At Rowan's confident declaration, the Silent King immediately raised his head with interest.
An almost imperceptible gleam flashed through his spectral green eyes.
The supreme ruler of the Necrons knew perfectly well that the being standing before him was a genuine god of the material universe.
So how did this god intend to prove his point?
The Silent King was genuinely curious.
Rowan cleared his throat and began pacing through the empty tomb hall, his footsteps ringing crisply against the black flagstones.
"Your Majesty, you must understand this yourself."
Rowan raised a finger and began explaining patiently. "The conflict between humanity and the Necrons stems largely from disputes over borders and territory. Your people went into hibernation in ancient times, but so many years have passed since then. Calling humans parasites who occupied the Galaxy while the Necrons slept is going a bit far."
He stopped and turned toward the hologram on the throne.
"Humanity never relied on any Necron assistance during its rise, nor did any Necrons attempt to stop it. And remember, some of your people had already awakened by then."
The corners of Rowan's mouth lifted slightly, a teasing note creeping into his voice. "A certain museum curator, for instance, woke up a very long time ago. His collection even includes ancient artifacts from humanity's Mesopotamian period."
"—I reserve judgment on that."
The Silent King abruptly interjected.
His voice remained utterly placid.
Rowan shook his head, ignored the objection, and continued. "And that is precisely the greatest sticking point right now. The Galaxy is indeed vast, spanning the heavens, yet it is also small—too small for two galaxy-spanning space empires to coexist peacefully."
He spread his hands, his expression turning serious.
"So why don't we approach this differently? Find a path both sides can accept?"
The Silent