(Author: Sorry for the delay, but I had second thoughts about future events, so I could speed up this part of the story, but the process took longer than expected.)
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— Adel —
The warm steam from the cup rose lazily, and I followed it with my eyes with some effort.
After ten days from the incident, the sight in my right eye had partially returned, but I still saw everything blurry, almost as if I were nearsighted.
That's why I was forced to use this monocle.
"I look ridiculous," I told myself with self-irony.
Sipping some tea, I relaxed, even knowing about the chaos happening on Vera Island. I could already imagine the huge effect it had on the people, but if I wanted the situation to get worse, tonight and the following ones, I had to continue with my work.
I stretched, looking out the window with a faint smile. I would have liked to see Jasmine's expression in person... but for now, I had to be satisfied with imagination.
A faint sound at the window interrupted my thoughts. Shortly after, an agile figure climbed in with the naturalness of someone who had always done it.
"I think we already talked about this, Violet. Could you use the door?"
I asked the girl with exasperation, but she just gave a bothered snort.
"It's more efficient this way."
"...If you say so." I shrugged. "So, how did the people react?"
"Saying terrified is an understatement. Maybe you did... a bit too well."
"I tend to work more than excellently," I replied with a deep theatrical bow. Yet, looking closely, I noticed her movements were stiffer than usual.
"You're afraid, aren't you?" I said, smiling at her.
"Of you? Or of your ridiculous monocle?" She said with a mocking laugh. "No, seriously, why do you walk around with that thing? It's embarrassing."
"Could you stop stressing my pathetic side? It's depressing enough even when no one reminds me of it."
I noticed her smiling slightly. She seemed to take some strange pleasure in seeing me suffer.
"Anyway, if you're not afraid, are you saying I went too far?" I asked her.
"I don't know... maybe?"
I smiled at her confusion. From Violet's point of view, Joe's death and suffering weren't a problem, but when she saw the state of his body, it was normal that she felt uneasy.
"Let me ask you a question. What do you think is the strongest weapon in the world?"
My question seemed to catch her off guard, but she still tried to answer.
"The sword?"
"Indeed, swords are the weapons that take the most lives. But there's something much simpler and viler. Words, and the conviction they carry."
"Really?"
My answer seemed to be met with disinterest, as if she didn't believe me at all.
"Think about it. With them, you can start or end a war, condemn or save someone, make yourself loved or hated, and so on."
"If you put it that way, it makes sense... but what does it have to do with us?"
My smile widened.
"Because, besides words, there's something even more powerful. Something that makes them real, that amplifies their effect. What I consider the true, supreme weapon. Fear."
"Fear?" she repeated with curiosity.
"Just think of this archipelago. The fear implanted is so strong that no one dares fight back or even try to resist. A brave hero might come and swear to save them, but almost none of these people would help him, because—"
"They're afraid of what would happen if he failed."
"Exactly." I raised my thumbs at her correct answer, which made her roll her eyes.
"Fear is truly a wicked feeling. It creeps in, devouring you from inside, dragging you into a cycle of pessimism. It can make you lose even before fighting, and bring out the worst in you."
I had lived for years among people drowning in fear. I saw the effects it caused, and how even the best people could become monsters.
"But there are also many stories of people who risked everything, just to change their fate." Violet countered.
What she said was exactly the point I wanted to reach.
"That's because, even though fear is a strong tool, it's also very delicate. If not enough, people tend to ignore it, but if too much, people tend to fight it." I explained, adding an example. "Let's say you face an existence you cannot defeat. If the only future is death, you'd fight with all your strength, but if it gives you the chance to surrender, you'd accept. That's because life is the only decent thing left to you."
"You really have a pessimistic way of seeing life, you know?"
"I know, but that's how I am."
When you became like me, someone who had seen people give up fighting and become slaves just to survive, you understood that everything else was just an excuse you lived with in times of peace.
"And tell me, mister know-it-all, are you afraid?" Violet asked sarcastically.
"Of course. Whoever doesn't feel fear is someone who has given up on their life."
I didn't consider my life important, but even so, I didn't want to die. I had debts to settle, and as long as alien races existed, I would never stop fighting to stay alive.
"Now that's embarrassing. I thought you'd say something like: fear is for the weak, or I'll die before ever feeling fear."
Hearing her words, I looked at her for a long time with a strange expression.
"You really have a weird image of me."
"It's not my fault if your personality seems to change every minute."
A small laugh escaped me at her words.
"Could be true. Now, back to the previous matter." I said, more seriously this time. "As you know, this whole fake ritual thing is meant to convince the other two factions to join the Merchants, to fight against the Explorers."
"I know." She nodded.
"But then I had an idea. If I have to do this anyway, I might as well do it in such a terrifying way that people will really see Erik as a savior."
"Doesn't that mean we're deceiving people?" She asked with a complex look.
"In itself, our life is a deception. We follow the course of events without ever asking how or why, simply because someone else does, and we accept their words as the absolute truth."
"Like we're doing with you?"
Another laugh escaped me at her question.
As in the past, talking with her was always a satisfying experience. Maybe, for now, she could still be a little naïve, but her instincts were sharp.
"Exactly."
"...I change my opinion, you really are scary." She sighed.
Ouch, that hurt... just kidding.
If someone didn't start feeling uneasy after spending time with me, it meant they had zero survival instincts or something wrong in their head.
"Being openly insulted isn't so pleasant, you know?"
Strangely, my answer caused a reaction I didn't expect. I noticed her expression becoming more tense, and with heavy steps, she came closer to me, looking me straight in the eyes.
"It doesn't make sense." She said almost more to herself than to me. "You're strange, you know so much about us, you're ruthless and frightening."
It seemed I had to hear a series of insults, but I waited to see where she wanted to go.
"Even two Grade 2s fear you, but then why..." Her expression became complicated. "Why is it that when I look into your eyes, I can't be afraid of you?"
As I said, her instincts were the best.
I stood up, reaching her level, while her eyes kept looking at me uncertainly. Smiling, I patted her head, only to have my hand pushed away with annoyance.
"As I told you and your friends, I will never hurt you."
"But for what reason? What are we to you? And don't you dare dodge the answer."
Seeing her angry was adorable, but I could never give her the answer she wanted; the world itself forbade me.
"Maybe you'll find out in time."
"How can you expect others to trust you completely if you're not honest with them?!"
Even hearing her voice full of irritation, there was little I could do, but for now, I wanted her to learn one thing.
"Violet, I don't want your absolute trust, and you shouldn't give it to anyone unless you truly think they deserve it," I told her calmly. "What I wanted from you all was just that little trust that would let me change your fate."
"...So you won't answer my question, will you?"
"Exactly."
There was a long silence, where I could hear Violet grinding her teeth in anger, before she sighed in resignation.
"What am I even doing..."
With those words, she headed for the door before I called her.
"Violet, I enjoyed exchanging a few words with you."
She stopped for a moment and, without even turning, said:
"Not me."
With those words, she slammed the door behind her.
She says that, but I know it wasn't true.
Violet had never been good at lying, but it was time to stop wasting time. There was work I had to do.