NOVEL NEXT Chapter 179: Revenge or Punishing Evil?
Chapter 179: Revenge or Punishing Evil?
"Ryuu, let me ask you, are you going to throw away 'justice'?"
"I..."
This was the third time Ryuu had heard the question about abandoning 'justice'.
The first time was from Alise.
At that time, she could say without hesitation that she would never abandon justice.
The second time was from goddess Astraea.
Ryuu did not respond to the words that her goddess left behind when she left.
Because she felt that Astraea-sama was disappointed in her for falling into the path of revenge and thus took back the name of 'justice'.
The third time was now.
Through Luke's series of guidance, Ryuu realized what the problem was.
'Revenge' could not become 'justice'.
At least for the 'justice' that Ryuu had always insisted on in her heart, the 'revenge' she was currently planning to carry out was definitely not justice.
She suddenly understood why goddess Astraea and Alise did not choose to support her plan of 'revenge'.
"What should I... do..."
Ryuu looked at Luke, feeling a little lost.
The dark flame burning in her heart could not be extinguished, but as long as she took the first step on this path, it meant that she would never be able to carry 'justice' in her heart again.
This was also the reason why goddess Astraea and Alise did not support Ryuu's plan for 'revenge' but did not stop her either.
If her determination for 'revenge' was stopped, what would happen to Ryuu, who could neither punish her enemies nor forgive herself?
Undoubtedly, the elf girl would break down.
Either she would spend the rest of her life immersed in the torment of 'justice', or she would lose her desire to live and eventually choose to end her own life.
That's why goddess Astraea told Ryuu to throw away 'justice' when she left.
It wasn't because the goddess was disappointed and took back the name of 'justice' from Ryuu, but it was to protect the elf girl's fragile heart.
A reputable righteous goddess violated the principles she upheld for the sake of her Familia.
Astraea, as the goddess of justice, personally told Ryuu to "throw away justice."
The gentle goddess, in order to protect Ryuu's heart, approved of her, as a member of the 'justice' Familia, to do 'evil' things.
The moment Ryuu realized this, she was frozen in place.
The flames of revenge prevented her from retreating, while her belief in justice prevented her from moving forward.
Helpless, she could only stare blankly at Luke.
Then, Ryuu saw Luke's smile.
"Don't think so much, you just need to carry out your 'revenge'."
"Eh?"
Ryuu looked at Luke with a dumbfounded expression.
"But... but didn't you just stop me..."
"Hmm? Did I stop you?"
Luke blinked innocently and said to Ryuu, "I've been asking you what you plan to do from the beginning to the end, but I never said you couldn't 'take revenge'."
"Eh? But... if I take revenge... then justice will be..."
Ryuu was already starting to speak a bit incoherently.
She realized that Luke indeed hadn't said anything to stop her from taking revenge.
But through his guidance, he made Ryuu, who was deeply trapped in the flames of revenge, recall the justice she had always believed in.
Ais, who was sitting on the side, quietly moved away without a trace.
As a bystander, she had been listening to their conversation the whole time, and at this moment, she could almost see a virtual devil's tail behind Luke.
The reasoning that needed to be explained had been explained, and the things that needed to be made clear to Ryuu had all been made clear.
Luke, who had successfully unlocked more CGs, was satisfied and ready to end this de... ahem... end this session of educating the naive girl.
"The reason you're struggling now is because the 'revenge' you're about to carry out cannot become 'justice'."
"Then what we have to do is to make this 'revenge' a part of 'justice'."
Luke's solution did not make Ryuu happy, but instead made her almost lose her last hope.
"That's impossible..."
"Didn't you just say it too, Luke? There must be innocent people among those who have connections with Rudra Familia."
"There's no way to tell who is truly 'evil'..."
Once she took the first step of revenge, the elf girl, who had already fallen into extremes, would definitely choose to kill the innocent rather than let any villain go.
Ryuu understood this herself.
Now, relying on the 'justice' she had recalled, she could remain calm, but if she really chose to give up 'justice'...
"Unless we can ask Freya-sama or Ishtar-sama, but..."
Ryuu didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clearly expressed.
Freya and Ishtar were both goddesses who could use 'charm', and with either of them taking action, this problem could be easily solved.
However, this path of 'revenge' was not as simple as charming one or two people.
There might not be tens of thousands of people, but there were probably more than hundreds or thousands of people involved in this incident.
Can Luke really manage to persuade two goddesses with considerable power in Orario to serve as their tools?
That was obviously unrealistic.
"Well, you don't need to worry about that."
"Besides the two goddesses, I also know someone who can see through hearts."
"You just need to complete your 'revenge'. I promise you that everyone you kill will definitely be evil."
"In this way, your actions will not only be 'revenge', but also 'punishing evil and promoting good'."
"And even if there are innocent people among the ones you killed, it's not your fault but mine, it's because you believed in me."
"Ryuu, you are the victim, the one who was deceived by me."
Luke smiled and asked Ryuu, "So, are you willing to believe in me, Ryuu?"
Ryuu looked at him, at the man who wanted to shoulder the other end of her 'revenge'.
Luke's approach was completely opposite to goddess Astraea's.
Astraea, who hoped that Ryuu would throw away 'justice', believed in Ryuu.
She believed that after the dark flame in Ryuu's heart burned out, she would spread her wings and revive like a phoenix reborn from the ashes.
She would pick up the lost 'justice' again and carry it in her heart once more.
But Luke was different.
He didn't intend to let Ryuu throw away 'justice'.
Because even if it was only temporary, once you choose to discard something important, even if it was picked up again, the scars would remain forever.
Therefore, Luke did not choose to believe in Ryuu.
Instead, he chose to let the elf girl believe in him.
Perhaps it was because of the attraction between two 'pure' individuals, but Luke greatly admired Ryuu.
Just like the 'sword' engraved in his soul, Luke didn't want the girl in front of him to lose the 'justice' engraved in her soul.
Therefore, just like how he had helped Todo Kirin in Gakusen Toshi Asterisk, this time, Luke also decided to help Ryuu.
Looking at the helping hand Luke extended to her, Ryuu finally grasped it.
"I, believe in you!"
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