The eyes of the cabinet members were filled with deep reverence.

  They knew well that if the Emperor were to fall into depravity, what awaited them would be an unimaginable catastrophe.

  They were unwilling to let such a situation occur, and this very thought made them even more convinced—

  The position that remained vacant to this day was of paramount importance and could not be ignored.

  It was no exaggeration to say: whoever occupied that position would hold the future in their hands.

  However, this was an extremely sensitive topic, and only the Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess had the qualification to discuss it with the Emperor.

  Over the past five years, they had held multiple discussions with the Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess regarding this matter,They hoped to settle it before the Emperor awakened.

  To that end, they screened out a group of candidates, each one undergoing strict screening.

  Appearance and bearing are the basic requirements, while speech and demeanor are equally indispensable.

  Wisdom and ability go hand in hand, emotional intelligence is sufficient to handle matters with ease, and moral character is undeniably key.

  However, these alone are not enough.

  What truly enables one to remain firmly in this position is not a talent that shines too brightly, but rather a quiet warmth that nurtures like gentle rain.

  She offers support without making others feel burdened.

  She doesn't seek the spotlight, yet others can't help but notice her.

  She does not deliberately strive for trust, yet she always makes people feel at ease.

  Her warmth is not mere accommodation, but a deeply felt healing.

  She is faithful in love, and she is loyal to her Emperor, yet she will not lose her resilience because of it, nor will she become servile.

  She must embody a balance of gentleness and resolve, maintaining grace and composure in any situation.

  Using care and thoughtfulness as a key, and tolerance and support as a guiding light, is the only way to warm that weary heart.

  They initially firmly believed that the royal family would undoubtedly adopt their suggestion.

  After all, a normal thirty-year-old man should naturally have both physiological and psychological needs.

  And the Emperor was no exception; he had merely been continually suppressing his own needs, rather than having none at all.

  The royal family was well aware of the Emperor's physiological and psychological needs.

  From any perspective, they had no reason to refuse.

  However, reality had already provided the clearest answer—

  To this day, that position remained vacant.

  The Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess had not outright rejected their proposal;

  they merely emphasized that they, too, could not make the decision on the Emperor’s behalf.

  In the Grand Princess’s own words:

  “Anything else is one thing, but in this matter, we cannot decide for him. The consequences would be severe.”

  Even though the Grand Princess made her stance clear in this way, the cabinet members unanimously believed that the so-called “serious consequences” simply did not exist.

  The logic here could not be simpler:

  The candidates are extremely outstanding; no matter who it is, they are fully capable of winning the Emperor’s love.

  This is not difficult—one could even say it is effortless.

  This judgment was not made out of thin air; rather, it was a conclusion based on an in-depth study of the Emperor’s first thirty years of life.

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  Once the Emperor falls in love with her, what “serious consequences” could there be?

  Throughout human history, whether in the East or the West, there has never been a shortage of stories about kings who would go to any lengths for the sake of a beauty’s smile.

  Those stories may be actual history, or they may merely be legends compiled by later generations.

  The point is not whether they are true or false, but that the Emperor before us, named “Elo,” is very likely to reenact such a scenario.

  So, there are no “serious consequences”—just a major achievement!

  This does not merely concern the personal interests of the cabinet members; it also directly affects the future of all human civilization.

  Whether from a sense of duty or from personal interest, they all wish for someone in the royal family to be “one of their own.”

  There are certain things that must be done, even if they go against the royal family’s will—and this matter happens to be one of them.

  So, the question arises—why was this ultimately not accomplished?

  The answer is that Alaya did not allow the government to go against the royal family’s will.

  In the past, they believed the reason Alaya would not allow it was that her loyalty to the royal family was utterly unconditional—absolute and complete.

  However, it now seems things are far from that simple.

  If there really had been a chance, Alaya would have acted herself long ago—how could she possibly leave such a great opportunity to humans?

  This is not surprising; on the contrary, it is only to be expected.

  Setting aside whether Alaya harbors any personal motives, even if her loyalty to the Emperor is absolute, she would still make the same choice.

  Because showing unconditional loyalty to the Emperor means she ought to devote her entire being to him.

  For one with absolute loyalty, serving the monarch with her whole heart is a supreme honor.

