Chapter 41
"Old man. I've believed in those words since long ago."
The theory of innate goodness and the theory of innate evil.
While one cannot definitively declare which of the two is correct, personally I lean toward believing that human nature is evil.
Was it not humans who divided good and evil in the first place?
From the moment good was defined, humanity's primal and instinctive actions had no choice but to become evil.
Therefore, I believe in the theory of innate evil.
Honestly, it's not even that I believe it.
I just think that's probably correct.
"What are you babbling about, coming here at the crack of dawn?"
Bernard, patting his own shoulders as if his entire body ached, rubbed his eyes that refused to open and replied.
Blinking repeatedly to force his heavy eyelids open and picking the sleep from his eyes, Kallias came into view.
"Humans are inherently evil."
"So what, suddenly what kind of dog… Sigh, never mind."
Sighing, Bernard pondered for a moment before offering an answer to Kallias, who was watching him with expectation for his own mouth to open.
"That could be so. But at least I don't think that way."
"Why not?"
"If human nature were inherently evil, wouldn't living in this world be quite harsh? Even if one is evil, wouldn't it be more comfortable to live believing oneself to be good?"
"Hmm… Even so, I choose to believe we are evil."
Humans are inherently evil.
However, by learning society's ways, they come to understand the wrongness of evil deeds and restrain themselves.
Because within a fenced society, committing evil acts can bring consequences back upon oneself.
Therefore, the principle of human behavior becomes not wanting to cause inconvenience to others.
Honestly, it's difficult to say what is right or wrong. But at least as a personal opinion, I believe in the theory of innate evil.
So here arises one question.
'Kallias.'
For someone who believes in the theory of innate evil, Kallias possessed a violent and disorderly temperament that was precisely its specimen.
Judging by his surface actions alone, he is evil.
I believe that humans are inherently evil, but act virtuously because they know society's rules and discipline.
Then why do those who fail to do so act in ways that deviate from society's norms?
I think it's because they are stupid.
That's right.
Kallias is stupid.
Because he's stupid, he repeated scoundrel deeds even while knowing they were wrong actions.
Unable to meet his father's expectations.
Despite being of the direct line, compared to the branch family's children and painfully realizing his own incompetence, he became a scoundrel.
There is no justification for those actions.
It's simply because he was inferior.
That was how the scoundrel named Kallias came to be in this world.
The original setting itself was thus.
I made him that way.
"But why ask that suddenly?"
"Because I simply cannot understand."
"Cannot understand what?"
"…The heart of a scoundrel."
"What nonsense is this now…"
Haa— I let out a deep sigh that seemed to sink the ground and left Bernard's tent.
At the break of dawn.
Leaving behind Bernard's cursing that called me a madman, I stared blankly at Jaibarshu.
The soldiers moved busily from morning, standing watch and preparing to greet the rising sun.
'Damn it.'
Just seeing that was enough to make irritation surge through me.
With the excitement of the battlefield dominating my body, with Bernard right in front of me.
If not for such circumstances, every moment spent in Jaibarshu would have had rage erupting from within me.
Tap.
"Ah! I'm sorry!"
A soldier brushed past my shoulder.
What he carried were large military supplies.
It seemed he couldn't see ahead while moving the piled-up supplies that obscured his vision. It was something that could easily happen and understandable.
This is wartime, after all.
While a soldier shouldn't dare touch my body, in a wartime situation it was permissible.
However.
Without a moment's hesitation over such a trivial matter, I drew my sword.
"A body such as yours shouldn't dare touch me."
Regardless of my will, the scoundrel characteristic dominated my entire body.
"Gasp! I-I'm sorry! Please forgive me just this once!!"
As the viciously drawn blade hovered over his neck, the soldier prostrated himself flat, begging for his life. Kallias naturally stepped on the soldier's head. It happened so naturally that there was no way to stop it in time.
"I forgive you."
"Y-you're thanking…?"
"The god above the heavens will forgive all your sins."
Saying thus, Kallias immediately brought down the Carnivorous Sword.
"U-Uwaaaaaah!"
Kallias's killing intent, forged from three days of rampaging across the battlefield and repeating slaughter, enveloped the soldier.
The soldier, fallen flat on his back, wet himself as he watched the blade hovering before his eyes.
"Tch… Get lost."
"Y-yes! I'll get lost right away!!"
Just before taking the soldier's neck.
My left hand blocked my right.
'Damn characteristic.'
No matter how hard I gripped, my left hand that blocked it momentarily throbbed.
The scoundrel characteristic truly intended to kill the soldier in a single stroke.
The combination of the scoundrel characteristic and Kallias created such a vicious situation.
The startled soldier and knights who were each carrying out their duties opened their eyes wide in shock.
"This is exactly why I didn't want to come to the north."
The coerciveness of the characteristic.
The characteristic of being the count family's scoundrel grabbed my ankle like this and dominated my body.
The closer I got to the center of Jaibarshu, the stronger this dominance would become.
