The two servant boys bring water up and help Giovanni, now Theophylactus, clean up.
"This is not a dream, I have really returned to the past and become Theophylactus, no, Pope Benedict IX," thought Giovanni.
"That middle age man who has been calling me 'my son' must be Count Alberic III of Tusculum, who purchased the Papacy for his son, even though the previous two Popes, Benedict VIII and John XIX, were his brothers," thought Giovanni while taking a glance at the middle age man.
Noticing the glance from his son, Count Alberic's smiles back.
"Don't give me your creepy smile, you sacrilegious man!" Giovanni is really angry when encountering sacrilegious acts, but he only dares to say this in his head.
After Theophylactus finishes cleaning up his body for the morning, the doors opened again, and two priests in black robe enter, one of whom is carrying a white robe with them, while the other is carrying a red camauro.
Then they begin to undress Theophylactus, which makes him extremely embarrassed. He intended to tell them that he can change himself before realizing that he doesn't know how to wear the cleric robe, except the papal camauro, which only needed to be put on the head and done. Theophylactus cannot help but look down the floor.
"Wait, am I having an erection?" realized Theophylactus when he looks down at the place between his legs.
"Oh good God, I remember, it is recorded that Benedict IX was a homosexual Pope, who dirtied the Papacy with sodomy. So this body is homo. And I am being touched by the priests when I'm changing, which caused the erection. NOOOOO, get down, you stupid thing between the legs!" Theophylactus cannot help but scream in his head.
.
.
.
Finally, he was done with changing and his "little brother" has calmed down. Then the two servants carry something that looks like a body mirror to him.
(Author's note: mirror we see today was not invented until the 19th century, before that, people only have ancient reflective objects made from other materials.)
"Wow, is this me? I am a handsome boy, but the robe is too big for me. I guess I need a few more years to fit with the robe and look like a dignified Pope." thought Theophylactus.
One of the priests says "Please follow us to meet the Sacred College of Cardinals!"
Led by the two priests, Theophylactus goes to meet the cardinals inside Lateran Palace. Count Alberic III follows them. Midway, the Count whispers to Theo's ear "Now you are the Pope, after accepting the election, don't call yourself I/me/mine anymore, but We/Us/Our."
Theo cannot help but agree with the Count, according to what he learned when he was Giovanni, the Popes always use plural pronouns when referring to themselves. This means the Pope is not referring to himself alone, but all his predecessors and successors, including Saint Peter the Apostle.
That was the case until the conciliar popes since Vatican II, as they want to be closer to the people.
"Tsk, Papal traditions must be respected. If you are referring to yourself alone, then you are speaking as a private person, and not the Universal Teacher of the Church. That's why conciliar popes committed so many evil things, including heresies and apostasy. Only when you use plural pronouns, that you are speaking in the Papal Office, and that all your predecessors and successors teach the same thing, and that Office will keep you from falling into heresies, which is guaranteed, since Jesus Christ Himself promised it." this has always been Theo's, or Giovanni's, opinion regarding the use of plural pronouns by the Popes.
When standing in front of the doors to the meeting room, the Count once again whispers "Remember, when being asked to accept the election or not, refuse twice before accepting at the 3rd time. This is a practice of humility."
Then Theo proceeds into the room, which is filled by cardinals and some Roman nobles. Without looking at them, Theo goes straight to the large chair in the middle and sits down, he knows it is his.
"Asking for acceptance after the announcement since this is already decided by money, huh?" thought Theo.
Then the Cardinal, Titular Bishop of Ostia, whose successors from the 12th century will be known as the Dean of Sacred College of Cardinals, proceeds, standing in front of Theo. He is and old man with dignity and a white beard, wearing red robe like all other cardinals.
"Dost Thou accept the election?" the Cardinal asks.
"No!" replied Theo.
"Dost Thou accept the election?" he asks again.
"No!" replied Theo.
"Dost Thou accept the election?" the Cardinal asks again for the 3rd time.
Theo pauses a little, he breathes in and out slowly.
"Since this happened to me, it must be God's Will. Well, I asked for it after all. Thy Will be done, O LORD. Let's hope that this is not a super duper realistic dream." thought Theo.
Theo looks around, he could see everyone's attention is on him, waiting for his reply. Especially his father, Count Alberic III.
"In the Name of the Lord, I accept." replied Theo.
The Cardinal cannot help but twisting his mouth. Clearly, he was the best candidate for the Papal Chair before Count Alberic III decided to keep the power within his family and purchased the Papacy.
"What pontifical name shalt Thou take?" asked the Cardinal
"Better go with the Church's chronology then!" thought Theo.
Theo pauses a little bit, pretending to be thinking for a name, then he replies:
"From this moment on, I,..., We shall be called Benedict the Ninth (Benedictus Nonus), after Our predecessor of happy memories, Benedict VIII."