Come to think of it, I haven’t had a chance to talk to Kriemhild individually since I moved here.
Did she think I was in a strange place?
I scratch my head.
“I was just thinking about the future.”
“In front of a monument to the war dead?”
I was embarrassed, and a wry smile appeared on my face.
“Yes, when you’re making a life-threatening decision, will I be able to face those who have died? I look at the monument and ask myself …… if I’m not jumping to an easy decision.”
Kriemhild sat down next to me.
She stared at the monument for a moment, then turned to me.
“When there are more people to be inscribed, will you be able to bear looking directly at it?”
Indeed.
But I can’t ignore it either.
""
More names to be inscribed are the result of my choices.
Whether I see it or not, it’s still the same.
I guess this kind of thinking is dangerous in everyone’s eyes.
A person who can accomplish great deeds would be better suited to have little empathy for others.
It is often said that psychopaths have the qualities of leaders.
They do not mind taking advantage of others or making sacrifices.
They do not hesitate to make bold reforms.
They do not mind if someone else is sacrificed for their reforms.
They will pretend to mourn the sacrifice if it serves their purpose.
If the goal is to benefit society, the psychopath is probably a beneficial person.
I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near them.
Uncle Steve Jobs, the apple innovator, was that type.
If you stay close and don’t get harmed, people around you will praise you as a great man.
But I can’t seem to go that far.
I think too much.
I couldn’t help but giggle when I was confronted with the fact that I am not suited for this type of work.
I didn’t want to be reincarnated.
But I walked away from it by my own choice.
I can’t run away from it now, and I shouldn’t even if I could.
I’ve got a lot of people in my life.
Once I start crossing the Rubicon River, I’m doomed if I don’t keep running to the finish line.
I smiled to myself.
“I don’t know, it’s in my nature to care. I don’t want to move on and turn a blind eye to my own failures and the sacrifices I’ve made.”
Kriemhild smiled gently at me.
“You can think kindly of others. It is that kind of nature that saved Despina, isn’t it? People like that are heartbroken at the cost of battle. It’s not an easy thing to do.”
It does not mean that I was unconditionally kind to them.
He is a useful person, and he is doing his best for Ravenna.
So I just helped them in any way I could.
If he was an irrelevant person, I wouldn’t have felt involved.
My kindness is conditionally triggered.
If I don’t think someone is worth being nice to, I go beyond callous and become cruel.
I guess they overestimate me or …… consider me a good person.
I chuckled, but there was no point in denying Kriemhild’s words.
“If the world were easy, I wouldn’t be interested in it. In the end, I have to come to terms with it. If I were an irresponsible scholar or hermit, I could say, “That’s why the world is interesting”. But when you actually take up political office, you realize that. There is not the slightest room for fun.”
Once I become irresponsible, I can’t maintain tension.
I am aware that I have an unstable personality.
“You really are a serious person, aren’t you, Lord Alfred?”
No, I can see the devastation after cutting corners.
As long as I can see it …… I need to avoid devastation.
Dealing with the devastation after it comes will only be negative.
If it was just me, it would be fine, but it’s involving a lot of people.
I can’t stand the thought of making Mil and Kiara unhappy through my negligence.
In a way, I’m dependent on others.
I can’t work hard just for myself.
“No, I am simply a coward. If I’m out of touch or in a position of no responsibility, I’ll play around. If possible, I’d rather do nothing, see the results, and then just criticize and act all high and mighty.”
Before my reincarnation, I hated irresponsible commentators and journalists as if they were snakes.
Now that I am in a position of responsibility, I sometimes envy them.
But then I remember the words of novelist Kafu Nagai.
“In the future, I will not be able to make a living by writing. I may have no choice but to become a newspaper reporter to support myself. Or, in some cases, even if I become a thief, I will not become a newspaperman. I am not yet so accustomed to corruption that I would sell justice and humanity as a commodity.”
I can’t accept these words easily.
After all, I don’t want to, even if I could.
It is certainly better to be a thief who knows what he is doing is wrong.
It is rare to find a thief who says he is doing the right thing.
Kriemhild laughed uncontrollably when she saw me.
“I’m sure you can’t do it, Lord Alfred, even if you say so yourself. I was the representative of the tribe, so I have a better eye for people than most people. I won’t say …… right away, but I can tell what kind of magical power a person has by looking at that person.”
Magic? What does personality have to do with it?
That’s a sudden change of subject.
Whatever it is, it sounds important.
I must listen to it seriously.
“What does magic have to do with personality?”
“Every living creature has magical power. It flows from the soul. It is like the relationship between water and a reservoir.”
Kriemhild then pondered a bit.
She must be thinking about how to tell me.
Soon after, Kriemhild slowly opened her mouth.
“The stagnant reservoir stinks, doesn’t it? Because of my upbringing, I have become sensitive to such people. The way one’s mind works is reflected in one’s magical power.”
