Pirate Kingship-Chapter 615 - 440: The New King’s Enlightenment, Succubus Joins (6600 merged into one)
"Your Majesty, the Lord of Heaven, Your Majesty, the Empress, why must you two leave so soon?! You haven't even visited Kusco Royal City or my new Royal Palace!"
The 15th King of the Sun Empire, Atahualpa, had just completed the sacrificial ceremony to the [Sun God] Inti under the watchful eyes of many. He was intending to invite the two great benefactors—who had, in fact, helped him ascend to the throne—to the Royal Palace as guests, to enjoy the highest level of state guest treatment.
Unexpectedly, Byron expressed his wish to depart immediately, not wanting to spend even one more day in the Empire. This greatly troubled Atahualpa, who quickly grabbed Byron's hand and said with utmost sincerity,
"Your Majesty, the Lord of Heaven, if it weren't for you and the Empress, not only the throne, but my very life would have been lost in the ascension trial. Now you are my kin and should share in the glory, power, and wealth with me. Please, give me a chance to express my gratitude to you both.
"My sister, Aya, has just gone to the Royal Palace to prepare the banquet. My mother, Kouya, my departed father's beloved Principal Queen Mother, also wants to thank you in person for your help.
"I also plan to hold the coronation ceremony for my sister Aya as Principal Queen Mother after the banquet. Without your witness, even the most grandiose ceremony would lose its luster." He patted his chest.
"Besides, haven't the issues with my father been resolved? This nation is now under my command, and you are the most esteemed guests of the Empire. Whoever dares to disrespect you is disrespecting me.
"Whenever you have enjoyed yourselves enough and are ready to return, I will fill your ship with gold, various jewels, and artisanal crafts, to give to your sister and ensure you leave with honor."
Byron could tell that although Atahualpa was overly naive and far from being a qualified King, he was definitely a sincere person. He had no intention of abandoning an ally once they were no longer useful; rather, he was genuinely trying to persuade Byron to stay. He was someone who could share not only hardships but also prosperity, truly willing to give generously of his fine possessions. This made him exceptionally rare compared to many Emperors in history. Considering his eagerness, if the Sun Empire were truly his to command, he might even have bestowed upon Byron a title like Abreast King.
However, Byron obviously could not disclose the real reason for his departure to this naive, good-hearted brother, fearing he wouldn't be able to bear it. Instead, he found another excuse:
"Your Majesty, thank you for your kindness. But today is July 21st; there isn't much time left before the three-day window at the end of this month and the three-day window at the start of next month.
The Golden Deer left the Bantaan Archipelago over a month ago. Even with my sister managing things at home, we must take advantage of this window to return.
Moreover, we have other matters to attend to before heading back, so we really cannot stay any longer.
Although I am also very eager to see the millennia-old Cusco City, it will have to wait for another opportunity.
Next time for sure!"
Yet in his heart, he was determined that after this departure, he would absolutely not set his own foot in the Sun Empire again until he had advanced to the Fifth Order—especially not Cusco Royal City, with a host of Fifth Order [False Gods] hovering overhead. Right now, all he wanted was to make a quick escape.
Byron, having narrowly escaped with his life from the gateway to the Heavens, had come to a realization. The Sun Empire truly deserved its reputation as an indigenous nation in the same vein as the Aztec and Taya Empires. In those empires, blood sacrifices involving thousands of people were commonplace, and priests were known to flay brides and dance in their skins. Behind the seemingly brilliant facade of the Sun Empire lurked unseen shadows, equally ruthless towards their own people as they were to outsiders!
Combining the intelligence he had gathered from the Sailing Logbook, he gradually pieced together a plausible theory:
"The old king's conspiracy was very likely not his idea alone. This affair probably originated with that [Death Dusk] Supay, who intended to use his ambitious son and the lives of his many grandchildren to consolidate his own Nether Authority. Otherwise, it's inexplicable how the old king could have maneuvered so extensively right under the noses of the gods.
"The very godly name '[Death Dusk]' suggests he was scheming for today's familial tragedy even before his ascension to godhood. Within the Solar Deity System, the [Shadow] and [Twilight] Authorities are closest to Death, clearly laying the groundwork for usurping control of the Netherworld. Old King Huayna Capac and the 13th Crystal Skull, the [Goddess of Suicide], were merely his pawns.
"If I hadn't interfered and disrupted the plans of that [Civilisation Gatherer], [Death Dusk], who had timed his descent to the mortal realm, likely wouldn't have stood by and watched the old king successfully ascend. How could a ruthless man capable of killing all his brothers care about the lives of his descendants? What a grand play of 'brotherly love' and 'fatherly devotion' they staged!
"Could the lofty [Sun God] Inti truly be ignorant of these events? Perhaps it's because no matter how much infighting and mutual destruction occurs among the Descendants of the Sun God, the spoils ultimately enrich him, their ancestor? He can certainly afford to watch the tides rise and fall. After all, the living Divine Descendants serve as Anchoring, while the deceased become Firewood for the entire Divine System, propelling them forward on their divine path. If they were to see me, a walking 'Panacea,' it would truly spell disaster."
Seeing Byron's firm resolve to depart, Atahualpa no longer tried to persuade him. He simply instructed his Attendants to hurry and load The Golden Deer with gold, jewels, and other such "local specialties."
