After reversing time through a blood-soaked battle for Kiana, three years spent healing upon his return, followed by marriage, and then venturing beyond worlds to strike the Imaginary Tree... Zeke had been incredibly busy, leaving little time to manage the Human Federation Empire's administrative affairs.
Fortunately, after years of operation and optimization, the Central System managed most mechanical administrative tasks flawlessly. Combined with the robust training program for government officials, bolstered by Mantra Hall's screening and deterrent mechanisms, it ensured that a comprehensive governance apparatus functioned smoothly above the Hub. Additionally, the reliability of top leaders like Welt and Einstein contributed to the orderly recovery and development of the entire civilization.
After spending hours reading through vast amounts of information, Zeke sat on the throne in the Golden Parliament Chamber, stroking Sin as she rested on his lap. Sipping the tea prepared by Fu Hua, he nodded gently at Welt, Einstein, and Durandal seated below the throne.
"Good work. There aren't many issues; I'll make minor adjustments, and we can continue implementation."
"Phew—what a relief! Honestly, managing these matters isn't my forte. But Ein and Durandal insisted on having me lead, which left me anxious about many decisions. Hearing your reassurance is comforting; at least I know I haven't caused significant mistakes." Welt slumped back in his seat, looking utterly drained.
As an undead devoted to striving for great causes throughout his eternal life, Welt excelled at broad strategic thinking and long-term planning. He could also dedicate himself wholeheartedly to accomplishing specific tasks with utmost efficiency. However, placing him in charge of overseeing everything as an absolute ruler proved challenging.
Zeke imagined Welt receiving a series of decisions, then holed up in his room, surrounded by piles of documents and reference materials, pulling his hair out while working tirelessly through the night.
With this image in mind, Zeke's lips curved slightly upward.
"You've done well. Now, I can officially step down from my position. From here on, we'll transition to a republican system. The first leader—whether called President, Prime Minister, or any other title doesn't matter—I believe you're highly qualified for the role."
In contentment, Zeke began scratching Sin under her chin gently, eliciting soft purrs of delight from her—a clear sign that retirement and leisure were within reach, truly fantastic news indeed.
Welt straightened up, waved his hand dismissively, and spoke with a serious expression, "Zeke, I'm afraid that won't work!"
"Hm?"
Continuing to stroke Sin's face tenderly, Zeke's eyes narrowed subtly, revealing a faint, unfriendly coldness beneath their gaze.
Feeling uneasy, Welt averted his gaze and rubbed his nose before mustering up the courage to say, "Zeke, the final battle of civilizations has led me to many new reflections."
"... Go on."
"I genuinely yearn for a utopian world with no class disparities, devoid of oppression and darkness, where everyone is equal, filled with goodwill and light. This is also the shared aspiration of the current human civilization. However, we all know that it's a dream requiring relentless pursuit. Just like a sweet fruit placed at the edge of the horizon, although I firmly believe it can be achieved, the journey will be unimaginably long."
"Hmm, continue."
"To achieve such ideals, there is still much work to be done: advancing technology, enriching material resources, fostering spiritual development, continuously pushing various systems towards ideal perfection, and perpetually combating the dark aspects of emerging civilizations—these factors collectively necessitate the existence of a powerful central authority during the pursuit of this ideal world."
Zeke fell silent and took a deep breath.
He could clearly discern Welt's intentions.
However, there was still room for resistance.
"Welt, imperialism is outdated. I believe republicanism has a brighter future."
"No, no, no, Zeke, you're not seeing the essence of it. Whether it's an emperor, legislator, president, or whatever, they all represent different forms of centralized power. The form itself isn't important; what matters is ensuring that the highest authority possesses correct ideals, formidable strength, and exceptional governance capabilities..."
"No, the form is very important!"
"Zeke, aren't you just eager to retire?"
Welt displayed a resentful expression at Zeke's seemingly selfless yet truly selfish resistance.
Zeke and Welt locked eyes.
After a minute, Zeke looked away, casually picked up Sin lying near his foot, tucked it into his pocket, leaned back, and said deliberately, "Yes, I want to retire."
"Zeke, we truly need you! You have no idea how high your prestige has risen. As long as you remain here, everyone can confidently forge ahead, while those malevolent forces will cower in corners like frightened strays... This is our closest moment to realizing our ideals. Can you bear to abandon the dreams and endeavors we've fought for until now?" Welt pleaded earnestly.
Zeke stroked Sin, the cat-girl nestled in his arms, and clicked his tongue impatiently.
"Tch! I'm not doing it; find someone else."
"I only ask that you sit in this position, ensuring the absolute authority of supreme power. As for day-to-day operations, rest assured—during the three years you spent in the healing chamber, we established effective mechanisms. The trials of Honkai's collapse are behind us; what follows is a period of peaceful development. There's no longer a need for you to oversee every detail or handle massive amounts of daily administrative decisions."
"Spare me. No deal."
"Don't force me to beg Kiana," Welt said nonchalantly, removing his glasses and gently wiping them with a cloth.
At that moment, Zeke's hand paused mid-stroke on the "cat," falling silent.
