Lord of the Truth

"...Your Majesty?"

"Your Majesty!!"

The moment his presence was recognized, a ripple of gasps and awe spread across the vast chamber. Dozens of high-ranking administrators and officials instinctively recoiled a few steps and then, in unison, dropped into a deep, formal bow. Their backs were straight, hands pressed to their chests or knees, faces lowered in utmost reverence.

Even though Robin's appearance had changed dramatically — his once flowing hair now trimmed short, a well-kept beard framing his jaw — and even though he had vanished from the public eye for a full century without a single confirmed sighting, his image had never left the heart of the Empire.

Portraits of him still hung on the walls of bureaucratic offices, busts and full-body statues of him were raised in every capital square, and his likeness was etched into textbooks, currency, and murals. Tales of his might and leadership were whispered by soldiers, debated by scholars, and romanticized in tavern songs. For those who walked the halls of power, there was no mistaking him — even after a hundred years, the aura that clung to him was unmistakable.

"Your Majesty, had we been informed of your arrival, we would have arranged a proper reception — a ceremony worthy of your name." Emily, poised yet clearly rattled, rose from behind her desk and bowed deeply as well, her voice crisp and clear, despite the visible exhaustion lining her eyes.

Robin offered a soft, almost paternal smile, his eyes taking in the fatigue carved into her face like stone under rain.

"That won't be necessary," he said gently. "You've got much more pressing matters to deal with, Emily. I wouldn't want to add to your already overflowing plate." He waved his hand in a casual yet commanding gesture.

"Please — everyone, leave us. You can return to harassing the Lady once I'm gone."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

With murmured acknowledgments and respectful nods, the officials shuffled out of the room, their expressions lighting up with a barely concealed joy. Whispers began the moment the doors closed behind them. His Majesty has returned. He's here. After all these years. The news would travel like wildfire across departments, provinces, even planets.

Now alone, the room felt quieter, but not empty. Robin's presence filled it to the brim. Emily, regaining her composure, stepped forward and extended a hand toward her own chair.

"Please, Your Majesty, take a seat. How can I assist you today? Would you like me to summon your children?" Her tone was formal, but carried an undertone of genuine concern.

Robin didn't answer immediately. He simply looked at her for a moment — a long, searching gaze — and smiled again, this time with a trace of melancholy.

"...Time hasn't been kind to you, Emily," he said softly, voice low and steady. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you fell asleep standing most nights."

Emily blinked, unsure how to respond, but her silence said more than words. She remained at Level 43 in the Martial Emperor Realm, a progression that lagged far behind others of her generation. But her talent had never been in question. In her youth, she had stood shoulder to shoulder with prodigies like Elizabeth, nearly matching them in raw potential. Now, however, the signs of strain were everywhere — the sunken shadows beneath her eyes, the stiffness in her shoulders, the sheer volume of noise and chaos she seemed to command just by standing still. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that she had sacrificed cultivation for duty.

Robin's memory flickered, bringing forth the image of Alfred Marley, the young man Billy had entrusted with governance of the Ancestral Continent. When Robin returned decades later, Alfred had been a shell of the youth he once was — prematurely aged, bent under the crushing weight of leadership. He had sacrificed everything to keep the land together.

But Emily was different. Alfred had been trying to repay a debt, to redeem his family's legacy. He worked out of fear, guilt, and obligation. Emily, on the other hand, chose this path. No one forced it on her. She embraced it — not because she had to, but because she was born for it.

"I honestly can't thank fate enough for placing me in this position," Emily said suddenly, her voice light but sincere, a smile tugging at her lips. "Before your grand return and unifying Jura, I used to manage taxes and budget reports for the Sacred Tree Empire — unofficially, of course. And now… to be in charge of the highest administrative office in a planetary empire? It's more than a dream. It's a destiny fulfilled."

Robin nodded.

"I know." He took a slow step forward, his boots clicking softly against the polished floor. "Everyone noticed your dedication. That's why they brought you to me back in Greenland. And from that moment on, I watched you work — tirelessly, carefully, brilliantly. That's why I left you where you are. That's why I raised your authority to the peak — high enough that even supreme generals like Caesar and Sakaar answer to you before launching any operation."

He was in front of her now, speaking with a warmth rarely seen in the battlefield legends told about him.

"But even so," he added, tone dipping into something heavier, "this burden… it keeps growing. And it's far too large for one person to carry alone."

Emily's expression shifted instantly, her posture stiffening. There was a trace of panic in her eyes now. His words — so carefully chosen — sounded like the beginning of a dismissal.

"Please, Your Majesty, don't say that," she said quickly. "I don't need assistance. I don't need a partner. I truly love this work — I live for it—"

"Shhh…" Robin interrupted gently.

He reached out and slowly guided her back toward her chair. She obeyed, almost on instinct, and sank into the seat. He then placed both hands gently on either side of her head, his touch cool, grounding.

"There's no need to explain anything else… just close your eyes for a moment. Let go of the weight. Breathe… and rest."

