Chapter 1027 - Ruler
The next morning came, Alex gradually opened his eyes, feeling the weight on both hands. He looked left and right, finding Evelyn"s and Letizia"s faces beside him.
He closed his eyes again and thought how he had put the burden on them because of drawing a line. When all got loose, he understood how hurt they were during the process.
Last night was filled with so many things—Tears, happiness, relief, and, more importantly, love. At the very least, he didn"t regret what happened yesterday.
He gently slipped away, making sure that these two didn"t wake up before getting dressed.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Lin Xingzhi waiting for him right in front of the room.
"Is there something wrong?" Alex furrowed his eyebrows.
"Nothing. I just want to inform you that the plant is ready to use since you are going to have a spar with them." Lin Xingzhi shook her head.
"Is that so? Thank you." Alex smiled and asked. "Where are Korzan and Zark? I want to say something to them."
"They are in the usual room. I will lead you to them." She stretched her hand, asking him to walk.
Alex nodded and followed her right next to her. "Unfortunately, we couldn"t celebrate with Sherry, Stina, and Kyle. Such a shame."
"Indeed, but Sherry is also fighting right now in her own way. All you can do is to understand her and believe in her." Lin Xingzhi smiled.
"Yes. I am glad that I met her back then, and I am thankful that you found me when I was at my lowest point."
"Why are you saying this as if you have come a long way? This is just a beginning. Your lifespan alone is so long, so don"t talk like you are already an old man." She shook her head, teasing him to change the topic.
Realizing her intention, Alex smiled and patted her head. "Right. We have so many things to do in the future. Please stay by my side."
Lin Xingzhi hugged his hand with a smile. "Hehe. You don"t need to say it."
The two walked a bit more until they arrived at the administration room where Korzan usually worked. They also found Zark, who seemed to be standing by for any emergency.
When the two noticed Alex"s presence, they both stood up, greeting him. "My King."
Alex waved his hand as if telling them to be at ease. "I want to talk a little thing with you…Well, it"s not a little thing, but a more serious one. Do you have time?"
"Of course, my king." Korzan nodded while Zark guided him to his seat.
"So, what is this serious topic you want to address, Your Majesty?" Korzan asked politely.
Alex pointed at Korzan and said, "That actually."
Korzan and Zark were confused for a second before realizing the meaning behind his word.
Alex made a helpless smile while looking down. "I have actually thought about this. I wonder why all of you are treating me as the Spirit G.o.d even though I am not him. I am his reincarnation and a human on top of that."
"Your Majesty. You might have a little misunderstanding about us. We didn"t follow the Spirit G.o.d because of his strength. We adored his character and personality. We didn"t acknowledge him as the Spirit G.o.d because he deserved it. People acknowledged it because of what he had done to us and believed he deserved the recognition.
"I do agree that Your Majesty hasn"t done anything yet to Eulja, but your existence alone brings relief to the people. That"s right. Everything is related to the Spirit G.o.d, but what we, your closest retainers, believe is not in the Spirit G.o.d. But at the person called Alexander Sirius." Korzan smiled, recalling the past scene.
Alex closed his eyes while frowning. "That"s cheating. There is no way I can replicate what the Spirit G.o.d did in the past."
"Of course. We believe that you can"t." Korzan admitted without hesitation.
"…" Alex twitched his eyebrows but remained silent when he saw his serious expression. He seemed to have another thing to say, so he let him talk.
"It is impossible for you to even become the Spirit G.o.d"s equal, much less surpa.s.s him. That fierce age of him already belongs in the annals of legend. No matter how large of a storm you kick up in the future, the only thing that will ever be thrown your way is "What if"s."
"What if that legendary figure still existed in this generation?"
"Indeed. Everything will be…" Alex looked at him with a helpless expression.
Korzan shook his head. "Although it"s true that the Spirit G.o.d legends will forever be protected by the pa.s.sage of time. However, the truth is, there exists one and only method through which you may surpa.s.s him."
"Which is…" Alex narrowed his eyes.
"By completely overwriting his legend." Korzan smiled with excitement. "By completing a tremendous feat that even we were not able to accomplish, history will, without a doubt, remember your name, not as the Spirit G.o.d"s reincarnation, but as Alexander Sirius."
"A feat that even he wasn"t able to accomplish…" Alex closed his eyes and clenched his hands.
"Aye. The death of the calamity beast and making Eulja the strongest world in this universe!" Korzan raised his right hand as if he wanted to fight already.
Alex let out a long sigh.
"It"s been five thousand years since the death of the Spirit G.o.d. To accomplish this feat would require someone who holds a frightful level of Martial Might. But most of all, it requires someone of a caliber who wouldn"t balk at the great cost of bloodshed this feat would require."
"The question will be whether I can do that or not…" Alex looked down while smiling.
"Yes." Korzan and Zark nodded and closed their eyes.
"Even though I don"t have the desire to be the strongest, it"s true that you need strength to protect the people you love." Alex slowly rose from his seat. "I am a selfish person, and I have never learned anything about Eulja. That"s why if I need to choose one day whether to protect my family or my subjects, I would, of course, choose my family.
