In the original location of the Outer District, in the center of the plaza, the earth was turned over and stones were neatly stacked.
Each stone seemed to carry the tributes and memories of the people. The artisans holding chisels had dust-covered hands, but their eyes sparkled with devout light.
Surrounding the construction site were volunteers who had come from various places, most of whom were older craftsmen, such as carpenters, tile masons, and stonemasons.
When the news spread, many reporters rushed over.
The inner and outer city walls had long been dismantled, and the distinction between the inner and outer cities was also long gone. Even if there was still a distinction, due to the expansion of the Imperial City, the people from the original Outer District could also be considered part of the “Inner City.”
Although they could not claim financial freedom, the people of this formerly Outer District area at least had enough to eat and wear, and they had plenty of spare time each day to do some things they enjoyed.
In this area, a massive statue of the Female Pope was gradually being erected, organized spontaneously by the people.
The wind blew in from afar, lifting the ends of people’s hair and clothes, but everyone was absorbed in their work, as if this statue was the most important thing in their lives.
Initially, the statue was intended to be life-sized, but as the number of volunteers grew, the statue’s size also increased, so much so that it was eventually planned to be a landmark.
Lind, upon learning of this, was at a loss for words. He initially wanted to take direct control of the statue’s construction but was stopped by Lilith, who proudly said that the statue was a tribute from the people of the Outer District to her; it was her achievement, unrelated to the Empire.
Lilith also didn’t want to be merely recorded in history as the Empire’s first Female Pope; it was clear she was somewhat satisfied with her work during her time as queen, as it was the period she had worked the hardest.
Helpless, Lind had to agree to his sister’s request. Although he wouldn’t interfere with the statue’s construction, the area had to be re-planned.
However, most of the people from the former Outer District agreed with Lind’s new plans, even if it was quite troublesome and would cause difficulties for those who were just finding work again.
People actively exercised their initiative, helping each other solve problems, and they truly managed to resolve all the difficulties encountered in the new planning. It seemed that Lilith had indeed put in a lot of effort into the development of Cape Royal Capital, especially in the Outer District.
Even now, some people within the Imperial City still remembered Lilith’s goodness.
Besides the re-planning of the area, Lind also provided the materials for the statue’s construction. After all, while those craftsmen in the Outer District had excellent skills—comparable to some professionals—if the statue were built using the materials they traditionally used, future safety and maintenance would be a significant issue.
So, even without involvement in the building, the Public Security Bureau and the Ministry of Labor were also involved in material supply and safety assessments.
The Female Pope, draped in a pure long robe, raised a scepter symbolizing faith and wisdom, her gaze gentle yet firm as she looked down upon the people. On the statue of the Female Pope, there were still some marks from her time as queen, such as an old crown atop her head.
This crown was particularly special because it was made from various materials donated voluntarily by the people involved in the statue’s construction, melted together with composite materials, including many small pieces of jewelry donated by women.
“Let’s melt it into the statue, so that the glory of the Female Pope may last forever.”
This was the people’s wish, and it counted as a token of recognition.
When the last chisel struck the crown, the site was filled with enthusiastic applause and cheers. The evening sunlight poured over the statue, covering the Female Pope’s face with a layer of golden radiance.
Ultimately, the statue was completed three years earlier than planned. After its completion, the Female Pope Lilith came to visit the site, but due to the overwhelming enthusiasm of the people, she instead awkwardly ran back, almost fleeing.
After all, times had changed; Lilith used to have to maintain her image in front of the public, but now it was unnecessary. After finishing her duties as the Female Pope, she often let loose, occasionally running around the Imperial Palace with her brother and sister-in-law, enjoying street food and teasing her nephew.
Indeed, Lilith even set a precedent for the Pope to leave work, completely transforming the role into an ordinary position—there was no deep meaning behind it; she just wanted to relax.
After coming to the palace today, Lilith proudly waved a report in front of Lind, even flipping through it in various poses and almost throwing it in his face.
Putting aside the documents, Lind sighed and said, “Your Holiness, you wouldn’t happen to read this report about your statue multiple times every night before bed and then sneakily laugh under the covers, would you?”
“You, how did you know?”
“I used to stay up late writing lesson plans, and when I went to get water, I passed by your room.”
“Ah, brother, that’s so gross.”
“It’s your laughter that was too loud!”
Lind rolled his eyes at Lilith, but ultimately took the report from her hands. He initially wanted to encourage her, but upon looking at the photo in the report, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is this photo of you?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? Look how finely it’s carved!”
Lilith proudly puffed out her chest, glanced at the picture in the report, and commented, “Not bad, not bad—there’s some essence of the time when I was queen.”
To be honest, it was at this moment that Lind understood what it meant to have experts among the common folk. If possible, he even wanted to gather the craftsmen who organized Lilith’s statue to improve his own palace.
To be able to carve such a solemn and grand figure out of the small Lilith could only be described as true talent.
Finally finishing showing off the statue, Lilith said, “Brother, the soda factory has delivered you something.”
“I know, I’ll send someone to receive it.”
On this point, the siblings were very in sync. The soda factory had expanded beyond Lilith’s expectations; she initially only wanted to earn a bit of money from it, but due to Lind’s endorsement, the soda factory’s business was now exceptionally booming.
Although Lilith was not short of money, she didn’t want to add burdens to herself, so she habitually offloaded responsibilities onto Lind. Moreover, soda could be considered military supplies in a sense, so even if Lilith didn’t hand it off to Lind, he would still manage it.
Lilith was not just lounging around and neglecting her duties. Like Lind, she spent time every day immersed in coolant, but she wasn’t helping to download fusion data; instead, she was trying to brainstorm with 550C to see if they could modify the helmet used to enter the public dreamscape into a simpler personal terminal.
Of course, Lilith’s ultimate goal was still to be able to read novels, watch videos, and play games on a personal terminal, and she was working hard towards that goal—well, striving for the entertainment lives of the broader populace.