'My notoriety will spread even further.'
Zervan's scoundrel, whom I thought had come to his senses, had not actually changed.
This is how it would spread.
"Haa…"
I don't care how much my notoriety spreads, but the important thing lies elsewhere.
The real problem is that I cannot control myself.
Murmur murmur.
With holy power wreathed around my ears, whispers that normally wouldn't be heard were interpreted and transmitted through the bard's blessing.
The content was far from pleasant.
—They said he's a scoundrel… That's not scoundrel-level, that's a madman.
—Shh, be quiet. What if that madman hears?
—I thought a war hero had appeared, but…
I shouldn't have listened.
Perhaps because the scoundrel characteristic activated the moment I heard it, murderous intent surged up.
"Isn't it because of the characteristic right now?"
I don't even know what's what anymore.
This is exactly why I didn't want to get close to Zervan.
If that were all, I could somehow endure it, but the fragments of Kallias's memories and emotions kept making my blood flow in reverse.
Memories of being disregarded.
Corporal punishment received for committing filial impiety.
Those things kept rising to the surface as physical memories.
"I need to find a way to suppress the characteristic."
Or leave this place. I had to do one or the other, but regrettably.
[Fatalité's Chariot]
—Number of orcs subdued: 2172
—Number of demonic beasts subdued: 486
—Number of people saved: 193
—???
The quest remained immovable.
There was no other way.
'If I came this far and can't even reach S-rank, I'll regret it for the rest of my life.'
Then there was only one method.
Find a way to suppress the characteristic.
"What if I can't find it?"
I pondered for a moment but had no suitable answer.
"If I can't find it, it can't be helped."
I'd have no choice but to live as a scoundrel.
* * *
"Nohitel. Did that bastard really say that?"
"Yes, he did."
"Heheh…"
The master of Jaibarshu.
Elberton von Zervan was rendered speechless at Nohitel's report.
"Has he lost his mind?"
"Perhaps. Still, I recall he at least maintained respect toward the head of the family before…"
Now he was completely different.
Respect and all else be damned—he was utterly arrogant.
No matter that he was driven out of the family and took refuge in the order to become a pilgrim, there was no justification for so insolently rejecting the request sent by the master of the north.
"How audacious."
"That's not something you can simply let pass. No matter what happened, the young master's actions are…"
"No. It's better than him acting like a puppy with its tail tucked between its legs in front of me. Yes, that's how a real man should be."
Elberton's cheek twitched.
Rather than his usual appearance like a puppy with its tail down, this audaciousness was at least better.
Besides, did he not have the right to be confident?
During the brutal three days of battle.
There, Kallias had sufficiently imprinted his existence upon the northerners.
In the War of the Chariot.
He was the talent that Jaibarshu needed, the indispensable sword of the north.
"He knows his own worth best. That's why he acts like that. Otherwise he couldn't behave that way."
If it were elsewhere, he would have punished such insolence.
But this was originally his homeland.
And.
"There must be built-up resentment. That temperament won't go anywhere. Haha."
"This is no time to laugh…"
"Who else in the north would dare show such insolence to me besides that one? Strangely, I don't even feel angry."
Elberton smiled bitterly.
Nohitel, seeing his master's smiling face, felt both relief and worry simultaneously.
"Indeed, he wouldn't have returned to the north without that kind of nerve. Even I underestimated my son somewhat."
"What do you plan to do? Leaving him be like that would harm the master's prestige, I worry."
"If he acts insolently as a son, then I too must fulfill my responsibilities as a father. Would that not be right?"
Creak.
Rising from his seat, Elberton left his office and turned his steps toward the temporary tents within the citadel.
"He's expressing his dissatisfaction toward me now, but he'll soon direct it elsewhere anyway."
"Where…"
"It will appear soon. Then I need only watch."
As the master of the north made his appearance, the busily moving soldiers and even the knights all bowed their heads.
The king of the north.
At the approach of Elberton, who was essentially that very thing, everyone stationed in Jaibarshu bowed their heads.
Save for one person.
Only the man with black hair and a red cape kept his neck stiff.
"Kallias."
A voice that seemed to crush his shoulders called out to Kallias. Though it was merely a voice, Kallias felt a pressure greater than even from a massive demonic beast.
He wanted to quickly answer and bow his head.
But the scoundrel characteristic refused that.
Was this the characteristic's fault?
Or was it Kallias's will?
He could not judge.
"You're still alive, I see."
However.
One thing was certain.
'This emotion is…'
Killing intent.
Kallias hated his father enough to display murderous intent toward him.
"You've grown quite a bit. Enough to keep your head stiff before me."
To Elberton's words, Kallias made no particular reply.
He merely quietly drew his sword.
"Good instincts."
Kallias's eyebrows rose.
Good instincts—what did that mean?
While harboring such doubts.
A man walked out from one corner of the citadel.
"Are you unharmed, Father."
It was Kilavan.