Chapter 322: Clear Lines Between Public and Private
Rita closed her eyes and took a few deep, steady breaths. When she opened them again to look at Sigurd, the composure that defined her had mostly returned.
"Your Majesty, what do you think of the court's performance thus far?"
"Quite impressive. You all are already capable of guarding this new era."
"If Your Majesty were in my position… how would you have arranged things?"
"The overall strategy would've been the same: evacuate the people, conscript martial artists and mages, surround and annihilate the threat with regular armies. Use the most upright, legitimate methods to eliminate danger and restore the spirit and vitality of the nation. That's the Way of Kings. If I wanted to play dirty, sure—wiping out a few unruly factions under the cover of war wouldn't be out of the question. But once you hold the momentum of an era in your hands, there's no need for schemes. It's better to walk the straight road. Trickery rarely lasts. Remember that."
Sigurd's voice was equal parts praise and advice.
This nation had come far enough. It no longer needed a foreigner like him to guide its path. From here on, it was better left to those who truly wanted to shelter the people and defend their homeland.
Rita nodded thoughtfully, silently committing those words to memory.
At that moment, deep in the rear of the palace, Senti was curled up on the royal throne, gnawing irritably at her thumb as she watched the war play out on the projection screen.
Too many people had died.
She couldn't tell if any of the fallen were her clumsy students—the ones she'd taught face-to-face. She couldn't count how many had been crushed, torn, or burned by Huodou.
After a long while, she violently swiped the projection away and clutched at her hair, yelling in frustration:
"Ugh! Enough! I'm done watching! It's just a dumb beast—why is everyone so useless?!"
The sudden outburst made both Sigurd and Rita turn their heads in surprise.
But beside the throne, Fu Hua only smiled gently and reached out to ruffle Senti's hair with quiet affection.
"Don't be anxious. This is a trial they must go through, just like the conflicts that once plagued Shenzhou. We can only watch… and silently wish them well."
"Old Timer! I still don't get it! Whatever—I'm going out there to crush it myself! All this dithering is driving me crazy!"
Senti jumped down from the throne and stormed toward the main doors.
Fu Hua's hand remained suspended mid-air, her eyes showing complex emotions—but in the end, she didn't stop Senti.
Fu Hua had seen the rise and fall of countless tides. She had her own way of facing things.
But Senti was different—so young, so passionate, so full of drive.
To fight for the sake of others—to save lives with her own hands—was a beautiful conviction.
Fu Hua couldn't bring herself to stop that.
She didn't want to.
In truth, seeing Senti make her choice stirred a quiet joy in her heart… and perhaps, just a little envy.
"Hm?"
Sigurd glanced toward Fu Hua.
She only smiled gently and shook her head.
Senti strode past Sigurd without so much as glancing at him. Her steps were firm, steady—determined.
But the fact that she didn't dare look his way at all told Sigurd everything.
She was afraid he'd call her back.
"Lady Senti…"
Rita instinctively raised her hand, then stopped halfway, her expression tangled with hesitation.
Fu Hua didn't want to stop Senti.
And Rita… how could she bear to just stand by and watch more comrades die in the field?
Even with the mysterious Hall of Heroic Spirits that could bring back the dead, tens of thousands had already fallen. For a country like the Emberya Empire, reviving all of them was no longer realistic.
Just as Senti was about to leave the palace without looking back, Sigurd suddenly tossed something her way.
"Hm? What's this?"
Senti caught it mid-air. It was a sleek, elegant metallic band. She blinked in confusion.
"A leg ring. It'll conceal your identity. You'll still have missions later—don't go revealing your true self just yet. Also… wait until the rear army has had some time on the battlefield before you strike. Don't waste this rare opportunity for them to steel their hearts through real combat."
"Got it! No problem!"
Senti held the leg ring high and spun around, flashing a bright, toothy grin—her smile radiant.
Senti let out a deep sigh of relief—Sigurd's instructions meant he had granted her permission to fight.
Without delay, she mounted her flying sword and soared into the sky.
Sigurd shook his head, then patted Rita's shoulder and said:
"Just say she's some reclusive immortal you managed to invite down from the mountains. But remember—this 'immortal' didn't slay the beast alone. The reason Huodou was weakened enough in the first place was because of all the warriors who fought and bled. So be sure the credit goes mainly to the state, the court, and its brave soldiers. Make up whatever details you like."
"Now that things are wrapping up, you can finally take a breather."
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"
"Drop the 'Your Majesty' stuff already. I won't be meddling in your affairs anymore. From now on, I'm just observing and collecting data. This country… is yours again."
"Your Majesty…"
Rita's face changed as panic set in. She instinctively reached out, wanting to stop him. But Sigurd was already walking out of the hall. His retreating figure left her speechless.
Fu Hua passed by her at that moment. With a gentle gesture, she tapped a finger between Rita's brows.
Rita's mind, clouded by exhaustion and the constant burden of leadership, suddenly cleared and settled into calm.
"There. He's said his piece. You all should take this chance to get used to leading the country again. But don't worry—we're not leaving just yet. If anything goes wrong, you can always come find us. For now, get some rest. Then, keep pushing forward."
Fu Hua smiled, like a warm spring breeze, and pulled a chair over for Rita, gently easing her into it.
Rita leaned back. Looking up at Fu Hua's kind gaze, the strain in her face finally began to ease.
"Lady Fu Hua… and His Majesty… thank you. This country… all its people… owe you both a debt of gratitude…"
Her body slumped back in the chair. With heavy dark circles under her eyes and drooping eyelids, she finally succumbed to sleep.
Fu Hua summoned a cloak and draped it gently over Rita before walking out of the hall.
Sigurd hadn't gone far—he stood at the edge of the palace steps, watching the skies where Senti had vanished.
"What are you thinking, Sigurd?"
"Just wondering if that noisy brat really is one of your Herrscher personalities. So innocent, so naively proud… always running around shouting that she's Fu Hua… She's one of a kind."
"Ahaha~ well, it's the Honkai world. Strange things happen."
Fu Hua scratched her cheek, not quite sure how to explain it herself.
She then glanced sideways at Sigurd and caught a rare, faint smile on his face.
"So… what do you think of Senti now?"
"She's okay. After some proper training, she's more obedient than most Herrscher fragments I've seen. Still, she's way too impulsive. Totally unrestrained. If you ask me, she'd benefit greatly from the learning materials I provided. It's top quality stuff."
"Ah… I'll… um… make sure to pass that on to Little Xuan. She can handle the arrangements."
"Good. When she's done with the basics, tell her to come back to me. I've got intermediate and advanced courses too—fully certified and battle-tested."
Sigurd gave a satisfied nod, just a little smug.
Even that clumsy little tuna of a Herrscher he'd met at first could now present herself as smart and composed in front of strangers. When it came to education, he was clearly the expert!
With that thought, a communicator connecting to the real world appeared in his hand.
"Come to think of it, it's been a while since I contacted them…"
He hesitated for a moment, then tucked the device away.
'Forget it. I'm in the middle of important work. There'll be time to meet again later.'
'Besides… wouldn't reaching out first make me seem a little too eager? Like some tsundere character who always acts annoyed in person but gets lonely when they're not around?'
'Ridiculous.'
I'm Sigurd—the acting Overseer of Schicksal, Executive Officer of Anti-Entropy, future Emperor of humanity. I would never let personal feelings cloud my judgment!
Yes… if they still hadn't contacted him after a while, then he'd send a message.
Just for logistics, of course. No other reason.
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