When Jeanne stepped into the office again, it had been restored to exactly the way it was before, down to the very style of the furniture. Had she not personally witnessed the room looking like it had been shelled by artillery, she wouldn't have even guessed that the place had undergone major repairs.
Jeanne couldn't help but marvel at the efficiency of Laterano's maintenance workers. Only a few days had passed; in any other country, they probably wouldn't have even finished the procurement process!
"Saintess, you're here! Would you like something to drink?"
Upon seeing her, the white-bearded old man immediately stood up with a smile, greeting her with intense warmth. His smile was so radiant that Jeanne could see more wrinkles on his face than usual, as if he had encountered something exceptionally joyful.
Then again, he was exceptionally joyful. To this current Pope, Jeanne was nothing short of a lucky star. Setting aside her identity, the miracles she had brought to Laterano in this short time were major events worthy of the history books. Even if the old man didn't intend to take credit for these events himself, simply having them happen during his tenure brought glory to his name. At the very least, when it came time to carve his tombstone, the workers would surely add a few extra lines to his monument because of these feats.
"Just water is fine. I didn't expect you to be having lunch at this hour."
Jeanne looked at the various plates of different sizes on the table, assuming this was the old gentleman's lunch. But wasn't 2:00 PM a bit late for lunch? Looking at the spread, it seemed the Pope's life wasn't as strapped for cash as she had imagined; the quality of life was still quite high. She had thought that after repairing the office, the old man would be living a "low-income" existence. It seemed she had overthought it. Then again, it made sense—even if he were being frugal, a Pope would still live better than most.
"Ahem, that's actually afternoon tea. Lunchtime passed long ago."
Jeanne stared at the table. All of this was just afternoon tea? Didn't you say your afternoon tea budget was slashed to pay for the repairs? There wasn't a single sign of reduction on this table. Could his body even handle such a massive intake of sugar every day?
Jeanne looked at the elder—who supposedly had an eight-pack in his youth but now possessed a single, unified "pack"—and realized something. Terra natives truly were built different; their physical constitutions were significantly stronger than humans. If a human in their seventies or eighties ate sweets like this, they'd be in the hospital within three months. Yet this man seemed perfectly capable of digesting it all without any impact on his health. It truly was a constitution that the old civilization would have craved.
"Let's talk business first. Have you reached a decision regarding the amendment to the Law of 'Falling'?"
During her previous venture into the heart of The Law, Jeanne had discovered she could, under certain conditions, add supplementary clauses to the machine. For Laterano, the one decree they had never been able to touch was the command regarding Falling. If they had the power to intervene, someone like Mostima might never have fallen; conversely, those notorious Sankta on the wanted list who truly deserved it could be punished accordingly.
Jeanne hadn't acted impulsively back then. She hadn't modified the core files of the machine's primary directive regarding Falling because she wasn't sure what kind of change would benefit Laterano's future without causing internal strife. Even the Pope had to admit that while the machine was rigid, it was that very rigidity that allowed Laterano to endure. Actions detrimental to the species required punishment, and Falling was the most severe penalty derived from that base law.
If the "switch" for this punishment were handed to Laterano's officials, the city might have vanished a thousand years ago due to factional infighting and political purges. Where there are people, there are factions; if the sword hanging over everyone's head vanished, Laterano would eventually descend into chaos. Jeanne knew she didn't have the authority to make this decision for them. How to amend it to protect the city's progress while leaving a margin of error was a question she left for Laterano's own thinkers.
"We have indeed reached an agreement. To be honest, everyone was shocked that you could even improve upon this; some found it hard to believe."
Jeanne's capabilities were beyond their imagination. Something they had tinkered with for years without result was now within her reach. At the same time, they marveled at her character. In a world where Sankta cannot defy the Law, Jeanne was essentially a god walking among men. If she wished, she could rewrite the Law to claim the city for herself, or even force the Sankta into eternal servitude.
And yet, her only intention was to use this power to help Laterano refine its legal authority, and nothing more. Many had asked themselves: if they had such power, could they be as selfless as Jeanne? Could they truly keep their darker impulses in check and not turn this paradise into their private property? They had fallen silent, unsure if they could maintain their original intentions in the face of such corruption.
"The consensus is that Fallen Sankta should have the right to appeal. In certain cases, firing upon one's own kind isn't done with the intent to kill, or it might be done under duress."
The Pope was referring to Sankta like Mostima. They had technically broken the Law, but their hearts weren't set on murder. Furthermore, he knew of wanted Sankta who took pleasure in forcing innocents to fire on their own kind. If these incidents became common, Sankta would eventually stop helping one another out of fear for their own halos. That wouldn't serve the preservation of the race. They needed a chance to voice their grievances.
"They can appeal to a judge. A panel of judges, alongside the Law itself, will determine the punishment—and whether Falling is necessary. The judges will consist of myself and the Cardinals."
Laterano already had such trials, but they could never influence the physical state of Falling; they could only rule on guilt. Someone like Mostima had been cleared of guilt, which allowed her to serve as an Executor for All Nations. Aside from a few inconveniences when returning to the city, she was treated much like a normal Sankta.
Jeanne nodded. She saw that this decree wouldn't destabilize Laterano. The final verdict would still rest with The Law, but now it would listen to the judges' input. And before the Law, neither judge nor defendant could lie.
"That sounds like a solid plan. I'll get ready to go back in and start the modifications."
Jeanne stepped toward the secret passage she had entered before. This time, the Pope did not follow. He simply sat outside, watching the passage.
"I'm counting on you, Jeanne. Even an old man like me wants to see what kind of impact this change will have on Laterano."
The Pope's heart was full of anticipation. He believed that he and his fellow Sankta would not let their paradise vanish because of this new margin of mercy.