I Am God!

Chapter 16 I Care

The queen's condition had taken a turn for the worse, leaving her in a state of severe illness. Her skin was pale, and her once vibrant eyes were now sunken and dull. On the third floor of the Palace of Wisdom, the queen sat in the stone chamber by the window, looking out at the magnificent city that she had personally helped build with the King of Wisdom, starting with the first house. Together, they had ignited the fire of civilization and opened the way to progress.

She had once witnessed the sun rising over the desolate pyramids of God, and now she watched it set over the layers of towering buildings in the Divine city. The fire of civilization had just risen, and she knew that her time was coming to an end.

Ledley walked up behind her stone chair and embraced her. "I've told the children," he said. "I want them to sail across the sea to find the place of origin of God's arrival and fulfill my last dream."

A smile appeared on the face of the King of Wisdom, the pride of his life. "The one who finds the place of origin will be given the throne, and I will crown him with my own hands."

Only then did the queen turn away from the window to face Ledley. "Isn't it to soon?" she asked. "We mustn't put too much pressure on the children. The final outcome may not be what we expect."

She touched Ledley face with tenderness. "We are all old," she said. "You should rest now, my king."

Ledley shook his head. Although he was old, he still burned with ambition. He had established the Divine city, after a Kingdom, and he had made the fire of civilization burn bright. There was only one step left, but it was a crucial one.

He believed he could do it, as he had done great things before. He was the King of Wisdom and the eldest son blessed by God. "I cannot wait," he said.

"We must conquer the ocean and set foot on the land again. We are the chosen ones of God, the lords of the sea and the land. At least before I die, I want to see us control them both, so that I can die before God without any regrets."

"I will tell God," he continued. "I have fulfilled his expectations of me, and I will offer him my oath."

The queen looked at him in doubt. "An oath?"

Ledley smiled but said nothing.

He had expected many people to come and find him, but as the night wore on, no one did.

After nightfall, only Yesel, one of the seven children, entered the Palace of Wisdom to meet with Ledliki. The children had spread out across the country, and although they still acknowledged Ledley as their king, they were no longer as devoted as before. Each of his sons and daughters had established their own cities and territories, prioritizing their own rights over their father's grand ambitions.

However, Ledley’s eyes lit up at the sight of Yesel. He was lost in thought, but the sight of his son rekindled his spirit.

Yesel approached his father in the moonlight and knelt down before him.

"King of Wisdom," Yesel said. "I want to find the place of origin and build a new city there."

Ledley looked at Yesel, then rose to his feet, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. Together, they walked out of the palace and sat side by side on the ground. In that moment, Ledley shed his regal bearing and spoke to his son as an equal.

"Alright, Yesel," he said. "You are not only my son, but also my companion. I am old now, and I can only rely on you to achieve my dreams."

Yesel felt a warmth in his heart as he spoke with his father so candidly. "Father, your dreams and ideals will be realized by me."

Ledley chuckled, a rare moment of levity. "I will wait for you to return," he said. "And when you do, I will give you the most precious gift I possess."

Ledley gazed into the reflection on the water, revealing a tall man adorned in dark bone armor with resolute and majestic eyes. He touched the crown on his head, as if contemplating its removal. This crown was not naturally formed or created, but rather an extension of Ledliki's bone armor that he controlled the appearance of after ascending to the throne of wisdom. The crown was considered a part of his bone armor.

"God said that the king must wear a crown," Ledley remarked.

The queen gazed upon his back and responded, "Perhaps to distinguish the king from others?"

"But why?" Ledley questioned.

"You appear much more regal with the crown," the queen replied.

Ledley nodded. "So the crown is the symbol of the king, but apart from that, there's nothing unusual about it."

"But if the crown represents supreme wisdom and kingship, and there is also an oath to the gods," Ledley interjected, "then it is more than just a symbol. It represents the agreement between royal power and theocracy."

The queen shook her head. "It's that oath again."

"What kind of oath did the king and God make?" the Queen asked.

A smile played across Ledley face as he recalled his pledge to God. "I said to God, 'I want to make an unforgettable oath with all the Sanye people, and engrave my faith in God in my blood.'"

"God replied," Ledley continued, the star-like light and shadow reflecting in his pupils, "These things only make sense to you, and they don't make sense to me."

"There is no eternal civilization," God had told him. "Even if the sun in the sky will eventually go out, the universe is inevitably going to extinction. No matter how great the civilization is, it can't withstand the swearing of time. No matter how pious the faith is, it will be forgotten, and no matter how tall and hard the temple and stone statue is, it will eventually collapse into ruins."

Ledley still struggled to comprehend this statement. He could not fathom the eternal sun's demise, let alone the eventual destruction of the vast universe. He had never witnessed the indestructible temple crumble over time. He believed that the civilization he created would be immortal, and he held firm to his faith, confident it could withstand the test of time.

Ledley finally revealed his plan, "I want all the Sanye people to never forget their faith in God. I want to engrave my will in the blood of all the king of wisdom so that anyone who wears this crown will be just like me, crawling loyally at the feet of the gods. This is my oath with God. As long as people wear this crown, they will offer their will and the most loyal faith to the gods. Only by dedicating your will to the gods can you become the king of wisdom."

Ledley’s gaze shifted to the majestic pyramid outside the window, and his face filled with unparalleled enthusiasm, almost bordering on insanity. "This is it! All the kings of wisdom in the future will be just like me. The kingdom of Hiinsa will always be bathed in the light of God and will guard the temple of God until the end of time, until the day when the sun goes out."

The queen stood up, disbelieving what she had just heard. Ledley had never forced anyone to follow his will, nor had he ever used the power of wisdom or kingship to control his people. He was a wise and benevolent king, but she had not expected him to use his power for such a purpose, aimed at their bloodline.

"Ledley! Are you really going to do this? Didn't you say that God doesn't care? Is it worth imposing your will on the children for your own selfish desires?"

The queen grabbed Ledley’s hand and implored him, "Let it be! God said that he doesn't need your vows, and the children may not want the will and shackles you impose on them."

Ledley persistence caught the queen off guard, and she could see the determination in his eyes. "God may not, but I care!"