From within the enormous alchemical furnace came a voice of solemn dignity—neither distinctly male nor female, neither old nor young, neither saintly nor imprisoned, as if embodying the infinite possibilities of humanity.
Aiwass!!
Upon hearing this voice, Roy nearly blurted out that name. However, Roy possessed perfect control over his body, and the muscles in his throat merely tensed slightly, suppressing the utterance.
Aiwass had left an indelible impression on Roy, and this voice bore an uncanny resemblance to the one he had heard within the imaginary space of the Toaru Majutsu no Index world. The similarity lay not in timbre but in the shared ideals they represented—the boundless potential of humanity's future, coupled with a transcendent, almost sublime detachment from human limitations.
If there was any difference, it was that the owner of this voice seemed purer in essence. Though Roy had only encountered Aiwass once, his comprehension of the Book of 777 and the Book of the Law allowed him to see through Aiwass's nature. On the surface, Aiwass appeared to have abandoned all human traits, yet Roy knew he still harbored human flaws. Aiwass remained human—an imperfect one. In contrast, the voice from the alchemical furnace seemed to belong to someone actively shedding their humanity in pursuit of perfection.
But humanity is inherently imperfect. To become perfect is to cease being human!
Roy's gaze sharpened, his expression unwavering as he spoke solemnly, "...The First Emperor!"
Anyone who could command Xu Fu, reside within this mausoleum, and exude such natural authority could only be Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng—even a fool could deduce that.
The voice showed no irritation at Roy's direct address. Instead, it replied gently, "...So you are the Outworlder Xu Fu spoke of?"
The tone carried warmth yet radiated unshakable confidence, as if the entire world lay within his dominion. There was no need for anger or grand displays of power—even the softest words carried an innate superiority.
That superiority did not provoke resentment, only awe.
The First Emperor had just been asking Xu Fu the same question, and in the blink of an eye, he turned to Roy, as if to him, all things under heaven were his subjects, and as the emperor, he naturally deserved their responses and reverence.
Roy didn't feel disgusted by the First Emperor's condescending tone, nor was he afraid. He simply nodded and said, "...I suppose I am, then~!"
"And what is that place beyond the heavens like?"
The First Emperor seemed to possess boundless curiosity, asking with keen interest.
He didn't ask Roy why he had come to the Mausoleum of the First Emperor—because he already knew. Such a question, obvious to all, was beneath his dignity to ask.
"..."
Roy fell silent for a moment, unsure of how to respond.
"Is it something you cannot speak of?"
The First Emperor's tone remained gentle, as if he were genuinely considering Roy's feelings—completely unlike the tyrannical Qin Shi Huang of popular imagination.
Of course, Roy also knew that the First Emperor couldn't truly be called a tyrant. As previously mentioned, this was a time when the concept of unification was still new, and the emperor hadn't yet regarded the people of the other six states as his own subjects. That was why he imposed heavy taxes and conscripted millions for massive infrastructure projects.
From a later perspective, this would be seen as internal tyranny, but at the time, the First Emperor's cruelty was directed only at the people of other states.
"It's not that I can't say, but rather I don't know how to say it. Besides, some things only bring trouble when spoken aloud, so it's better left unsaid."
Roy exhaled and replied.
"I agree with you. Some things only add unnecessary distress when spoken of..."
The First Emperor first consoled Roy, but then immediately added, "...Of course, this is only because you are a man from beyond the heavens, not one of my subjects. I permit you to disregard the words of your emperor. But if you were one of my people, I would never tolerate your silence when you know the truth!"
Such words were truly self-centered and domineering—befitting the First Emperor.
"How fares the land of Huaxia now?"
As if casually chatting after a meal, the First Emperor spoke leisurely and unhurriedly with Roy.
Roy, too, was in no rush. He could tell that this alchemy furnace had long completed its task. The First Emperor wasn't conversing with him to buy time—after all, with Qin Shi Huang's pride, why would he resort to such tactics?
"The land is ablaze with rebellion, the feudal lords are in chaos, the Qin capital Xianyang has fallen, and the Great Qin has perished!"
