Chapter 2195: Contextualized Past

Chapter 2195: Contextualized Past



The air grew frosty as Rui's piercing gaze met Emperor Rael's calm eyes.

"Does the Martial Union know?"

The question evoked laughter from him. "Of course they do."

Rui frowned. "So this isn't really a big deal, huh?"

"The context matters," Emperor Rael explained with a composed tone. "It would be a very big deal if I harbored such an ambition today. But not so much three centuries ago when I was merely a prince preparing for the Kandrian Throne War. It was simply a different era back then. My goals were hardly rare or uncommon. That was how much Martial Artists were hated at one point in time."

Rui sharpened his gaze.

"Did you hate Martial Artists?"

"My desire to wipe out Martial Artists was a calculated decision rather than an emotional one," he calmly replied. "In hindsight, of course, it turned out to be the wrong decision. But that was due to luck, more than anything else. My rationale was firm."

"...I'm surprised that you managed to befriend them." Rui shook his head.

"Like I said, the context of the era matters. Back then, it was hardly unusual, so I was able to win over their cooperation with results and goodwill. Since then, three centuries have passed. It's ancient history that doesn't even matter anymore," Emperor Rael explained with a relaxed tone. "Of course, that doesn't stop the Panamic Martial Federation from using it as propaganda. Haha."

"Do you regret wanting to genocide Martial Artists, then?" Rui raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not." His father snorted. "Had I been able to do it, I would have done it without hesitation. We were extremely lucky that the first Martial Sage was a good-hearted and kind man. If not for that, the Reign of the Master Realm would have never ended and would have evolved into an even more horrible version in the Sage Realm. It would have been a living hell. He cleaned up the madmen Masters with his overwhelming power and, with the help of all those who aided him, created the Panamic Martial Federation that would regulate Martial Artists to ensure that Martial Art never stooped to such lows ever again."

Rui grew interested as he recalled this part from his conversations with Master Gern and his grandmother. "The family and community policy."

"That's correct." His father nodded. "Those are not absolutely perfect, but they stave off the worst. How can a Martial Artist come to regard humans as livestock when his or her family and, particularly, when his or her progeny are human? The bond between parent and child offsets the psychopathy wrought by the Martial Mind. It is why the Martial Community is so vibrant and extensive. I would urge you to start your own family if you didn't have the Quarrier Orphanage."

Rui stirred at those words as he fell into thought in regard to the tale behind his father's far past. The truth compared to how Master Gern had framed him as a bad man hostile to Martial Art in an attempt to coax Rui to disclose the truth of the mass Apprentice breakthrough was so different that Rui wanted to go back to the Panamic Martial Federation and beat up the crafty old Master.

But alas, he was exiled.

"I've just received word that Sage Kole Kellin has finally arrived at the border," his father interjected. "We will have to continue this conversation another time."

"Oh, I wanted to speak to her too." Rui's eyes lit up. "I didn't get a chance to talk to her after the hearing ended."