Chapter 326 : Chapter 326

Chapter 326. Merit and Fault, Right and Wrong, Are for Future Generations to Judge

Every ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍monarch of the past had understood one fact: sitting on the throne did not mean truly controlling the Royal Capital.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍true foundation of power was not that cold chair, but the ultimate foundation buried deep beneath the Golden Rose Palace—Astral Maze Lock · Radiance of Astrelia.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍super array, said to have been personally laid down by the first Hero King, Roland, was the final insurance of royal authority.

Of ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍course, after making a trip to the Tower of Inverted Truth, Sylvia now understood very clearly in her heart that this thing was most likely the handiwork of Maggie from a thousand years ago.

Astral ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Maze Lock not only granted the monarch the “Authority of Radiance,” allowing the controller’s will to establish an absolute connection with the entire Royal Capital’s wall-defense nodes and the aether flow of every street, achieving true “omniscience.”

Even ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍more terrifyingly, when the kingdom faced a crisis of destruction, it could forcibly draw upon the aether energy of the array core and the deep underground ley lines to unleash an extraordinary forbidden spell—“Astral Heaven Judgment.”

It was said that its power was comparable to a full-power strike from an Eighth-Tier demigod.

This was the reason Astrelia had been able to stand for a thousand years without falling.

Without it, the monarch was nothing more than a puppet manipulated by the struggles of various factions.

Only by grasping it could one become the true ruler who reigned over the world.

Sylvia followed the hidden spiral staircase until she arrived before the massive magitech crystal that radiated a suffocating pressure.

It was like an ancient heart imprisoned underground. Its surface was covered in complex and profound ancient runes, with a deep luster flowing across it like a nebula.

Immense aether energy surged slowly within it. Merely approaching it made one feel a tremor that came from the depths of the soul.

She took a deep breath, then drew 【Star’s Judgment】 from her waist without hesitation. The sharp blade sliced hard across her fair palm.

Crimson blood containing the purest power of the Astrelia royal family dripped onto the cold surface of the crystal.

The instant it made contact, it was greedily absorbed by the ancient creation.

A dazzling red light rose from the point of contact, instantly crawling over the entire crystal like a spiderweb. The dormant ancient runes lit up one after another, as though awakening a sleeping giant beast.

Immediately afterward, Sylvia closed her eyes and completely lowered her mental defenses, actively projecting a wisp of her consciousness into the array’s core space.

After a brief feeling of weightlessness and a dizziness like her soul had been drawn out, Sylvia’s consciousness descended into a vast and boundless sea of stars.

Countless stars slowly revolved around her. Each seemed to carry a piece of ancient history, solemn and deathly silent.

Around the sea of stars stood several faintly glowing phantoms in silence.

They were the remnants of consciousness left here by the past kings of Astrelia, the oldest and most impartial gatekeepers of this grand array.

They scrutinized every descendant who attempted to lay a hand on this supreme authority. Only by receiving their recognition could one truly wield “Astral Maze Lock.”

At the very front of these phantoms stood a figure as towering as a mountain. His mere existence there made the entire sea of stars seem dim by comparison.

The first Hero King, Rolandain Van Astrelia.

Unlike the free-spirited, uninhibited, and even somewhat eccentric Memory Construct in the Tower of Inverted Truth, the phantom of Roland before her seemed to have been stripped of all humanity by the erosion of long years, appearing purer and more divine.

His gaze pierced through time and space, carrying absolute majesty and cold scrutiny, without the slightest trace of private emotion.

However, when the first king’s gaze swept over Sylvia from top to bottom and finally landed on the sword 【Star’s Judgment】 at her waist, an extremely rare trace of vivid, human astonishment actually flashed across Roland’s eternally stern face.

Immediately afterward, a look of realization flashed through his eyes, as though he had understood something. He suddenly raised his head and let out a hearty laugh that resounded throughout the entire sea of stars.

Then he turned slightly to the side. Without any obstruction, he voluntarily made way for the path leading to the array’s very core.

With Roland’s concession, an invisible ripple surged through the sea of stars.

The phantoms of the other past kings seemed to have received a silent supreme decree.

They withdrew their suffocating gazes of scrutiny and pressed one hand to their chests one after another, saluting Sylvia with an ancient knightly courtesy.

It was as though they were welcoming a new monarch who had long been destined.

The highest authority of the array completely opened its doors to her.

Sylvia stepped forward.

Her consciousness passed through the tall phantoms of the past kings and walked straight toward the deepest part of the sea of stars.

But when only the last few steps remained before the core, she abruptly stopped.

There stood a figure.

A figure she had just seen at the state funeral, one who had been interred in the imperial mausoleum.

Astrelia VI.

Her Father-King.

“You have come, Sylvia.”

Old, deep, and weary, yet carrying a trace of unconcealable majesty.

The instant she heard that voice, Sylvia’s entire body shook violently. This voice echoed beside her ears, bringing her an eerily familiar feeling.

In a flash, Sylvia’s eyes suddenly widened.

She remembered!

Some time ago, when she had been deeply trapped in the mental suggestion Moran had planted, that voice had forcefully warned her in the dream and helped her break free from the mental suggestion...

It was exactly the same as this voice now!

“That voice back then was you... Father.” Sylvia spoke softly. Indescribably complex emotions surged in her silver-gray eyes as she stared fixedly at the phantom.

The phantom of the sixth king turned around and quietly looked at his daughter.

He let out a long sigh, and that sigh seemed to cross the boundary between life and death.

“Before their coronation, every monarch of the past had to project a wisp of consciousness into this Astral Grand Array. It is precisely because of that that, after my death, a trace of my remnant soul could cross life and death, return here, and continue watching over Astrelia.”

Endless exhaustion permeated the sixth king’s voice.

“When I was alive, I was completely blinded by Moran’s mental suggestion and reduced to a puppet. I did not perceive his wolfish ambition at all. Only when death severed those evil shackles did I finally see the truth of everything.”

The sixth king lowered his gaze. His eyes gradually became gentle, even carrying a trace of guilt.

“I originally thought that even if I fell, the one who would ultimately turn the tide and walk the bloody road to this place would be Dorg.”

“But I never imagined that the one who would finally push open this door would be you.”

His voice carried a trace of self-mocking bitterness.

“In the end, I misjudged everything... I was not a qualified father, and because of my ignorance and the control I was under, I nearly became a foolish monarch who buried the entire kingdom.”

Sylvia listened quietly, her hand gripping Star’s Judgment tightening slightly.

“Dorg has his own choices, and I merely did what I had to do.”

Sylvia raised her eyes. Her gaze was clear and firm, with no trace left of the timid young girl who had once longed for a father’s love.

“As for whether you were a qualified father, or a qualified monarch... those judgments no longer matter to me.”

In the end, she added in a soft yet incomparably clear voice:

“Merit and fault, right and wrong, are for future generations to judge.”

Those words seemed to be directed at her father, and also at herself.