Chapter 43: Three Parts Under Heaven |
“Great-Uncle!”
Ilo called out in worry.
He wanted to step forward to support…
Lei’s figure, which had hunched over in that instant.
Duke Starshimmer also revealed a look of anxiety,
trying to say something to ease the atmosphere.
But Lei only waved his hand weakly.
His gaze became hollow,
as if all light within it had already been extinguished.
At those Descendants of Apollo whose faces had twisted because of hatred, ambition, and fear.
He knew.
The Solar Dynasty, the nation built by his father and his brothers with their own hands, had ended from this day onward.
Apollo’s bloodline…
had completely split apart, beyond all redemption!
“So be it…”
He murmured softly.
His body and mind were filled with endless exhaustion and despair.
Lei ignored Ilo and Duke Starshimmer’s attempts to keep him.
Nor did he look at Duke Spiritwind’s gaze filled with resentment.
He simply left.
……
At this moment, atop the distant city wall.
You had taken in everything that had happened below.
He watched as Lei left in a dazed and dispirited state.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
“Your Holiness.”
“I hope you like the gift I prepared for you!”
That “messenger” who had gone to report to the Theocratic State of the Stars,
had been arranged by him.
And his purpose was precisely to let Lei personally witness the Solar Dynasty collapse before his eyes… into total disintegration!
As the next Pope chosen by Lei,
he understood Lei’s character too well.
Perhaps the Lei of his youth had possessed enough confidence and resolve to change everything happening now.
But Lei was already old!
His gaze no longer looked toward the future, but remained immersed in memories of the past.
He had lost the courage of his youth,
leaving behind only… an aging body.
Just like the elders of the Theocratic State…
As he thought of this,
a trace of fear suddenly arose in You’s heart.
When he grew old, would he also become like this?
Would he also become so… weak and useless?
You’s gaze gradually deepened.
Was there a way… to not grow old?
He thought of Ya. Ya had created the second divine art in this world — Divine Grace Technique.
Then, could he also create a divine art… one that would prevent aging?
……
After Lei left.
The conflict among the three bloodlines also came to a halt.
Ilo looked toward Duke Spiritwind,
his eyes filled with undisguised hatred.
“Spiritwind, no matter how you try to argue, the new king died by your hand.”
“Yes, just as the death of Ancestor Wa was caused by Ancestor Ze.”
“But Ancestor Ze had already paid the price for it!”
“He devoted all his effort to sustaining the dynasty until now.”
“And you?”
“Spiritwind, tell me—what price will you pay for assassinating the new king!”
But Duke Spiritwind laughed.
“Ilo, stop joking.”
“Even if I were willing to pay the price for this.”
“Would you truly be willing to return the throne to our Wa bloodline?”
“And even if you did, after I follow the ancestors into the sea of stars, who would the throne pass to?”
“Our Wa bloodline? Or your Ze bloodline?”
“You should understand… there has long been no trust left between us.”
Ilo fell silent.
How could he not understand,
that things had already reached a point of no return?
But he was unwilling to accept it.
He did not wish to see the Solar Dynasty end like this!
Apollo’s bloodline should have been passed down together with the dynasty for eternity.
But he also understood that they could never again sit together as before, discussing the future.
A sense of powerlessness surged in his heart.
At this moment, Ilo finally understood…
the deep helplessness Lei felt when he left.
It was the pain of watching the descendants of Apollo fight among themselves for selfish desires, yet being powerless to stop it.
Unless Lei were willing to use iron-blooded methods to purge all opposition, perhaps the unity of the dynasty could barely be maintained.
But that would ultimately be drinking poison to quench thirst.
One day, the same conflict would inevitably unfold again.
Ilo recalled the divine admonition left behind by the god.
“Desire is the root of human suffering, because desire can never be satisfied.”
Yes.
They were driven by desire,
and yet human desire was endless!
So sooner or later,
they would once again draw weapons against each other for the desires in their hearts!
Perhaps Ancestor Ya had foreseen all of this, which was why she resolutely chose to distance herself from the dynasty.
She created the Divine Grace Technique.
Her original intention had been to end this endless conflict born of desire.
But ironically, the Divine Grace Technique she created had instead become one of the forces driving these struggles of desire.
Ilo laughed,
his smile filled with bitterness.
From Ancestor Apollo onward,
the lifelong efforts of successive ancestors
had not only failed to pull the bloodline out of the vortex of desire,
but their efforts
had instead become the very source that nourished this vortex.
…Was this fate?
Ilo did not know.
He only knew that he had to make a decision.
Even if this decision…
would turn the Solar Dynasty into history.
But if it could allow Apollo’s bloodline
to break free from this endless cycle of desire,
then it would be worth it!
Thinking of this, Ilo looked resolutely at Duke Spiritwind and Duke Starshimmer, and said in a deep voice.
“Separate.”
“Divide the Solar Dynasty into three.”
“The Wa, Ya, and Ze bloodlines will each take one part.”
“From this day forward, each will establish its own domain and govern independently!”
This decision was unprecedented.
Even Duke Spiritwind and Duke Starshimmer were momentarily stunned.
“Good! Then divide!”
Duke Spiritwind responded first.
He understood that the past could not be reclaimed.
Separation might be the better path forward.
But Duke Starshimmer could not accept it.
Since Ancestor Apollo had founded the dynasty,
it had only been passed down to him for five generations.
And now it was to collapse like this?
“No!”
“I absolutely refuse!”
“We are all descendants of Apollo—how can we separate!”
“Ilo, have you gone mad?”
“Ancestor Apollo endured countless hardships to develop the tribe into a dynasty, and now you want to destroy it with your own hands!”
Ilo looked at the agitated Duke Starshimmer and calmly asked in return.
“Starshimmer, if we do not divide…”
“Then tell me, where is the path forward?”
Duke Starshimmer was immediately at a loss for words.
He… did not know either.
From the moment the god bestowed writing and civilization was born, only a hundred years had passed.
Their history was too short, too shallow.
Within the experiences of their predecessors,
there was no precedent to resolve such problems.
In the end, the three bloodlines still moved toward separation.
The Ze bloodline took the Royal City and the territories adjacent to the Theocratic State of the Stars.
The Ya bloodline chose the vast lands near the mountain ranges.
The remaining lands all went to the Wa bloodline.
The Solar Dynasty thus became history.
Replacing it
was an era of three coexisting duchies.
From this moment onward, a new era had descended!
And when this news reached the Theocratic State of the Stars.
Lei simply…
silently gazed at that eternal, unchanging starry sky.
En’s words, at this moment, crossed time and space.
Once again, they echoed in Lei’s ears.
“In this world, aside from the eternal and unchanging god, nothing remains unchanged!”