Magic is not only a force, but also a personality, whether it is the smell of the soul or the color of the soul.
The demon tribe is skilled in the handling of magic.
So, can you tell who a person is by looking at his or her magic?
I’ve never heard of this ability, but is Kriemhild just special?
Maybe she meant to encourage me and told me I wasn’t a dirty person.
I scratched my head.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it. I didn’t know that you could tell about people by their magic.”
“This power is the result of my ancestors’ constant, unspeakable accusations. It’s even harder when you can’t see into people’s minds to some extent. I am in trouble because I represent my family. I cannot escape from my relationships with others. My mother also had this power, so it seems to be transmitted from mother to daughter. Ordinary people don’t need this ability, though, so it will likely be lost by the time my grandchildren come along.”
Kriemhild chuckled quietly as she said this.
It would be a useful ability for others.
It is easy to find people who are sympathetic and easy to use.
But to the person herself, it is a power that confronts her with an unfortunate reality.
Those who prey on it and don’t fulfill their own desires… may aspire to make the ability unnecessary.
Such an ability may be lost in the future, I’m a little glad to hear you say that.
Kriemhild turned her gaze again to the monument to the war dead.
“Lord Alfredo seems to be a reservoir with a long history. It is old, but there appears to be very little dirt there. It has a unique shape, so …… Though perhaps it looks like something frightening to some viewers.”
Then Kriemhild gave a small laugh.
So you’re indirectly saying I’m an old man, right?
“I’m 17, you know. I will be 18, though. And I don’t understand why people are so afraid of me.”
“I also don’t know why, it just feels that way. Besides, you can’t fake behavior no matter how many words you use to cover it up.”
No matter how many times I say this, I don’t think they will change their viewpoint.
I’m not comfortable with praise from others.
I scratched my head and looked at the monument.
After a moment, I felt a gaze.
When I turned my head to look, Kriemhild had stopped smiling and was looking at me with a serious face.
“I am not much help to Lord Alfred right now. I will surely be of assistance to you sooner or later. This idea is shared by our family.”
Thank you, but I want you to hold it against everyone, not against me.
But I’d rather solve the problem of Dorius first than have your opinion of me.
I don’t have the luxury of worrying about it yet.
Emphasizing this will upset everyone and create an opening.
That said, it’s also tricky when the myth of ever-winning is created.
I really envy the ease of being able to run to extremes and be okay with it.
Come to think of it, I haven’t had a chance to talk to Kriemhild individually since I moved here.
Did she think I was in a strange place?
I scratch my head.
“I was just thinking about the future.”
“In front of a monument to the war dead?”
I was embarrassed, and a wry smile appeared on my face.
“Yes, when you’re making a life-threatening decision, will I be able to face those who have died? I look at the monument and ask myself …… if I’m not jumping to an easy decision.”
Kriemhild sat down next to me.
She stared at the monument for a moment, then turned to me.
“When there are more people to be inscribed, will you be able to bear looking directly at it?”
Indeed.
But I can’t ignore it either.
""
More names to be inscribed are the result of my choices.
Whether I see it or not, it’s still the same.
I guess this kind of thinking is dangerous in everyone’s eyes.
A person who can accomplish great deeds would be better suited to have little empathy for others.
It is often said that psychopaths have the qualities of leaders.
They do not mind taking advantage of others or making sacrifices.
They do not hesitate to make bold reforms.
They do not mind if someone else is sacrificed for their reforms.
They will pretend to mourn the sacrifice if it serves their purpose.
If the goal is to benefit society, the psychopath is probably a beneficial person.
I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near them.
Uncle Steve Jobs, the apple innovator, was that type.
If you stay close and don’t get harmed, people around you will praise you as a great man.
But I can’t seem to go that far.
I think too much.
I couldn’t help but giggle when I was confronted with the fact that I am not suited for this type of work.
I didn’t want to be reincarnated.
But I walked away from it by my own choice.
I can’t run away from it now, and I shouldn’t even if I could.
I’ve got a lot of people in my life.
Once I start crossing the Rubicon River, I’m doomed if I don’t keep running to the finish line.
I smiled to myself.
“I don’t know, it’s in my nature to care. I don’t want to move on and turn a blind eye to my own failures and the sacrifices I’ve made.”
Kriemhild smiled gently at me.
“You can think kindly of others. It is that kind of nature that saved Despina, isn’t it? People like that are heartbroken at the cost of battle. It’s not an easy thing to do.”
It does not mean that I was unconditionally kind to them.
He is a useful person, and he is doing his best for Ravenna.
So I just helped them in any way I could.
If he was an irrelevant person, I wouldn’t have felt involved.
My kindness is conditionally triggered.
If I don’t think someone is worth being nice to, I go beyond callous and become cruel.
I guess they overestimate me or …… consider me a good person.
