Lord of the Truth

Baa!

Kristan stretched out both hands with trembling eagerness to receive the flute. For a fraction of a second, a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes, his entire face betraying emotions he usually kept buried deep—longing, hunger, ecstasy. It was only an instant, but it was there, raw and naked.

Then, just as quickly, he masked it again, regaining his habitual smug composure… only to crush the flute against his chest as if it were a newborn he was afraid to lose, "Ahhh, my treasure!!" he cried, voice thick with obsession.

Robin caught everything. That subtle shift, that glimpse of the real Kristan that slipped through for the tiniest blink—he noticed it clearer than the blazing midday sun. But instead of commenting, he only grinned wider, letting a sly chuckle slip. "Come on now, my dear nephew, say it out loud. You know what I want to hear."

Kristan's eyelids began to twitch violently. His throat bobbed. His lips quivered. "Th– th– th–" he stammered, clutching his throat with both hands as though the word itself was a thorn lodged inside, refusing to leave. "Th– tha… tha—nk y– yo—"

Seconds dragged on like years. His face reddened, veins bulged in his temples, and still the cursed phrase stuck. Then, in a sudden burst of frustration, Kristan raised his hand and smacked himself across the face with a thunderous Baaam! The sound echoed through the hall.

"THANK YOU, UNCLE!!" he bellowed, laughing wildly as though the admission burned and healed him all at once. The laughter didn't last long—within moments he stumbled to the side and doubled over, retching violently until he was vomiting his very guts.

"Hahaha! Was that really so hard?" Robin laughed heartily, crossing his arms as he watched Kristan spasm and gag on the floor, his proud dignity shattered in the most ridiculous way imaginable.

"Is… is this real?!"

Zara, normally composed as a frozen mountain peak, had her eyes stretched wide open. It was one of those rare moments when even she couldn't hold back her astonishment.

"Your Majesty, is that truly…?!" Even Emily gasped in disbelief, nearly spilling the mountain of reports stacked on her lap. Her lips trembled as she stared at the shining instrument in Kristan's arms. "Is that truly planetary artifact? How in the heavens did your majesty obtain it?!"

The hall thickened with tension. The mention of planetary gear was like speaking of the stuff of legends. Even the idea of possessing any planetary weapon was beyond extravagant. But to see one here, now—casually handed to Kristan—was a dream no one dared imagine.

"Of course. Do you think I would lie to you?" Robin replied with a calm smile, his tone so relaxed it was almost mocking. "Didn't Theo ever bring you any?"

Emily shook her head, her expression darkening slightly. "Although His Highness Theo has more than enough wealth to enter any auction and bid on treasures, he spends it differently. He prefers purchasing World Cataclysms and saving his Pearls to buy an additional Nexus State." She let out a faint sigh. "He said he never had enough to waste on auxiliary tools with such astronomical prices."

Her eyes flicked again toward the flute, and her voice wavered. "But especially this one… planetary beast-taming gear, and second grade no less? If I recall correctly, the last one that appeared on the market was only first grade. It sold for… seventeen million pearls!"

Robin raised his brows slightly. "Ohh…" His expression betrayed both curiosity and calculation. A first-grade item already commanded such a monstrous price, but second grade? Its value would skyrocket exponentially, possibly a hundred million drachmas or more. To possess such a tool personally was the mark of a supreme powerhouse or a figure so wealthy that kingdoms bent knee.

And yet, Robin knew very well where he had found it—deep within the private domain of the Cosmic Elder. There, he had stumbled upon not one, but three planetary weapons. This flute was merely one of them.

Beast-taming gear was unimaginably rare, a type of equipment that bent the balance of war. To wield it was to command entire armies of monstrous creatures. Every individual who owned one was whispered of across galaxies, feared for what their artifact could unleash. Even Robin himself was struck by disbelief when he found it lying there abandoned.

He had pieced the truth together: one of those mighty figures had perished on the island, failing in their attempt to comprehend the elusive Law of Balance. And Kristan… Kristan, of all people, had asked for it by name. Could this be what it meant to be a child chosen by fate itself?

Robin's smirk deepened as he shifted his attention. "By the way." He pressed his soul sense into his personal ring for a few seconds. From within its depths, he retrieved another spatial ring and flicked it gently through the air, letting it land gracefully in Emily's hands. "This is for the Empire. Use them as you see fit."

Emily frowned, puzzled, until her spiritual sense brushed the ring's contents. Her entire face froze, then exploded in shock. "Aahhh!!"

"What is it?!" Zara rushed over instantly, her own soul sense darting in to investigate. "This…?!"

