Published at 2nd of February 2026 6:54 am

Chapter 3822: Meaningful Conversations

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Not all of them immediately left the funeral hall, of course, there were some that chose to remain, having deep and serious conversations with their peers about the tremendously important events that had unfolded.

Princess Ru directed a final deep gaze at Rui before departing with her staff and her own arrangements.

"That was... intense," Princess Ranea heaved a deep breath as she relaxed a little, directing a pointed gaze at Rui. "A vision of adaptive evolution, is it? I’m not surprised. Tell me, is it possible for our seafaring and maritime affairs to survive the changes that are coming to our continent?"

He turned towards her with a knowing gaze before heaving a deep breath. "Survive? Yes, especially in the short term. It’s very difficult to replace all seafaring with wormholes or teleportation, no matter how cheap negatron matter gets. Even if negatron matter becomes so ubiquitous that it becomes worthless, the other materials needed to create it are not cheap and limitless, esoteric or otherwise. So seafaring will certainly survive, that much I’m certain of. But whether it will thrive..."

He directed a deep gaze at his older half-sister. "That depends on how much it can adaptively evolve to changing times, my dear sister. If your people are able to innovate and improve their paradigms, technology, and value proposition, then it might still have a bright future."

Her eyes grew determined at those words. "Very well. We will fight hard to ensure that our future is bright."

She turned towards him, bowing to her leader before departing with her own subordinates.

"You were brilliant." Amare turned towards him with a proud smile as she pulled him into a warm hug. "Ignore those assholes who call you a tyrant. If only they truly understood how much you are holding back to even give them a fair chance. They don’t deserve your kindness. I don’t think I like my sister-in-laws all that very much."

Amare was fiercely on his side. She had glowered at all the provocations and accusations that Princess Ru had flung at Rui, not realizing that they were simply ragebait to try to make him lose his temper and look back. While he had seen through it, Amare was not as strategically insightful as either of them. She had needed to exercise actual self-control not to make herself and Rui look back with an outburst of anger.

Rui smiled affectionately at her knowingly as he basked in her warmth. "Thank you, Amare. Your support, now and then, means a lot."

"You have done well, Your Highness," Secretary Claris remarked with an approving tone of voice. "The opposition was harder than I expected, and it appears that some kind of concession was inevitable."

"That is what it means to have a mandate and to be in harmony with the people you rule." Rui heaved a sigh. "People are diverse and different. One can rule over them with force or with harmony, and from the moment I decided not to be a tyrant, the concession was perhaps inevitable. Maybe if my opponent were anybody other than Ru, I could have avoided it. But oh well, having a brilliant lady like herself working for me will make my life easier."

"You did well tempering your ideology, and you did well making the insights that you have," the Shepherd directed an appreciative gaze towards Rui, with approval glinting in her auburn eyes. "Indeed, a single rule of law cannot be applied to all people everywhere, and you have seen firsthand why that is the case."

Rui nodded seriously. "I now understand that even law and order needs to be adaptively evolved to suit the people under it."

"Well said, but not everything is adaptive evolution, you know?"

"Actually... I’m starting to realize everything might truly be adaptive evolution in some way or another," he spoke with a profound tone of voice as he gazed at his hands with a deep expression. "And the longer I live, the more I discover adaptive evolution everywhere."

"The day I complete that journey of discovery..." He balled his hands into fists as his ethereal eyes lit up with a deep excitement and enthusiasm. "That is the day I reach the next level."

None of them, save for Amare, understood what he was talking about at all. He didn’t want to disclose his insights to the Transcendent Realm to any of them at this point in time.

"You have exceeded my expectations," a familiar gruff male voice drew his attention as Rui found himself gazing at Prime Minister Edward.

"After all these years... you have the audacity to announce your bid for the throne." The Prime Minister shook his head. "I underestimated your shamelessness."

He had been silent the entire announcement, not even bothering to hide his conflicted expression.

His dark gray irises bore deep into Rui’s ethereal eyes. "This time, it’s for real, I hope."

"It is." Rui nodded with a sincere expression. "I will become Emperor, and I will raise this nation and civilization to greater heights."

The Britannian Prime Minister simply gazed at him with tough scrutinizing eyes, before heaving a deep breath. "As long as you do not tarnish the legacy of your father, you will have my support, then."

He simply walked away with those words, apparently not interested in trying to pursue a deep conversation about important matters. Perhaps he intended to save it for another day.

Rui simply gazed at his departing figure with a profound expression.

Perhaps it was because he was the only man who saw Rael die that he wasn’t able to let it go that easily. From what Rui could tell, the old enemies had actually become friends over the years as they worked together to overcome common threats and enemies. Perhaps that was why he couldn’t oversee the cause of Rael’s death as easily as the others had.

"You have changed." Another voice, this time that of a mature woman, drew his attention.

