Elo was silent for a moment. Finally, he made up his mind and spoke in a calm tone:

  "Regarding the question of establishing a state religion, we will hold a national referendum.

  If the approval rate reaches 90% or higher, the proposal will be passed.

  Of course, while it may be a state religion, no one shall be forced to believe in it.

  At the same time, the establishment of a state religion does not mean that I will accept the faith of the people."

  Elo's gaze once again swept through the void, as if he were looking directly at every citizen. His voice was low yet powerful:

  "Let me make this clear—

  I do not accept the faith of anyone, and even if there is a state religion, it shall not use the royal family's likeness."

  Elo paused for a moment, his eyes calmly sweeping across the audience, and he spoke in an unhurried tone:

  "Of course, this does not mean that you cannot express your faith in other ways.

  There are many ways to express faith—it can be through artistic creation, poetry, music, or literature;

  It can also be through ceremonies, festivals, commemorations, or even through charity, devotion, and the passing on of knowledge.

  We have many ways to truly integrate faith into life; there is no need to fixate on the portraits of our family."

  The cabinet members nodded slightly, expressing their agreement with His Majesty’s perspective.

  "Although a state religion is established, this does not mean we will reject other religions.

  Whether it be traditional religions, the Flying Spaghetti Monster Church, or any other bizarre faiths…

  As long as they comply with our legal system and align with public interests, we shall respect them and allow their existence."

  The cabinet members couldn’t help but show a relaxed smile upon hearing the words "Flying Spaghetti Monster Church."

  His Majesty the Emperor’s stance was both firm and rational, with even a hint of inadvertent humor in his words.

  He pragmatically incorporated religion into the framework of civilization—exactly the kind of steady decision-making they had been expecting.

  "I want you to remember this:

  The purpose of establishing a state religion is not to oppress anyone, but to ensure that religion always serves the public interest.

  If one day, the state religion deviates from this original intent, then that religion deserves to perish."

  Elo’s voice was low, and his gaze, like a sharp blade, cut through the silence.

  "If one day, someone oppresses others or incites war in my name—

  I will declare war on them to defend my honor."

  This determination was like a bullet, precise and unfaltering, piercing through flesh and consciousness, embedding itself deep within the soul.

  Every citizen could clearly feel that the Emperor’s aversion to ‘committing evil in the name of God’ was not mere rhetoric.

  And they also understood why he emphasized this so strongly.

  Human history had seen too many such examples.

  Wars waged in the name of God had drowned countless nations in blood.

  Inquisitions carried out in the name of faith had shrouded science and reason in darkness, imprisoning the pursuit of truth.

  Nations ruled in the name of God had ultimately ceased to serve their people, succumbing instead to the corruption of the clergy’s desires.

  They had all heard of these past events and had also seen them in history books—

  The Crusades, which, under the banner of "Holy Liberation," plundered cities that shared the same Christian faith.

  The Inquisition, which, in the name of preserving orthodoxy, sent dissenters to the flames.

  Modern extremist groups, wielding faith as their shield and terror as their spear, had destroyed countless families and civilizations.

  They knew the Emperor’s warning was not groundless.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  If left unchecked, if seized by ambitious men, religion could become the sharpest of blades—

  Severing society, eroding reason, and ultimately devouring civilization itself.

  Thus, when the Emperor declared, in a tone that allowed no compromise:

  "If one day, someone oppresses others or incites war in my name— I will declare war on them to defend my honor."

  What they felt was not fear, but an unprecedented sense of security.

  The Emperor would not let such things happen, nor would he allow the Federation to repeat the mistakes of history.

  The Prime Minister immediately took a stand, his voice firm and powerful:

  "Your Majesty, we will never tolerate anyone defiling your honor—this is humanity’s solemn vow to you!

  We will take all necessary measures to ensure that religion serves only the public interest and that no one can exploit it for evil!"

  Elo nodded slightly in acknowledgment, but the worry between his brows did not dissipate.

  "I do not think that in this era, there are still foolish people in the Federation who would dare to do such a thing.

  As for after we part ways, the future of the Federation will be entirely in your hands.

  By then, I will have already left.

  No matter what choices you make, I will neither see them nor need to care, and naturally, I will have no way to interfere."

  The Prime Minister’s brows furrowed slightly—

  He did not wish for His Majesty the Emperor to say "part ways" in Alaya’s live broadcast, in front of all citizens.

  "Your Majesty, that is too heavy a statement."

  Elo glanced at him, understanding his dilemma—he gave a small smile in response.

  Yet, once the smile faded, the concern on his face remained.