A wave of confusion, laced with strange and unfamiliar emotions, washed over Emily's mind, clouding her thoughts entirely. She was no stranger to surprises, but nothing could have prepared her for the haunting calm in Robin's voice.

"Huh? Your Majesty, what are you—?!" she tried to speak, but her sentence broke midway, as though some unseen force had suddenly silenced her.

Her mouth froze. Her tongue refused to obey her will.

"A-a... Aaah..."

She began to stutter helplessly, her voice trailing off into meaningless murmurs. At that very moment, the dull blackness that had clouded her eyes — a sign of countless sleepless nights and burdens too heavy to carry — was swept away like dust in the wind. Then, almost impossibly, her eyes and her mouth began to glow with a faint, soft white light, as if some divine energy had just awakened within her.

The world became still.

Time ceased to matter.

How long she remained in that trance-like state, no one could say. But eventually, a spark of awareness returned to her gaze. She blinked rapidly, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths, and looked around the room with dazed curiosity.

"...Your Majesty? What just happened?!" she asked, her voice trembling, filled with awe and confusion.

Robin's laughter echoed through the chamber — rich and genuine, a sound like the sun breaking through storm clouds.

"Haha... Congratulations, Emily. The trial was successful."

He finally removed his hands from her head, stepping back with a calm satisfaction, leaving her completely stunned in her chair. Then, with an almost casual ease, he walked around her desk and took a seat in one of the guest chairs.

"Now I can rest easier," he said, folding his arms and leaning back slightly, "knowing that you're going to be just fine from now on."

Emily stood slowly, her legs still slightly unsteady. She stared at him with wide, bewildered eyes, her voice rising with disbelief.

"What... what did you do to me, Your Majesty? I can feel it—something inside me has changed. It's real, I know it. I just... I don't have the words for it!"

Her face was glowing, not just from the lingering soul force, but with a spark of childlike wonder that hadn't been seen in her in years.

She had completely forgotten her place, sitting in the high command chair while the Emperor himself was seated modestly before her like a visitor.

Robin offered a gentle smile.

"For the past hundred years," he began, his voice low and thoughtful, "I've spent an enormous amount of time studying the soul. Not the flashy kind where I make techniques, but deep, patient work. Quiet observation. Dangerous trials. And eventually, I uncovered a few results worth sharing."

He nodded at her, then added:

"One of those discoveries is this — the ability to open access to the Soul Domain, even for those who have never felt its presence before. I can act as a conduit, using my soul force to guide others inward — a bridge, if you will."

Emily's eyes widened further.

"Now," Robin continued, "I want you to try something for me. Close your eyes. Focus everything — your awareness, your intuition, your soul sense — and imagine it all flowing upward into your head. Think of it as if you're gathering yourself, and then stepping upward into another room. Take a brief look around… then, when you feel ready, think about returning to your body. That's all."

In all the vast reaches of the empire, there was only one person known to freely enter and exit their Soul Domain — and that was Robin himself.

Even figures as formidable as Zara and Peon, who commanded ALOT of soul units, had not yet unlocked their domains.

Even Richard who could bring cities to life and command them with precision and insight, had only recently begun to sense the existence of such a place.

Because accessing the Soul Domain was a completely different reality than simply using soul units.

Even individuals in the Knighthood could manipulate soul units for scanning or communication.

But developing power you couldn't see, navigating a realm you couldn't enter — it was like trying to nurture a tree in the dark. You could feed it, water it, even talk to it… but you'd never truly know if it was growing right.

Robin himself had stumbled into the Soul Domain during his legendary duel with Hovenheim, and even then, it was by force, not design.

The only time he had ever attempted to connect to another person's Soul Domain had been with Peon, when he channeled the soul force of ten giants, refined their essence, and forcibly injected it into a weak point in Peon's soul domain. He didn't know if the act had damaged Peon permanently — but he had no choice. It was either that, or let Peon die.

And even after it worked, Peon can't enter it, and Robin doesn't know if it permanently affected him!

Emily gasped again.

"I can enter my Soul Domain?!" she asked, unable to hide the astonishment in her voice.

Ever since Robin's historic use of silver swords and silver beasts, the idea of a Soul Domain had become widespread knowledge — but only as a legend.

For most people, it was a myth, or worse, a cruel tease. No one actually knew how to reach it.

Emily closed her eyes tightly, trying to follow Robin's instruction.

Her brow furrowed. Her lips tightened. Her eyes fluttered beneath her lids. She trembled slightly, like a diver standing on the edge of a cliff, preparing to leap.

Then, suddenly, her entire body went still. Completely and utterly still.

A full minute passed.

Then — gasp! — her eyes snapped open and she clutched her chest, breathing rapidly as though she had just been pulled out of a deep sea.

"Is that... is that the Soul Domain?!"

Her voice was filled with wonder. Her whole face was aglow with life. "It's white — like pure milk. White and so, so vast! It stretches on forever!"

She grinned — a wide, breathless, overwhelmed grin.

"And there were... so many! So many tiny white spheres floating all around me — just drifting! It was beautiful!"