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An ancient saying from Shenzhou goes: Sacrificing oneself slightly for the benefit of all should not be done; nor should one take everything from the world solely for personal gain.
The world does not belong to any single individual but all its people. Entrusting the safety of the entire realm onto one person would be cruel.
However, reality is driven by interests, not right or wrong.
When Einstein mentioned needing a vessel for Finality, capable of containing the Herrscher of Finality, Rita knew Lady Durandal would undoubtedly agree.
Her body possessed the nearly impermeable bloodline of House Kaslana and the Schariac lineage, which could manipulate Honkai itself.
She was the ideal candidate.
Of course, there was another option with similar lineage—Kiana.
Lady Durandal had never revealed that she was Siegried's biological daughter. At this point, disclosing such information held little significance.
Kiana had no intention of inheriting her name or its associated political capital. Instead, she would shoulder the responsibilities that came with being Durandal.
For instance, as Einstein suggested, restraining the Herrscher of Finality.
Rarely did Rita express dissenting opinions against Durandal, but she couldn't persuade her this time either. The warrior's resolve had been unwavering since childhood; the Kaslanas' impulse to save the world wouldn't change even if it endangered their own life.
Durandal might be naive, but her intelligence was never in question.
Rita's attempts were futile despite her mounting anxiety.
People tend to be selfish, and Rita didn't want to see Durandal sacrifice herself for the sake of the world like this.
Einstein mentioned that according to the Holy Mark Terminal records, Finality is seeking help from humanity. Although the entire terminal is connected through Prometheus, its origin still lies with Finality itself.
If Durandal becomes the Herrscher of Finality, the next one to be trapped in this quagmire would be her.
While no one could predict what challenges the Herrscher of Finality might face, ...
Rita chose to keep these concerns hidden within herself.
"Vice-Captain Rita?"
Xia Chen's voice pulled her back to reality.
"What's wrong? You seemed lost in thought just now. Did something happen?"
"No... I was merely pondering a question." Suppressing her worries, Rita said, "It's related to work, and since there's no one else to discuss it with, perhaps you can offer your opinion."
She paused briefly before continuing, "I recall a historical anecdote from Shenzhou, although the specifics escape me. It's called 'Plucking One Hair for the Benefit of All.' What do you think about its implications?"
"Weren't we discussing a matter at hand? Why bring up an old anecdote?"
"It's crucial to our discussion... Never mind, let me use another analogy instead. Have you heard of the Trolley Problem?" she asked. "Imagine five children playing on the tracks ahead of a moving train. The driver spots them but is too late to brake. Switching directions would hit another obedient child standing alone... What would be your choice?"
"Must I choose?" Xia Chen seemed conflicted.
The trolley problem is actually a philosophical dilemma because one person, without committing any wrongdoing, has their life taken away for the sake of others' benefit, which philosophically constitutes an injustice.
However, stepping outside philosophy, the answer becomes quite simple: sacrifice the rule-abiding child to save five lives.
Because 5 > 1.
Xia Chen straightforwardly provided this response.
Rita fell silent for a moment before getting up and leaving.
It was evident that she was upset.
Xia Chen lay stunned on the bed for about three minutes before belatedly realizing why Rita was so angry.
She had been seeking support, looking for someone to persuade Durandal. However, it was clear that Xia Chen's answer did not align with her intentions. He knew that if Ana were in Durandal's place, he wouldn't have chosen the '5 > 1' solution either.
Humans inherently apply double standards, and he couldn't escape experiencing them.
Without dwelling further, he drifted off into a drowsy sleep.
The sudden surge of anger nearly overwhelmed Rita's composure. Only after feeling the cool breeze outside did she gradually regain her calm.
Rita unconsciously reassured herself, "Must be due to exhaustion lately; almost lost control there."
She tried hard to compose her emotions, but no matter how much effort she put in, her mood remained distressingly low.
As a former member of Schicksal's Special Forces, Rita had witnessed numerous disheartening events: corruption, assassinations, betrayals... Humans could commit vile acts for personal gain, and she thought she had grown accustomed to accepting these realities.
Thus, she always wore a polite smile, seemingly unaffected by such occurrences.
But in this world, how could she truly remain indifferent to everything?
Rita pondered that if her past enemies saw her like this, they would undoubtedly mock her mercilessly.
"I'll come back another day to apologize," the girl decided silently.
Just then, she spotted Durandal approaching.
"Durandal...-sama." Rita hesitated slightly, suddenly not wanting to face her.
Was it unwillingness or fear?
Her thoughts were in turmoil.
Unaware of Rita's thoughts, Durandal asked, "Have you seen Xia Chen? How is he doing?"
"He's recovering well," she replied, suppressing her emotions. "Lady Durandal, were you planning to visit him?"
"No need for a visit; someone will take care of him." Durandal shook her head and said, "Knowing he's fine puts my mind at ease."
"Lady Durandal seems quite concerned about Xia Chen."
"After all, he is a member of Schicksal, so naturally, I should be attentive." She had fully embraced her role as a leader: "I'm not the best leader yet. The future of Schicksal still requires much from both you and him."
Rita fell silent.
No one knew the outcome once Einstein's plan succeeded. While Durandal was willing to take risks, Rita didn't want her exposed to unnecessary dangers.
"Rita."
"Hmm?" Suppressing her nearly uncontrollable emotions, Rita managed a smile and asked, "What is it, Lady Durandal?"
"You mentioned before that when we have time, we should go sightseeing in Naples, right?" Durandal paused briefly before continuing, "There isn't much on our agenda lately, let's make that trip together."
"Sounds great."
Rita nodded, "The scenery in Naples should still be as beautiful as ever."
Together, they set off on their journey.
Meanwhile, at Schicksal's Holy Research Institute.
With Schicksal's approval, Einstein gradually assumed command over the research facility.
This place wasn't unfamiliar to her; for a brief period, Einstein had previously worked here for Schicksal, albeit it was indeed short-lived.
Returning now, she felt no sense of nostalgia or change amidst familiar surroundings.
Einstein did not favor the Holy Mark Terminal, as its method of protecting humanity involved fundamentally altering humans in another way.
Could they still be considered human then?
However, at this moment, she had no time to ponder such thoughts.