"What do you see when you look through the window of your eyes. Is this world dead or alive, maybe somewhere in-between?"
Father Yules looked at the mind bending scene that played out before him. The once ordinary desert had now morphed into a hellscape where all sorts of horrors and abominations came out to play.
The Area from which he viewed the Battle between his apostle and the black bulls was protected by the silky black Spectral Film, allowing them the privilege of not being caught in the maelstrom of events.
After nodding with satisfaction, he turned to face Asta. The Junior magic knight who had watched his beloved teammate get murdered in cold blood while he couldn't even do anything, hung there silently on a makeshift cross. His stare vacant and dead, a reflection of his broken will.
"I hear this world is governed solely by magic, so you can imagine my surprise when I had such a difficult time suppressing one without any while I causally breeze through any tom, dick and Harry with a book, a spell and a will to die in their heart.
You were impressive, too impressive for someone who doesn't have the privilege of being born with magic. I admire your dedication towards your fellow allies and how you stood to avenge her even if at the expense of your own life and you also injured one of my previous disciples without a weapon. How commendable.."
Father Yules didn't receive any comment from Asta who hung there, listless and spent. The Dark priest came over to Noelle's body now soaked in her own blood, her eyes still open staring into the void. He feigned displeasure at the sight,
"I know of your past in Clover, the hardship you had to face and the injustice you tried to fight but ended up losing to. It must be obvious to you that this world can no longer be saved. Please Let me share my message with you while we wait.."
Father Yules decided to continue conversing until he got a response, his main goal wasn't to convince him but to make him open to his beliefs. So he went over to Noelle and closed her eyes.
With a wave of his hand, the gaping hole sealed shut, returning her body back to it's pristine form but without the element of sentience to animate it.
"...those who view this world usually only see two aspects. One where everything is ruled by strict laws and principle that is unbroken even within society itself. These are the ones who see only a dead world, one that only follows cold logic like a mechanism without consent.
Then the ones who see a living breathing universe rife with emotion, colour and life where the entire frame is one interconnected organism with every part working for the betterment of the whole. How poetic, to see this world as such especially when it commits unspeakably cruel acts against it's denizens…"
"Shut up…!!"
Father Yules heard Asta's voice speak,
"Why is it not true. We are all born of this world, everything we do was set by it so if we lie, cheat, steal, torture and kill, it was all craved into us by the nature of our existence.
It was the underlying nature in everything, even animals follow this path thus in that sense we are not so different from them.
No one tells them who to kill, mate, take from and maim in order to get their sustenance. So then why are we humans seen as unnatural when we commit those acts to each other.
Simple, because it is all a lie. A Grand Delusion. We are all animals in nice clothing, playing a magnificent game of pretend. Slaves to what we were made to be and thus underserving of our condemnations. Justice is just a lie and we know it.."
Before he could continue his lecture, Asta yelled at him with all his might,
"How can you say that so easily.
How can you talk about people this way.
Do you understand what it means to be human.
All the pain, all the sorrow!!!"
Father Yules gave a sly smile, finally glad to have reached through to the boy.
"Then convince me otherwise"
Asta fell silent to that question, unsure of how to answer, appalled at the truth behind those words. He honestly didn't know, all his life he had believed that perhaps everyone had some amount of good in them and all that was needed was simply someone who could believe in them.
To this end, he desperately wished to build a better world for everyone. Now trapped here upon this cross, he saw those as childish dreams and ambitions. The World was a twisted place, even the people as innocent as they may claim are not as justified in their actions as they think.
This Moral dilemma gave him an existential crisis. Now that all his values and beliefs are challenged in this manner, he didn't know how to give a coherent response. How stupid must he have looked when he announced these beliefs to everyone with his affirmation of becoming a wizard King.
"I wasn't always like this, unlike you who had the grace of fate to guide you to whatever you needed to get the job done, I didn't have anyone. Only my tears and the screams of my allies, friends and family kept me company.
You heroes who neglect the fact that for many whom you save there are countless more who did not see aid until the end of the misery filled existence. What recompense do they have. Tell me child"
Father Yules delivered all these words with the same calm smiling expression, never once flinching or displaying strain or stress.
He was the perfect embodiment of detachment. Asta on the other hand went silent again, those deep words had caused something to break in his mind.
A Continuous looping scene of Noelle's body falling to the ground played endlessly in the background refusing to let on.
Heavy beads of tears fell from his dead eyes. Father Yules knelt before Noelle's body and prayed for her soul before he continued.
"I was once a teacher for a noble family's daughter in a kingdom much like the one you came from. There I served the best I could, being diligent and studious in my work.
Unbeknownst to me, the poor girl had developed romantic feelings which I didn't not reciprocate but that did not stop her advances.
She was soon engaged made to marry a handsome young man of similar social standing but this was not to her liking and in a last ditch attempt, she called me to her room and tried to make love.
I vehemently refused and she left me with the promise that I would regret it and I soon did. That night I returned to my family and we all had dinner and slept.
In the morning, the royal guard visited us requesting my presence. I stood before the Lord's family willing to see what was happening and there she was the lady who sealed my fate with her lying words.
He raped me. These words set my life on fire…"