Sophia's cry was fraught with the most complex of emotions — she feared that her scheming would bring down thunderous wrath, and so she subconsciously prayed her judgment was wrong, yet she also desperately hoped it was true, yearning for her father to rescue her from this detestable mage's clutches. She no longer wanted to live in constant fear of being silenced, no longer wanted to serve as a dangerous and agonizing "experimental assistant."
"Baier" turned to look at her and gave a slight nod. "All schemes must be built upon a foundation of strength. Do you understand that now?"
He really was the Empire's Emperor Rudolf II — that legendary powerhouse whose strength was no less than a Grand Archanist's!
But his body was clearly Baier's — how had he managed to fool Nurenbeck and the other Sky Knights during their inspections? Did he also possess a shapeshifting mask?
And why did his aura at this moment not seem to carry the presence of a Legend at all?
Regardless, facing a Legend left Lucian more tense than he had ever been. Adrenaline surged wildly through his body, his limbs trembling slightly, yet his mind had never been clearer. His right hand, reaching inside his storage bag, slowly withdrew.
Rudolf II glanced at Lucian, then returned his gaze to the statue, speaking to the air before him in a tone that was half praise, half self-mockery: "I actually failed to notice that another high-ranking mage had sneaked in. Your disguise is quite impressive. Quite impressive indeed."
Seeing that his manner, while arrogant and dismissive, showed no signs of aggression or imminent attack, Lucian had no desire to strike preemptively. Remaining on high alert, he struggled to keep his voice steady: "I didn't notice Your Majesty either."
"I started from this very place, ascending to heights that no member of the Divinely-blessed clan had ever reached before. Naturally, I had to find time to return and observe what the Plantagenet family was still hiding — to determine the direction for the future. What I didn't expect was that you, of all people, would be the one to give me a surprise." Rudolf II stood with his back straight and his hands clasped behind him, his eyes fixed levelly on the Thanos statue before him. He spoke with complete openness, as though there were nothing in this world he needed to fear and no secret worth concealing.
Lucian could not match that kind of ease. Tension and fear had wound his muscles so tight they ached, and he had to struggle to maintain his composure — ready to respond to any change at a moment's notice.
Hearing Rudolf II say that, Lucian felt a jolt of shock. "Your Majesty — you also advanced to Legend by fusing with a devil's projection?" That was far more extreme than anything he had imagined the ritual could achieve!
Hmph. Rudolf II let out a cold laugh. "Do I look like the sort of underhanded, wretched man that Ulrich is?"
"Foolish men only see the benefits that come from merging with a devil's projection. But someone like Thanos and I can remain unaffected by the emotions of greed, peer past the surface phenomena to discover the true essence within, and find the path that belongs to us."
"This world is destined to belong to people like us."
Arrogant and domineering, supremely confident — Rudolf II made not the slightest effort to disguise any of it.
Lucian pondered Rudolf II's words carefully, and a thought suddenly struck him. "Your Majesty — you projected yourself in advance into Prince Baier's mind or soul, the same way devils like Greed, Hatred, and Pain do — and that's how you evaded the Plantagenet Duke's inspections. Then, at the critical moment, you can possess and control Prince Baier's body, just as a devil would, and drain his power to strengthen yourself?"
Rudolf II slowly turned his head, studying Lucian with genuine attention for the first time since his arrival. Then he gave a slight nod. "Perceptive. Very clever. There are some inaccuracies, but that is essentially correct."
He did not point out where Lucian's guess had gone wrong — perhaps that involved secrets of an even deeper nature.
Lucian's mind was filled with astonishment. What kind of path had Rudolf II actually walked to transform himself into an entity resembling devils like Greed and Hatred, yet one that was not "evil" in the slightest — a truly "bizarre" existence?
And now that he knew this secret, would Rudolf II silence him for good?
Beneath that fear-tinged tension, Lucian could almost hear his own heart pounding — but it did not affect his thoughts, his judgment, or his resolve. Even if there was not a shred of hope, he would never give up. He would press forward with courage, strive to forge new hope, and never, ever submit to fate!
His right hand hovered at the opening of his storage bag, poised to activate at any instant.
Sophia, standing below the statue, stared blankly as her father conversed calmly with the mysterious mage. For a moment she could not understand why things were this way. It was only now that she came to her senses — her father was right here, not far away, and a Legend's power was more than enough to protect her at this distance. Her voice turned shrill as she wailed through a haze of grievance and hatred: "Father! He — he tried to kill me! He made me do things far too dangerous! Kill him quickly!"
He was the man she hated and despised more than anyone she had ever known!
Startled by her shriek, Lucian nearly lost control and struck first — but he managed to stop himself, focusing all his attention on Rudolf II's reaction.
Rudolf II regarded Sophia with a faint, indifferent glance. "Can't you see? After projecting myself into Baier, I only have the strength of a seventh- or eighth-rank Sky Knight. What could I possibly use to kill him? And if that power spills over — are you certain you'd survive?"
Lucian nearly spat in Rudolf II's face. The man could just say things like that straight out? Was this Emperor truly so candid as to be almost endearingly peculiar, or was he trying to make Lucian lower his guard so he could seize the opportunity to attack? And if it was the latter — was that really necessary?
"I originally had confidence that I could kill you, but that ninth-rank spell you cast with material components gave me some pause. Is it one of the Magic Council's latest creations?" Rudolf II continued in his characteristically candid style.
As for the Pale Justice in Lucian's hand, Rudolf II was not particularly concerned. He was barely an Epic Knight at minimum, and even with only seventh- or eighth-rank strength in his projection, he had no fear of being struck. Besides, he was no "evil" creature — the Pale Justice would only wield the power of an eighth-rank Sky Knight at best.
Lucian gave a slight nod, confirming Rudolf II's guess.