"Yes..." Envy nodded, looking at her beloved.
Daniel looked into Envy eyes, he noticed hesitation and reluctance and... a little bit of inferiority. Envy continued.
"I'm not Koyuki, so I don't know what you're thinking right now... and why you're so reluctant to rise to power. But if I were to talk about my own experience... I never planned on becoming a Grand Councilor in the first place.
Honestly, if Merlin hadn't asked me, I couldn't have imagined being one of the three leaders. That's because I hate the idea of seeing myself as a villain and becoming the oppressor." Envy explained, opening up about her feelings.
"The phrase goes, 'You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself as a villain,' right?" Daniel asked.
Envy nodded, and Daniel let out a sigh. "Envy, the reason I'm reluctant to head the new organization is that I don't have time."
"You don't have time?" She repeated, concerned. "What do you mean? Are you... dealing with some kind of terminal illness?" Envy asked.
"That's not the case," Daniel shook his head, offering a wry smile. "I mean... look at the five of you: you, Koyuki, Greed, Penthesilea, and little Sylvana. I'm afraid I don't have enough time to spend with all of you. As I told Anastasia, being both the founder and chief inventor of Astral Tech keeps me incredibly busy.
I don't want to become a failed father and husband who didn't even have time to spend with my wives and daughter," he clarified.
"Nah, you're not becoming like that. I know you," another voice chimed in from another direction, Koyuki's voice. She, along with Greed, Penthesilea and Anastasia's group, had come to see him since Daniel didn't return to them.
"If you're worried about it, why don't you find someone to take care of it for you? Perhaps General Nicholas Sullivan could do it? Or maybe your two teachers, Lord Atlanteus and Lord Hermes? What about Odysseus?" Koyuki suggested.
Daniel shook his head at the suggestions. "No, Nicholas is only good at leading the army; he doesn't have enough skill to manage a large organization. Teacher Atlanteus and Lord Hermes aren't the leader types, although Teacher Atlanteus can temporarily lead, he's not great with administration.
And as for Odysseus, he has a lot on his plate right now, and I don't want to overwork him," he explained one by one and continued.
Daniel hesitated, his gaze lingering on Penthesilea for a moment. "Also..." he began reluctantly, "I'm not questioning your abilities. But leading a global organization... wielding that kind of authority... it wouldn't suit you, Penthy. You're not cut out for that kind of role."
Penthesilea's smile remained unchanged. "I understand, my lord," she replied. "Your judgment is sound. I wouldn't want a burden that doesn't suit my strengths." She replied, showing no offense at Daniel's straightforwardness.
Daniel let out a relief sigh at Penthesilea understanding, he then went silent for about a minute, then nodded in determination. He then turned toward Anastasia.
"Your Highness, You can tell your father that I'll create an organization to replace the Hightower. This organization will take over North America and South East Asia from the Hightower first. Then we'll see if we can expand our influence from there. I'll contact you once again after I have a good candidate to oversee this organization." Said Daniel.
"Considering the recent giant monster incident and the absence of the Hightower, it is highly likely that the rumor is accurate, Your Majesty," the official concluded, awaiting the Emperor's response.
"What about the Ming Federation, Korea, and Southeast Asia? Have they abandoned those regions as well?" the Emperor inquired further.
"Your Majesty, the Hightower has indeed retreated from the Ming Federation. However, regarding Korea and Southeast Asia, we are still awaiting definitive confirmation," the official replied.
The Emperor nodded thoughtfully, stroking his chin before posing another question.
"Has the man in the Owl mask arrived yet?" he asked the head Eunuch, his trusted right-hand man.
"Yes, Your Majesty, he has arrived," the Eunuch replied with a cupped fist. He then adjusted his posture and announced loudly, "Calling for Lord Owl of the Olympian Court!"
With the Eunuch's voice, the court doors swung open, revealing a man in a velvet robe with a wooden owl mask striding in.
"Long live your Majesty!" The man in the owl mask, clearly a foreigner, showed his respect in the traditional Qing manner with a cupped fist, though he did not kneel.
"Insolence! Why don't you kneel?" One of the officials shouted, stepping forward in an attempt to earn the Emperor's approval.
In response, the man in the wooden owl mask turned toward the Emperor. "Oh? Since when has Your Majesty become more powerful than Lord Zeus of Olympus? If that's the case, then I'll kneel immediately."
As he spoke, he began to kneel, but some mysterious force prevented his knee from touching the ground. This puzzled many officials, but some discerned the Emperor's intentions.
It was widely known that Zeus was petty, lustful, and vengeful. If he were to learn that the leader of his followers, who's the leader of the movement to revitalize the environment for god, had knelt before another ruler, it would certainly lead to trouble.
While it might seem like an exaggerated concern, the possibility of such a scenario was not implausible. In fact, it was quite likely.
"There's no need, Lord Owl. You are not our subject; you don't need to be subject to our rule," the Emperor said magnanimously.
However, everyone in the court knew this was merely a facade to avoid angering Zeus when Zeus could walk among mortals once more. They all understood that Emperor Tianhao was a tyrant. If not for Zeus's deterrent, the Emperor would have demanded the man in the owl mask to kneel before him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the man in the owl mask said in a happy tone, but he still glanced at the official who had interrupted him.
Sensing this, the Emperor decisively shouted, "For disgracing the envoy of the Olympian court, you are subject to 100 lashes!"