Anbaixiu's question caught Alan off guard.
The royal house of Ryan was indeed thoroughly rotten, but Alan had never truly considered the matter. At present, his publicly claimed identity was merely that of an envoy of the Ryan Empire; in truth, he held no officially recognized position.
Yet Alan's reputation was such that everyone tacitly accepted that he could speak for Ryan.
Over this period, Ryan had descended into sheer chaos, tottering constantly on the brink of collapse.
With the country on the verge of ruin, who had the mind to care about who sat on the throne? Even if someone harbored ambitions, they would never voice them at a time like this—being a ruler over a fallen nation was hardly an enviable role.
Yet since Anbaixiu had brought it up, he clearly possessed the confidence to preserve Ryan.
In that case, the question could not be avoided.
For an empire as vast as Ryan, what path should it walk from here?
If the Lord of the Dawn chose the conventional route—having Alan succeed the throne and carry on the imperial lineage—there would naturally be no problem. In all the world, the gods reigned supreme.
Yet Anbaixiu sensed that the Lord of the Dawn had no such intention.
If the deity wanted to maintain the status quo, he should have kept Alan focused on domestic affairs rather than granting him free rein to act abroad.
External negotiations were not something a nation's leader should conduct in person, as they involved far too many compromises and concessions. This was especially true given that Ryan was currently in the wrong; no matter what outcome Alan negotiated, mud would inevitably be flung at him in the end.
He had not ordered the slaughter of cities, nor had he ordered the invasion of other realms. Yet now the enemy nations pinned every sin upon Alan, seeking vengeance against him in every conceivable way, while the people within Ryan, seeing Alan "admit fault," would blame him for forcing Ryan to cede land and pay reparations.
By all reason and fairness, the shame should have fallen upon the royal family of Ryan or the diehard zealots, not upon a blameless new leader like Alan.
What was the Lord of the Dawn planning?
Anbaixiu did not know, but the deity had evidently granted Alan ample freedom.
He was leaving the choice to Alan, letting him determine the empire's ultimate fate.
Since the Lord of the Dawn did not mind, Anbaixiu was more than happy to stick a finger in the pie as well.
Faced with Anbaixiu's question, Alan pondered for a long time before letting out a sigh. "Ryan as a nation ought to endure, but it should not continue in its former state. If you are asking whether I want to become emperor, then my answer right now is no. I will not be emperor, and Ryan should no longer retain the imperial system."
Alan was privy to those ancient secrets of Ryan. Ever since its second emperor, the country had strayed down a crooked path.
Without timely guidance from the deities, mortals invariably drifted toward extremes, and a primary reason was that the imperial family held absolute power. No matter how the Holy King had divided authority when founding the nation, he had still underestimated the immense prestige he left behind for his descendants.
For a very long time, Ryan's emperors remained the absolute masters of the empire, and it was precisely that era that plunged Ryan into a fervent worship of faith and bloodline.
The royal house indulged in ancestral glory, treating the Dragon Tyrant Armament as the cornerstone of the empire and committing countless atrocities in pursuit of that bloodline resonance. Meanwhile, the rest of the empire spent their days dwelling on the Holy King's achievements, terrified that doing too little would dishonor the hero.
The result was progressive radicalization, leading the empire straight to ruin. They had forgotten that Arthur Ryan had not raised his banner of rebellion to become a hero, nor had he swung his sword against the Demonic Dragon for so-called glory. He had simply wanted everyone to live and work in peace and contentment.
"While an imperial system can concentrate power, no one can guarantee that their bloodline won't produce a tyrant or a fool. Though His Majesty the Holy King established a sound division of power, a system from over a thousand years ago clearly no longer suits the present era. I will advise everyone to turn Ryan into a parliamentary nation. Ryan will continue to hold faith in the Lord of the Dawn, but we do not need another emperor."
Anbaixiu pressed, "Do you truly believe a parliamentary system is inherently better than an autocratic monarchy?"
Alan shook his head. "I don't know. But I know Ryan must change."
"Then it seems your understanding of these matters is only half-baked. Perhaps you saw the druids of the Emerald Dream Forest living in peace for over a millennium, or watched the City of Alchemy develop rapidly in a short span, and assumed such systems are superior. I won't deny that democracy is more advanced than autocracy, but you'd better investigate first to see whether Ryan is even suited for a parliament. If an imperial system that has lasted a thousand years is overturned overnight, how many people will truly accept it? Don't wait until you're dead only for someone to jump out demanding a restoration—that would truly inflict endless misery on the people."
Anbaixiu's words stirred Alan up, and he hurried to ask, "Where should I begin the investigation?"
"Are you the emperor, or am I? Asking me everything—can't you think for yourself?" Anbaixiu scolded, but he still offered a piece of advice. "First, find out what the people of Ryan care about most right now. You are a follower of the Lord of the Dawn. Whatever decision you make, offering the people of Ryan hope first will never be the wrong move."
In truth, Anbaixiu was merely parroting theory.
Though he had lived for several centuries, he had always been an adventurer, never once undertaking epoch-making endeavors like restructuring a nation. The books he had read in his past life had only skimmed the surface of these issues. As for how to implement them in practice? Anbaixiu had no idea and could offer no concrete advice.
He could spout empty platitudes for three days and three nights, but what truly suited Ryan could only be chosen by the people of Ryan themselves.
Out of respect for Arthur Ryan, this was the final mercy Anbaixiu would grant the people of Ryan.
Of course, Anbaixiu had another reason for reminding Alan—not for whatever scraps Ryan had left, but for the Rose of Decay.
After all, the Rose of Decay was the lawful heir to Ryan, and now, it seemed, the sole lawful heir. Even if this empire was reaching its final curtain, she was the one entitled to pen its epitaph.
Therefore, Anbaixiu said to Alan, "Go on back. I've already settled things with the dwarves; you just need to leave a representative here to sign the treaty. I guarantee the dwarven side won't send troops. You have plenty of business to attend to. When you're ready, let me know, and I'll bring the most important person to witness this empire's end."
Alan did not know whom Anbaixiu was referring to, but he knew the lich was not joking. For some reason, this lich had undergone a sudden change in demeanor, but the important figure he spoke of was bound to be extraordinary—this was very likely Ryan's final trial.
If they failed to pass, the disaster this lich could bring upon Ryan would be far greater than the dwarves and the orcs combined.
Alan did not even know why he thought this way, imagining that a single lich could be more terrifying than two kingdoms. Yet reality had proven time and again that the words of the lich before him carried far more weight than those of any king.
No matter how many difficulties lay ahead, Alan would not retreat.
Clenching his fists, Alan said to Anbaixiu, "Rest assured. I will be ready, and Ryan will be ready as well."
Chapter 571