The Pocket Watch

“Yes, Professor Mekal is very interested in Holy Relic armaments. We hope she can join the Logos Foundry,” Julia said.

The Logos Foundry. Lu Li had some memory of this name.

In his memory, it was a place akin to a research institute, except that the things researched there were extraordinary objects like Holy Relics.

Lu Li did not know much about Holy Relics and Holy Relic armaments. His original self did not seem very interested in such things. The only thing he knew clearly was that the so-called Holy Relics were actually the corpses of “Gods.”

Thinking of this, Lu Li suddenly remembered the angel he had seen in the Sacred Spring that day.

“That day, after the baptism, you killed it, didn't you?” Lu Li had wanted to ask this for a long time. Now that only he and Julia were present, it was the perfect time.

Julia understood his question and was not surprised. She merely thought a bit more highly of him.

“Yes,” she nodded.

“For the Holy Relic?” Lu Li asked next.

“Not entirely.”

“What else?”

“I cannot tell Your Holiness for the time being.”

Hearing Julia's response, Lu Li, who had been somewhat expectant, widened his eyes.

“You really can't say?” he confirmed again.

Julia shook her head and remained silent.

“Do you have any idea how annoying it is to stop halfway through a sentence?!”

Lu Li grit his teeth. Such an answer made him wish she had just lied and said it was solely for the Holy Relic.

“Then, regarding the meeting...” Julia asked.

“I'm not meeting her!”

Lu Li snorted coldly. Who knew if this woman was plotting some other unspeakable secret again?

Julia stared blankly for a moment, then couldn't help but curl her lips slightly. But in the next second, as if remembering something, she solemnly suppressed her smile.

“Do you want to turn into a bouncy bomb when you grow old too?” Lu Li asked.

“What?” Julia obviously did not understand.

“Nothing,” Lu Li shook his head.

Seeing that he refused to explain, Julia thought he was intentionally getting back at her.

Little Lucrezio looks so cute when he is angry, and his spitefulness is quite cute too, Julia thought to herself.

Thinking this, Julia took out an exquisitely wrapped gift box she had prepared beforehand.

The palm-sized gift box was tied with a pretty bow made of red ribbon, looking somewhat like a jewelry box.

“This is for you, as an apology.” She placed the gift box on the table and gently pushed it in front of Lu Li.

The youth opened his clear eyes wide, his handsome face filled with utter disbelief.

A r... r... ring?

Seeing his expression, Julia immediately realized he had misunderstood. She hastily explained, “This is a pocket watch crafted by the Logos Foundry using a fragment of the Holy Chalice. Open it and see if you like it.”

Lu Li cast a suspicious look at her, then slowly shifted his gaze to the gift box. The packaging was indeed very delicate, but he didn't know if it really was a pocket watch like she claimed.

The youth went with the flow and solemnly unwrapped the gift box.

From childhood to adulthood in his past life, he had never received a gift from anyone. Yet, after transmigrating, he received a gift from his “opponent.”

“So it really is a ring, huh?” Lu Li looked at the object in the box, a look of mock disgust appearing on his face.

Julia was startled and immediately leaned over to look at the box on the table. When she saw the pocket watch lying quietly inside, she realized she had been played.

“Hahaha!”

The youth no longer suppressed the curve of his lips, laughing vibrantly and triumphantly.

Only after a long while did he stop laughing. Feeling rather smug, he asked, “So, why did you give me a pocket watch?”

“Your Holiness, your vacation is almost over. School starts in a week, and a pocket watch will make it easier for you to check the time for classes.”

“School starting? Classes?!!”

Lu Li doubted his own ears.

He, the magnificent Pope, the supreme existence of the Holy State, the benevolent Anointed One, and the shepherd of all living souls, actually had to go to school and attend classes?

“Are you joking with me?” Lu Li stared at her with his sky-blue eyes, speaking in a flat tone. “I am the Pope!”

“When His Holiness Sylvester was alive, he instructed me to make sure little Lucrezio finished his studies,” Julia said with a serious tone.

His original self had indeed been a student at the Seminary and had not yet graduated. However, Lu Li never expected that even after becoming the Pope, he would still have to go back to school.

Was this changing from a kingdom-building story to a school life story?

If the world he was in were a novel, the author must be writing random nonsense!

“You really are quite detestable!”

Lu Li glared at her with deep resentment. Since it was the final wishes of the previous Pope, he had no choice but to comply.

“So, is Your Holiness willing to meet Professor Mekal now?”

“If I meet her, can I skip school?”

“No.”

“Then I won't meet her. Get out!”

When Julia left the library, a faint smile hung on her face. Once again, it was proven that smiles do not disappear; they are merely transferred.

However, the moment her figure completely vanished, the anger on Lu Li's face instantly disappeared without a trace, replaced by an expression of deep thought.

So, what was Julia's purpose in having him return to school?

Was it merely to keep him away so she could carry out her own political ambitions?

Come to think of it, Lu Li currently had no plans to contest for power with Julia. Leaving aside the fact that his current ecological niche was closer to that of a group darling, he couldn't compete with Julia simply in terms of the number of seats within the College of Cardinals.

“Sigh—”

Lu Li couldn't help but sigh. Playing mind games with people like them was truly exhausting.

In the end, Lu Li still met with Professor Mekal as Julia wished.

It wasn't because of Julia, but rather because he himself was extremely interested in that genius whose name was worthy of being written into the history books.

To be able to produce something like power armor in an era without electricity—calling her a genius was not an exaggeration in the slightest.

When Mekal saw Lu Li, her originally calm gaze was instantly captivated by his appearance, and she completely fell for him in just a single second.

Her voice was incredibly obsessed, sounding almost like a believer who had practiced asceticism for many years. “Praise the Holy See... Your presence is as majestic as a mountain, your benevolence as gentle as morning dew, and your beauty leaves me with nowhere to hide.”

Even Anthelia was left dumbfounded by this scene.

In her eyes, Mekal could be considered one of the Holy State's greatest enemies.

Her Miracle power armor had been imitated by numerous nations, and now most countries possessed legions equipped with power armor.

And these special legions posed a massive threat to the security of the Holy State.

“Professor Mekal, I also admire you. To be able to manufacture equipment like power armor, you are a well-deserved genius.”

Lu Li first offered a smiling compliment, then inquired, “I heard that you are quite interested in Holy Relics, Professor. I wonder if you would be willing to join the Logos Foundry. There are quite a few Holy Relics there...”

“Alright, I agree to join the Screw Foundry.”

Mekal didn't seem to care in the slightest whether it was the Screw Foundry or the Wrench Foundry.

“However, I have one condition,” she paused, then continued, “I am also very interested in the Holy See, and I would like to study you.”

Lu Li: “?”

The lady-in-waiting: “?”

Anthelia: “???”