It was like a lie. If not for the still-scorching heat, she would have thought it a hallucination. However, the flame that still lingered on Hwaran’s body and retina was undeniably real.
From the darkness that befell her, the puzzled voice of the King of Humans was heard.
"But the name 'Flame of Eternity' doesn't suit it. Nine seconds isn't eternity."
"Nine seconds? Is that the limit? Can't the time be extended?"
"No. It's an innate problem. No matter what you use as the core, you can only control that flame for nine seconds."
"According to my calculations..."
"It's a problem that arose precisely because of your calculations, you know? Though probably no one else but you could overcome it either."
The King of Humans stated conclusively, and Hwaran realized that it was an inevitable limit.
She herself is the limit. The King of Humans has reached the threshold of all humanity. If she says it's impossible, it means it is a realm that current humanity's means can never reach.
"The sun floating in the universe will endure for a time close to eternity. But implementing a sun with hyper-gravity on this land, nine seconds is the limit. The smaller the range and scale, the harder it is to control the margin of error. At some point, the moment the hastily forged iron core exhausts its strength, it instead swallows the heat. And yet, you can't use anything other than iron as the core. Because it's unstable."
Pondering it, it made sense. Hwaran had only been obsessed with igniting the Flame of Eternity, but had never reached a way to sustain it.
Having faced her 'limit', Hwaran realized that even that static limit originated from herself.
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"Is that the limit of my Flame of Eternity?"
"Yeah! Of course, if it were you, you wouldn't have even succeeded and would have died trying! Look. You went blind just from watching it!"
The King of Humans, who said such cruel words so brightly, approached Hwaran without hesitation and touched her face. The blind Hwaran could only feel the King of Humans through her presence. As the King of Humans fiddled with Hwaran's face, she suddenly thrust her finger into her eye.
"What would you have done without me!"
However, there was no pain. As the suddenly inserted finger disappeared, Hwaran's vision returned. The King of Humans had instantly repaired Hwaran's burned retina and optic nerve.
Was this a miracle, a grace, or a curse? Even though she regained her sight, that flame still seemed to reflect in Hwaran's pupils.
And the method to reach it was right before her eyes.
"I understand now... why the Lord of All Creation sought the King of Humans so desperately."
The limits of humanity are right before her. She is the answer sheet and simultaneously the grader. Hwaran didn't need to struggle to figure out what was needed and what was lacking.
Because the King of Humans would judge whether it was possible or not.
Hwaran found her path again. The only way to achieve her desire now was the King of Humans.
"I, too, have just lost my master. I will come and serve Your Majesty from now on. Will you accept me, even though I have lost everything?"
"Fine! I need someone lost like you, too! Kids wandering on the periphery like you define my limits!"
The King of Humans, who laughed joyfully, spoke to Hwaran amicably. At that moment, the old man's head at the king's waist snapped its eyes open.
Hwaran, who had only recognized it as the king's bizarre and nasty accessory until now, was surprised. Not because it was grotesque, but because it was wondrous that a head-only old man could still speak.
"Your Majesty. She harbors impure intentions."
"Will you tell me?"
"A king must rule his subjects with benevolence, and subjects must serve their king with loyalty. However, she is not loyal to Your Majesty. She covets Your Majesty's power and seeks to exploit it. Your Majesty should accept her, but do not keep her by your side; make her rise from the lowest position in order to test her loyalty."
It was a blunt admonition to be wary of the sudden sorceress. Indeed, it might have been a proper piece of advice a normal loyal subject would give.
However, the counterpart was not just any king. The King of Humans pouted and spoke.
"Aren't you, though?"
"This humble subject..."
"You're the same."
The King of Humans opened the window. From the highest point of the royal palace, the entire capital could be seen at a glance. Leaning against the windowsill, the King of Humans held the Prime Minister's head up to the window's height.
"Look. This is the country judged by your ruler."
The country, where trees and flower beds naturally melted in, was beautiful at first glance. The faces of the people strolling hand in hand between the street trees and flower beds were free of any worry.
No one is afraid, no one hates. Even though the King of Humans cast out the sub-lords and became king, no one holds complaints or doubts.
Because the King of Humans did it.
Although exchanges with the Hugyeon Merchant Group were cut off, the Empire's state-level checks were put in place, and the role as a bridgehead between imperial and non-imperial factions disappeared, paralyzing the economy, it had no effect on the lives of the people.
Because the King of Humans filled the gap.
