00093 <-- Episode 93: A Misaligned Heart (3) -->
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Harming women and children is something that should be condemned even in Terranor. That is why the six revolutionary heroes were distressed by the choice to execute all of the women and children of the Lusclan royal family.
But I didn’t think that choice was wrong.
The modern world’s way of thinking is that children cannot choose their parents and must be respected as individuals.
On the other hand, in Terranor, children are the property of their parents. They were born into the world because of their parents and grew up under them, so until they grow up and become independent, their parents hold the power over their children’s life and death.
However, this does not mean that parents killing their children at will is not a crime in Terranor. All humans are children of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, so even if they are parents, killing their children is a grave sin.
But compared to Earth’s modern civilization, it was a very minor sin.
In Terranor, if a child kills his father, the punishment is to have his limbs broken and be hung on a pole until he dies.
On the other hand, if a father murdered his son, the punishment was to confiscate some of the livestock and offer it to the sun, moon, and stars, and to be flogged twenty times.
This is the universal law of this world.
To the six revolutionary heroes who lived in this world, the cries of the Earthling boy Seong Si-han were truly illogical.
‘… … You can’t make your children atone for their parents’ sins, right?’
If we acknowledge the talents, wealth, education, and food, clothing, and shelter we receive from our parents, we can’t pass on the sins of our parents to our children?
This is absolutely incomprehensible sophistry.
Theorant spoke in a solemn voice, his back straight.
“They have original sin passed down from their parents, Shihan. I agree that their situation is pitiful, but that doesn’t mean they are without sin.”
Seong Si-han frowned. He wanted to refute something, but he couldn’t figure out what to say.
He was still a teenager, about the age of a high school graduate in Korean age.
Moreover, I couldn’t even attend that high school properly. I was thrown into this world as soon as I entered. Even in middle school, I skipped school and went out to play, so I didn’t really have any affinity for studying.
I know that the sins of parents should not be passed on to their children. That’s what it says in the textbooks.
But I don’t know why it shouldn’t be like that. Everyone just took it for granted, so Shihan took it that way too.
You can’t explain to others what you don’t know yourself.
Shihan stuttered.
“… … But, you can’t kill children and women, right?”
I couldn’t think of any objections, but I couldn’t agree with it either. Although I couldn’t explain why, I was still certain that it wasn’t right.
“Then how are we any different from the Gwangje!”
Eventually, Lilstein exploded.
“Hey! Seongshihan, you idiot with no sense of humor! Do you think you like something and why you do this?
He slams his head on the table and raises his voice.
“There are countless soldiers behind us who believe in us and follow us! Are you saying that you will put their lives on the edge of your sword for a petty sense of justice? You know that a bloody future is coming, and you will just stand by and watch? Just because it is not the right choice?”
“You never know if a bloody future will come or not!”
Seong Si-han’s voice also became louder.
“What right do you have to decide the future on your own?”
“Lilstein declared, his golden eyes shining.
“As one who carries the future of countless people on his shoulders!”
Shihan was speechless. Lilstein’s eyes were completely unwavering.
“Are you saying that those who shoulder the fate of others should just accept the coming future without any plans? Huh? Are you saying that’s right?”
Sung Si-han and Lil Stein.
The two people who have been together from the very beginning and have the deepest friendship stare at each other with icy eyes.
There was no word. Silence flowed.
A cold atmosphere like midwinter descended on the conference room.
Karen Inasius spoke in a calm voice, as if trying to lighten the mood.
“… … Among the pharmacists of Principle, there are cases where poison is used to treat patients. It is impossible to treat an illness with only herbs.”
The problem is that using poison can have irreversible side effects, such as paralyzing parts of the body or going blind.
So, treating patients with poison was an act that any priest would find unpleasant.
“But it can save the life of a dying patient. Isn’t it better to live with a disability than to die?”
Karen continued soothingly.
“… … Shihan is right. We shouldn’t kill them. That’s the right thing to do. But they must die. For Terranor to survive.”
Saparando shook his head and looked at the time limit.
“You said it earlier, Shihan? If we do this, how are we any different from Gwangje?”
Revolutionary 6 Hero uses poison to save a patient named ‘Terranor’.
“The madman has no intention of curing the patient. He only feeds poison to his dying slaves in order to work them for one more day.”
Theorant sighed.
