Chương 164: Chapter A-11: "Will's Objective"

"You said that. What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. You know about Yu's ability, don't you?"

"The'World of Heart', huh." What does that have to do with not spoiling him? While suspicious, I answered. Will continued without relaxing his grim gaze at all.

"If you know, you should have some understanding of its bottomless nature."

"You seem to rate Yu quite highly."

"Hmph. I acknowledged it from the beginning. I know the terror of his ability better than anyone. Speaking only of potential, he is far above you and me." Will admitted it quite readily. Considering he seemed to be flaunting his own power in Edel, this was received with a somewhat unexpected impression. No, I reconsider immediately. Since this man, who doesn't even give a damn about most people, is fixated on him, it's a natural story. His tone was filled with disappointment and something like accusation.

"And yet. You've seen it too, haven't you? That weakness. That pathetic state. You wouldn't think he's the same FabL."

"True, he doesn't seem very FabL-like." A FabL is, in other words, a being that transcends the world. From the moment overwhelming ability manifests, they are forced to be so. But Yu was the only exception. He still hasn't transcended the world. Even if we account for the fact that the power he can handle isn't that strong yet. Personally, I don't think it's a matter of simple strength like that. Yu dared to choose the path of walking alongside the world. He is trying to stick to living as a human to the end.

I find that both charming and dazzling.

"So what? Yu is Yu."

"That's right. He is him. The FabL who holds the [God-Vessel]." At the words containing thorns, I felt an illusion of a prickling pain in my chest.

"Do you know why Yu remains weak forever?"

"Beats me. Besides, I don't think Yu is as weak as you say." True, he doesn't have power like ours yet, but he's not weak. He knows weakness far better than we do. He can face his own weakness and forgive others' weakness from the bottom of his heart. I think that is splendid strength. But Will ignored my answer and continued as if he were making a speech.

"Because he's spoiled. Fragile without someone's love, unable to live without relying on someone."

"Isn't that what humans are?" Well, setting aside the fact that Yu is quite a spoiled child.

"Yes. Human. That is his weakness."

"What do you mean?"

"If you are there, he asks for help without hesitation. If someone else is there, he relies on them immediately. And in the end, if no one is there, he ends up clinging sweetly to a fake woman he created himself."

"Calling her a fake is something I can't overlook after all." unable to hold back, I let anger seep into my voice, and Will sneered provocatively.

"Then shall we call her a Safety Device?"

"You bastard..." Can you only speak in thorny ways every single time? I inadvertently clicked my tongue, but thinking there was no benefit in arguing here, I endured.

"The existence of that woman weakens Yu's ability far below what it should be. To the extent that he is easily rolled up by the logic of the world."

"Thanks to that, Yu is able to live normally even now." This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it"Yeah. Yu seems to want to believe that he is still human or something." That his essence is the same as ours. A monster. As if asserting that, he speaks in an oratory tone.

"As long as that is his wish, that woman will continue to occupy an important position in the 'World of Heart' forever. Keeping him away from true power, softening him, and continuing to spoil him." And with utter exasperation, he declared.

"That's why he won't become strong no matter how much time passes. He cannot surpass humanity." I see. I'm finally starting to understand what he wants to say a little. That's why he told me not to spoil him either. Even so, he sure says whatever he wants. A cynical bitter smile leaks from Will. He seems to find it uncontrollably funny. But surely his true heart isn't laughing.

"And yet he is trying to become strong. With the help of none other than that woman who is getting in the way!" He seems to really dislike the female Yu. Will seems to treat that girl like an enemy when it comes to her.

"Using two bodies properly, he thinks he's become somewhat decent just in appearance. Regardless of the fact that he has the ability to handle everything—be it Qi or magic, techniques or abilities—alone once he learns them!" Finally unable to hold it back, this guy started laughing loudly.

"Isn't it truly comical! If this isn't called a ridiculous ability, what is! It's an overly ridiculous usage, isn't it!?" I see. So that's the true meaning of "ridiculous ability."

"As long as he remains spoiled by that woman, as long as he tries to be human, Yu cannot become a FabL in the true sense. He can never stand alongside us. He doesn't understand that at all." He asserts as if spitting it out. With indignation toward the deception.

"No, that's wrong. He vaguely understands but pretends not to know, repeating tiny and meaningless efforts exactly like a mere human would do."

"Don't use phrasing that mocks people every single time. In short, what do you want to say? You." Will took a pose of surrender with a 'good grief' feeling. Though he probably doesn't think he's beaten even a bit.

"It means that spoiled brat won't grow properly unless he is thoroughly cornered and made to realize it."

