Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

[Anmia: I have prepared everything. Now the only thing left is the Godfather...]

In the mist rising from the fountain, under the warm sunlight, Anmia stood out with her short, fiery red hair. The teardrop mole at the corner of her eye resembled a seductive flower, drawing the gaze of passersby.

At the opposite end of the fountain, Rufeite wore a faint smile, quietly observing Anno as if savoring a long-awaited moment of joy.

Rufeite was taken aback; he hadn't expected Anmia to appear at this time. In previous years, while he had always invited his teacher to the religious month ceremony, Anmia had never attended. But this time, her early arrival was telling. The reason seemed obvious.

The little girl, who had been selling religious coins, approached Anno and handed him a gold coin. Anno instinctively reached out to take it, but the girl playfully locked his wrist with her small fingers.

It was a playful gesture reminiscent of ancient civilization mecha.

The girl looked up at Anno with innocent eyes. "Pope, let's go back!"

Anno lowered his gaze, using his consciousness to gently pry open the girl's grasp. With a faint smile, he said, "Go back to your godfather, child."

For a moment, the girl appeared puzzled. Anno's presence radiated warmth and kindness, devoid of any hostility. She turned her head to glance at Anmia, who nodded in encouragement. Releasing Anno's wrist, the girl stuck out her tongue playfully before turning and scampering away.

As Rufeite, Anno, and Anmia made their way through the bustling streets of Jerusalem, the vibrant atmosphere enveloped them. Children played and laughed nearby, while curious businessmen and tourists stole glances at the unusual trio.

In the center of them, Anno was the shortest, yet his handsome features made him stand out as the most ordinary-looking of the three. To his left, Rufeite with his short fiery red hair and dark teardrop mole tilted his head slightly, casting a look filled with infatuation at Anno. To Anno's right, Anmia, the most striking of the group, wore a fierce expression that contrasted with her beauty.

Unable to restrain himself any longer, Rufeite spoke first, "Anmia, I used to respect you as a teacher. Shouldn't you be more generous and not snatch things from your students?"

Anmia replied with a playful smirk, "Rufeite, as your former teacher, I must remind you that nothing is permanent. I may be your mentor one moment and your rival the next."

Rufeite, suppressing the urge to retaliate, wrapped his arm around Anno's shoulders and shifted him protectively to his right. "Teacher, do you want to fight with me?"

Anmia chuckled softly. "Rufeite, you're not a child anymore. Why are you more impulsive than ever?"

Rufeite grinned shamelessly. "People in love don't have high IQs."

Anno interjected kindly, "She's a woman. A woman in love often has a high IQ..."

Both Rufeite and Anmia turned to him in unison, exclaiming, "Children, stop interrupting when adults are talking!"

Anno fell silent, a bemused expression on his face.

He had often wondered how Anmia truly felt about him-was it admiration, love, worship, or something akin to the possessiveness Rufeite exhibited? He had raised Anmia, and in the realm of religion, he was the nominal successor to Anno. Had the particle explosion not occurred, Anmia would have likely ascended to the position of Pope by now.

At times, Anno felt a deep-seated guilt toward Anmia that he struggled to confront. He yearned to provide her with everything she deserved, yet it seemed he had offered her nothing, leaving her with an emptiness he could not rectify.