Steampunk Era: Mad Abield

Pope indeed, these days even little punks from gangs dare to crown themselves Pope. In Malin’s era, such pretenders, even those from the Evil God Cults, were considered the lowest of the low in the Theology World, and anyone who dared claim the title of Pope couldn’t escape the gallows, no matter what.

But watching the surprise on the child’s face, Malin’s curiosity was piqued, "Tell me, what is so different about this historical figure?"

Thus young Mars spared no detail, about how Engma Jane Haus, the orphan, awakened his strong Spiritual Energy at the age of ten, around this time of year. He hadn’t reported to the Spiritual Energy Management Committee of Carterburg but was self-taught (in other words, the kid’s talent was extraordinarily strong that even blind practice could lead to success). Two years later, he became the leader of a faction in Carterburg’s underground capital. At that time, just after the war ended, the Committee of War Veterans held considerable power in the Western Human World. This kid cleverly used his parents’ identities (his parents were intelligence operatives, before their sacrifice, the intelligence they sent back saved a Corps in Carterburg, an Army Group in Sydney, and nearly half a million scattered soldiers, changing the course of the battle) to ally with the Committee of War Veterans. To the veterans of Carterburg, Mrs. Jane Haus and Mr. Vasquez Haus were their adoptive parents. Without hesitation, they sent their ’child’ into the Ivy Gang. A year later, at the age of fifteen, Mr. Engma unified the underworld, personally slaughtering his rivals, and even took a seat on the city council.

There was no choice, all the old veterans of Carterburg voted for him. If one were to count the votes, this kid could make all so-called Carterburg politicians lose face.

"And then he met a woman who changed his life..." Mars continued with zest, but was interrupted by Malin, "A cliché story, isn’t it? Young lives drawn to each other by the beating of their hearts, so they fell in love?"

"Not at all, it was a very old lady with two young children. Disaster had struck her homeland, and she fled with her children. In Carterburg, when she was about to sell herself, she met Mr. Engma." Mars paused, "My ancestor, need I guess what happened next?"

"Certainly not love, anyway."

"Yes, Engma was surprised because never before had such an elderly client seemed so eager to sell herself in his black market. He asked his assistant, who gave him a typical answer for that era: the old lady was selling her disposal rights after death."

"... Needed by the hospital? Prisoners from that era seem to have it not bad." Malin sighed — both for the sacrifice the old lady was making for her family and feeling for the doctors of that time who found it so challenging to practice their skills.