Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 52 [Extra's]

Chapter 52: The Devil

Part 1: Tear Down, Tear Down, Tear Down!!

[Rufeite: Anshuo and Kai have disappeared. The stars, like divine beings, have returned Anno's original body to him.

When I returned to Jerusalem, no one questioned Anno's identity. The first thing he did after reclaiming the Pope's throne was to issue a document-firing me!! Can I swear now?]

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Anno sat on the throne at the head of the Hall of Light. The entire hall had been renovated by Anshuo, stripped of unnecessary decorations. All that remained was the stone-step throne and a long, arched indoor bridge corridor.

Yunxiu stood at the end of the bridge, performing a religious ceremony. Anno leaned on the throne, looking toward the corridor's camera. His expression was distant, as though lost in thought.

After a moment, Anno snapped back to the present and asked, "What's going on?"

Yunxiu hesitated but chose honesty. "It's about Lord Cadilla..."

"Cadilla?" Anno asked with mild interest.

Yunxiu shifted uncomfortably. "Actually, it's Lord Rufeite." Pope, do you really need to ask when you know exactly who it is? Yunxiu thought.

Anno didn't respond, merely offering a noncommittal "hmm."

Yunxiu continued, "Starting from Yinhui Palace, the crosses in all the palaces have been removed."

Anno remained calm.

"The fountain in the central garden stopped flowing last night."

He shifted slightly in his seat.

"The communicator is emitting noticeable static."

Still composed.

"Satellite equipment has been stolen."

At last, Anno raised an eyebrow. "Why would he steal satellite equipment?" Catching himself, he coughed lightly to cover his confusion.

"And one of the six Star Gates is broken... and he's dismantling another."

Anno's eyes widened slightly. So that's why he's been tampering with the satellite equipment? To destroy the Star Gates?

"Alright," Anno sighed. "I understand."

Anno accepted a call from Rufeite, and the first thing he heard on the other end was: "Can I swear?"

"No!" Anno retorted, "Are you dismantling the Starry Sky Gate?"

Rufeite laughed, a twisted edge in his voice. "Yeah, after I demolish the Starry Sky Gates, no one can come in or out. I'm going to blow up Jerusalem! Anno, you're going down with me!!" Oppressed for so long, Rufeite had finally snapped. If he couldn't explode from the pressure, he'd twist under it, and he had become more deranged than ever.

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【Part 2: Uniform or Maid】

After reviewing the official documents for the day, Anno strolled behind the Hall of Light.

In the end, Rufeite hadn't demolished all the Star Gates, but five were enough for the Senate to send a joint letter of impeachment.

Anno, however, suppressed the impeachment and remained silent. The Senate elders repeatedly requested meetings to discuss punishing Rufeite, but Anno dismissed them each time, claiming he was resting.

The eldest of the Senate members came to see Anno no fewer than five times, only to be turned away with the same excuse. Eventually, the elderly man, weakened by his efforts, left coughing up blood.

Yet, Anno was also feeling a growing sense of frustration. Rufeite's personality was as erratic as ever. He cared little for his position in the Celestial Church or any power it might have offered. His only real concern now seemed to be how many hours he could spend with Anno each day.

When Rufeite had been the Pope, it wasn't unusual for him to wander the halls and linger around Anno. But ever since Anno had dismissed him, Rufeite no longer had the freedom to come and go from the Hall of Light. His behavior, always unpredictable, had grown more intense, and Anno couldn't help but wonder if there was something deeper driving Rufeite's erratic actions.

In the back of his mind, Anno couldn't shake the feeling that if Rufeite weren't acting strangely, then that would be truly worrying.

But... it really was a bit too much.

Anno circled the back of the hall twice, then decided to head back. Lately, his thoughts were consumed by Rufeite-what he had demolished, and how Anno should deal with him.

Things weren't exactly stable. An Shuo was still missing, Liu Yian had resumed his role as head of the military, and the United Nations had quietly withdrawn its previously aggressive advances, as though preparing for a period of peace. Religion had no intention of ruling the universe. Even if Anno had once entertained such thoughts, he was thoroughly drained after the divine expansion of the consciousness of the stars.

Whether they ruled or not, the stars' consciousness seemed all-powerful.

More than once, Anno had thought about finding a quiet place to live out a simple life.

Leave the chaos behind, take Rufeite, Michael, and Napoleon, and just disappear? Honestly, it didn't sound too bad.

As he scanned the back of the hall one more time, ready to leave, he noticed Napoleon in a black robe, hiding behind a pillar.

The ancient civilization mechas had fully autonomous consciousness, and Napoleon, for some reason, liked to take on the form of Anno's childhood self.

Anno waved, signaling Napoleon to come out from his hiding spot. The boy peered at him with one eye, but quickly ducked back, as though afraid of something.

Anno was about to question what was going on when a smaller version of Rufeite-around Napoleon's height-suddenly leapt out. Startled at first, Anno quickly recognized it was Michael.

Michael grinned mischievously at Anno before yanking Napoleon from behind the pillar by his clothes.

Napoleon struggled in protest.

Then, to Anno's shock, he saw Napoleon dressed in a revealing uniform shirt and a fluffy white lace skirt, complete with what appeared to be a cat's tail attached to the back.

Anno: "..."

Napoleon looked at Anno with wide, innocent eyes, as if he was on the verge of tears.

Michael, meanwhile, grinned wickedly, tilted Napoleon's chin upward with one finger, and dashed off before anyone could react.

Anno immediately opened his communicator, and Rufeite's smug laughter filled the air: "So, how do you like the uniform? Hahaha! ...Wait, why aren't you saying anything? Are you angry?"

Ignoring the taunt, Anno stepped forward and scooped Napoleon into his arms.

Anno: "You have one hour to scrub Michael clean and send him over."

Rufeite: "Wha-what are you going to do?!"

Anno, his tone nonchalant, replied, "Oh, nothing. I just want to see how Michael looks in a maid outfit."

Rufeite: "..."

Napoleon, still clinging to Anno's neck, dropped his previously pitiful expression. A sly, almost devilish smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he listened to Anno's words.