"What did you find? Something good?!" Kristan's head popped up between them like an overeager child. He too probed the ring, and in a split-second his face cycled through a storm of emotions: disbelief, sharp calculation, a tense exhale of resignation—then his eyes snapped wide open again, sparkling with astonishment.

"All of this… all of it is planetary gear?!"

"Yes…" Robin once again rubbed his short beard slowly, his lips curling into that strange smile of his, one that always left those around him wondering if he was joking or entirely serious. His voice carried calm authority, but also a teasing undertone, "Yes, every single one of them is planetary equipment, ranging from first grade to third. So—tell me—do you like my little gift?"

"There are twenty-seven pieces of planetary gear in this single ring!!" Emily's voice cracked with disbelief as she lifted the ring high, her delicate fingers trembling as if she were cradling the weight of countless worlds. It wasn't just a ring anymore—it felt like the treasury of an entire empire compressed into the size of a coin. And perhaps that wasn't too far from the truth, for if the actual value of the artifacts were to be calculated, the sum could rival the annual wealth of great dynasties.

"Father, did you… buy all of this?" Zara turned sharply toward the throne, her eyes narrowing, every line of her face etched with seriousness. It was not mere curiosity—it was suspicion, mixed with awe.

Robin's grin widened as he let out a chuckle. "No, no. I stumbled upon them during another little adventure, hehe." His tone was casual, almost dismissive, as if acquiring twenty-seven planetary treasures was no different from finding stones along the roadside. Yet none other than him and the Spirit of Specter Valley knew what he had to do for them!

"This… this is beyond astonishing," Emily whispered, still staring at the ring as if it might vanish at any moment. "I'll deliver them all to His Highness Theo immediately!! He must decide what to do with such wealth."

Kristan stroked his long beard fiercely, his eyes flashing with thought. "It's better if we review them first," he insisted. "Not every item here is a weapon. Some could be construction tools, research instruments, or even cultivation aids. Who knows? Within these treasures, there might be artifacts that could accelerate the rebirth of our Empire, why give it to the shadow swords?"

"I agree with my nephew." Robin lifted his hand, pointing first at Kristan, then gesturing toward a line of majestic seats prepared at the side of the hall. They were grand thrones, built to accommodate visiting emperors and planetary kings of allied realms. "Go sit over there. Compare the shapes and inscriptions of each artifact with Theo's reports. Record their names, ranks, and properties as you like—it will be a valuable exercise for you."

Emily hesitated for a moment, then spoke cautiously, "Your Majesty, if you allow us, perhaps it would be wiser to return to the main headquarters. We could conduct a detailed review there and give you the privacy you surely desire."

Robin waved her concern away with a shake of his head. "No need. I still require you here for a far greater matter. Just waste some time with those toys until I finish what I must." His eyes gleamed, and his tone dipped into a sharper register, one that carried the weight of secrets yet untold. Then, as if suddenly reminded, he leaned back and said lightly, "Ah, right. I want to see Aro. Summon him to me."

"….."

The three exchanged tense glances without meaning to. Toys? Did His Majesty truly just call planetary artifacts—items for which entire empires went to war—mere toys? And if there was indeed something greater than dozens of planetary gears… what kind of matter could possibly surpass such unfathomable wealth?

But their hesitation lasted only a moment before action overtook them. The three moved as if pulled by strings of duty, dividing responsibilities with practiced ease:

"I'll take them out of the ring and arrange them neatly on the floor," Kristan shouted eagerly, already pulling at the ring's space. His voice carried the excitement of a child discovering an endless trove of candy.

"I'll send an immediate summons to Supreme General Aro." Emily passed the ring to Kristan with utmost care, then strode toward the grand gateway, her steps urgent.

"Wait, take me with you," Zara said, following quickly. "I'll retrieve the encyclopedia Second Brother Theo entrusted to us. It will help us identify and catalog each item properly."

"….."

When the echo of their footsteps faded, the vast hall felt emptier. Only Robin remained in the company of Kristan, who was already laughing to himself, pulling out artifact after artifact and arranging them with the manic joy of a collector drunk on treasure.

Robin, meanwhile, sat quietly upon his throne, his golden eyes narrowing. He cast one final, peculiar glance at Kristan—an unreadable look, half amusement, half calculation. Then, with deliberate calm, he extended his hand and drew out a large metallic tablet, etched with strange runes.

As its heavy weight settled into his palm, a soft glow shimmered across its surface, and Robin's eyes began to shine faintly... Doing something.