Chapter 602 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

With the death of my "Elder Sister," this memory had reached its end. Was what just occurred a real event from the past, or merely a fleeting dream? One thing is certain, this conversation hasn't brought any change to my life. It was merely a fragment occupying a part of "Elder Sister’s" memory. Just a clue for me to understand and resonate more deeply with her demise. In essence, "Elder Sister" was a thread severed with a knife. To follow it means to focus on the cross-section left behind. As the King of Humans, she died somewhat anticlimactically, but such is the way of the Beast King. Foolish and simple, easily caught in traps or ending in demise. “Elder Sister” too was just an innocent and foolish beast. “Hey, that's rude! Innocent doesn’t mean stupid!” “Oh, were you listening?” "Elder Sister" suddenly burst into my view from beyond my consciousness. To display such liveliness in the mindscape? Usually, the deceased tend to be gloomy or resigned, but "Elder Sister" was almost shamelessly buoyant. "Of course! It's my memory! I was watching quietly because I felt something in common with El!" “That’s pretty creepy. You could at least come out and explain.” “It’s not creepy, it's considerate! I already had a long conversation with El, and the following conversation was meant for you. I moved aside in accordance with the old customs!” A long conversation already, she said? And stepped aside for what followed? As I listened quietly, I heard words that couldn’t be ignored. “Conversation? When? All I remember is going blind in light at the summit of Yulim.” “I didn’t show you that. It's privacy, isn’t it? Should be respected!” What? Not showing me? I never sought permission to look into memories... “And it wasn’t exactly a conversation. El wove light into fabric and painted a picture to show me. It’s not my memory, so it’s hard to show it to you.” After pondering her words briefly, "Elder Sister" clapped her hands and added, “Just like how ‘Shei’s’ memories aren’t readable!” Ah, yes. I suppose so. I’ve tried not to dwell on it, but I can't ignore it any longer. I spoke reluctantly. “Elder Sister, you're reading me too.” She looked at me piercingly and answered. “Of course. You read me, don’t you?” “I’m not protesting. It’s just a new experience, so I was taken aback.” “You’re displeased, aren't you?” ...Well, maybe a little. I do have some privacy after all. “Are you upset about being exposed? Want to hide?” Don't read me knowingly... Though I guess protesting would be futile. I read Elder Sister, and she read me. What we know of each other is mutual because, fundamentally, Elder Sister and I are the same. “Order is just a tool. Tools are useful, so order can be used advantageously! Isn’t that what you think?” Indeed, tools are always necessary. With an internal standard of order, it simplifies judgment no matter what occurs. You can discard it when unnecessary, but should utilize it when required. “You’ve never denied order till now. You’re not barbaric!” Of course not. I am civilized. Barbaric is a term they whimsically attribute to me. ...More importantly, just how much have you seen? “I’ve read your memories! From when you were young, amidst ordinary people, to what you’ve experienced on your travels.” Reading memories without permission? It irks, but upon reflection, it’s something I did myself. Criticizing would only be hypocritical. …Tsk. “Seeing from an ordinary person’s perspective was a novel experience! Unlike you, I haven’t observed each individual so attentively!” Naturally, as the King of Humans, she couldn't afford to concern herself with every individual. “While your perspective may be lower, it’s deeper, allowing for a richer feel!” It's like vicariously experiencing my journey. As if reading a scroll. "Elder Sister" proceeded to narrate in a clear voice, as if reciting from a scroll beside Nevida's pillow. “The country you were born in—the military state—had countless humans. They crafted a delicate web to bind everyone and dealt with them strictly. Everyone lived fearing and adhering to unseen orders. You, within it, had the power to shatter the very pillars supporting that web but chose not to.” Though it wasn't a beloved country, that tool was incredibly refined and systematic. Destroying it seemed wasteful. Thus, I entrusted it to someone who could employ it better. Abbey might struggle and suffer through choice points, but she’ll handle it far better than the saint-like Yuel, who finds no joy in anything after losing what was precious to her. Meanwhile, everything will bring joy to Abbey, who has gained something precious. “The Land of the Ten Kingdoms was a land of displaced citizens. The order of the Golden Demon roamed like a desert beast. Other orders couldn't take root due to the order of creation by the Golden Demon. You dismantled the golden beast, to establish another order.” The Golden Demon of the Golden Kingdom isn't about creation; it’s about destruction. His perfect creations don’t suit any human. Setting them aside temporarily will allow for the creation of order not bound by gold, but by humanity. However, it too is a tool. Wielded rightly, it can create human necessities beyond gold's influence. With Peru, who shatters everything, balance will be restored. “In the Principality, you just returned a heart to a heartless regent. It was irresponsible! How could you leave it at that with a heart now beating?” Quiet. It's just the beginning there. The heartless Tyr was akin to a god. Something emotionless and unchanging, akin to a phenomenon or rule. Under his regime existed the Elder, then the Ain below that, and then yet lower the Yailing, all in subordination without a hint of rebellion or dreams. Though I like Tyr, unrebelling order holds no meaning. If the world