The reason for the gratitude in the eyes of Ao and Aioro was simple. As embodiments of the will of the Everstrife Empyrean World, they were intrinsically connected to every living being within it. Their awareness did not function like ordinary perception; instead, it extended across continents, cities, and even the smallest settlements, allowing them to feel the collective emotional state of their people. In recent times, that awareness had been filled with an overwhelming tide of fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
Those emotions were not merely unpleasant—they were dangerous.
