@RowanSpirit that's not it at all. Go re-read the last two pages of chapter 4 and the opening of chapter 5.
Chapter 4 page 32: "Wow, the Sacred Beast is really cute. They should be doing whatever we want to receive my favour, the person closest to God!"
Chapter 4 page 33: "Holy Beast, The People, everything is a delusion" in a clearly maniacal stance
Chapter 5 then opens with an elf petitioning for safe passage through their lands and offers to "present" the holy beast to her, and she declares she will make it her pet. Not to protect it or worship it, to enslave it as a pet.
She's the pope and it's still a very real and well-known magical demi-god spirit thing called "sacred beast" or "holy beast" and she proclaims that she is above it and that she wants it as a pet. One of those holy beasts that are responsible for preventing environmental disasters and are partly related to actual God. And she thinks it's fine to demand it as an enslaved pet from the elves in exchange for not slaughtering or kicking out their refugees who are trying to ensure the survival of their race.
What about that seems like she's "not a bad person" to you?
Also, about the crying after it died, to me that comes across as more of a tantrum about not getting her way, rather than any guilt or remorse. And then she acts like an innocent kid to deceive the scarily OP child and the other nations who are stepping in to smack her down. It really seems like she's a complete sociopath and she's just acting, to try and survive and maintain her position of power by whatever means, because that's what is most important to her twisted mind.
Sure, the bishop guy is also really crazy and twisted, but he clearly acted like that right in front of her and she didn't care, stop him, or fire him; doesn't that imply she agrees with his words and actions, seeing as she is ultimately in charge? I mean, she's the pope, in charge of the whole country, and you're saying she had no clue about the entire army mobilising for war and did nothing to stop it?
So, yeah, the pope is bad. She seems completely crazy and a complete bitch. Or this manga is just completely nonsensical and characters aren't consistent at all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