"Your Holiness..."
Ripa's expression was rather complicated as he watched Anneroj calmly say those words.
Luo Zhen likewise gazed at Anneroj, somewhat understanding why she had said that.
Indeed, humanity's sins had already been paid for over the course of four hundred years. The people of four hundred years later should not have to bear that burden.
However, Anneroj was not included among those people.
Anneroj had rejected aging through her own power and survived for four hundred years.
She had once been a member of the magical faction and, strictly speaking, could be considered one of the chief culprits responsible for causing the humans of this world to face such a disaster.
She had also commanded the two factions of that time, uniting humanity against the Demon Scarabs. In the process, she had been forced to conceal humanity's past sins and insist on humanity's legitimacy, constantly deceiving everyone so that humanity would not lose its will to fight.
Such an Anneroj was the only sinner who needed to pay for what had happened four hundred years ago.
Anneroj knew this very well, and it was not as if she felt no guilt.
In the past, for the sake of humanity's future, she could not die as the pope, much less step down from that position. No matter what, she had to hold on.
But now, Jace had been eliminated, humanity's greatest threat was gone, and even the Gate had been destroyed. The Demon Scarabs would no longer increase significantly in the future. As long as humanity continued its efforts, it would sooner or later reclaim the land.
Under such circumstances, Anneroj's responsibility had also come to an end, allowing her to somewhat set down the heavy burden on her shoulders.
That was why Anneroj had said that even if