  "What I truly wish to say is that, at this moment, my real concern is not the religious affairs within the Federation, but rather—what lies outside."

  Upon hearing these words, many instantly grasped the Emperor’s concern.

  "On our journey ahead, we will inevitably come into contact with other races and other civilizations.

  Certainly, through strategic deception, we can attribute my abilities to Alaya, portraying me as Alaya’s representative.

  But Life Sharing, Ark Little World, the Gate of Time and Space, and even Alaya itself—

  They are miracles among miracles."

  At this moment, even his mother understood Elo’s concerns and the meaning behind his words.

  However, Elo continued speaking.

  "Take Life Sharing as an example—

  Eternal youth, resurrection after death—these are concepts that have existed only in myths and religious scriptures.

  So, how will other civilizations perceive Alaya? How will they perceive me? And how will they perceive you?

  Those more advanced than us may not care, but what about those civilizations that have yet to reach our level?

  Setting aside whether we might encounter civilizations that have yet to experience the Industrial Revolution, for now, let’s focus only on the 21st century—

  Among 8.5 billion people, how many will regard Alaya as a deity?

  How many will see me as Christ?

  And how many will revere you as divine messengers?

  The moment this happens, the situation will slip beyond our control."

  Elo’s tone grew heavier:

  "Even if we do not actively spread faith, there will inevitably be many among 8.5 billion people who establish religious organizations on their own.

  And those politicians and wealthy elites—how could they not yearn for health, eternal youth, resurrection after death, and transcendent abilities?

  They will undoubtedly support these religious groups; they have too many incentives to push this forward."

  He exhaled slowly, a hint of helplessness in his voice:

  "So, this is not merely a religious issue—it is also a diplomatic issue, and even more so, a political issue."

  The cabinet members were equally well aware of this. Even for these elites, facing such complex issues felt extremely thorny.

  Moreover, the Emperor's words were absolutely accurate—those in power would inevitably push this forward.

  After all, no one would refuse the allure of youth, health, immortality, and transcendence.

  Even the cabinet members now seated before the Emperor—were no exception.

  Thus, this issue was exceedingly complex, to the point of being beyond control.

  The Prime Minister was equally well aware of this.

  There were not many matters that required the Emperor’s direct ruling, but the Federation’s diplomatic doctrine was one of them.

  Thus, the Prime Minister sought the Emperor’s directive:

  "Your Majesty, regarding the Federation’s foreign policy, what stance should we take in engaging with the outside world?"

  Elo remained silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts before speaking:

  "The education I received since childhood taught me—

  non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence."

  The vast majority of citizens were well aware of the Emperor's background, so they could understand why he phrased it this way.

  "Of course, education is one thing—it does not entirely equate to my personal views.

  And my personal view is this—

  I do not wish to invade anyone, nor do I wish to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations.

  We should respect their sovereignty and territorial integrity, coexist peacefully, and engage as equals.

  Based on this principle, I do not accept any form of vassal state.

  Forget vassals—I do not even accept allies. The only thing I can accept is cooperation."

  The Prime Minister understood—this was not an excuse, but the Emperor’s true will.

  Likewise, the Prime Minister could grasp the Emperor’s reasoning—

  Accepting allies would mean bearing the responsibilities that come with them.

  And the obligations between allies were often far more complex than conflicts between enemies.

  From the very beginning, the Emperor had no intention of being bound by such responsibilities.

  Yet, just as everyone thought the Emperor had firmly set his stance, his tone suddenly paused slightly, and a hint of complexity flickered in his gaze.

  "As for member states…"

  He remained silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft sigh:

  "Unless they hold sufficient value, they will not be considered."

  As soon as these words were spoken, a subtle ripple passed through the hearts of all the cabinet members.

  They knew why His Majesty the Emperor sighed, and they understood exactly what he meant by "sufficient value."

  Whether a nation could become a member state of the Federation was not determined by its inherent worth, but rather—

  whether it shared a special relationship with the royal family.

  As long as such a "special relationship" existed, then whether it was an impoverished and weak nation or a strategically insignificant small state, the Federation would have no choice—

  but to accept it.

  Among the citizens watching the live broadcast, those with keen intuition gradually perceived the deeper meaning behind the Emperor's sigh and began to vaguely grasp what "sufficient value" truly implied.

  They understood well that if a nation indeed held such an unavoidable special relationship with the royal family,

  then the cost of refusing to accept it might be a burden too great for the Federation to bear.

  Vian and his mother naturally grasped the deeper implications of Elo’s words. They remained silent, offering no response.