I chuckled, but there was no point in denying Kriemhild’s words.
“If the world were easy, I wouldn’t be interested in it. In the end, I have to come to terms with it. If I were an irresponsible scholar or hermit, I could say, “That’s why the world is interesting”. But when you actually take up political office, you realize that. There is not the slightest room for fun.”
Once I become irresponsible, I can’t maintain tension.
I am aware that I have an unstable personality.
“You really are a serious person, aren’t you, Lord Alfred?”
No, I can see the devastation after cutting corners.
As long as I can see it …… I need to avoid devastation.
Dealing with the devastation after it comes will only be negative.
If it was just me, it would be fine, but it’s involving a lot of people.
I can’t stand the thought of making Mil and Kiara unhappy through my negligence.
In a way, I’m dependent on others.
I can’t work hard just for myself.
“No, I am simply a coward. If I’m out of touch or in a position of no responsibility, I’ll play around. If possible, I’d rather do nothing, see the results, and then just criticize and act all high and mighty.”
Before my reincarnation, I hated irresponsible commentators and journalists as if they were snakes.
Now that I am in a position of responsibility, I sometimes envy them.
But then I remember the words of novelist Kafu Nagai.
“In the future, I will not be able to make a living by writing. I may have no choice but to become a newspaper reporter to support myself. Or, in some cases, even if I become a thief, I will not become a newspaperman. I am not yet so accustomed to corruption that I would sell justice and humanity as a commodity.”
I can’t accept these words easily.
After all, I don’t want to, even if I could.
It is certainly better to be a thief who knows what he is doing is wrong.
It is rare to find a thief who says he is doing the right thing.
Kriemhild laughed uncontrollably when she saw me.
“I’m sure you can’t do it, Lord Alfred, even if you say so yourself. I was the representative of the tribe, so I have a better eye for people than most people. I won’t say …… right away, but I can tell what kind of magical power a person has by looking at that person.”
Magic? What does personality have to do with it?
That’s a sudden change of subject.
Whatever it is, it sounds important.
I must listen to it seriously.
“What does magic have to do with personality?”
“Every living creature has magical power. It flows from the soul. It is like the relationship between water and a reservoir.”
Kriemhild then pondered a bit.
She must be thinking about how to tell me.
Soon after, Kriemhild slowly opened her mouth.
“The stagnant reservoir stinks, doesn’t it? Because of my upbringing, I have become sensitive to such people. The way one’s mind works is reflected in one’s magical power.”
Magic is not only a force, but also a personality, whether it is the smell of the soul or the color of the soul.
The demon tribe is skilled in the handling of magic.
So, can you tell who a person is by looking at his or her magic?
I’ve never heard of this ability, but is Kriemhild just special?
Maybe she meant to encourage me and told me I wasn’t a dirty person.
I scratched my head.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it. I didn’t know that you could tell about people by their magic.”
“This power is the result of my ancestors’ constant, unspeakable accusations. It’s even harder when you can’t see into people’s minds to some extent. I am in trouble because I represent my family. I cannot escape from my relationships with others. My mother also had this power, so it seems to be transmitted from mother to daughter. Ordinary people don’t need this ability, though, so it will likely be lost by the time my grandchildren come along.”
Kriemhild chuckled quietly as she said this.
It would be a useful ability for others.
It is easy to find people who are sympathetic and easy to use.
But to the person herself, it is a power that confronts her with an unfortunate reality.
Those who prey on it and don’t fulfill their own desires… may aspire to make the ability unnecessary.
Such an ability may be lost in the future, I’m a little glad to hear you say that.
Kriemhild turned her gaze again to the monument to the war dead.
“Lord Alfredo seems to be a reservoir with a long history. It is old, but there appears to be very little dirt there. It has a unique shape, so …… Though perhaps it looks like something frightening to some viewers.”
Then Kriemhild gave a small laugh.
So you’re indirectly saying I’m an old man, right?
“I’m 17, you know. I will be 18, though. And I don’t understand why people are so afraid of me.”
“I also don’t know why, it just feels that way. Besides, you can’t fake behavior no matter how many words you use to cover it up.”
No matter how many times I say this, I don’t think they will change their viewpoint.
I’m not comfortable with praise from others.
I scratched my head and looked at the monument.
After a moment, I felt a gaze.
When I turned my head to look, Kriemhild had stopped smiling and was looking at me with a serious face.
“I am not much help to Lord Alfred right now. I will surely be of assistance to you sooner or later. This idea is shared by our family.”
Thank you, but I want you to hold it against everyone, not against me.
But I’d rather solve the problem of Dorius first than have your opinion of me.
I don’t have the luxury of worrying about it yet.
Emphasizing this will upset everyone and create an opening.
That said, it’s also tricky when the myth of ever-winning is created.
I really envy the ease of being able to run to extremes and be okay with it.
