Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 19

Chapter 19: 【Five Questions from Rabbit H Interview】

[Rufeite] 【An Mia was my religious enlightenment teacher. I met him when I was very young, and even up until my graduation from the Galaxy Mecha Academy, I addressed him with the utmost respect as 'Teacher.'

However, I never anticipated that he would become an advisor to the Holy See.

From the day I graduated from the religious college until I ascended to the papacy, I lost all contact with him.

But when I finally took my position in the Heavenly Church and faced the institution for the first time as its leader, my former teacher, An Mia, stood right before me, a striking figure in the realm of faith and authority.

He told me that this would be his final lesson: nothing is permanent. One moment, he was my teacher, guiding me with wisdom and patience; the next, he had become my adversary, a stark reminder of how quickly allegiances can shift】

○○○○

Rufeite turned his head, gazing at Anno, his black eyes reminiscent of the eternal universe-firm and majestic. "Yes," he affirmed, "his scent and presence are unmistakable. Even if he were to inhabit another body, I would recognize him without fail."

Anno held Rufeite's gaze, searching for something within those depths. The man before him wore a focused and determined expression, leaving little room for uncertainty. Anno pondered whether Rufeite was testing him or if it was simply a manifestation of his habitual paranoia. Yet, deep inside, Anno could not deny the stirrings of expectation that pulsed within him, an expectation that felt almost like a curse, pulling him into an irreversible situation.

What did he hope for? He longed for the God before him to say, "Do I know you as Anno?"

As Anno's consciousness formed a barrier, shielding his inner turmoil from view, Rufeite turned his attention to the scenery whizzing by outside the maglev car, a tranquil silence settling between them.

"How about you?" Rufeite asked quietly, breaking the stillness. "Tell me about yourself."

After a moment's thought, Anno replied, "What aspect of me are you curious about?"

"Anything, really," Rufeite said, his tone casual. "We need to move past the previous topic. Start with what you know about Jialan and the United Nations."

"Well," Anno began, "it's much like it is now. People prefer staying indoors, immersing themselves in virtual networks, and rely heavily on robots. But Jialan back then had a bit more humanity. Every weekend, there were either small or large festivals. The United Nations didn't allow virtual networks to act as intermediaries; people could only purchase what they needed online. On festival days, crowds would gather to celebrate."

Rufeite smiled, a spark of intrigue in his eyes. "Interesting. Jialan is a ghost town now."

Recalling past festivities, Anno continued, "I remember a particularly famous event: the Water Splashing Festival. That day, the director of Jialan's water supply department would always be on edge because water supply was a nightmare. Almost everyone would flood the streets, splashing water on one another."

"Did you know him?" Rufeite asked.

"Yes. Anyone could join in the fun. Vendors sold flavored water-raspberry, banana, mint, you name it. Even the chief or general wouldn't escape being doused. If a chief got upset, someone would retort with a middle finger and challenge him, saying, 'If you're brave enough, splash me too!'"

Rufeite laughed heartily. "Such a festival hasn't graced Jialan in years. Now, aside from New Year, there's nothing. I find that festival quite appealing. The water makes clothes transparent, revealing everything beneath."