Ruler Vol 2 Chapter 15
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Author: Anit666
【Sam’s POV】
We were currently walking through the corridors of the castle. Since the library and the conference room were in opposite wings of the castle and the castle was huge, it would take us some time to reach it.
I was walking behind her for my own safety. I don’t want to be stabbed in the back while walking in front of her. I don’t want that to be repeated again. Since we weren’t exactly on good terms, mildly speaking, so we were walking while shrouded in silence.
The silence was unnerving, so I decided to make some small talk. I also need some information anyway.
“Now that I think about it, why are you the one who is escorting me? Rei- I mean, you father could have just sent a maid or something like that, no?”
“My father appointed me to take care of you to let me reflect on my seemingly unjustified and wrong actions.”
“Seemingly? You still don’t believe that you were in the wrong, do you?”
This princess is incorrigible. What a pain.
“Of course not. You don’t deserve to be the Hero.”
But it’s people like these that are the easiest to manipulate. Those who think they are right no matter what and act based solely on emotions make the best pawns.
Why? Because those act on emotions discard rationality, and if they cannot think rationally, then they won’t realise that they are being manipulated.
But she’s quite adamant about me not being worthy, ain’t she? She hasn’t said anything like that to Chloe and Jack, not that I know of.
“Why are you specifically targeting me? I don’t remember doing anything that would make you think that I’m not fit to be a Hero.”
Let’s try to determine where it went wrong.
“First of all, you lied to me back when I first met you.”
Lied? Is she talking about how I named Jack as the leader of the party?
“That was necessary. Is that all you are basing your impression of me on?”
Is it something like first impressions are the last impressions? Is she not aware that first impressions are most often the most deceptive?
“Of course not. Lying is something that all do. Even I lie sometimes.”
“Then?”
Simone suddenly stopped walking and turned around to look me straight in the eyes. With eyes that held nothing but contempt for me, she declared.
“It was your eyes. You have the eyes of a dead fish. They don’t hold even a shred of justice in them.”
Eyes of a dead fish? I should be rich in Omega-3 then. But what is she talking about my eyes not holding any justice? Is she a buffoon? Well she is, but still…….
“Justice this, justice that. Just what is the justice you keep talking about?”
Let’s see what she has to say on that topic. I just hope that she doesn’t bore me.
Her eyes lit up upon hearing my question, as if she had been wanting to talk about it.
“Justice is fighting evil and defeating it. Justice is protecting the weak. Justice is fighting for the truth no matter what.”
“What is evil then? How would you define it?”
Let’s also have some fun, shall we?
“What do you mean?”
She asked with a confused look on her face.
“I meant what I said. Let’s take an example here. Assume that a person killed another person. Would that be evil?”
“Naturally.”
She answered without missing a beat.
“Then, your father also killed a Commandment a thousand years ago, right? Going by your logic, that act should also be evil, right?”
“T-That’s…… Of course it’s not!”
She got flustered.
“Why not? If we look at laws, then the mere act of killing should be evil, irrespective of the reason. Then why is it that the murder of a Commandment by the hands of your father is not evil? The Commandment was a being possessing intelligence, was he not? I’m sure he had his own dreams, his own ideals to follow. He probably loved someone, and was also loved by someone. He had his own life. And you father ended it. Why is it not evil?”
“But he was a demon!”
She shouted in a voice full of anger. Those reactions are mildly cute, so let’s shake her up some more.
“So what?”
“Hah?”
“I asked, so what? You are saying it’s okay to kill him just because he is a demon?”
“Are you saying that what my father did was wrong?”
She almost threatened me. What’s with this fathercon? Please stay safe, Reishu. I hope you bolt the doors of your room shut before going to bed.
“I never said that. If we look at from the side of mankind, killing that Commandment was most probably the correct choice in that situation. Who knows how many more he would have killed had your father not killed him? But if we look at it from the side of the demons, did they not lose many things due to the death of that Commandment?”
“Just what are you trying to say? Get to the point.” (Simone)
“I’m just saying that there’s nothing that’s perfectly evil or perfectly good. No matter what it is. But I guess understanding such concepts is too hard for a certain sheltered princess who grew up reading and listening about her father’s valiant tales.”
“Oh? Then tell me, what would you- the Hero chosen by the Goddess- would have done in that situation?”
The answer is obvious.
“I would have done the same. The only difference is, I would have considered it a necessary sacrifice instead of calling it a good deed.”
“But just why? The demons are inferior life forms that threaten our survival. What’s wrong with killing them?”
It was apparent that Simone was getting irritated by this conversation. But did she just say that the Demons are an inferior life form? Just from where does her misconception arise? Well, asking that would be too much of a pain in the ass. There’s no point in this conversation anymore: I’ve already gotten what I needed.
Though from what I have come to understand by talking to her, I can say that she’s not a fanatic of Reishu. It’s more along the lines of inexperience and admiration. Probably. Did Reishu misjudge her? Or……
“Like I said, you won’t understand.”
I tried to wrap up the conversation by that.
“Why not? If someone like you from a peaceful world such as Earth can understand it, then why can’t I?”
God she’s persistent. Perhaps that’s what I get for having so much fun? Moreover, the reason I can understand that it is that I have some special circumstances which cannot be told to her.
“Because you lack experience. Go out into the real world, participate in a war or two, and then you’ll understand that concepts like good and evil are nothing more than sources of entertainment and means of manipulating the masses, and should be treated as such.”
I mean, the reason we can conduct ourselves in a civilised manner and not live like barbarians is because the concepts of good and evil have been instilled in us from the moment we began to understand the things around us. We’re taught that stealing is evil, and that respecting the elders is good. And although these things must be followed if one wants to live in a functioning society, there’s no absolute guarantee that stealing is always evil.
Simone went silent for a moment after listening to me, but she finally asked.
“Tell me then. What is justice for you?”=
I don’t believe in something as fallible as that. Or that’s what I would have liked to say, but doing to would clearly ruin my already fragile relationship with her.
“Justice is a tree whose roots must be watered by the blood of the strong, and I’m not that strong. That’s all. Let’s go to the conference room now, shall we? We shouldn’t keep your father waiting.”
I started walking after saying that.
“W-Wait!”
Followed by a naïve little princess.
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