Chapter 96 Interlude – Rational Justification
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ayumu Sanai wandered aimlessly through the mine tunnels, though he had no destination in mind.
He had, of course, killed countless times before—bandits, marauders, men who attacked him first. Every death until now had been deliberate, a matter of survival, an act of self-defense. But this time was different. This time, by mistake, he had killed Takuma Sada—a classmate, someone he at least knew by face. And though Sada was a man who thought nothing of trampling a woman’s dignity, the fact remained: Ayumu had killed an acquaintance. The shock weighed on him.
He bowed his head, reflecting, and in his heart prayed for Takuma Sada’s repose.
(Well, so what? It’s Sada, after all!)
The thought came sharp and fast, and with it Ayumu forced himself back on his feet.
Yes, he told himself, taking a human life was not to be excused. Morally, ethically—it was wrong. And if one had no choice but to kill, then as a human being, one ought to feel remorse, to grieve for the dead regardless of who they were. Ayumu believed that.
But in practice, ideals were fragile things.
The truth was, he knew full well what kind of man Takuma Sada had been—and Sada had been about to assault Sayumi Mineyama. If Sada hadn’t created that situation, Ayumu would never have raised his crossbow. He would never have misfired.
Perhaps some might argue even then, even under such circumstances, that killing—especially by mistake—was going too far.
But they would be a rare few.
After all, Ayumu thought, what sane person could say that shooting a would-be r*pist was somehow worse than the r*pe itself?
If Sada’s death seemed like bad luck, then it was only the result of his own deeds. The gods themselves must have willed it so.
(Yeah! I’m not to blame at all! Sada tried to r*pe Mineyama. He’s the one at fault. Guilt? Why should I feel any?)
Of course, to claim he felt no guilt whatsoever would have been a lie. But when he weighed his priorities, survival came first—his own safety, his own future. That mattered far more than mourning the death of Sada, whom he had only accidentally slain.
And besides, he had already reflected enough, already suffered enough regret on Sada’s account.
(So there’s no reason for me to keep tormenting myself over this!)
If someday he found himself in a place of security, perhaps then he might spare another thought, another pang of sorrow for Sada. But not now. Now was not the time.
Ayumu turned his focus toward survival. Shaking off the burden of useless remorse, he began searching for a way out of the Birene Mine, a place that had already served its purpose.
Notes:
• Takuma – A bullied student with a dark and arrogant personality, who awakens as a Dark Knight.
• Sada – A bullied student with a dark and arrogant personality, who awakens as a Dark Knight.
• Mineyama – Vice class rep, serious and disciplined.
• Sayumi – Vice class rep, serious and disciplined.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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