  As for appearance, figure, gender, personality, and emotions—would any of these be difficult for Alaya?

  Of course, there is also another possibility—

  Alaya is restrained by her own rules, which do not permit her to do what she is not supposed to do.

  But even so, Alaya could still seek other ways to serve the Emperor.

  In the worst case, she could choose to cooperate with humans—for example, by selecting a human as her agent.

  Yet Alaya did nothing; she simply observed all of this in silence.

  Why?

  It seems there can only be one answer—

  From the very beginning, Alaya knew that the position still vacant to this day already had its destined occupant.

  It was predestined, something unalterable—at least, Alaya did not possess the ability to change that fate.

  The cabinet members’ thoughts had already reached the most crucial issue, and a few could not help looking at the Emperor.

  Clearly, His Majesty the Emperor was fully aware of this; there was no way he could ignore it.

  So now, one question must be considered—why has that position remained vacant for a full thirty years?

  Could it be that the person who was supposed to occupy this seat does not realize the Emperor’s physical and psychological needs have long since reached their limit?

  Perhaps she is well aware, or perhaps she remains entirely oblivious.

  Either way, the fact stands before us—that position has, indeed, remained vacant for thirty whole years.

  Since they have deduced matters to this point, they cannot help but ask themselves—

  Are the Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess truly just ordinary people?

  All known evidence indicates that they indeed are ordinary people, but is such evidence truly reliable?

  Is this fact, or merely a manufactured reality?

  Following the same line of reasoning—

  In the past thirty years of His Majesty the Emperor’s life, did the role of “father” truly exist?

  Even if he really existed, is there a possibility that he was just an avatar?

  If the father is an avatar, then could the Grand Princess also be someone’s avatar?

  Taking it even further, the most chilling hypothesis is this—

  Are the Empress Dowager, the Grand Princess, and even the Emperor’s father all avatars of the same being?

  Is it difficult to create an avatar?

  For humans, it might be an unattainable miracle;

  But for a higher-level being, I’m afraid it’s nothing more than the simplest of operations.

  In the eyes of a being on that level, perhaps the world is merely a game—creating characters, bestowing identities, setting up storylines… what difficulty is there in that?

  So, has His Majesty the Emperor given any thought to this question?

  The answer is obvious—

  He cares deeply for his family, so there’s no way he hasn’t considered these matters.

  However, for the Federation, what truly warrants serious reflection is—

  What is the Emperor’s decision regarding this?

  And how should the Federation adjust its stance under these circumstances?

  The cabinet members fix their gaze on Elo, and an indescribable intuition arises within them—

  He has chosen to ignore it; regardless of the truth, he does not wish to know.

  In his eyes, the Empress Dowager is merely his mother, and the Grand Princess is merely his sister—nothing more.

  The Emperor’s will is already clear, so the Federation’s stance likewise becomes apparent—

  The Empress Dowager is an ordinary person, the Grand Princess is an ordinary person.

  As for His Majesty’s father, he died in a car accident when His Majesty was twenty-two.

  This is the only officially recognized fact.

  Now, looking back at this intuition, is it really just an overinterpretation by the cabinet members?

  It can’t be ruled out, but the likelihood is extremely low—low enough to be nearly negligible.

  Because the timing of this intuition is simply too coincidental.

  It surfaced precisely when they most needed an answer, as though it were guided.

  They believe that this intuition does not stem solely from their own understanding, but rather from a message the royal family intended to convey to the outside world.

  Even if it wasn’t a deliberate guide, and even if it’s merely an intuition, the cabinet members still choose to believe it.

  Because it helps safeguard the Emperor’s current disposition.

  Of course, that disposition is not entirely ideal, for example—

  His Majesty the Emperor intentionally distinguishes between his “personal identity” and his “imperial identity,” harboring thoughts of relinquishing the throne and ending his duties as Emperor.

  But even so, such a disposition remains extremely precious.

  Despite having powers comparable to a deity, the Emperor is still willing to respect the values and morals of human civilization.

  That kind of character—puts people at ease.

  An Emperor like this aligns with the interests of human civilization.

  Hence, they choose to believe this intuition.

  Even if it might not be true, it remains the only fact officially recognized.