Even everyone present shifted their peculiar gazes towards the esteemed First Herrscher.
Begging Kiana? What shameless tactic was this?!
Yet for Zeke, it was an absolute game-changer!
Three days later, during the grand celebration commemorating the Endwar's conclusion and the emperor's return to power, the impassive emperor raised Xuanyuan Sword high.
"...The Empire's glory, humanity's wisdom, and civilization's beacon shall illuminate the cosmos."
It sounded like a line from a script.
Then came jubilation, as the cheers of millions echoed across the planet.
"Zeke, Zeke, slow down a bit... Pfft! Sorry, I couldn't resist! Ha-ha-ha!"
Kiana tugged at Zeke's sleeve, jogging to keep up with his pace. Despite seeing his dark expression, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Zeke narrowed his eyes, a glint of murderous intent flickering in their icy blue depths. He reached out and grabbed Kiana's head as she laughed uproariously, growling menacingly:
"Just who do you think is to blame here?"
"I'm sorry, I went too far! But we're already married—can't you spare me some dignity? Ow, ow, ow—"
Kiana covered her reddened cheeks, gazing at Zeke with teary, watery eyes, her nose turning red, looking pitifully close to tears.
Having suppressed his anger for several days, Zeke had no choice but to force it down once more.
"Hmph!" With an irritable snort, he continued striding ahead.
Behind him, Kiana stuck out her tongue, stifled a giggle with her hand, and quickly caught up.
"Zeke, wait for meeee~"
The Emperor and Empress entered one of the Empire's most restricted areas—the Hall of Heroes, dedicated to offering resurrection opportunities for fallen heroes. Naturally, their path faced no obstacles.
"Big sister, we're here!" Kiana gleefully rushed towards Durandal, who had been patiently waiting as the Golden Valkyrie. With a goofy grin, she basked in her sister's affectionate caresses.
But Zeke, feeling disgruntled, forcefully pulled her back.
Kiana retreated behind Zeke, resting her hands on his shoulders, still beaming at Durandal with unshakable joy on her face.
'She seems to have moved past it.'
Seeing Kiana's radiant smile, Durandal responded with a contented grin.
Then, turning to Zeke, she saluted him solemnly and said, "Master Zeke, thank you for making this special trip!"
"I don't waste time on pleasantries. Show me what you've got."
"Yes, sir!"
Durandal was well-acquainted with Zeke's uncompromising demeanor when he was in a foul mood. Quickly, she began operating the nearby virtual screen.
Moments later, a sequence of images appeared before the trio.
A faint golden glow, seemingly unhindered, infiltrated the heavily guarded Hall of Heroes. It circled around the Resurrection Altar at the center, leaving fleeting traces behind, before completely dissipating without a trace.
Durandal explained, "I discovered this unusual and unfamiliar data while continuously activating the Hall of Heroes to resurrect warriors who bravely sacrificed themselves during the war. With assistance from various sources, I traced back the origin of this information, resulting in these visuals. The event occurred towards the end of the war three years ago. Based on all available evidence at that time, it can be inferred that this data is likely..."
"Left by Otto," Zeke interjected calmly. His earlier impatience and irritability had vanished, replaced by his usual composed demeanor.
With a complex expression, Durandal sighed and nodded, saying:
"As you rightly said, this information was left by the Archbishop himself. The Hall of Heroes made promises to all warriors who participated in the war, but only for the Archbishop... I am uncertain whether I should infuse power into this message. Please make the decision."
Many people harbored similarly complex feelings towards Otto. They felt both resentment for the darkness and bloodshed on his hands and admiration, even closeness, towards his other commendable qualities. Ultimately, he sacrificed himself at the front lines, offering his life as reparation to the world.
Neither his contributions nor sins could be equated or simply offset.
However, at least in that final moment, most victims found it difficult to maintain unyielding hatred towards Otto.
Durandal entrusted the decision to the one most qualified to judge at that moment.
Zeke raised his hand towards the central platform in the hall, summoning a dazzling beam of golden light within the chamber.
After a brief pause, when Kiana and Durandal opened their eyes again, they beheld Zeke holding a delicate, porcelain-like infant girl.
With her pure and flawless emerald eyes, she curiously gazed upon this new world around her.
"Master Zeke, is this..."
Durandal stared at the infant, forming some guesses but expressing sheer disbelief through her wide-eyed gaze.
"Blub!"
While Durandal was still dumbfounded, Kiana produced a pacifier from somewhere and promptly stuffed it into the baby's mouth.
Zeke remained speechless.
Durandal was equally stunned.
The infant merely sucked contentedly...
Kiana cleared her throat, blushing slightly, "It just came naturally... What's wrong with that? I'm married now; carrying around baby essentials isn't unusual, is it? It's not for fun; I'm preparing for Zeke's little one!"
With hands on her hips, Kiana proudly puffed out her chest.
However, neither of the others had any inclination to engage with Kiana at that moment.
Holding the infant, Zeke calmly met its gaze. After a prolonged silence, he slowly turned to Durandal and asked,
"Amber, what have you been up to lately?"