—The future came rolling in, without asking for anyone's opinion.
Hearing those words, Adalbert felt a tremor rise from the depths of his heart.
At last, he understood what Ian was thinking.
Unlike Inaga II, unlike Grand Duke Solin...
Unlike all the kings of Terra who were confident, proud, arrogant, and self-assured...
Ian had never yearned for a "correct answer," nor did he wish to forge something "eternal."
He did not pursue an unbroken dynasty for ten thousand generations, nor the enduring continuation and strength of a bloodline.
What he wanted was neither for a name to be passed down forever nor for a system that could run steadily for centuries or millennia.
He believed the path he walked was "correct for the present," but not "correct for the future."
He believed he would "succeed now," and that he would "eventually be eliminated" in the future.
Whether it was AI, the Arcane Path, agricultural reform, the Spirit-Veneration Church... all of it was merely Ian's tool, a carving knife with which to reshape the world.
But that was not Ian's dream or goal.
Ian's goal...
"Is only Above the High Heavens."
Trembling slightly, he said, "That is all you want, isn't it? Everything else can wait until afterward."
"Yes."
Ian's gaze was gentle yet resolute, without the slightest hesitation. "Once humanity can truly travel safely into the distance, my system will be eliminated—but before that, I will create a world where everyone lives and works in peace, with no worries over food or clothing."
"So, Adalbert, are you willing to walk toward failure with me?" he invited.
"How could I refuse?"
Closing his eyes, the researcher gave a bitter smile.
But soon, he opened them again, and that bitter smile became a genuine one. "Until now, my research has not suffered