Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis thought about what the Empress had said for a while. 'I'm absolutely sure that no human would get something like that as soon as they reach the Nascent Nourishing Realm. Father said that there is some kind of secret weapon that humans get when they reach the Nascent Nourishing Realm, but this surely isn't it.'

Gravis looked at the horizon with narrowed eyes. 'I think this is another one of Heaven's ways to keep the beasts powerful enough to serve as tempering. The beasts probably don't have access to this secret weapon that humans have, which is why Heaven bestows a Law upon the beasts.'

'Additionally, for beasts that haven't come into contact with the Laws before, understanding a Law might give them the start they need to understand more. I'm pretty sure that Heaven teaches the Laws differently than when I have absorbed the Punishment Lightning. Otherwise, this would make no sense,' Gravis thought.

Then, Gravis looked at the Empress again. "I've got another question."

"Go ahead," the Empress said. She didn't really mind talking to Gravis. After all, the whole matter with the competition had passed, and now she had way too much time on her hands again.

"Are there situations where beasts immediately die as soon as they become Kings?" Gravis asked.

The eyes of the Empress widened. "How did you know?" she asked.

Gravis had already put his armor away and scratched his chin in thought. "So, there is. That's what I have expected."

itself, not by Heaven. Father has said that this might make it harder for me to understand my first other Law, which had been proven true.

powerful. Therefore, Heaven must transport the minds of the beasts into some kind of plane where they can fully concentrate on the Law that fits them the

be able to leave this space. According to what I know

that." She had watched Gravis looking at the horizon for a while now, even though she

pulled Gravis out of his thoughts, and he looked back at her. "I was lost in thought. I didn't know that specifically, but it made sense

sense? If you don't know about this, there is no way to extrapolate

secrets, and I don't want to tell

annoyed. "I've been answering your questions with patience, but you say you can't answer

"It's complicated," he answered. "Due to my background, I know a lot about the workings of the world, but that knowledge is precious. I can tell you with certainty that I know things about

things to the Empress, she would have scoffed at them. Yet, Gravis' powers and conduct were incredibly strange and atypical. He had

but as far as she had seen, Gravis didn't appear to be a

is something that has been bothering me for the longest time, and if you can accept this condition, I will tell you as much about my secrets as I'm allowed to

furrowed some more. "As much as you're allowed to share? Who can force you to keep your secrets with me present? You said yourself that you

complicated expression on his face. "Sadly, that's part of my secrets. I can only tell you that I haven't lied

that, she remembered that he was still a Lord. Why did it feel like she was speaking to an equal rather

to her to concede to some Lord, but