"That"s the very reason I decided to accept this position even if it means that I won"t protect Eulja at the critical moments. A lot of people will surely lose their lives at this time and make people think that I am a bit too irresponsible.
"However, I want to promise you one thing. After making sure my family is safe, I will return back to the battlefield to continue fighting. As long as I still have this body, I will protect everyone with everything I"ve got. As long as I can make sure that my family is safe, I will not hold back and fight till the "very last moment."
"If my fellow comrades are still with me at that time, then I will still be able to stay strong within. That"s why…If you think that I am worthy of being Eulja"s ruler even with this selfish desire of mine, will you help me again, Zark, Korzan?" Alex stretched his hand.
Korzan and Zark widened their eyes and clenched their fists. Not knowing why, their tears were swelling up. Before the tears fell, they dropped to the ground, kneeling on one knee.
"We shall offer our lives and follow you until the end, Your Majesty."
Lin Xingzhi closed her eyes and smiled. She added. "Alex…You know what? Your previous self is actually a very petty person. He destroyed many worlds for petty reasons. However, because of that very character, other worlds feared Eulja.
"Even if he were scorned by many, the people would keep believing in him. They all knew that their king did everything for them. If not due to his pettiness, his strength alone couldn"t protect them unless he was beside them.
"But everything changed because people thought that they would die if they messed with the people from Eulja. That"s why no one dared to do it. That"s the true reason why people still believed him…Adore him…And even followed him until now." Lin Xingzhi paused for a moment to deliver one most important piece of advice. "There is one strict rule that you need to follow. Be just! Punish those who are in the wrong and protect those who are wronged. That"s all."
Alex nodded with a smile. "Thanks."
Korzan and Zark rose from the floor.
"I am not a perfect ruler, but I will be relying on you two a lot." Alex smiled.
"Of course, Your Majesty." Korzan nodded with a serious expression.
Zark, on the other hand, added. "Well, we still remember how you never did any work in the castle because it was too boring and left it to Korzan."
"Ahaha…I have never learned anything about governing a world, and I don"t want to mess things up, so I will keep relying on you, Korzan." Alex scratched the back of his head. "Well, I will try to learn it in the future, but now is a bit too busy."
"Of course, Your Majesty. Please leave it to me." Korzan bowed to him while hitting Zark on the back while glaring at him as if telling him, "How can you say that to His Majesty?"
Lin Xingzhi and Alex only looked at these two interactions with warm expressions.
"That"s right. How about the meeting with those old people?" Zark asked.
"Don"t worry. I have handled it pretty well. They won"t do anything funny…I think." Korzan scratched the back of his head. "Well, knowing them, even with the a.s.surance of Mistress Lin Xingzhi, they won"t stay still if he visits them."
"Fair enough. Maybe we should bring someone to kidnap them first or have a war council so those guys can"t bring anyone with them or start any trick?" Zark asked.
Lin Xingzhi shook her head. "It"s fine. Now that I think about it, there are already me, Anna, Anya, Alicia, Firia, Sherry, Letizia, and Evelyn. If I add Silvia to the list, doesn"t this mean there is only one slot left? I think I have the plan to make this situation a little bit interesting."
"Oi, oi. Don"t sell your husband, alright?" Alex rolled his eyes.
"Don"t worry. No one can win in the end." Lin Xingzhi stuck out her tongue. "Still, it"s really a strange thing. I would never have thought that the day would come where they would stand shoulder to shoulder with each other.
"Though, if Alex wasn"t the type of man that he is. They would have resisted until their dying breath to show their pride again. And when I asked them about it, they all gave the same answer, which was the report that I gave them. It"s hilarious. Their answer was because Alex"s strength is on a whole other level from his previous life.
"Trying to get the point and seduce him with force will just invite his and my wrath, which is why all the Guardians and Elemental G.o.ds have decided to join forces in the hopes of racking up achievements, all so Alex will visit them more, which allow them to give more time for their daughters or granddaughters to meet Alex longer.
"Hahaha…Even those old prideful people can be cute when they"re gathered up. Don"t you think?" Lin Xingzhi smirked, recalling why they showed up during the war council. When she asked that after the fight with the Palm G.o.d, those people, who were supposed to have no hope in finding another Alexander Sirius in the past five thousand years, actually gathered for such a reason.
"So, what is that promise you are talking about?" Alex narrowed his eyes.
"I merely said that I wouldn"t stop anyone from approaching our sons and daughters in the future as long as they honestly do that and don"t do any tricks." Lin Xingzhi shrugged. "In your world, this is something normal, but in this world or most worlds out there, arranged marriage or tricking for a marriage is a normal thing."
"I won"t talk much about my sons" and daughters" happiness in the future, but I will keep monitoring them." Alex nodded. "As long as they are honest, I will give them my blessings even if the other half is just a normal who doesn"t know any cultivation. I can just pour some resources into him/her. All in all, I will deal with it in the future."