He turned to his side to find Mother Alicia’s vessel gazing at him with a bittersweet smile.

She had deigned to wear clothes reserved for the consorts of the Emperor of Harmony, not exactly the most respectful of statuses for one of the most powerful beings in West Genoran Elven Civilization, but elves did not have the same kind of pride and ego that humans did.

Her eyes were red, and it seemed like she was perhaps the only one who was truly there to express her grief and nothing else.

Rui immediately felt guilty looking at her. He was certain she didn’t think highly of his little stunt right after the funeral of his father was over. Elves, again, did not have the kind of perspective on practicality that humans did.

He also felt guilty when he studied the one-year old toddler in her arms. The young boy had ears that were shorter than an elf’s, but longer than a human’s. The young boy had inherited his father’s golden eyes and hair, but his mother’s dark skin. He simply gazed at Rui with a curious expression and eyes wonder at his ethereal body.

Rui felt guilty for being responsible for depriving a woman of her lover and a child of his father just by looking at them. "I’m sorry."

She simply shook her head lightly. "Tragedy is simply the way of life. Grief is the price we pay for love."

He gazed at her deeply. "...What do you intend to do now? Do you intend to take Raine to West Genora?"

Though he was relatively certain that that wasn’t allowed, he could make an exception, even if it was politically risky. He trusted the dark elves and their sincerity, after all.

"No, he wouldn’t fit in." She heaved a deep breath. "I think I will raise him elsewhere from the Royal Palace. A place where he may be among other humans, but also close to the dark elf settlement in the Kandrian Empire. A place that is close to man and nature, to match the two halves of who he is."

Rui nodded. "Very well then. Let me know if you need anything, I’ll be sure to stop by and play with him often enough."

She smiled at him appreciatively. "Thank you, Rui. You will be extremely busy from now on as the Emperor of Kandria. I saw the kind of toll it took on your father, and it will bear heavily on you as well. Be sure to have people you love and care about, for that was what kept your father going when times were the hardest."

"I will take those words to heart, Mother Alicia."

The woman turned towards Amare knowingly. "Your life will change, too. It is not easy being the Emperor’s partner. Your ambition is great, but the responsibilities this will bring will weigh down on you more than anybody else."

Amare’s amber eyes steeled with determination. "I am ready."

Mother Alicia smiled. "Then, I bid you good luck. The relationship between our civilizations is bound to grow deeper, for you have spent time among us and have earned our sincere friendship. I look forward to what the future of this continent and civilization under your rule, Rui."

Soon enough, they watched her depart from the royal funeral hall with a deep gaze, only for another familiar presence to draw their attention.

"You’ve grown old, Raul," Rui remarked as the frail old man walked towards Rui with a cane for support, with a young man by his side, holding his hand.

His eyes were as peaceful as ever while his expression remained relaxed.

"That is the natural way of life." He smiled gently, speaking slowly with an elderly drawl. "I avoided tainting the way of nature with longevity potions. I am not worthy of such resources in the first place."

Rui directed a deep gaze at the frail prince, the only royalty older than him. "We need you, my brother. I need you. Of the princes and princesses, you are the only other one besides Ranea and Ru whom I deem worthy of inviting to my administration."

The old, frail prince widened his quivering eyelid. "...Your solicitation honors me. But there’s nothing that an old man like me can provide to you. Even the... ’strength’ that people say I possess in the common man is no longer mine alone. You have earned the adoration and reverence of the people."

"Yes, but not their heart. They treat me like a distant celebrity or deity. But I have not earned their affection and trust the way that you have. You have spoken to them face to face, shaken their hand, bandaged their wounds, and fed them with your own hands when they were ill or wounded," Rui spoke with respect to the elderly man. "They may not worship you like a god. But to them, you are a father. A father who loves and protects them as their own fathers did. That is why I need you. Not to earn the support of the people, but..."

His expression grew determined. "To represent and convey the will of the people to me as Emperor.

Prince Raul remained silent as he fell into a deep thought while those around him turned towards him with a raised eyebrow.

"What... what do you have in mind?" Prince Raul asked with a thoughtful expression.

"A Ministry of People," Rui immediately replied. "And you will serve as the Minister of People."

"I exist, you know." Minister Danes of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs remarked with a dubious expression as he approached Rui. "Are you planning on sacking me after I gave my support to you? Tsk tsk, what a cold to-be-emperor."

Rui smirked at the young man. "The Ministry of Domestic Affairs is very important and will continue. There are more affairs domestically beyond people. I will have you rebuild our East Coast in addition to all your other work. If you truly wish to become a part of my administration, then you will be worked to the bone, Danes."

"I couldn’t wish for anything more, Your Majesty." The Minister balled his fist, bringing it to his heart, before bowing to Rui. "I will serve this country until the day I die with everything I have."

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