Chapter 752 - 280: The Truth of War_9

"I've seen many comrades sacrifice themselves."

"Everyone believes they are defending their nation, guarding, upholding justice, and for... you."

"In truth, everyone is scared. No one is willing to die at first, but because they feel someone must step up, because they don't want more people to get hurt, they muster up the courage to stand in."

"I've heard countless final words of mutual encouragement, countless desires to survive, countless attachments to the world, countless imaginations of the future."

"And then, you want to tell me all of that actually holds no meaning?"

"All of this was orchestrated by your hand, just to make more people die?"

Cornflower nearly used all her strength to keep herself from shouting, instead questioning in a seemingly calm manner.

She widened her eyes, staring at the far-off face so similar to her own, trying to discern even a hint of remorse.

Sadly, she could see none.

"I can understand, after all, humans are beings who live and can also die for meaning."

"To make you all fully feel 'meaning', everything turned into war. Compared to massacre, war can make one feel their death is meaningful."

The presence on the throne said, "I could have harvested magic power in a more brutal way, but I let them feel valued, meaningful even right before death, volunteers. I believe that sufficiently considers their feelings."

"Undoubtedly, keeping me alive is correct, but rather than a straightforward, brutal correctness, I chose a more roundabout approach."

"Could this still leave them dissatisfied?"

Cornflower almost doubted her ears at what she was hearing.

She looked at the presence on the throne with a somewhat shocked gaze, as if viewing a bloodless, tearless monster.

"You..."

She spoke woodenly, "Why can't you tell the truth?"

"Tell everyone you've been hurt, tell the citizens you need help, need magic power to heal, have everyone help you, find a solution together?"

"Even if you need a lot of magic power, this kingdom's citizens adore you, even love you so much. If you stated your needs, how could they not help you?"

"Many regard you as a deity, revering you, even willing to die if truly asked."

"Why deceive? Why exploit? Why show such disregard?"

"Must you resort to manipulating everyone, turning everything into a joke, making everything so nauseating?"

The presence on the throne paused, listening to Cornflower's questions.

"Because I cannot disclose the truth."

She said, "Making it public means the enemy would also know, and if the rebel knew of my weakness, they'd act without hesitation, daring to assassinate me, making my position even more precarious."

Cornflower slightly parted her lips but didn't know what more to say. Her dazed gaze could only linger on the presence before her, continuing to assert its twisted logic.

"You say they are willing to die for me, so I truly gave them the chance to die for me, even granting them the glory of doing so."

"You say people will find a way for me, but magic power doesn't spontaneously generate. To acquire more, one must ultimately plunder externally."

"By then, it's merely changed from 'interworld invasion of the kingdom' to 'kingdom invading the interworld and the material realm' in warfare."

"In comparison, surely dying with the belief of sacrificing for one's nation and justice is a happier death?"

The presence responded with such a rhetorical question.

Cornflower could only feel nauseated.

The opposite party's complete disrespect for life, for honor, for justice, for emotion made her dizzy with anger.

"Stop spouting such nonsense..."

She heard her own voice, a sound on the verge of tearing apart, almost exploding:

"In your eyes, apart from the so-called 'correctness', apart from the so-called 'choices', is there nothing else you see?"

"Even if everything you say is true, even if you truly cannot die, and keeping you alive is essential to maintain the world..."

"But why trample on what others cherish, what's noble to others?"

"Clearly, there are other ways, right? Clearly, it doesn't need to go this far, right? Surely, you can respond to everyone's emotions, right?"

"Do you even know how those children chosen as magical girls truly perceive you? Do you know how many admire you, love you, imagine you would notice a shred of their efforts?"

"Do you even know how many magical girls pray, chanting your name for courage, charging into the battlefield fueled by such courage and compassion at just ten or so years old, only to die just like that?"

She heard herself roaring, heard herself screaming:

"Do you truly feel nothing at all? Are you truly completely indifferent? This is love! The most precious thing in the world! It was the most important thing when you chose us as magical girls! It's what everyone has always been in pursuit of!"

"Everyone gave you love, gave you their emotions, gave you their trust, gave you everything! You are the king of the kingdom, the king of the magical girls!"