Chapter 358: A Spirits Descent (1/2)
The body of Vena lost its colors, and her leaves withered. Her pale green skin looked now ashen grey as if there was no life remaining in her. Yet, Arthur could see that she was surrounded by many flowers as if the druids built her a memorial.
'Didn't you all agree to send her to her death?'
Arthur shook his head as he looked at Vena. To his surprise, the old druid wasn't dead yet, but she was very close to being. He turned toward Merlin, who was bound to know this.
”Tell me, My Voice of Conscience,” Arthur whispered to Rosa beside him in Alvan Language. ”What do you think about this?”
”About what?”
”Should I save this woman? She wanted to risk the life of her people just to avoid her death. I can save her, but I don't want to.” Arthur said. ”The druids seem to like her, but I do not.”
”It has nothing to do with you,” Rosa replied with a frown. ”And don't we all try to survive, despite how much it hurts our morals?”
Arthur suddenly the time he used the Bestial Order on Dia. He never wanted to enslave someone against their will, but he did it to survive. That's what he told himself to sleep at night.
He did something against his morals and continued to do so in this world, just to survive. Yet here he was, judging Vena as if he was a perfect human himself.
Vena would never risk the lives of her followers if given a chance, but what choice did she have? Was it easy to die nobly for her people?
”Thank you, My Voice of Conscience,” Arthur said with a grin as he walked toward the dying Vena, who was breathing it last. ”Old pathetic druid,” Her lips parted in response. ”I'll save you if you promise to allow Merlin to lead.”
”Seika?” Merlin asked with surprise. ”Can you truly save her?”
”Shut up. I know you brought me here for that sole reason.” Arthur said with an amused smile. ”You tried to generate my sympathy for this druid, so I'll play along.”
”... Thank you, Seika,” Merlin said with an embarrassed but grateful face. Arthur waved his hand and turned to Vena, who was trying to answer.
”I... refuse...”
Arthur couldn't say he expected this. Merlin walked forward with the same sentiment as he crouched beside the old druid.
”Lady Vena, please, accept. The Seika will help you if you agree to his demands.”
”Trai...tor...” Vena whispered with a stubbornness that amused Arthur greatly. Being faced with the choice of dying or bowing down, this druid chose to die? What exactly happened to her?
”If you think that I'm going to help you out of pity, then you are wrong,” Arthur said coldly. ”You will die, and it wouldn't matter if you lead or not.”
The druid was silent as if she was welcoming death already. Arthur walked closer to her and grabbed her by the throat, pulling her up.
”Answer me.” He said as he injected enough mana of creation into her to make her talk. Her eyes parted, and she looked at him with a cloudy expression.
”These... children... can't live... without me...”
”So, you would rather just die than see them perish?” Arthur asked with a frown. ”You are still as selfish as I thought you are. You can live with them without being their leader.”
”I don't trust you,” Vena said as her eyes cleared. Hearing her words, Arthur gritted his teeth and injected the mana of creation into her body. Her withering body bloomed, and the leaves increased as the druid came back to life.
”What are you...” Vena muttered with a surprised expression.
”I won't let you die until I make you regret your ways. I'll prove that Merlin was the better fit to be a leader. If you don't like it, you can leave this place and scram.”
”You will regret this, Seika,” Vena said as she looked at her hands, regaining their previous color. ”This was a foolish choice.”
”I know that I should have let you die,” Arthur grinned and turned to the rest of the druids. ”But these fools still want you to live despite your actions.”
”Kindness is a foolish attitude,” Vena said as she turned to the druids.
”What, are you the Voice of Selfishness?” Arthur turned toward Rosa with a grin. ”What does it feel like to save a selfish person?”