Why does /var/log/messages does not store normal reboot/shutdown logs if persistent journal is not enabled?

Issue

• Why does /var/log/messages does not store normal reboot/shutdown logs if persistent journal is not enabled?

Without persistent journal
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[root@dhcp131-69 ~]# logger TESTREBOOT8
[root@dhcp131-69 ~]# reboot

Jan 1 02:57:12 dhcp131-69 root[1874]: TESTREBOOT8

<<< REBOOT HERE >>>

Jan 1 02:57:25 localhost kernel: The list of certified hardware and cloud instances for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 can be viewed at the Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog, https://catalog.redhat.com.
Jan 1 02:57:25 localhost kernel: Command line: BOOT_IMAGE=(hd0,gpt2)/vmlinuz-5.14.0-402.el9.x86_64 root=/dev/mapper/rhel_dhcp131-69-root ro crashkernel=1G-4G:192M,4G-64G:256M,64G:512M resume=/dev/mapper/rhel_dhcp131--69-swap rd.lvm.lv=rhel_dhcp131-69/
root rd.lvm.lv=rhel_dhcp131-69/swap rhgb quiet

With persistent journal logs
****************************

[root@dhcp131-69 ~]# logger TESTREBOOT8
[root@dhcp131-69 ~]# reboot

Jan 1 02:57:12 dhcp131-69 root[1874]: TESTREBOOT8

<<< REBOOT HERE >>>

Jan 1 02:57:25 localhost kernel: The list of certified hardware and cloud instances for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 can be viewed at the Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog, https://catalog.redhat.com.
Jan 1 02:57:25 localhost kernel: Command line: BOOT_IMAGE=(hd0,gpt2)/vmlinuz-5.14.0-402.el9.x86_64 root=/dev/mapper/rhel_dhcp131-69-root ro crashkernel=1G-4G:192M,4G-64G:256M,64G:512M resume=/dev/mapper/rhel_dhcp131--69-swap rd.lvm.lv=rhel_dhcp131-69/
root rd.lvm.lv=rhel_dhcp131-69/swap rhgb quiet
...
Jan 1 03:00:17 dhcp131-69 systemd[1]: Reached target System Reboot. <----
Jan 1 03:00:17 dhcp131-69 systemd[1]: Shutting down. <----
...
Jan 1 03:00:18 dhcp131-69 systemd-shutdown: Sending SIGTERM to remaining processes...
Jan 1 03:00:18 dhcp131-69 systemd-journald[1832]: Journal stopped
Jan 1 03:00:27 dhcp131-69 kernel: Linux version 5.14.0-402.el9.x86_64 (mockbuild@x86-64-01.build.eng.rdu2.redhat.com) (gcc (GCC) 11.4.1 20230605 (Red Hat 11.4.1-2), GNU ld version 2.35.2-42.el9) #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Thu Dec 21 16:49:07 EST 2023