Chapter 327: A New Smithy (1/2)
”Why did you let them capture you?” Dia said to Arthur as he gazed at her silently. He was in a 'cell,' but it looked no different than a fancy room with iron bars. He sat there under Solomon's arrest.
”What other outcomes would there be? I killed a noble,” Arthur answered. ”To fight off against the whole kingdom is unwise.”
”Then why did you kill him, to begin with?” Dia asked with a frown. ”I know you're not the type of person to harm yourself for the sake of others.”
”It's repayment for being there for me. I'll be there for you when you need me to, that's all. Can I ask you something?” Arthur's eyelids dropped.
”Anything.”
”Do you think I'm too arrogant and heartless?” He asked, trying to gain insight. The words that the Knight of Courage said left Arthur in a moral dilemma.
'You think you're a god capable of judging people's sins,' She walked over to him and glared at him in the eyes. 'But you're just another powerful human with delusions of grandeur. Someday, you'll be fall from grace, and no one will be there for you.'
”You're complex,” Dia raised her hand, and Arthur looked up. She looked at her fingers rub against each other. ”You are kind but sometimes heartless. It doesn't matter what I think, for there is no truth other than the one you believe in.”
”I believe that some people deserve to die,” Arthur said with a sigh. ”But who am I to judge who does and who does not?”
”What other choice do you have but to judge?” Dia shrugged. ”If you let everyone walk away, you'll be trapped in a web of enemies. If you kill everyone, you'll be no different than a monster.”
”I'm feared by those I wish to protect,” Arthur laughed as he remembered the City of Shades. ”No matter what I do, people will find a way to shun me away. At first, I was a Verniz, then a Slave, then a Seika, then a Lorius, and then...” Arthur paused. ”A delusional of grandeur.”
”The path you'll walk will be a lonely one,” Dia said as if trying to appease him in a twisted way. ”But it's the right path.”
Arthur wanted to say that no one knew if that was true, but he didn't want to throw his frustrations on her. His powers fluctuated as they entered her core and dissolved the Bestial Order.
”This is...” Dia looked at him with shock. ”Did you remove the Order?”
”There's no need for it anymore.” Arthur smiled. ”I believe in you.”
”An unwise decision.”
”I know that better than anyone,” Arthur said in self-ridicule. ”To trust others gives them the ability to hurt you.”
”Then, why?” Dia squinted her eyes at him, the memory of her mother with that man resurfacing in her mind.
”Even if I get hurt, I want to trust someone, anyone. I want to leave this prison that I've created.”
***
”My Seika!” Gala wiped away her fake tears as she walked into the cell. ”What have they done to you?”
”Bold of you to say that after leaving Dia and me alone,” Arthur smirked. ”What are your goals now?”
”Goals, me?” Gala looked offended. ”Did I know that you'll something drastic based on your emotional state? Impossible!”
”You knew I was going to kill someone.” Arthur sighed and looked defeated. ”How?”
”The hatred, Seika. I lived long enough to know how to feel it. You didn't kill that nobleman to protect Dia or because you hated him, but there was something else.” Gala grinned. ”Something else controlling you.”
Arthur frowned as he looked at the witch. The more he interacted with her, the more he realized she wanted nothing but chaos. Was this the boredom of a thousand years of waiting speaking?
”Don't look at me like that. Here, I brought what you asked for.” Gala gestured, and Gruen walked into the cell. He looked frightened of meeting him after what Arthur did to the noble.
”Fear not,” Arthur smiled. ”I only kill those I don't like.”
Despite saying this, the dwarf looked even more frightened. Arthur laughed and gestured in front of him. Several plates appeared in front of the two, and the aroma spread in the cell, making them drool.
”Sell these in the city and use the money to buy a smithy.” Arthur smiled. ”It's time to make you a tycoon.”
”But Seika, he still can't forge weapons well.” Gala shook her head. ”Even he admits that he's incapable of making good weapons.”