Roy spoke the truth without hesitation, unconcerned whether his words would anger the First Emperor. In fact, he wanted to see if this seemingly unshakable ruler, who always appeared in control, would show any emotional turmoil.
True to form, the First Emperor did not rage. He merely sighed and said, "...So the Great Qin has fallen."
He seemed lost in thought for a moment before continuing, "...Which of my sons brought about its downfall? If Fusu had ascended the throne, it would never have collapsed in the second generation."
"After your death, Zhao Gao conspired with Li Si to install Huhai as emperor, forging an edict to force Fusu to commit suicide. Once Qin Ershi Huhai took the throne, he executed all his siblings under various pretexts, wiping out your direct bloodline... Not long ago, I led an assault on Xianyang and slaughtered every last one of your collateral descendants. Thus, the Ying surname and Zhao lineage, which had endured for five centuries, have been utterly eradicated!"
Roy seemed intent on provoking the First Emperor, recounting recent events in meticulous detail—each word sharp enough to drive a man to madness. To learn that all his descendants had been exterminated, that his empire had fallen, leaving him truly alone—surely anyone would be driven to fury.
Xu Fu, standing at the foot of the alchemy furnace, twitched his cheek, thinking Roy was truly ruthless. You're trying to push the First Emperor to his breaking point.
Everyone expected the First Emperor to fly into a rage, but instead, he chuckled wryly. "...Hah, so it was my youngest, Huhai, after all. I long suspected he harbored such ambitions, but I never imagined Zhao Gao and Li Si would aid him. Still, he was my son. In my lifetime, he was filial and dutiful, bringing me joy in my old age. I could not bring myself to have him killed."
The First Emperor spoke with surprising humanity—but his next words sent chills down the spine.
"...This is for the best. I was always alone to begin with. The end of my bloodline saves me much trouble. It spares me the need to kill them myself when I once again lead my armies to unify the realm."
It was unclear what Qin Shi Huang intended, but he had long been prepared to sever his own lineage entirely.
Even Roy felt a chill run down his spine. While cruelty toward enemies was one thing, the sheer horror of someone willing to slaughter all their own descendants and truly become a solitary ruler was unimaginable!
"Xu Fu, you were right—'The fall of Qin must come from Chu.' Truly, it is destiny!"
The First Emperor spoke calmly.
Roy frowned and asked, "...Did you always know Qin would inevitably fall, Your Majesty?"
"Do you take Us for a self-righteous fool? We trusted Xu Fu's words."
"Then if you knew Qin was doomed, why not prepare?"
"Look upon this mausoleum—is it not Our preparation?"
Roy's brows rose. Indeed, this was the First Emperor's contingency. If he were to revive and lead the Qin armies to reunify the Six States once more, would that not shatter this so-called destiny?
"We could not guarantee Our plan would succeed, but now it seems We have prevailed!"
A hint of amusement colored the First Emperor's voice.
"And if you had failed? What then?"
"Had We failed, We would have returned to the heavens. You have seen the Huiji Zero-Type in the underground palace of Kuaiji, have you not? That was Our final safeguard. Its command was set as 'Peace Under Heaven.' We knew chaos would follow Our death, and when the time came, Huiji Zero-Type would activate. No matter who inherited Our empire, it would aid them in swiftly restoring order!"
"...This was the last service We could render Our people."
The First Emperor's tone was serene, as though his own life and death mattered little to him.
For a moment, Roy found the First Emperor a paradox—was he benevolent or tyrannical? If he lived and revived, he would continue ruling as emperor, pacifying the realm. Yet if his plan failed and he truly perished, he harbored no attachment to the mortal world, even leaving behind an aid for future dynasties—all to spare the land of Hua Xia the ravages of war.
Though Qin's laws were harsh, the First Emperor held genuine compassion for his subjects. Roy had assumed his resurrection stemmed from an obsession with power, but now he realized he had underestimated Qin Shi Huang.
The First Emperor's vision was vast as the sun and moon, his bearing majestic as the heavens themselves!
Roy took a deep breath and shook his head at the massive alchemical furnace. "...Wake up, Your Majesty! The Great Qin has already fallen!"