As the emperor gazed upon the divided and burning continent, he called for Interren.
“Interren! Interren!! Are you there!?”
“Yes, Your Majesty…”
Interren appeared before the emperor, looking at him with her unchanged, expressionless gaze, while the emperor shouted.
“This can’t be reality! Isn’t that right!?”
This is all too similar to reality, but it must not be real. The emperor wanted to hear those words from Interren.
With a blank expression, Interren replied.
“Yes, Your Majesty, this is not reality.”
“Yes, just as I thought!”
Feeling slightly reassured by Interren’s words, the emperor was soon met with even more brutal truth.
“Reality is far more cruel and difficult than this.”
“What!?”
Reality is likely far harsher and more brutal than this. Interren continued to explain with a blank expression.
“There are weather changes that cannot be detected. There are plagues. There are rebellions that arise for unimaginable reasons. Assassinations. The divine beasts may even have the ability to read people’s hearts.”
In the past, during the battles with the demon race, it was said that the divine beasts possessed the mystical power to read human hearts. However, Yuren had not confirmed this as truth, hence it was not implemented.
If such abilities truly exist, it’s no wonder that the emperor’s strategy for unifying the continent would return to square one.
Then everything done so far would be rendered meaningless.
“That’s impossible! It’s a lie!! I am the emperor who will unify the Three Kingdoms! The continent!!”
“If Your Majesty believes so, then you may do as you wish.”
Interren continued to respond with her emotionless tone, penetrating the emperor’s innermost thoughts.
“Isn’t the reason you don’t act because you acknowledge that this can actually happen, Your Majesty?”
“Shut up!!!!”
The emperor swung his fist at Interren.
But Interren was an incorporeal interface, and the emperor ended up punching the air, losing his own balance.
Interren’s words had struck the emperor’s heart precisely.
She was right.
On one hand, the emperor was desperately denying it, but deep down he understood that this situation might very well be reality.
The emperor was recognized as a genius by the royal educators, gathered specifically for talented individuals.
Thus, he had felt it while navigating the Three Kingdoms.
That this could very well be the reality arising from the war he would provoke, or perhaps an even worse hell could emerge.
But he could not accept it.
To acknowledge that would mean denying his dream of creating a world without war.
The emperor could not accept the reality that his noble dream, born from his father’s death, would turn into a hell stained by war.
He collapsed to the floor, silently weeping.
Interren stood beside the emperor, observing him silently.
*
After organizing his emotions, the emperor stood up.
Then, looking at Interren, who continued to watch him expressionlessly, he spoke.
“It is impossible to unify the continent. Is that what you wanted to say, Yuren?”
Interren seemed briefly startled by the emperor’s words before smiling.
Then, her form transformed into that of Yuren.
The AI, resembling Yuren, conveyed her thoughts with a calm smile.
“No, Your Majesty. What I want to say is that it is impossible to end war with war.”
The history of the empire and continent began to flow into the open space.
In the repetitive cycle of war and peace, one thing remained unchanged: great wars always brought about even greater wars.
“Even if you unify the continent by force, the resentment of the lives lost will not vanish. In time, that resentment will resurface, causing another war.”
“Is it truly… impossible to eliminate war…?”
The emperor grasped at the last straw of hope, speaking to Yuren.
With a smile, Yuren responded to the emperor.
“While it is impossible to eliminate war forever, it is possible to eliminate war in Your Majesty’s era.”
Beneath Yuren and the emperor, the current Zers Empire unfolded.
The great land was showcased by the Yuren AI, teeming with talented individuals, abundant resources, and food, overcoming the scars of the age of war.
Understanding Yuren’s intent that maintaining this would prevent wars, the emperor sighed and replied.
“Yes… I know. But this is exactly why I wanted to achieve it. This era is a precious era; it’s the era where everything exists… In such a precious time, if I, the emperor, do nothing, I would feel unworthy to meet my father, who fell victim to war.”
All that had blossomed from his father’s sacrifice had prepared for this precious era.
The emperor wanted to use this precious moment grandly for the future.
In response to the emperor’s words, Yuren spoke.
“Then, you can create a golden age that will last for future generations, beyond the era of peace, Your Majesty.”
“A golden age?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, you possess the great ability to unify the continent. What if that ability is used for peace and prosperity? Surely, a golden age beyond the peaceful era will come.”
Zers Empire unfolded once more beneath Yuren and the emperor.
The emperor, who had not instigated any wars, began to be seen actively governing the Zers Empire with all his might.
Laws were fair, and nobles fulfilled their responsibilities according to their powers.
No race was discriminated against, and many different races flocked together.
A welfare system was established to aid the weaker, imposing the minimum taxes.
The common people were granted rights to commerce, developing the trade that had been monopolized by the nobility, and increasing the middle class.
The people’s pockets became more prosperous, and the cultural industry that began from the game thrived, turning the Zers Empire into the foremost cultural powerhouse of the continent.
Observing this developed empire, the Kingdom of Ra and the Yura Republic grew envious of the empire and made it their model for growth.
Laughter echoed across the continent, and happiness overflowed.
It was an era that even the emperor, who learned all the world’s history, had never witnessed before.
It was indeed a brilliant age, shining golden, where happiness and laughter never ceased.
Though borders existed, the continent was one.
“I cannot guarantee how long this peace will last. Whether it will end with the next emperor or the one after that, only the gods know.”
Like the saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely, eventually, this shining golden age too will come to an end someday.
It was an inevitability of history, an undeniable reality.
“But one thing is certain: people will never forget this era.”
There is a saying: “Yao and Shun’s Era”.
In ancient China, this ideal period governed by Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun always serves as a comparison for the reigns of great kings in Chinese history.
In Korea, King Sejong’s reign was evaluated as the Yao and Shun of Haedong.
Yuren was telling the emperor that this could become a great era that can set a standard for history.
“Creating a great peaceful era that can serve as a model for future generations is, I believe, the best course of action we can take right now.”
“To believe in… the future…”
The great eras recorded in history never truly fade away.
When chaotic times return, people will yearn for those great eras, and they will unite to recreate them, ultimately ending wars and bringing peace.
The emperor had known from the start what Yuren wanted to convey.
Because that message was shared not only by Yuren, but also by his mother, his ministers, and countless educators.
Yet, until now, he had not truly understood it in his heart.
He thought he could find a better way and believed he would.
But after everything he trusted crumbled and he experienced despair, the emperor finally understood what Yuren was trying to say.
*
“…Huh?”
Just as he thought he had understood everything, the Three Kingdoms ended.
Amidst this, the images of Yuren and the continent vanished, leaving behind only the quiet of his own chamber.
Recalling vividly the scenes he had experienced during the game, the emperor felt as if he had been on a long, long dream.
He looked at the clock.
He had played for what felt like hundreds of hours.
Yet, in reality, only about five hours had passed.
Carefully placing the Three Kingdoms crystal ball on the table, the emperor walked toward the window.
He beheld the peaceful palace illuminated by moonlight.
This peace that had seemed so taken for granted felt heavier and more magnificent than ever.
“There will be… much to do from here on.”
As he looked at the rising golden sunset, the young emperor steeled himself for the future.
