Book 2: Chapter 254
Translator: Seven
Editors: Ana_Banana, Sei
The Priestess looked down at the surface of the water below her feet. To be precise, she was looking at her own reflection.
“I didn’t expect him to say no without even bothering to think about it.”
The Priestess’ reflection responded to her soft murmur.
“Right.”
In that instant, the Priestess’ reflection began to multiply.
“Hmph. He probably doesn’t properly understand the current situation. I don’t like that bastard.”
“Didn’t we always hear that he was like that? I quite like him.”
“But Chorong, why didn’t you say anything? You always whined about wanting to meet him.”
“Haigo~ Why are you so inconsiderate? You know it’s better for Jokang to deal with situations like this.”
“Then what do we do now? Nodiesop will definitely try to annihilate us.”
“Can we just run away? Maybe Nodiesop will give up on chasing us if we escape to Gaia.”
Suddenly.
She felt a presence behind her.
Splash-
The Priestess tapped the surface of the water with her foot, causing ripples to spread across the entire lake. Her reflections on the water also disappeared as though they were never there.
“Priestess.”
A familiar voice sounded. The Priestess turned around.
“Arid.”
“Yes.”
Arid was standing there. He lowered his head and spoke with a slightly strange expression.
“...did you tell Master everything.”
“Right.”
“What did he say?”
“...”
The Priestess looked into Arid’s eyes.
Whenever she looked at this child, the Young Dragon, Arid, she always felt a strange sense of longing.
While Lukas was unconscious, she told him almost everything.
So he also knew.
That Nodiesop was coming, that he intended to kill Lukas, that Lukas would have no choice but to break the restrictions placed upon him in order to defeat him.
And that the process would inevitably lead to his own death.
Nevertheless, he didn’t seem fearful.
He decided to leave everything for Lukas to decide.
If he wanted him to die, Arid would gladly accept it.
He was a strong child.
“He refused.”
“...ah.”
Arid let out a soft exclamation, but it was unclear whether it was out of regret or joy.
“I don’t know what he was thinking by refusing. Do you have any idea?”
“...no. However, I think that I... no, we all have an idea of what role we have to play.”
“Huh?”
“Master has always protected us. So this time, we, Argento Spell, will protect Master. Even if we have to give up our lives to do so.”
“...Argento Spell?”
“Yes.”
“You are the one holding the keys to victory, Arid.”
“...!”
Arid’s eyes went wide.
“Me?”
“I can’t even begin to estimate your true potential. If you were to use your powers for combat instead of support, healing and information gathering, I’m sure you’d be able to defeat Nodiesop on your own.”
He received no response.
Arid really wanted to open his mouth and tell him that he could trust him to defeat Nodiesop, but his mouth refused to open.
Because he knew.
Just how difficult it was to control his power.
“Arid, have you killed anyone since you entered this world?”
Arid flinched.
He quickly tried to cover up his reaction, but that was already enough of an answer.
“I know your personality. You’re a kind, sweet child. Rather than kill someone, you’d hesitate to even hurt them. I don’t want to call it a weakness. However, there will come times when you have ‘no choice but to fight’.”
“...”
“Don’t think about it too deeply. What I’m saying might not necessarily be the right answer.”
“...I’m sorry for being a disappointing disciple.”
Lukas chuckled bitterly. Arid seemed to think that he wasn’t good enough because he couldn’t understand or accept his Master’s teachings because of his lack of confidence.
“I should be the one saying that. I’m sorry. I’m a bad Master.”
“Absolutely not!”
Arid denied in a loud voice.
“I am very fortunate to have you as my Master!”
“...Arid, I’m not as good of a Master as you think. I don’t always walk the right path. Instead, I can sometimes be so narrow-minded it would probably make you nauseous.” (Note: At least he has self awareness.)
“But Master is the saviour of all humankind...”
“I have killed countless humans as well.”
This was said in a voice that was so cold that it caused Arid’s heart to shudder for a moment.
“It is impossible to be a god or saviour for all of humankind. It’s literally a contradiction. In the entire multiverse, the greatest enemy of humankind is none other than humankind.”
That... was something he knew.
Just by looking at Earth before the Demons invaded, it was the wars between humans that took the most lives.
“I am but one person, and there are countless suffering universes. I’m unable to waste even a single moment. That’s why, even when the ones oppressing and torturing humans are other humans, I have no choice but to solve the problem in the fastest and most efficient way.”
Lukas paused for a moment before speaking in a solemn voice.
“Massacre.”
“...!”
“I wasn’t following anyone’s orders. Instead, I interpreted the orders and judgements given by God and the Rulers in my own way. Even when entering universes that had lost their balance, I solved the issue in whatever way I thought was best. I was always the one distinguishing the two sides, and I was also the one who judged them. And there is no such thing as a completely fair judgement. Judgments made by a person would naturally have some level of subjectivity.”
“...”
“I just wanted to tell you this. Don’t think of me as someone who always does what’s right. This is something that I want not only you, but the other disciples to know as well.”
Nevertheless, Arid remained silent as he was unable to easily accept those words.
Lukas looked at him with a solemn gaze. It was still too early for him to understand.
Just what he wanted. And the roles he wanted them to fill.
“I’m sorry. I suddenly started talking about something heavy.”
“It’s not.”
“...you’ve grown. In fact, I’m proud of who you’ve become. So forget what I just said. You don’t have to force yourself to change.
Lukas spoke in a voice that seemed soaked in emotion,
“Everything will work out somehow.”
Those words felt a little strange to Arid. This was because it was the first time that Lukas had ever tried to reassure him with such an uncertain tone.
‘...Master is also worried.’
This thought appeared in his head for a moment, but he quickly shook it away.
He was thinking too much.