I Care

The Queen was ill, gravely ill.

On the third floor of the Wisdom Palace, the Queen sat by the window in a stone room, gazing outside. She had personally witnessed this place transform from a desolate wilderness into a magnificent city. She had also once helped the King of Wisdom build the first house of the God-Given City with her own hands.

Igniting the light of civilization, paving the way towards civilization.

She had once watched the sun rise over God's pyramid and a barren valley. Now, she also watched the sun's afterglow fall upon the layered buildings of varying heights in the God-Given City.

The sun of civilization had only just risen, yet she was already about to make her exit.

Redlichia walked behind her stone chair and embraced her from behind.

"I've told the children."

"I want them to cross the ocean to search for land, to find the place of origin where God descended, and fulfill my final dream."

A smile appeared on the face of the King of Wisdom, the pride of a lifetime's fulfillment.

"The one who finds the place of origin."

"I will give them the throne and personally crown them."

The Queen finally snapped out of her reverie of the scenery outside the window and looked at the equally aged Redlichia.

"Isn't it too hasty?"

"Some things are better left for the children to do. They don't necessarily have to be completed in our generation."

"Being too hasty will put too much pressure on the children, and the outcome may not be what we imagine."

The Queen touched Redlichia's face, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"We've both grown old, my king. Don't you think it's time for us to stop and rest for a while?"

Redlichia shook his head. Although he had aged, one could still see the ambition in his eyes.

He had established the God-Given City and the Yinsai Kingdom. He had ignited the spark of civilization and let it burn brilliantly.

Just one final step.

Just one final step remained.

He believed he could do it, just as he had achieved those previous great feats, because he was the King of Wisdom, the firstborn blessed by God.

"I can't wait any longer."

"We have conquered the ocean, so we should step back onto land."

"We are the firstborn of God, the chosen rulers of the ocean and land."

"At least before I die, I want to see us control the land and sea, so I can die before God without any regrets."

"I will tell God that I did it. I fulfilled His expectations of me, and I will also offer Him my oath."

The Queen looked at him in confusion: "Oath?"

Redlichia smiled without saying a word.

Redlichia thought many people would come to him, but even as night fell, no one came.

After dark, among the seven children, only Yesael entered the Wisdom Palace to see Redlichia.

The princes had already been granted fiefs in various places. Although Redlichia was still their king, they were no longer completely dependent on him as before.

His sons and daughters had opened up their own cities and established their own territories. Compared to their father's dream, they valued their own rights and territories more.

Although Redlichia was disappointed, his eyes shone with light the moment he saw Yesael.

Yesael walked into the palace under the moonlight and knelt on one knee before his father.

"King of Wisdom!"

"I am willing to go in search of the place of origin and establish a new city there."

Redlichia looked at Yesael, then slowly stood up. He walked straight down to Yesael and placed his hand on his shoulder.

Redlichia walked out of the palace with his arm around his son's shoulder.

Shoulder to shoulder, father and son sat on the ground.

At this moment, he no longer had the majesty of a king.

"Good!"

"Yesael."

"You are not only my son but also my companion."

"Your father is old and can only rely on you to realize my dream."

Yesael was happy to have such an intimate conversation with his father for the first time, but he was also saddened by his father's words, "I am old."

"Father, your dreams and ideals will be realized by me."

Redlichia laughed so hard that he lost his composure, a rare sight.

"Upon your return, I will bestow upon you a gift - the most precious treasure I possess."

Redlichia looked at his reflection in the water. A tall male Trilobite Man with dark exoskeleton appeared, his gaze resolute and majestic.

He touched the crown on his head as if wanting to take it off.

This crown was not naturally formed nor was it crafted. Rather, after becoming the King of Wisdom, Redlichia controlled the growth of his exoskeleton to form the shape of a crown. It was considered a part of his exoskeleton.

"God said kings wear crowns."

"Tell me."

"Why do kings wear crowns?"

The Queen gazed at his back: "Perhaps to highlight the difference between the king and others?"

"Indeed, you seem far more majestic with the crown upon your head."

Redlichia nodded.

"So the crown is a symbol of the king, but besides being a symbol, it has nothing special."

"But if the crown possessed the supreme authority of the King of Wisdom and also contained an oath to the divine."

"Then this crown would be completely different."

"It would not only be a symbol of the King of Wisdom but also a representation of the covenant between royal authority and divine right."

The Queen shook her head: "Another oath!"

"What kind of oath did the King and God make?"

A smile appeared on Redlichia's face: "I told God that I wanted to make an unforgettable oath with all Trilobite Men, to engrave faith in God into our bloodline."

"In response, God said to me."

His pupils reflected a starry light and that ethereal, desolate voice.

"These things only have meaning to you. To me, they are meaningless."

"There is no eternal civilization."

"Even the sun in the sky will eventually extinguish, and the universe is inevitably heading towards destruction."

"No matter how great a civilization, it cannot withstand the erosion of time."

"Even the most devout faith will be forgotten, and the tallest and most solid temples and statues will ultimately collapse into ruins."

Even today, he still couldn't understand these words.

He couldn't imagine the scene of the eternal sun being extinguished, let alone know how the vast universe would head towards destruction.

He had never even seen how the indestructible halls would collapse over time. He believed that the civilization he created would be eternally imperishable and that his faith could not be erased by even the most distant passage of time.

Redlichia finally revealed his plan.

"I want all Trilobite Men to never forget their faith in God. I want to engrave my will into the bloodline of the wisdom kings, so that all who wear this crown will be like me, loyally prostrating at the feet of the divine."

"This is the covenant with God. As long as the person wearing this crown offers their will to the divine, they can become the King of Wisdom."

Redlichia looked at the tall and grand pyramid outside the window. His face displayed extreme fanaticism, even bordering on madness.

"In this way, all future Kings of Wisdom shall be like me, and the Yinsai Kingdom will forever bathe in God's glory, guarding God's temple until the end of time, until the day the sun extinguishes."

After hearing this, the Queen stood up. She looked at Redlichia in disbelief.

Redlichia had never forcibly twisted the wills of his children. He had never even used the power of the wisdom kings.

He was a benevolent and rational king, a true King of Wisdom.

But she never imagined that the first time Redlichia used the authority of the wisdom kings, it would be directed at his own bloodline and children.

"My king, are you certain you wish to proceed with this plan?"

"Didn't you say God doesn't care?"

"Is it worth doing all this for your own wishful thinking?"

The Queen held Redlichia's hand: "Let it go!"

"God said He doesn't need your oath. The children may not want the will and shackles you impose upon them either."

Redlichia's obsession was beyond the Queen's expectations. He looked at his queen, his pupils filled with determination.

"God doesn't care!"

"But..."

"I care."