Free Web NovelChapter 21: Death of the main character?
"And my answer is no," Princess Celestia said, looking at Ruthless with a soft smile.
’Emotionally I didn’t expect it, but logically this answer is justified. And with this, her profile can be built.’
’And I didn’t think she was so gentle inside; she looked cold on the outside, but both in life and in novels, there are many cases where a person is opposite externally and internally.’
"And why, if I may ask?" he asked, looking at the ground.
"Well, don’t think it’s because it’s specifically you. It’s just that I don’t know you well as a person, so if you gradually open up, then I will give a final answer," she said, raising her hand.
’It sounds very logical and efficient from the standpoint of relationships, since mutual understanding should come first for them.’
"I see."
"Nevertheless, I am glad that you decided to... how should I put it, become friends with me, I guess..."
"Did you not have friends before this?"
"To be honest, the first one who wanted to be friends with me was you. And that’s why I’m very glad about what you said."
A light breeze. One could hear the wind rustling, the sounds of trees, and even if one were attentive, the sounds of grasshoppers could be heard.
’The weather today is somehow beautiful,’ Ruthless thought, not knowing why he thought so.
"Well then, since I’m the first, does that mean I have good chances?" he asked.
The girl began to look around in different directions as if looking for a place where she could escape this answer. Moreover, she looked very embarrassed.
’This means yes, if I’m not mistaken. This is good information for the future. It will be possible to use this special method to lure her into a trap and use her for personal gain.’
"Alright, if you don’t want to, then I won’t force an answer; let’s change the subject instead..." Ruthless said with a very romantic look, as if you were being looked at with a smile but let known that they know everything about you and want to eat you.
"Mhm," she said, again looking away in other directions.
"You know, I have a question that I like to ask many people," Ruthless began the conversation on another topic, as he had said.
"And what is it?" Princess Celestia asked with surprise.
"What does it mean to be a person to you?" he asked the question.
But now his face was a bit serious, as if letting it be known that this question was not simple, but more thoughtful and philosophical.
’Every person has their own concept of what it means to be human. In the world, there is no objective concept that everyone would accept. Therefore, humans are unique, unlike robots.’
"Well, that’s a very difficult question to answer right away," she replied thoughtfully.
"Correct. I’m not forcing you to answer quickly."
’By this question, one can understand what a person is truly like. Just this one question.’
’One can hear people say that it’s impossible from one question.’
’But I’ll say it’s a lie. From this question, you can find out what a person is like, provided, of course, you’re smart yourself and understand human nature, and second, if that person tells the truth, of course.’
"And you, answer your own question — what does it mean to be human?" she threw the same question back at him.
But Ruthless didn’t think for a second and answered without hesitation:
"To be human means to have freedom," he said.
"Can you be more specific?" she asked, as if she didn’t quite understand the answer.
’To be human means to be free. In this world, only a human is capable of having freedom of choice. Animals, robots, and even gods do not have freedom of choice. They do what they must do by their nature. Only a human is capable of being like an animal, becoming like a robot, or transforming and considering themselves a god and making others consider them as such. If a person has a true goal that they want to achieve no matter what, even if it is immoral, then they truly have freedom of choice that no one can impose, and that is truly being human,’ he thought to himself, but kept that serious look on his face.
"I might tell you in the future," Ruthless replied elegantly, quietly, and briefly.
If that future comes, of course...
"Well, well, well," this voice was heard from the left corner.
At that same second, both turned toward the direction where the sound was heard.
It was visible that some mysterious person in a cat mask was approaching, and by the figure, one could guess that she was an adult woman.
Ruthless, without waiting even a minute, used his ability to find out if this was the person he had invited.
Primal Gaze!"
<Current stats - Valerian Sterling:
Strength: 400
Speed: 400
Stamina: 400
Intelligence: 45
Primal Level: 1
Chosen Path: Thief (82% mastered)
Path of the Actor (6% mastered)>
<Current stats - Helga Stone:
Strength: 200
Speed: 250
Stamina: 260
Intelligence: 25
Primal Level: 1
Chosen Path: none>
<Current stats - Clara Vane:
Strength: 350
Speed: 300
Stamina: 300
Intelligence: 35
Primal Level: 1
Chosen Path: none>
<Current stats - Greta Frost:
Strength: 270
Speed: 230
Stamina: 350
Intelligence: 20
Primal Level: 1
Chosen Path: none>
<Current stats - Elsa Thorne:
Strength: 250
Speed: 350
Stamina: 300
Intelligence: 25
Primal Level: 1
Chosen Path: none>
<Current stats - Mara Blackwood:
Strength: 340
Speed: 260
Stamina: 360
Intelligence: 20
Primal Level: 1
Chosen Path: none>
’Just as I thought, Professor Valerian Sterling is here. But my question is, where did the stats of other people come from? Is there actually a crowd of other women hiding here?’
’This confirms my puzzle about the professor belonging to some organization...’
"Who are you?" said the princess with a cold face.
The professor approached them closely enough but left a bit of distance as if it were for an attack.
"Us? Well, the rumors about you didn’t lie; you immediately noticed that I’m not alone here?"
After this question, she immediately looked toward Ruthless, but he kept a cold face and didn’t say a word.
’She immediately found out that there are other people here? Is the gap between us really that vast...’
’I need to become strong as soon as possible, otherwise my chances of certain death increase. But not because I’m a guy, but because my goal requires it.’
"I’ll say one thing: give us that boy with you and promise that your mouth will be locked, then maybe we’ll let you go," said the professor in a serious tone.
Princess Celestia looked toward Ruthless and asked a question:
"Do you know who they are?"
"No," he replied.
"Then why do they need you? In any case, stay behind my back," she said and took a ring off her hand.
And with one sweep, the ring transformed into that S-rank sword she recently obtained.
The transformation of the ring into a sword was amazing; first, the ring began to emit a fiery aura, and then simultaneously turned into a sword in two directions.
’Weapons can be hidden like some kind of object... I know very little in this world to make effective conclusions and come up with strategies, and therefore at this time I must rely on intuition and quick thinking...’
But at that very moment, something began to approach the earth from the night sky at an insane, crushing speed... It was a massive, flaming stone fragment, flying rapidly straight at Ruthless. The air around was stifled by a deafening, rising whistle.
"Damn!"
’Where did it come from?!’
Ruthless immediately turned sharply and dashed in the other direction, activating all his reflexes, but... it was already too late. The speed of the fall was so extreme that even high-ranking people like Princess Celestia would not have had time to react to this threat. However, his alien, light-absorbing eyes instantly recorded the approach of death, reflecting only the bottomless emptiness of the sky in the final fraction of a second...
And on that same day... in that same minute... in that same second, a giant stone crashed down right onto Ruthless with a dull, crushing roar, driving his body into a deep crater.
The earth shuddered. A suffocating wave of dust and stone rubble shot upward, and following it, a thick, crimson stream crept silently along the cracked, dead soil. Blood began to spread rapidly over the ground, staining the site of the catastrophe in a sinister, bloody color and leaving the hero lying motionless under the debris.
Princess Celestia looked at the blood in great horror and shock... the blood of Ruthless that had soaked her clothes.
"W-h-a-t....."