"In other words, your true goal is to make Yu grow as a FabL?" But this guy didn't nod honestly. Instead, he lifted the corner of his mouth sarcastically and returned a vague answer.

"I wonder. To tell the truth, it's just one of the means."

"Means, you say?"

"Just insurance, though. I hardly expect anything from a guy like that."

"For that, you seem quite enthusiastic." The moment I said it, Will became blatantly displeased. This guy becomes easy to understand as soon as it's about Yu.

"Do you think I'm involved because I like it?"

"Who knows. Or rather, I can't see the picture at all." Even though I direct blaming eyes at him, he doesn't deal with it. As expected, this guy remains silent on the crucial parts and won't answer. Evasively to the end. He seems to really like blowing smoke. As a hobby, it's the worst kind. After a short silence, Will said quietly.

"Yu needs to bring himself closer to completion. Otherwise——I can assert it. In the not-so-distant future. What awaits him is definitive ruin." At the words suddenly announced, even I couldn't hide my agitation.

"How can you say such a thing definitively? In the first place, FabLs are——""You don't seriously think that FabLs don't really die, do you?"

"... Yeah. That's right. FabLs die too. It will take far longer than humans, but eventually, they 'die'. When they lose their hearts." The Star-Pulse repairs temporary mental damage, but it never heals a dying heart. I have seen several FabLs who gradually wore down their hearts in the never-ending journey and finally mostly 'died'. But that is usually a story after a vast amount of time has passed. Yu is still young. It should be irrelevant. Before I could gather my thoughts, Will opened his mouth first.

"FabLs whittle down their hearts at the end of exhaustion and despair. Do you think there is salvation?"

"Beats me. Doesn't it depend on the person?" This is purely a matter of each person's mindset. Those who can't find a purpose in life break faster. I myself am still enjoying the journey. I have Yu, too. Anyway, it seemed it wasn't a convincing answer for him.

"Let me change the question a little. Do you think the death of the heart is salvation?"

"That's exactly what I don't know. About things after death."

"I know the answer."

"What?"

"I'll tell you. In the end, we cannot die. As long as we are trapped by the Star-Pulse, true freedom and liberation are impossible for us." He paused for a beat there, checking my reaction before continuing.

"FabLs are beings that merely serve the system called Star-Pulse. As long as we live, we continue to be ruled by the Star-Pulse endlessly, and the place we return to in the end is also there."

"Heeh. So that's our terminal station." I thought it was something like that, though.

"When we finally become useless, our very existence is swallowed as part of the system. Closed in eternal darkness, we will continue to see endless nightmares repeatedly in slumber. Until the time when everything in this universe welcomes the true end, forever."

"Heh. That's a chilling story." If that's a fact, it's certainly a story with no salvation at all. It can only be despair. But well, originally when I became a monster like a FabL, I didn't expect a happy end. Because the price for handling such power as I please is surely nothing decent. So, even if I find out now that the truth is even nastier, I feel like 'so what'. More importantly——.

"More importantly, what do you mean by Yu might be ruined?" Will answered as if it were nothing.

"Simple story. Because that is his Fate."

"Fate is quite an exaggeration again. I make it a rule not to believe in it much."

"Whether you believe it or not, the path is already set. No one can overturn it." Furthermore, he announces flatly.

"And you can never save Yu."

"I can't overlook that. Let me tell you, I'm fully intended to rush dashingly anytime, anywhere if Yu is in a pinch." I declared flatly looking into Will's eyes, but this guy maintained his convinced attitude to the end.

"Still, it's impossible for you."

"Hoh. You say quite a bit. I'd love for you to tell me exactly what and why it's impossible."

"Simple. Because that is also Fate."... This guy. Seems he's saying it seriously. Before I could slowly digest his intention, Will spread his arms. His speech-like manner of speaking was finally reaching its climax.

"We are all, without exception, slaves of Fate. No matter how much power we hold, we cannot win against Fate. We, who can even overturn the logic of the world, are therefore ruled by a system more powerful than anything." He cut his words there once and asked me.

"Don't you find it displeasing?"

"Certainly, I can't say it feels very good." The domination structure by the Star-Pulse. Whether it is naturally occurring or artificial, I have absolutely no idea. But it was an obvious fact that every FabL is left at the mercy of that system. Everyone gave up thinking it was fate, and admitted overtly or covertly that they had no choice but to accept it and live. But this man——.

"Fate is not something that should be imposed in an blatant form. It is something to draw in with one's own hands. Don't you think?" And Will finally told me the core words.

"I... Lenks. I want to [Interfere] with Fate."