“The ends don’t justify the means. I know that.”
I’m not trying to justify it. It’s a sin. I know that.
“But if you have to commit a sin, you have to commit a sin if you can save more helpless people.”
That is the duty of one who stands above someone.
“If you know that and still try to avoid sinning, isn’t that also a sin?”
Zexengard, who had been listening silently, scratched his head.
“Oh, you guys really speak so terribly and difficultly.”
But since everyone is saying something, I feel like I should do something too.
“Tsk, you can’t understand my complicated story, but you understand this.”
Zexenguard glared at him with his bull-like eyes.
“This is war, time is running out. In war, there are times when you have to make unavoidable choices. Even the most ignorant of countries know that much.”
***
Shihan looked around at his friends.
“… … .”
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He felt depressed. No one supported him.
What made it even more frustrating was that his friends weren’t evil and didn’t make that choice.
Karen Inasius speaks in a pleading tone.
“Understand, Shihan. Realistically, there’s nothing we can do. Of course, Shihan’s intentions are truly noble, but… … .”
She couldn’t bring herself to continue speaking.
Unrealistic nobility has no value in reality… … .
Lilstein sank into his chair and sneered.
“Earth is such a wonderful place. The people there really seem to value human life.”
Sarcasm is sarcasm, but it’s more sarcasm directed at Lil Stein himself rather than the target of Shihan.
“That’s really great, I’m really jealous.”
But this is Terranor. This is not Earth.
“… … You can’t fit your standards here, Shihan.”
The cold voice of his old friend, Lilstein, made Shihan realize that nothing he said would be of any use.
His friends have no intention of changing their minds, because they see no reason to do so.
The problem is that even Shihan himself can’t explain the reason. He just keeps shouting in a corner of his heart that he absolutely cannot tolerate it.
frustrated.
It’s stuffy, stuffy, stuffy.
“… … Realistically speaking, there’s nothing you can do? Why are you so certain that there’s nothing you can do?”
The boy’s still young face gradually distorted.
“Didn’t we join forces to break that reality?”
The six revolutionary heroes quietly turned away from Seong Si-han’s gaze.
Shihan closed his eyes.
“good…….”
And I decided.
“If that’s what everyone thinks… … .”
He puts his hand on the two-handed sword on his back. The large sword comes out of its scabbard with a rustling sound.
At the same time, a tremendous storm of momentum rose over Shihan’s shoulders.
Blue light spread out in all directions, illuminating the conference room. Zexengard and Theorant jumped up in fright.
“Ugh! A broken plane?”
“… … What is this, Shihan?”
The complexions of others also turned pale.
The light of the other-worldly savior who had led the revolutionary army to this point by slaughtering countless demons of the mines was now aimed at the six revolutionary heroes.
“If you are going to execute even the innocent… … .”
Seong Si-han shouted with unwavering determination.
“I will stop you guys!”
***
The blue aura of the Pacheongi filled the conference room. Zexengard, Levina, and Theorant instinctively reached for their weapons.
“hey!”
“Time limit?”
“… … What does this mean?”
Sung Shihan did not give up his life. Karen, Lilstein, and Safaran’s faces also became increasingly stern.
There was no wavering in the murderous intent of the time limit that was targeting them. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the time limit was trying to kill his friends. A warrior accustomed to killing could easily arouse the murderous intent even if it wasn’t his true intention.
It is an expression of determination: ‘No matter what happens, even if it means life or death, I will never give up.’
“I’m sorry everyone, but this is absolutely unacceptable!”
With a roar, Shihan further intensified the speculation in the Pacheongi. The pressure of the unimaginable speculation began to weigh on the entire conference room.
‘oh my god!’
Karen was astonished as she felt the momentum. Sung Si-han’s speculation was beyond imagination.
‘It wasn’t like that a few months ago?’
Karen had only met Shihan again after a couple of months of fighting against Imperial forces across the continent, and he was far from what she remembered.
Although Seong Si-han was originally the strongest of the seven revolutionary heroes, the gap with the others was not that great.
The reason he was the most famous was because he was the natural enemy of otherworldly monsters, so he always monopolized the battles that stood out. If it were a simple one-on-one fight, even Karen or Levina would be able to hold their own.
‘But you’ve gotten this strong since I last saw you?’