Wounds heal quickly, no one starves, and no one suffers from harsh labor or conflict. Rather, the population only grows. Because they take in all those who have nowhere to go.
Flowers that bloom in different seasons bloomed together, and everyone laughed and chatted without being wary of each other. Because they are nothing to each other, they no longer need to be careful of one another. They just let things pass.
In this country, only the King of Humans was meaningful.
There was no shortage in bearing the name Wuling. An era of peace and prosperity, an earthly paradise. She should be proud to have created such a world.
However, the old man closed his eyes, as if he couldn't bear to look.
"You achieved this result, so why are you closing your eyes? What are you going to do by hiding the markings on your ruler."
Naturally, there couldn't have been no problems.
Those who doubted the King of Humans. Those who followed the former lords. Loyal subjects, treacherous officials, ambitious individuals, criminals, revolutionaries, and so on.
Those who challenged the king's authority, those who slandered and disparaged the king, and those who used the chaotic situation to line their pockets were everywhere. There were also groups trying to use the king to enrich themselves.
However, the Prime Minister who had supported the Lilac Principality for nearly half a century was wise and veteran. He saw through and responded to the schemes directed at the king and the state. The King of Humans left 'such' judgments entirely to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister, riding on the king's power, strictly established order.
Someone tried to frame the Prime Minister, but no matter what imagination they employed, it was impossible to frame a person(?) who, with only a head left, wouldn't fall off the king's waist. Thus, while serving the King of Humans instead of the lord, the Prime Minister preserved the Lilac Principality in a form close to its original shape.
It was truly a feat achieved through experience and effort, ability and passion.
However.
'Was that the right thing to do?'
The Prime Minister perfectly supported the Lilac Principality. Without major changes,
'Even though the king changed, was it right to remain unchanged?'
Too many changes unrelated to the Prime Minister's abilities had come. Food problems, trade problems, political problems, and so on. The Prime Minister was busy just maintaining the status quo. He couldn't help but use the all-purpose treasure that solved every scattered problem.
The King of Humans gradually became everything to the country. What disappeared from the principality, what broke away, what was lacking—the King of Humans filled it all. The Demon God made all of it possible.
She could do anything. Because of that, the Prime Minister could do nothing but maintain the status quo.
Because he feared any greater change than this.
The old Prime Minister had a wealth of experience. His world was already set in stone. Removing conflict, unhappiness, and crime from the Lilac Principality was the only perfect society he could imagine.
However, it fell far short of the 'perfection' the Prime Minister had imagined.
Seeing sin artificially carved out and leaving all of it to the King of Humans. Even with only a head left, he felt a suffocating sensation in his chest.
Even though his heaven-like and respected Majesty was right beside him. The Prime Minister unknowingly sought another existence.
"...Celestial God."
"So you had your own ruler, too."
The Prime Minister, still with his eyes closed, reported.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. You were far too great for this humble subject..."
"You served well. Now rest."
The King of Humans stroked the Prime Minister's head gently and spoke thus. The Prime Minister remained silent, unable to open his eyes still. As if accepting his limits and fate.
The King of Humans willingly became his end.
Crunch.
The Prime Minister's head left not a single drop of blood. Just like the iron marble from earlier, it was compressed and vanished right in her hand.
By looking at her hand for a brief moment, the King of Humans finished her mourning for the Prime Minister. Even after killing a person, she still retained a child-like brightness.
"Everyone seeks god when they lose their way. Even though they'll end up here anyway."
"Do you also seek it, Your Majesty?"
"God?"
"The Seonghwangcheong possesses a Demon God. They thoroughly hide that Demon God and deceive the people into believing it is a Celestial God. The ignorant masses without that knowledge believe the Celestial God to be the greatest and most divine existence. Even though it is a being infinitely more incompetent than Your Majesty."
The King of Humans stared at Hwaran and smiled.
"Your goal is the Demon God. For the Flame of Eternity, isn't it?"
"It will also help Your Majesty. If I find a new method, Your Majesty will be able to do it too."
"Yeah. I like it."
The Prime Minister denied invasion and war. He only employed the King of Humans to the extent that it wouldn't destroy the existing order. If he had remained as the ruler, the King of Humans would have continued to stay in this cramped Lilac Principality.
Now the ruler was gone, and the king had no shackles. She could leave the Lilac Principality behind without a second thought.
No one knew what the principality would look like after the king disappeared. But that wasn't a problem the king needed to worry about.
Suddenly, the King of Humans stroked her waist and muttered.
"I miss my younger sibling today of all days."