Chapter 520
Do we blame the ones doing the killing? The ones ordering the killing? Or both?"
Arthur slowly marched along with the other silent three, each minding their business . Vyncent was scanning the area, searching for any signs of enemies . Lissandra closed her eyes and would take deep breaths every now and then, the reason behind her strange actions remains unknown .
As for Lucy, she gazing at Timos’ silhouette, which hung a looming shadow over the whole area . His thick and outrageously tall tentacles randomly danced in the air, the smallest of them was the size of a normal village .
The land around Timos was ravaged, turned into rubble and countless craters . No living beings dared to go near him, no, nothing and no one is able to get close, whether they wanted it or not .
His aura, though restrained, was stronger the closer you get to him . Furthermore, if one of the tentacle were to accidentally hit you, it will only leave a mist of blood in its path .
The one that tried to snatch the Angel of Death could barely called a tentacle, it was a small part of Timos, like a single hair of someone’s head, insignificant and totally harmless .
As he listened to Timos, Arthur let out an inaudible grunt but chose not to comment, deeming it as useless to argue .
"As I said before, you do not need to talk . Listening is enough for me, after all, the basis of every conversation is hearing what the other party has to say . I consider interrupting others as rude... only people who can’t defend themselves or don’t have convincing arguments tend to cut-in, only wanting to be heard yet refusing to listen . Idiocy, but I digress .
My precious invitee, I don’t blame you for the death of my children, however, I do not condone your means . Believe it or not, this ’base’ you considered as an impasse, something that blocks your path, didn’t need to be so mercilessly destroyed, causing more harm to this broken world . Everything can be solved using words, even with non-sentient beings . You can’t communicate so you use violence? That’s absurd and unsophisticated . True, you don’t feel guilty but that doesn’t change the fact that you did something unnecessary . "
’Don’t lump me with those freaks who kill anyone and everything . I’ve made the best choice in my current situation, the choice which requires less time and energy . Their deaths were not necessary but obligatory . Even if they weren’t in my way, they would have been killed for what they did to humans . ’
Arthur heard a low chuckle, which sounded like the growl of a beast .
"Oh... so you want to be some kind of vigilante? Vanquishing the ’evil’ and stopping the reign of terror . Roaming the land and getting rid of all the filth in the world . If it’s like that then what’s your reason? Protect humanity? Self-satisfaction? Atoning for past sins? It’s always something within those lines . "
’...’
Arthur didn’t reply, or, more accurately, couldn’t . Partially, Timos’ words were true, he could have spared most of the Cthulhu but he didn’t . Why? Because he felt angry at them, for what they did to the humans, elves, and all other races who fell into their hands . For him, the Cthulhu were an evil race, end of the line . From his perspective, there was no need for any explanation, not for Timos or anyone else . Though, it’s not like anyone would demand such a thing for they don’t care, they don’t give a damn about the Cthulhu, or anyone else . People only care about themselves, their benefits .
It wouldn’t be surprising to see humans allying with Cthulhu as long as they receive good rewards . Some have morals, firmly believing in justice but they’re few and far between, and, in some cases, fanatics who do twisted things to achieve what they assume is ’true justice’ .
"I don’t like what you did but I cannot judge it as a ’wrong’ or ’evil’ thing . It’s something done out of necessity, to survive . Now, let me speak about something else that bugs me a bit . "
After a short silence, Timos continued
"Your petulant individualism . Do you think it’ll achieve anything? Even beings such as myself never dared to always act alone, much less you, my dear guest . Relying solely on yourself, thinking that your impudence and overbearingness is enough to push away those around you . I can see who you hold dear and who you do not care about, it’s pretty easy to notice through your actions . Over time, those feelings you so dearly cling onto will slowly yet surely disappear . Not on their own, of course . It’ll be you who will crash everything, that is, if you continue to conduct yourself so... so incomprehensibly . "
’Now that you’ve said your piece, can you shut up?’
Annoyed by the endlessly talking Timos, Arthur snapped at him . He didn’t to be educated by a monster who pretends to be intelligent using his pitiful eloquence .
"I will, if you answer one question of mine . "
’...’
Timos regarded Arthur’s silence as acceptance so, without beating around the bush, asked:
"What is better? To be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"
Arthur didn’t give an immediate reply . He spent an inordinate amount of time thinking before saying:
"There’s no such thing as to be born good . The experiences you live through determine whether you’re good or evil . Your actions prove your nature . "
"Then, how do you explain the existence of my children? You said that none can be born good then it’s right to assume that, also, none can be born evil . Why is it that my children were called evil, defective, abominations . "
"Because they are . Their actions proved what they are . "
"Their actions, yes . Them? Not so much . There’s no denying they’ve became ’evil’ but they weren’t outright evil . There must have been a process that led them to be like this . This process, either natural or caused by someone’s machination, is, from my perspective, the true evil . The mastermind . "