In the Name of Empress-Chapter 642 - 368: Read Ten Thousand Books, Travel Ten Thousand Miles
Roland’s hypothesis is based on a major premise: humans are selfish, and so are the gods.
Though there are worthy and just unsung heroes among humans, they are few and far between.
Roland does not view selfishness as something shameful, as long as it does not maliciously harm others or disrupt public order, what’s wrong with being a bit selfish?
Even humans are like this, so how should the gods, who possess greater power and authority and are hardly ever supervised, behave?
Kindly and benevolently treat mortals?
Thinking of this, Roland couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.
He firmly believes his hypothesis is correct.
The gods who control the rules are supreme, while ordinary gods with power may not be in a great situation.
They are servants of the Supreme God, but they still appear powerful before mortals.
If the Supreme God is not inherently benevolent, their reasons for focusing attention on various material planes become clear: to reap benefits.
The existence of the material plane is a fundamental rule of the universe, which no one can defy, not even the gods whose words are law must bow to the universe’s basic rules.
To maintain the continuity of the material plane, high-level entities cannot enter the material plane, except for gods from there.
They are not invaders but returning home.
During the apocalyptic reboot of the material plane, they are eligible to return to their homeland.
This was originally meant by the universe’s supreme rules as a stage for them to save their homeland, but the essence of the universe is devoid of emotion and doesn’t understand human nature; it has envisioned higher intelligence life forms too positively.
The vast majority of returning gods do not help their homeland but unrestrainedly plunder.
In their eyes, the homeland is just a pasture, and mortals are cattle and sheep that can be freely hunted on it.
...
"Why do you know so much?" Sofia furrowed her brows, puzzled.
Roland’s previous conjectures were partly from her and the Sea Emperor’s "legacy," and some were even unknown to her.
"Encyclopedia, my special ability," Roland admitted frankly.
With the increasing number of encyclopedic badges he collected, the content unlocked by the encyclopedia grew exponentially.
Some even came from memory fragments of the previous era.
Together with messages left by the Sea Emperor and Sofia, Roland dared to hypothesize and carefully verify, leading to a fearsome yet reasonable conclusion.
Gods also have hierarchies, with high-level gods plundering the material planes through low-level gods.
And these returning low-level gods are the most resentful turncoats.
After hearing Roland’s explanation, Sofia remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "What are you planning to do?"
"I want to roam around, visit every corner of the world, listen to the wise voices of the locals, and impart the knowledge I possess,"
Roland said seriously, "The five-year service agreement may not be continued."
Sofia nodded slightly and softly said, "Angelina has grown up. With the framework you’ve established for direction, she should be fine."
There was something she didn’t say aloud; the Rurik People are ultimately exclusive, as demonstrated by the steward Barov’s attitude towards Roland.
Roland ultimately couldn’t integrate with them.
Leaving behind the planned blueprint and executor, then departing gracefully, was a wise choice.
"The Winter Palace and Kazan Duke’s Domain are yours, don’t refuse." This was Sofia’s insistence.
Roland displayed an exaggerated smile while "astonished" at Sofia, "Why, are my contributions not worth it?"
Sofia didn’t echo his laughter but calmly said, "Roland, take care. In critical moments, you can crush the Violet Ring; if I’m not too far away, I’ll definitely come to assist."
"What if you’re far away?" Roland looked at the Violet Ring on his ring finger, half-jokingly teasing.
This was Sofia’s engagement gift for him and Sif, and he had always worn it.
"I promise to give you and your enemies a proper burial."
Sofia said with a cold, indifferent tone, yet Roland could detect a hint of concern.
"When do you plan to return?" Sofia asked casually.
"When my footsteps have traversed most civilizations and their relics."
Sofia pondered for a moment and handed Roland a sapphire-colored protective talisman.
"Crush it in an emergency; it might save your life."
"What is this?"
"The last trace of the Frosty Winter Goddess," Sofia said calmly.
The final memories of the Second Era were split in two, one half infused into the new Bright Blue Fury given to Angelina, and the other half infused into the possession talisman.
"Thank you, I will come back soon."
After seeing Sofia off, watching her shadow gradually disappear into the night, Roland had the illusion she would hibernate, only emerging again when necessary.
After all, her acting skills weren’t top-notch, and if she acted for a long time, there would always be moments of exposure.
The best actors never set foot on stage.
Moreover, secluded cultivation perfectly aligns with her character, even if Tiya’s minions found out, they wouldn’t overthink it.
It seemed that there was no need to crush the Violet Ring when encountering danger; crushing the protective talisman should suffice.
Thinking of the final ripple of the Frosty Winter Goddess, Roland was curious about which unlucky soul would bear the brunt of its final attack.
Embarking on the journey of knowledge and enlightenment, Roland chose Talia as his first stop. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
His parents passed away early, and Roland’s impression of them had long been vague.
Moreover, being a transmigrator made it hard for him to accept multiple adopted parents; he could regard the transmigrated parents as respectable elders, but they fell short of being real parents.
But Lisa was different; she was both family and surpassed familial affection.