But if you think about it, it’s only been two years since Sung Si-han began learning magic and speculation in earnest. In that short period of time, he’s defeated all of Terranor’s strongest players.
To begin with, the growth rates are incomparable.
Theorant and Zexengard also groaned when they realized that fact.
“Ugh… … .”
“Surely not like this… … .”
Compared to the others who were flustered, Lilstein didn’t seem particularly surprised.
He fought alongside Seong Si-han until yesterday. He continued to watch his growth right next to him.
“Lilstein asked in a subdued voice.
“Just calm down, Shihan. Are you thinking about this after the fact? So? What are you going to do if we don’t change our minds until the end? Are you planning to side with the Empire now?”
The deadline has not yet passed. The cold murderous intent still stabs the six revolutionary heroes.
“What is this murderous intent? Is there really any need to do this to me? My magic doesn’t work on you even a little bit. Even if you just swing your sword, I’ll die anyway.”
Shihan retorted in confusion.
“That’s not what I meant! Don’t talk to me like I’m threatening you with some kind of power, Lilstein!”
“Or else?”
Lilstein snorted.
“Only you, Shihan, can deal with the otherworldly monsters that the Emperor himself summoned. Without you, countless revolutionary soldiers would fall prey to the monsters. So, aren’t you telling me to please you?”
“No way! That’s not it!”
Shihan burst out in a shout. At the same time, speculation and magic began to flow out from all over the conference room. The other revolutionary heroes also began to exude a sense of murderous intent.
It was a tense situation.
Suddenly Levina shook her head.
“The timing is right.”
She approached the saint’s side, her silver hair fluttering.
“I will change my mind, because Shihan deserves it.”
He draws two daggers and continues speaking while wearing a silver fighting helmet.
“You all know, if there had been no deadline, none of us would have gotten here.”
“Levina… … .”
Shihan looked back at his lover with a moved expression. Levina smiled slightly as she faced him. Then she continued speaking in a serious tone.
“We all owe him our lives. Terranor owes him a debt. Shihan deserves to have his own will enforced.”
Looking around the room, she declared.
“I will follow the will of Shihan.”
Silence fell. The aura of speculation and magic that filled the conference room gradually died down.
Saparan nodded.
“I agree with what Levina said.”
Theorant put his sword back into its scabbard.
“Well, I wasn’t at ease making the decision either.”
After looking around, Zexengard shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ll just go with the flow.”
Karen said nothing, but her silver divine power had long since faded and disappeared.
Lilstein sighed.
“Phew, it may leave regrets, but there’s nothing I can do. I have no choice but to take the risk.”
And he smiled brightly. It was the friendly smile of a friend that Seong Si-han knew well.
“I promise to treat the innocent royal family of Rusclan leniently, Shihan.”
Seong Si-han was delighted. His friends finally understood him.
He scratched his head as he collected the scraps.
“I, I’m sorry I got excited too.”
When I came to my senses, I realized that the situation was quite embarrassing. Shihan continued speaking, feeling embarrassed.
“… … Still, I don’t think I was wrong.”
***
Recalling the events of that time, Shihan spoke bitterly.
“But in the end, they all committed suicide.”
Although they survived, the captured Rusclan royals were not able to return to their original lives. They were isolated and forced to live on minimal rations.
The revolutionary army was also short on supplies, so they could not treat them any better.
The Lusclan royal family, who had enjoyed a life of wealth and honor, could not endure such a depraved life. The reality of having to kneel before the lowly was the most humiliating of all humiliations for them, who had strong pride.
So they took an extreme option: the entire royal family committed suicide by drinking poisoned wine.
It was a truly noble and at the same time ugly act.
Among those who died at that time, there were children who knew nothing. What kind of pride would those children have that would have made them drink poison on their own? They probably just drank it because their parents gave it to them.
Shihan gritted his teeth as he recalled the anger he felt at that time.
“Those damn people, if I were to die, I would rather die alone than drag my family along… ”
But Karen shook her head.
“No, it’s time.”
“huh?”
“Actually, they didn’t commit suicide.”
Shihan’s face turned pale.
“What does that mean?”
Karen hesitated for a moment, unsure whether she should say this. But she soon made up her mind.
“I promised to tell you the truth. So you can’t hide it from me.”
Karen continued cautiously.
“… … It was Levina who killed them.”
