"Indeed. The demigods that bear the Coreflames eventually become the new Titans at the world's end..."
A faint smile curled at Anaxa's lips. "Remember what happened on the holy mountain? Calypso, Gnaeus... As their destined ends approached, one by one, they left this world... leaving only the twins, who were fated to succeed Death."
"Unfortunately, while their journey is consistent with ours, you and Calypso as well as Nikador and Gnaeus act as supporting evidence, I can only come up with a rough sketch for my theory of a cyclical history."
That was the truth.
Even though the audience knew Anaxa's judgment was correct, it still couldn't resolve the issue of evidence.
After all, Anaxa wasn't trying to prove it to the audience, but to the Council of Elders and the citizens of Okhema.
To make this group of staunch supporters turn against it, the difficulty was no less than ascending to godhood.
"For all the pains I took to reach this point, I had already lost hope of ever obtaining definitive proof. After all, the past is in the past. Proving that we are the legacies of heroes of the past is a hopeless endeavor."
"That is, until I met a girl named Polyxia and her sister."
The smile on Anaxa's face deepened.
He didn't believe in fate or divine will, but he had to admit the existence of luck.
And luck, it seemed, was on his side.
"If Castorice was truly sent from the past to the present for the Titan's self-serving reasons, then having lived through two cycles and with Styxia as the pivot, she will no doubt be the link to connect all of this together."
"If the twins of Death can bridge two cycles to reunite at the shores of the Sea of Souls... then my hypothesis will no longer be just a hypothesis, and you, too, will get the answer to your question."
This was precisely why Anaxa insisted on bringing Castorice along.
Cerces neither agreed nor disagreed, instead asking, "That is all well and good, but how can you be so sure? If there is even the slightest error in your hypothesis, the girl will be shattered."
Anaxa didn't care in the slightest. "Hmph, it matters not. The most important quality a scholar must possess is foolhardiness. If you are overly cautious, then you'll never have the gumption to make the first step, and change will never come."
"Besides, I, Anaxagoras, am destined to overturn this farcical world."
At the end, Anaxa stared into Cerces's eyes, enunciating each syllable.
Whether he succeeded or failed, his name alone was enough to represent everything.
This kind of arrogance once again sent the audience into a frenzy.
....
: Playing it this cool?
: A single name explains everything.
: Meaning doesn't matter to him at all, he's a true, innate scientist!
: You've got to watch Anaxa, this attitude is just too satisfying.
: Very good! Full of spirit!
: And he won't fail anyway, because every one of Anaxa's guesses has been right!
....
The comments swept past, and Anaxa didn't wait any longer.
"Come, let us go and teach those pathetic worms one final lesson."
The two of them set off together toward the citizens' assembly.
Following Anaxa's line of sight, what the audience saw was the authority that had long been divided by opposing voices.
Those qualified to attend had already gathered here. The scale and momentum far surpassed that of the previous proposal session.
And when Anaxa stepped into the venue, he saw Phainon, who had been waiting there.
This white-haired Chrysos Heir looked somewhat uneasy and lost at the moment.
This citizens' assembly would determine Okhema's future direction, and the future of all the Chrysos Heir.
Yet Aglaea had entrusted this opportunity to Phainon.
From a personal standpoint, Aglaea believed her humanity was nearly gone, and that she couldn't defeat Caenis, who specialized in understanding human nature.
That was reasonable. But from a political standpoint, the meaning of Aglaea's move was far from ordinary.
Whether in reality or in history, in a decisive vote, if the current faction leader chooses someone else to take the stage, it means that person will become the faction's recognized successor.
There's no need for any official announcement.
Announcements are usually just formalities shown after the decision has already been made behind the scenes.
So at this very moment, whether it was the Chrysos Heir or the Council of Elders, once Aglaea chose Phainon to debate, they would automatically treat him as the next leader of the Chrysos Heir.
But… why? Phainon couldn't understand.
Aglaea was in her prime, experienced in matters like these, ruthless in methods, and held overwhelming authority.
Whether it was the Chrysos Heir or the commoners, all fully obeyed her leadership, regarding her as Okhema's sole sun.
In everyone's hearts, there was only one word, loyalty. Even Caenis had to admit that Aglaea was the most terrifying opponent she had ever encountered.
A leader like this, why would she suddenly designate an heir?
And why him? That was why Phainon felt uneasy.
Whether he wanted it or not, he was now already the future leader of Okhema's Chrysos Heir's, carrying on his shoulders the future of Okhema.
What if he lost? Then no one would support the Flame Chasing Journey.
What would they do then?
In the end, no matter how perfect a successor Phainon appeared to be in Aglaea's eyes or in the eyes of the others, he himself still felt uneasy.
At that moment, Anaxa arrived.
"Professor Anaxa...? I thought you'd pass on this."
Phainon said, his tone complicated.
"Everyone must cast their vote, or this assembly would serve no purpose."
Anaxa glanced at Phainon, who was weighed down with thoughts, but didn't speak further.
Sure enough, Phainon revealed his concerns in a roundabout way:
"Prof... Do you truly think it's wise to entrust the fate of the world to an assembly like this?"
Anaxa spread his hands, calm as ever. "Okhema has stood strong under this system for a thousand years. It stands to reason that there is purpose in its existence."
"But that is not what you're asking, is it? What you really want to know is: Is Aglaea making the right decision in entrusting the fate of the world to you?"
Phainon gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "...Nothing ever escapes you."
