to people who like extremely serious religious kingdom building troupes that encompasses conspiracies and complicated dynamics. <<less
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LuceArcana
LuceArcana rated it
December 3, 2024
Status: Completed
Hello! I'm the translator for this novel! There's really a lot that I enjoyed from this novel and I hope by translating it others can enjoy it as much as I do.

First of all, the worldbuilding. Reading the novel really feels like you're transported back to the Middle Ages, in all the good and bad ways. You can really tell that the author had done a lot of research while writing this and a lot of is really realistic. If you're a big fan of western historical settings like I... more>> am you'll probably like it.

Second, the main character himself, Rafael. Honestly this book read like a biography of his life from his ascension to Pope till the end of his life, and even his legacy. Because of it, I think its easy for readers to really empathise and understand him, not to mention he's a really compelling character, equally ruthless and compassionate. A large part of my decision to translate the novel was because of him alone.

Third, the female supporting characters. For a novel about a Pope, there sure are a lot of amazing female characters. Strong female queens, stubborn doctors to even unrepentant villains.

Now onto the cons. First of all, there is no final pairing in this novel. There's hints of the 3 male leads falling in love with Rafa but there's no final pairing. There's a hint of a final winner but let's just say even then he justs remains a beloved companion to Rafa. This might be a turn off to those looking for romance. In fact this novel is probably good enough to read as a political/worldbuilding novel alone. It could even be classified as Bromance by some.

Second, sometimes there's quite a lot of description talking about how beautiful the MC is. Honestly, I sometimes do think its a bit much but not to the point of being offputting. Its usually 1 paragraph /chapter that you can easily skip.

Third, the religious aspect. I'm not a particularly religious person. But I personally didn't find anything offensive in the author's potrayal of the religion nor the ruling body. They took a lot of inspiration from what the popes did far far back in history and the further you read on, the further you can see that a lot of it is just them creating a fictional religion while borrowing the names of the power structure in Catholicism. This is personal to each and everyone, and I respect all beliefs and opinions.

Honestly, I think what's best is to try and read the first 5 chapters! It'll be the best way to see if this novel is to your taste or not. And for those that do, enjoy :) <<less
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