"I believe if we want this partnership to work, I need to know some things," Malinali said. "For starters, why me? There are plenty of capable people in these lands."
Rael smiled. "This might seem stupid, but... I don't like absolute obedience."
It was definitely a stupid concept, but he had his reasons for it.
"I'm able to create a few constructs that could do my bidding, but I can't make them anything but loyal. Sure, I can make them second-guess themselves, and I can make them have their own personalities, but in the end, they're constructs that follow any order I give to a T."
He had tested it plenty of times, and he couldn't overcome it. Even an eccentric personality that tried to fight with Rael at every turn had become obedient the moment he uttered a command.
And... I don't really want literal robots to rule in my stead, Rael thought. It wouldn't feel genuine, and I want it to be.