changes and humans change, the order must change too. Tyr wanted to break free of monotony, so it was a win-win. “The orders you’ve intervened in haven’t collapsed. They’ve simply transformed. More humanly.” Having recounted the past, "Elder Sister" assessed me. "Ultimately, saying that order is just a tool means it isn't the order's fault but rather the fault of the person wielding it harmfully, right? You entrusted order to human hands." It's not that I was defending order. Even now, if there's an order that's useless, I have no qualms about breaking it. "What you disliked wasn't the order itself." Yet, if someone wields order and claims to follow something beyond their will, asserting that all their desires and cravings unleashed upon the world were forced by the order upon them— "Knowing they'll be hated, they offload all that blame, guilt, pain, and anguish onto the order, which is merely a tool." I just want to see what happens when that lie is exposed and the order is shattered. "You were looking down on humans who wielded order." It isn't about disliking evil or preferring good. Both evil and good are parts of humanity. However, if someone desires to pursue justice and avoid sin, shouldn't they simply act accordingly? To claim they had no choice in the matter, to say that they were merely swept along by something unavoidable, responding to faith, and complying with orders willingly or unwillingly— Yet being part of the world themselves while blaming everything bad on the world is what's strange. If the world is bad, humanity is too. "You're strict and cold, demanding others not to run but to keep fighting." Did I say to fight the world? No, I meant fight your own heart, compromise reasonably. Only the Demon God knows the truth. My heart and the human-made order can be wrong at any time. "Yeah. Thanks. Now I understand enough!" Having answered sufficiently, now can I ask? "Of course!" Why did "Elder Sister" make that promise? "Promise? Which one?" The one where she promised to relinquish all power and become ordinary. The promise she made with the first saint. “Ah!” Remember? You made the promise, then passed away, leaving only that promise behind. But that power and representation were divided among the five kings, erasing any reason for a King of Humans to exist. As time passed, the kings were driven out from every nation, thus losing representation. I was born into this world with only the qualification to represent humanity, without power. I reformed my figure within the mindscape and spoke. "So, it was 'Elder Sister' who made me this way." You made it so I live in this world, having lost my power, armed only with mind-reading. The first saint didn't deprive me of power. She might have anticipated my eventual coming, but she didn't wish for this outcome. It was "Elder Sister" who made me this way. Her wish couldn't be stopped by the first saint. She only succeeded in postponing it. “Yes, you’re right!” "Elder Sister" confessed candidly. Why? I wondered internally, and she replied somewhat apologetically. “I needed a standard too!” “A standard?” “Yes! To me, all humans are the same. Just humans.” It's not that she couldn't differentiate between humans. For "Elder Sister," the King of Humans, humans were akin to cells. Each performed slightly different roles, but all of them were precious parts of her, though losing a few didn't cause major issues. "But humans fight among themselves now. Not just against harsh tempests or savage beasts, but against other humans." "Because the land has become the domain of mankind." "And when they quarrel, they come to me. They ask me to stop the fighting." The problem arises when her cells, the humans, quarrel amongst themselves. Whose side should she take? "I don't know whose side to favor. They are the same humans, after all. Yet, they expect me to choose a side because they say that's what a king does. Everyone stops fighting and waits for that." If the powerful existence of "Elder Sister" didn't exist, they would’ve fought, and the victor would have celebrated over the victim’s corpse. But as long as "Elder Sister" exists, they can't do that. No matter how strong, knowing there's an absolute ruler makes all the difference. "Elder Sister" is merciful but also bestial. She punishes upon revealing her teeth. Everyone has no choice but to submit and watch her closely. Humans’ greatest strength is the ability to learn and observe. Humans learned about the absolute power wielded by the King of Humans. Thus, nobody could revert to barbarism. "As someone special, I can't like or dislike certain humans, like you do. So no matter how much they want me to, I can't do it. I don't have that standard that you do." When she returned from defeating the monsters at the borders, the numerous pleas "Elder Sister" faced were of that nature. Fighting, quarreling, robbing, killing. Humans abused by others pleaded to "Elder Sister." Pleas of injustice and grieving as numerous as humans reached her. Capable of everything, yet unable to act. Just as she understood the monsters harming people at the borders. Like an omniscient god in scripture. Perfect and all-loving towards humans, yet a bystander because of that. "However, the majority of humans want it." Still, the world desires "Elder Sister" to intervene. Nearly everyone belonging to the "nation" believed and followed her, and there was a significant population living in the nation that approached humanity's autumn. So much that it comprised over half of humanity. The King of Humans represents humans. If the majority wishes for it, "Elder Sister," an embodiment of humanity's will, moves with the collective will. It's the classic chicken or egg dilemma. Within that circle, she found one answer. "If there's no standard, make one!" “What?” “You, weak and insignificant, are the standard I created!”