"Go ahead."
Rulu said: "I want to know what you did with my mother and sister after they were killed in that assassination."
The Emperor's face was expressionless. "You should already know the answer to that. They died right in front of you, and it was I who personally took their bodies away."
Rulu said: "And where did you take them?"
"They were dead. Where do you think I would take them? To the place where the dead belong, of course."
Rulu shot back: "Don't lie to me. I don't know what you did to them, but they've now become something that is neither truly dead nor truly alive. What did you do to them?!"
The Emperor glanced briefly at C.C. beside Rulu, then said: "From the sound of it, you've already encountered your mother and sister in that City of the Dead. Is that right?"
Rulu said: "That's right. What did you do to them — and why did you make them into what they are?!"
The Emperor replied in a tone of perfect calm: "What do you think I was trying to do? I was trying to save them, of course."
Rulu's face darkened with fury. "You turned them into something monstrous — you call that saving them?! You're insulting and tormenting them!"
The Emperor sighed, a look of melancholy crossing his face. "If I had the power to truly resurrect them, I would have done so without hesitation. But with the strength I currently possess, that is beyond my ability."
Rulu was taken aback. "You mean you made them like that because your power wasn't sufficient — not because you were deliberately tormenting or humiliating them."
The Emperor fixed Rulu with a reproachful gaze. "Rulu, do you really think I would treat them that way? How foolish."
A hollow feeling rose in Rulu's chest. He murmured: "But... but if that's true, why didn't you tell me any of this before?"
The Emperor said: "These matters concern the secrets of my Sanctuary. No one but I has the right to know of them. However, since you've discovered this on your own, there's no harm in telling you now. Go ahead — ask whatever you wish. I will answer."
Rulu felt as though all the strength had drained from his body. He lowered his head and murmured: "I... I only want to know if you can truly bring them back to life."
The Emperor shook his head. "No. Though I have tried my utmost, with the wisdom and power I currently possess, truly resurrecting them is not something I am able to do."
"Is there truly no way at all?"
"That's not quite what I said..." A smile appeared on the Emperor's face as he continued in a calm, measured tone. "If C.C. were to return to my side and be willing to assist me, I might find a way to truly resurrect them. And you, Rulu, have also obtained great wisdom and power from that place — if you were likewise willing to assist me, the prospects of reviving them would be even greater."
Rulu blinked, and after a brief pause, said: "You want me to hand C.C. over to you — and you also want me to serve you?"
The Emperor said: "Yes. If you hand C.C. over to me and swear to serve me henceforth, I will not only pardon your crimes and restore your original title and status as prince — I will also use my power to resurrect your mother and sister and return to you everything you once lost."
Hearing the Emperor's words, Rulu felt his resolve begin to waver. Still, he kept his guard up. "If you truly care so much about me, why did you abandon me before? Why did you have me expelled from the Sanctuary and left to fend for myself out in the world?"
The Emperor said: "What I did then was because at that time you were too naive and foolish. I wanted you to be tempered by the hardships of the outside world — to come to understand the truth of what this world is."
"The truth? What truth?"
The Emperor said slowly: "I think you have felt it for yourself, Rulu. This world is full of evil and conflict. People do as they please in pursuit of their own selfish ends, with no regard for the misfortune their actions bring upon others. The deaths of your mother and sister are the clearest proof of that."
Rulu said: "I want to agree with what you just said — but I don't think those words should be coming from you. Because it is your Sanctuary that wages endless war and brings misery to others."
The Emperor shook his head. "No. Their misfortune was not brought upon them by the Sanctuary. Even without the Sanctuary's existence, they would still be fighting and killing one another — and with far greater ferocity than now. All the suffering and calamity that befalls humanity is caused by the evil that humanity carries within itself. And yet the vast majority of human beings are blind to this, always attributing their misfortunes to external causes — just like those foolish mortals outside the Sanctuary. They blame us for every hardship they endure and believe they can free themselves from their suffering by opposing us. It is laughably absurd."
Rulu said: "So you're saying that what you do not only fails to bring misfortune to others, but actually benefits humanity?"
The Emperor said: "That is correct. War is the simplest and most effective means of purging evil, because human beings are foolish and stubborn. They cannot be taught. They will never come to recognize the evil they carry within themselves. Ordinary mortals are foolish and unyielding, but they all fear death. Only the baptism of blood and fire can cleanse mortals of their evil — though even this is only temporary, for mortals fear death but do not truly repent. Death is the greatest gift we can bestow upon them. Without the existence of death, the evil within mortals would grow without limit, and the entire world would slide into ruin through its own depravity."
Rulu fell into a deep silence at the Emperor's words. After a moment he said: "And what about my mother and sister? Did they die because they too were guilty?"
The Emperor said: "Yes. Your mother and sister died because they were too weak and too naive. They did not understand the laws of this world. They believed those around them harbored no ill will toward them and took no precautions — and that is what ultimately led to their tragedy. Rulu, you once disappointed me greatly — but you have now shed your foolishness and weakness. I believe you have earned the right to return to the Sanctuary. Come back to my side, Rulu. The moment you say yes, your mother and sister will return to you. More than that — you will no longer live as an ordinary mortal. Like me, you will become a master of this world. You will become a god."
The moment the Emperor finished speaking, Shunaizel suddenly called out in a loud voice: "Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live the Sanctuary!"
Immediately, the others followed, their voices rising together: "Long live the Sanctuary! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
Rulu said nothing. He lowered his head and sank into a long, deep silence. The Emperor made no demand for an immediate answer. The entire hall fell quiet.
During this time, the people in the hall exchanged glances. It dawned on them all that the Emperor had long intended to bring Rulu back to the Sanctuary. The way things were going, if Rulu accepted the Emperor's offer and returned, his standing in the Sanctuary would likely surpass that of anyone else present — second only to the Emperor himself.
At this realization, many in the hall began to regret having opposed Rulu's return. They thought to themselves: had they known things would turn out this way, they should have tried to cultivate a relationship with Rulu, as Shunaizel had done — it might have greatly benefited their own futures. Perhaps Shunaizel had already foreseen that the Emperor planned to bring Rulu back, and had spoken those earlier words with precisely that in mind.
Rulu remained lost in thought for a long while, unable to reach a decision. Though the Emperor's words sounded reasonable, Rulu still could not bring himself to lower his guard. Seeing that Rulu had been deliberating for some time without answering, the Emperor finally asked: "Rulu, what have you decided?"
Rulu raised his head and looked at the Emperor for a moment. Then he turned to C.C. beside him and said: "C.C., I want to ask you something. Why did you flee from the Emperor's side in the first place? Why were you unwilling to help him?"