As Valkyries, the sisters were not immediately granted an audience.
They waited outside the court, biding their time until the emperor concluded his affairs of state.
Half a day passed, yet there was still no summons.
Was this a deliberate snub?
To others, it might seem so, but Randgriz didn't think so.
The First Emperor had not dismissed his officials or postponed the day's governance simply because of their special status.
No matter who they were, they had to abide by the laws of the Qin Empire. They would be summoned when it was their turn.
Thus, Randgriz observed numerous officials coming and going outside the court, seemingly occupied with urgent tasks they had been ordered to carry out.
"Sister, if this Qin Empire still exists two thousand years from now, what do you think it would be like?"
Randgriz couldn't help but ask.
Given how advanced it was now, she couldn't imagine what it would look like after two millennia.
"I don't know."
Brunhilde shook her head, though she too was curious about the empire's evolution over two thousand years.
If the Qin Empire remained intact, undivided by turmoil, she wondered just how far it could develop.
But right now, Brunhilde had no mind for such thoughts. She was preoccupied with another, more pressing concern.
She truly feared that the First Emperor was deliberately stalling—which would spell disaster.
The time for [Ragnarök] was fast approaching. If she didn't return, how could the battle commence?
If the gods couldn't find her, some might mock her for fleeing. But ridicule was the least of her worries—the real issue was that [Ragnarök] might not take place at all in her absence.
And if that happened, would the gods then proceed to destroy the human world?
What a miscalculation. She never expected to be pulled into this isolated space.
If she had known this would happen, she should have confirmed the first participant in advance and summoned them first.
That way, even if she wasn't present, they could have held out for a while.
Hmm? There's movement—she hears the sound of numerous footsteps.
Soon after, the figures of the officials come into view. It seems some meeting has just concluded.
Finally, they are summoned for an audience.
Upon stepping into the grand hall, which exudes an overwhelming sense of majesty, the two sisters instinctively tense up when they see the black-robed figure seated at the far end.
Though the gaze directed at them this time lacks the crushing pressure from before, it still sends shivers down their spines.
Under that gaze, Brunhilde feels as though every inch of her being is being scrutinized.
It's not the sensation of her clothes failing to conceal her, as if she were standing naked before him.
Not just her skin—everything beneath it, the flesh, bones, and other components that make up her body.
Even her consciousness, emotions, values, habits, temperament—everything that influences her words and actions—is laid bare.
Every element that constitutes the person known as "Brunhilde" seems to be thoroughly analyzed by those eyes, which appear capable of perceiving the vast complexities of the universe.
Her entire being, it seems, is laid bare before this emperor without reservation.
Thus, this feeling of being completely read and dissected fills Brunhilde with a sense of dread.
After steadying herself, Brunhilde succinctly explains to the emperor their origins and purpose.
The First Emperor shows no surprise, merely observing them with calm detachment.
"So, you wish for me to participate as well?"
His voice is composed, giving no hint of his thoughts.
"Indeed, we hope Your Majesty will join as one of humanity's representatives in this battle that will determine our future."
Originally, Brunhilde had intended to add that the people of the Qin dynasty in the outside world were also his subjects.
Even if the great Qin of the outside world had fallen, could he stand by and watch as his people's fate was arbitrarily decided by the gods?
Much like how she had provoked the gods, inciting them to agree to the so-called "Ragnarök," she considered using a similar tactic to goad the emperor into accepting.
But Brunhilde suppresses this thought.
This emperor is not the type to be easily provoked, and her intuition warns her that such an approach would backfire.
Better to sincerely appeal to him instead.
"There is one thing that greatly piques my curiosity," the emperor says, neither accepting nor rejecting her request.
What could it be?
"Your Majesty may ask."
"On what basis do you believe humans can stand against the gods? No matter how strong an ordinary human may be, they could never rival a god."
"Indeed, ordinary humans could never defeat the gods. But Your Majesty is no ordinary man, is he?"
"Heh."
The First Emperor chuckles lightly.
"So, you believe I can defeat a god? And what makes you so certain? If you can be sure, would the gods not know as well?"
Brunhilde understands his meaning.
There's no reason she would know of such individuals in history while the gods remain ignorant, allowing her to freely choose them.
One scenario is that the gods were completely unaware of the existence of humans in history who could truly slay deities, in which case Brunhilde herself likely didn't know either. However, she must have had some other method to enable humans to achieve godslaying.
Another scenario is that the gods knew but simply didn't care, as they didn't believe these humans could win.
Thus, the First Emperor sought to understand the former—to grasp exactly what method Brunhilde had that could allow ordinary humans to kill gods.
"To harm a god, an ordinary human is incapable—unless they possess a divine weapon."
From the very beginning, when searching for representatives to fight for humanity, Brunhilde had not anticipated the existence of anomalies like the King of Heroes, King Solomon, or the First Emperor.
Therefore, the individuals she sought were merely exceptional warriors in human history—those who, once armed with divine weapons, could stand against the gods.
"So, you intend for humans to wield divine weapons and face the gods in battle? That alone may not be enough."
"It isn't."
Simply equipping humans with divine weapons would still be insufficient to challenge the gods.
First, the divine weapon a human wields must be perfectly attuned to them—achieving unity between human and divine, mastering the weapon flawlessly—only then could they barely hold their own.
But how easy is it to find a divine weapon perfectly suited to a human? Even if one is found, it would still require training to wield it effortlessly.
Thus, Brunhilde had a method—one that would forge unity between human and divine, granting humans the power to stand against the gods.
This method alone wasn't enough with just the Valkyrie sisters—it required the assistance of a god to show her the possibility, however slim, of humanity's victory.
After a brief hesitation, she revealed the method.
...
...
"I see. To ensure humanity's victory, you Valkyries have truly given everything."
As the First Emperor spoke these words, the gaze he turned toward Brunhilde suddenly made her feel immense pressure.
"It's not impossible for me to participate, but you must fulfill one condition for me."
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