2313 - The Event
In the palace gardens—
"You're Robin Burton's son?!" Serine pushed Richard in his right shoulder.
"Apparently so." The boy smiled happily and took a step back.
"How could you not tell me?!" Serine pushed him again. "We've spent centuries together! Centuries!!" Then she pushed him once more. "And not once did you slip and tell me: Listen, Serine, I'm the son of one of the wealthiest beings in the universe, the next Great Truth Chosen, and a friend of the Cosmic Elder!!"
"I didn't know, I swear!" Richard replied quickly as he retreated. "Remember? I once told you about him and my family. I said he was an ordinary person from an ordinary family, then became a planetary emperor in a short time!"
"Ah!" Serine gently grabbed her head. "The older adoptive brother you used to talk about—is he Marshal Caesar, founder of the Cradle Empire?" Then her eyes widened further. "And the other one who blindly obeys your father and prefers silence—is he the First Sword, Theo?!"
"Yes." Richard nodded. "When I think about it... I'm the most failed member of the family."
In the middle of the garden that seemed to have no end or beginning, amidst fields of exotic flowers and breathtaking natural phenomena, the two's actions looked like a quarrel between lovers.
"Don't say that about yourself!" Serine suddenly shouted at him, then looked away before turning back to gaze up at him and asking in a low voice, "...Are you my fiancé?"
"..." Richard scratched his head in embarrassment. "We've always been friends, and I never asked my father to betroth you to me, but he did so when he saw my desire to protect you. Later, I decided to go along with it—being engaged to me would protect you from being sent to Zargul or anyone else."
Then he forced a smile onto his face. "From what I saw two weeks ago, Zargul is on the verge of death, so I can annul this agreement then, and talk to my father to find a better way to link his business with the Bright Galaxy."
*Bam!*
Serine hit Richard's shoulder again. "Oh, so I'm not good enough for the son of Lord Robin, huh?! Why don't you just say it outright?! We're a family that lost in the war, we've lost everything, and we no longer have what it takes to honor any lineage!!" Then she puffed out her cheeks, and a layer of clear liquid appeared in her eyes.
"..." Richard's expression first shifted to surprise from the heavy blow, then to a faint smile with a sigh. "...Is there anyone selling ice cream around here?"
The Throne Hall—"Hmm, a pleasant place that radiates brightness, purity, and everything..." Robin nodded as he looked around. "But it lacks light to shine and cleanliness to be purified... What is this gloom?"
"What do you want from being here, Lord Robin?" Kaylis furrowed her brows. "Last time I tried to contact you, you directly told me not to bypass the Shadow Swords and not to speak to you again... What has happened to warrant this visit?"
In truth, Kaylis's gaze toward Robin was still tinged with some suspicion. The only thing that compelled her to treat him as Lord Robin, as a precaution, was the fact that Glacion addressed him as his master.
She didn't know Glacion personally, but she had seen him at grand parties and events before, and she had made sure to etch his image into her mind after hearing praise of his cunning... For someone who has lived for millions of years, they are bound to meet their peers one day, especially if they are an Millennium emperor!
"Plenty." Robin flashed a confident smile as he slowly looked around. "We'll soon be one family, so I won't hide anything from you... The initial plan was to occupy the Cursed Darvion in Sector 102, exhaust him, and make controlling him his sole preoccupation, so that he would forget, or overlook, what was happening in Sectors 99 and 100. Otherwise, someone like him would have inevitably stuck his nose into my affairs."
"What a plan." Kaylis raised her head slightly, showing no sign of surprise.
"Truly beautiful, and it succeeded. You, the inhabitants of Middle Sector 101, gained defensive strength and earned the universe's respect. You amazed everyone with your great power and resolve, using those planets as weapons and standing up to Darvion. His strength was exhausted, his armies collapsed, and several of his sons died, including his eldest son at Helen's hands... Everything is going very well."
Robin smiled. "In fact, you regained full control of your family. They were trained to become fighters, and a number of them were trained by the Shadow Swords to become admirals, commanders, and politicians. They are now the ones who truly manage and defend the galaxy. Slowly, the Pureheart Family became a true Behemoth family because of what happened... because of me. You're welcome."
"There's really no need for thanks. Your plan required you to teach them and strengthen them—that's all." Kaylis shook her head.
"Oh?" Robin chuckled. "Couldn't the Shadow Swords have left them disappointed as they were, then brought you a number of mercenaries to man the vehicles and work in the army? That would have been easier, cheaper, and faster... And in the midst of war, you wouldn't have even asked to train your family. It would have been natural for the Shadow Swords to take control of the galaxy."
"...What changed, Lord Robin?" Kaylis's blood began to boil. "Why did you come here?"
She now fully believed he was Robin Burton. It was the same sarcastic and oppressive style he had used to respond to her before.
"Hmm, let's continue our topic then." Robin was clearly annoyed, but he scratched his head and decided to overlook it. "According to the old plan, the war here would have continued until after Nihari's promotion and my coronation. After that, I would have thought of something regarding that cursed one. But there's no need for that now. The Cursed Darvion will die before my coronation, so there's no reason to delay all our agreements and leave you in torment any longer."
Then he rested his arms on his seat. "Soon, specifically ninety-five years from now, will be the day of my official coronation. A day like that shouldn't be ordinary... Everyone must rejoice!"
Then he laughed. “And that coronation will open with the wedding of my son to your daughter, and at the same time, her announcement as the new Behemoth of Purity, in an event that will shake the entire universe… What do you think?”