"So... do you have an answer to that question?"
"No, I don't." Anaxa's smile faded as he replied flatly:
"Because that question is not yours to ask in the first place."
Phainon looked at Anaxa in confusion.
"Is "Aglaea entrusting the world to you" the right decision? Don't make me laugh. That is a question that woman must answer herself. Why are you fretting about this on her behalf? Or have you been seeing yourself as her pawn all this time?"
At that moment, Anaxa folded his arms and said in a serious tone, "Listen up, I'll say this only once. Flip your perspective around and ask yourself this instead, "What should *I* do to ensure that the world doesn't stray from the correct path?" That is what you should be thinking about."
Those words struck Phainon like a bolt of lightning. He realized that his direction of thinking of was completely wrong.
But before he could ask further, Anaxa had already turned and left.
As a teacher, that was the last thing he could teach Phainon.
Watching his departing figure, Phainon fell into deep thought. Anaxa's answer didn't relieve his pressure, but it made one thing clear, difference in identity.
Before this, Phainon had devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Flame Chasing Journey.
The path he walked was the one pointed out by Aglaea, carrying forward the will and ideals she had established.
But now, in an objective sense, he had already become an important member of the Flame Chasing Journey, inheriting from Aglaea the authority and responsibility to lead the Chrysos Heir toward their future.
With such an identity, how to carry the Flame Chasing Journey forward, and in what way, That was what he needed to consider.
In the bustling council hall, Phainon stood where he was, gazing at the colossal statue of Kephale in the distance, his eyes still empty.
'My wish? What kind of fate do I want for this world?'
'But I… don't know…'
Phainon withdrew his gaze and looked at his own hands in a daze.
He had joined the Chrysos Heir for revenge. Later, he came to agree with Aglaea's ideals and was willing to help complete the Flame Chasing Journey.
All along, he had participated from a supporting role. But when Aglaea truly handed him power, gave him absolute freedom, he found himself completely lost.
"My… greatest wish is to return to Aedes Elysiae?"
"…That doesn't seem right either."
After standing there blankly for a while, Phainon shook his head.
In his confusion, Phainon's extraordinary resilience kicked in again, instantly locking onto a goal, the most important goal.
Since he acknowledged the Flame Chasing Journey, then he would continue along Aglaea's path.
He absolutely could not let everyone down! He turned and walked toward the center of the council hall.
Meanwhile, the audience watching could no longer stay calm.
…
: Just switched over from Castorice's side and immediately got hit with such an intense dialogue scene?
: The way Okhema's power structure is portrayed is pretty interesting, hahaha.
: Didn't expect Aglaea to think so highly of Phainon, putting him forward at such an important assembly.
: But I don't believe Aglaea doesn't have a backup plan. If Phainon fails, she'll probably step in to clean things up.
: That just proves how much she values him. Damn, is she really training Phainon like this?
: Yeah, I also feel like this is a bit too rushed.
: Even if she values him, she should ease him into it step by step.
: Hahaha, exactly, look at Phainon now, completely lost. A position that takes others a thousand years to climb, he reached it in a single afternoon.
: Phainon: Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?
: At this point, his background music should switch to 'Accidentally Becoming a Titan'!
: Damn! That's hilarious.
: Still, even though Phainon looks naive and clear-minded, he's very resilient. No matter how big the issue, if you hand it to him, he won't spiral, he just focuses on how to solve it.
…
The comments went wild.
The main reason was that Aglaea's act of pushing Phainon forward this time felt far too hasty.
What governance needs is stability, unless the situation has already deteriorated to the point where Aglaea is preparing for the worst.
But the audience couldn't see any sign of things falling apart. The Coreflame had all been recalled step by step.
Even with someone like Caenis causing trouble, it wouldn't affect the bigger picture.
And there's no way this story would make such a mistake. So everyone was completely baffled.
…
: Such a massive system like Okhema, handed directly to Phainon, unless it's a last entrustment, I can't think of any reason to push him out this urgently.
: What 'last entrustment'? Who could even do anything to Aglaea? Caenis and that bunch of useless senators?
: Guess Aglaea has her own plans?
: By the way, does anyone remember the prophesy about Aglaea?
: Something about soaking in hot springs?
: Don't joke, your Sister Aglaea controls all of Okhema with golden threads. Nothing escapes her sight.
: Maybe… it's related to the movements of the Flame Reaver?
: If we're talking about real threats, then only the Flame Reaver counts.
…
As the audience speculated, on screen, the climax of the assembly had arrived.
Important figures began to appear one after another.
The citizens who had migrated into Okhema from various city-states over a thousand years, along with their leaders.
The Council of Elders, the Chrysos Faction. They sat clearly divided, discussing among themselves.
Whispers filled the chamber, turning the assembly into a noisy Okhema marketplace.
"Elders and citizens, silence, if you please."
A clear and powerful voice suddenly rang out, instantly suppressing the noise.
Lygus stepped slowly into the center of the hall, looked around, and said:
"As the Theoros, I present to you:"
"Phainon of Aedes Elysiae, virtuous citizen of Okhema and the last speaker of the assembly."
As his words fell, Phainon, under everyone's gaze, stepped into the arena.
Although it had long been rumored that Aglaea would not appear in person, when people saw that it was truly just this young man stepping forward, many still showed expressions of shock.
"I remember him, he's the penniless lad working for Aglaea!"
A haughty citizen spoke, his tone filled with both arrogance and envy.