Just when Velez almost put his face next to Soshyan's ear, a soft hum came from the distance. Velez immediately turned his head and saw his assistant, Sister Seid, standing outside the door.
"Then I won't bother you any more."
Soshyan also turned around at this time, and he saw the nun. For a moment, he felt that the person looked inexplicably familiar, but this feeling passed by in a flash, and he really had no impression at all.
After Velez left, Soshyan opened his palm, looked at the porcelain cup in his hand, and then looked at the statue of the emperor.
"Confused, if you could hear—"
The next moment, he was already in a dark little old church, sitting on a small wooden stool that seemed to be crushed by him at any time. Not far away, a figure in a simple white priest's robe was bent over and using a
The match lit the candle on the steps. When Soshyan stood up in shock, the other party also straightened up, blew out the match, and turned to look at him.
A gentle male voice came from under the metal mask that was neither sad nor happy.
"We meet again, Soshyan Alexey."
"The Bewilderr!"
Soshyan looked at the object in his hand in disbelief, then turned around and looked at Thunderstone Church. He was indeed in the right place.
"How did I end up here suddenly?"
The confused man chuckled.
"You are a guest, shouldn't you answer this yourself?"
"I can't understand it. Is it spiritual power? Or some kind of teleportation -"
The confused man shook his head.
"No, neither."
"That is--"
"Just because you want to be here."
Soshyan blinked.
"Can I be here as soon as I want?"
"Ha, there's no sign on the door saying "No entry for idlers, right?"
"Confused, you still haven't answered me."
"Shouldn't it be up to you to decide where to go and where to come from? You are your own master. If you want to come here, you will come. Isn't this a matter of course?"
Soshiyang looked at this mysterious bewitcher, remained silent for a moment, and then whispered:
"Confused, I always feel that every word you say has another meaning."
"Maybe your ideas are too complicated. I never hide my opinions. Now that I'm here, let's have another drink."
Soshyan nodded and followed the bewitcher towards the back hall. As he passed through the corridor, he noticed a door gently closing the last crack.
"Confused, is there anyone else in Thunder Stone?"
The confused man did not answer immediately, but took Soshiyang to the teahouse, with the same pot of tea and two exquisite porcelain cups as before.
"yes."
Only then did he answer Soshyan's question in the corridor, holding the cup and taking a sip, Soshyan frowned slightly.
"It's much harder than last time."
Then he looked at the Bewitcher.
"Who is it?"
"A mother who has caused irreparable harm to her children for various reasons and still regrets it today."
"Is this so"
Soshyan took another sip in silence, his whole face almost wrinkled, and then he put down the cup.
“It’s getting harder and harder”
The confused man also put down his cup and filled two more cups.
"You must have been working very hard during this time."
Soshyan sighed softly, but did not pick up the cup. Instead, he looked at the bewitcher, as if he wanted to see through the mask.
But the other party still calmly drank tea through the mask in that unique way.
I don’t know how long it took, but Soshyan suddenly asked:
"Confused, are you the emperor?"
The confused man put the empty cup back on the table, then filled it up, tilting his head and looking back at Soshyan.
"So, are you Soshyan Alexei?"
"Of course I-"
Soshyan hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice.
"of course."
"That's right. If you think it is, then it is the same for you and for me. If you think you are Soshyan Alexei, you are. If you think I am the emperor, then I will
yes."
"Confused, I just hope you can tell me directly whether you are the emperor or not."
"Is this important to you?"
"Very important."
Soshyan nodded very seriously.
The Bewitcher fell silent. He seemed to have sunk into the old leather sofa. His white-gloved fingers gently rubbed the filled teacup, but not a drop of tea came out.
After a long time, he replied slowly:
"It's a pity that I am not the emperor you thought."
A wry smile appeared on Soshyan's face.
"Confused, you are still unwilling to answer my question directly."
"I never hide my opinions. If you really can't understand it, then it's okay to treat me as the emperor. I won't have any objections."
Soshiyang pursed his lips, suddenly feeling a little thirsty, and then picked up the teacup. However, one sip was not only bitter, but also unspeakably spicy, and a little sour.
"Why is it getting weirder?"
Putting down the cup, full of bitterness, Soshiyang said to the deceiver:
"Emperor, I am getting more and more confused now."
"what?"
"There are too many empires, too many."
Then Soshiyang poured out everything he had encountered since the expedition, as well as all the obstacles, obstacles, and the miserable plight of the empire's civilians, while the deluder just listened silently and said not a word.
"Emperor, do you know what I'm most worried about right now? It's that in the current Empire, as long as the motivation is right, a person no matter how upright can be persuaded to do the most terrible and evil things, and everyone will be convinced of it.
We are accustomed to it, but we don’t take it for granted. After ten thousand years of war, how different are we now from the enemy we have fought against for ten thousand years?”
After Soshyan finished speaking, the confused man took the last sip of tea in the cup and put it on the coffee table.
"You are complaining about the empire, or that 'I' have given you too much responsibility and pressure."
"No, I just"
"Hope is dead. This sentence has been repeated from the moment the empire was founded. Do you believe it?"
"No, of course not. Hope still exists. I still see many upright and brave people. They..."
"So, instead of waiting for hope, let yourself be the hope. Some responsibilities may be too heavy for you, but you are not alone. I believe there must be people around you who are worthy of your trust and can share the heavy responsibilities for you.
People, sometimes you just put too much responsibility on yourself. This kind of character has already led to a tragedy. Don't let it happen again."
"tragedy?"
Soshyan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Who did it happen to?"
"A man who tried his best but failed to make things better."
Soshyan fell silent, and the two of them sat facing each other quietly, with only the occasional slight crackling sound when the candle on the candlestick burned.
"Emperor."
Gently groping the smooth teacup with his fingers, Soshiyang's voice was as soft as a whisper.
"Why have you been watching all this happen? Can't you hear the countless prayers?"
"Soshiyan, have you ever thought about what the world would be like if a person could solve all the problems in front of him just by praying?"