A moment after the dust settled, the hall of the Kremlin palace was once again pristine. Nicholas II was a man who paid great attention to pomp and ceremony. Before a suitable setting was arranged, he would rather sit still and wait. After Rasputin's death, once he could move again, he had instantly given orders for the palace servants to replace the damaged carpet and repair the collapsed floor.
Sunlight slanted in from the doorway, enveloping the brand-new decorations in a clear, bright light. Specks of dust swirled like tiny fireflies around Lu Kang. He stood in the sunlight, looking at the newly decorated palace hall. His robes were black, his posture erect, his handsome face clear and quiet.
Nicholas II respectfully approached him, completely devoid of his previous majestic demeanor on the throne. "Master Lu Kang," he said, "please, take a seat!"
Lu Kang glanced at him, then at the seat Nicholas II was pointing to. It was even higher than the 'throne'! He knew that in Nicholas's heart, he was now no different from a god. In the original timeline, the only one who had earned this level of reverence from the 'last Tsar' was Rasputin, who had just died at his hands. Lu Kang had well and truly taken his place, and had even done it better, more brilliantly. In Nicholas's eyes, he was both a saint and a sage.
But Lu Kang didn't move. He just said, "His Highness Alexei, is he well?" Lu Kang had certainly not forgotten this objective. No matter what, 'reverence' was temporary. Only by providing real benefits could a long-term relationship be maintained.
Seeing that he wasn't moving, Nicholas II didn't insist. He just replied respectfully, "Previously, Rasputin... that demon... I was bewitched by him and asked him to see Alexei. It has been two days now, and Alexei has not had an attack—" Nicholas II's face was filled with worry. After 'confirming' that Rasputin was a demon, he couldn't help but worry that he had also placed a curse on Alexei...
Just then, he noticed that the youth's deep brown, profound eyes suddenly lit up with a brilliant, multicolored rainbow light, like a starry sky. "He is fine," Lu Kang replied. "My eyes have seen his future. That demon, in order to gain your trust, did not harm His Highness Alexei. The demon's power comes from hell, but hell was also created by God. As long as you deal with it correctly, there is nothing to fear. Your Majesty Nicholas II need not worry. If you are truly worried, then after you return... you can have His Highness Alexei drink more hot water."
Lu Kang couldn't actually see the future. The mystic codes inscribed on him could only make him powerful; they couldn't possibly give him the high-spec Mystic Eyes to see through the future. But he knew 'history', and for a magus who also moonlighted as a clergyman, acting mysterious was practically second nature. He wasn't righteous, but his aura was strong!
"Will drinking hot water help?" Nicholas II was both respectful and awed, yet slightly confused.
"It won't help Alexei," Lu Kang blinked and smiled. "But it will help you. If there's no 'medicine' at all, you won't be at ease, will you?"
This was said with both wit and intimacy, and Nicholas II finally relaxed. He thought that this 'sage' would not and had no need to deceive him. He had been deceived by a demon before, but that demon was now dead. So even if the demon had cursed Alexei, it was now all turned to dust.
"In that case, I would like to offer you a position in the court. I can build a separate palace for you, to venerate you." Of course, Nicholas II was still not completely at ease. He wanted to keep Lu Kang here, in the court. This was for Alexei, his weak and pitiful child, and also for himself, for his wife, for his family, for his three innocent and lovely daughters' safety.
To this, Lu Kang neither refused nor accepted. He just said, "I am used to a life of wandering. I have no need for a palace—of course, I don't live in a hovel either. I've heard that the Kremlin has the largest library in the Tsarist empire, built by Ivan the Terrible himself, containing most of the world's books. I am quite interested in that place."
A smile appeared on the youth's face. He was in no hurry to interfere in the court and its politics. Having taken Rasputin's place, he also knew Rasputin's final fate. In the twilight of the empire, that man had interfered too much in politics, offended too many nobles, and was eventually killed by them in a joint effort. Although he had revived several times through mystic means, he was finally drowned in water.
Lu Kang had no desire to die. His current strength, though not weak, was not enough to handle all the crises in this world. So he needed to accumulate power first. When he was strong enough... then he would come out and wield his authority.
Thus, the clueless Nicholas II couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "You are truly a man of noble character, a true saint! I believe a person like you will surely be canonized by the Church in the future!" he said from the bottom of his heart. Not seeking luxury, not attached to power, but rather cherishing knowledge—this was undoubtedly the mark of a 'sage'. This Tsar's respect for the young but wise boy grew even deeper. His imagination ran wild.
"The Church?" Lu Kang was noncommittal. As a magus at his core, his impression of the fanatically religious 'Church' was not good. The analysis of mystery and the pursuit of faith were fundamentally incompatible. However, he also understood that the Tsarist empire was a country filled with believers. It was not suitable to openly oppose the Church here. Even with his current actions, it seemed he would sooner or later clash with the 'Church'—using the Church's name to interfere in imperial politics was something the Church could not tolerate.
So he just said, "Finally, one more warning for you. For the next three days, do not let His Highness Alexei enter any bedroom with a chandelier." This was the 'prophecy' of the historical Rasputin. Lu Kang copied it verbatim.
...
[Nicholas II agreed to your request. He provided you with all the daily necessities in the Kremlin library, all of an extremely expensive nature.]
[For this extremely devout emperor, a saint could refuse luxury, but he absolutely could not fail to express his inner excitement, otherwise he would be filled with anxiety.]
[You accepted these items with a clear conscience.]
[You know these items are the flesh and blood of the people, and you intend to do something to compensate the populace in the future. But for now, you have more important things to accomplish.]
[On the first day after moving in, you checked the library's catalog. The hundreds of thousands of books dazzled you and made your heart race.]
[The collection here includes ancient texts from the Greek era, popular mysticism from the Renaissance, humanities and politics from the glorious Roman Empire, and strange witchcraft from the Dark Ages.]
[It covers the vast expanse of the Western world, recording the mystic collections from ancient times to the present. They are not comprehensive, but for you, they are more than enough.]
[You are determined to use them to establish your own system of magical lineage.]
[On the second day after moving in, you heard that a chandelier had fallen in His Highness Alexei's bedroom, crashing onto the bed. Fortunately, Nicholas II had heeded your prophecy and not let Alexei rest in a room with a chandelier.]
[Alexei was saved because of you.]
[Nicholas II's wife, the Tsarina, Maria Feodorovna, is full of admiration and gratitude for you.]
[The four Grand Duchesses of the empire are all very curious about you.]
[You began to immerse yourself in research, paying no mind to worldly affairs.]
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