"Please, my lord, ascend the throne as king!"
The moment those words were spoken, the air across Dawn Star Planet seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath and looked at Tang Xiao, seated in the airborne throne constructed by drones, dressed in magnificent robes.
They waited for the response of this supreme ruler...
Tang Xiao sat upright in midair, but a warm smile suddenly appeared on his face. Then he rose to his feet and slowly said, "I remember... twenty-four years ago, when we woke from that long hibernation, I was the administrator of a refugee ship that had drifted for who knew how many years."
He walked forward at an unhurried pace. With every step, more drones flew steadily over to support his feet, allowing him to walk through the air as though on solid ground.
Tang Xiao spread his hands and said softly, "When I first heard the title of administrator, I felt no excitement at becoming the administrator of six hundred thousand people. On the contrary, all I felt was a heavy burden on my shoulders. With utmost sincerity, I accepted that position... Yes, administrator. It was I who was responsible for you, responsible for all of you—not all of you who were responsible for me. An administrator meant responsibility, not power."
He drew his outstretched hands back to his chest and clenched them. "Now, the Duchy of Dawn has a population of 1.2 trillion, and you call me the Grand Duke of Dawn. But to me, I am still that administrator... I am still the administrator from twenty-four years ago, holding dreams in my heart, responsibility in my hands, and thoughts of the future in my mind. Yes, my heart has never changed."
He lowered his head and looked down upon the countless people below, regarding