Back at Shoi-Ming's pavilion, Shoi-Ming takes a moment to breathe and shake off his worries, regaining his dignified and serious demeanor as he kneels on the floor and motions for him to do the same.
Sakeru nods, a thoughtful expression crossing his face to mirror his master's attitude, and imitates him by kneeling in front of him.
His eyes, still tinged with sadness at the thought of this possible future separation, burn with eager curiosity and a desire to learn.
His posture is attentive, his body leaning slightly forward, as if not to miss a word of what he is about to say. Despite his young age, he is already full of promise.
It's like when the protagonist's attitude changes completely in serious situations.
"The first thing I would like you to remember is to always remain humble but know your worth," Shoi-Ming began to explain. "Far too many disciples become conceited, thinking themselves better and more deserving than others. Sakeru, know that we are not born equal—some will be born with a talent like yours, and some... will try as hard as they can and never manage to reach their level."
His expression darkens, his gaze unfocused. He is not just thinking about his own condition when he says this—it is something he has learned, even in his own world. And here, it is even more true. He is not there to flatter the protagonist's ego. And perhaps this child is even too young to truly understand what he is saying.
"That's no reason to look down on them, because no one chose to be born privileged. Forgive the foolishness of those who look down on you because of your modest origins and those who envy your worth. Being humble does not mean believing that you are less valuable than others or that you must lower yourself to please others. Be confident in your abilities."
He pauses briefly, as if to say that he has finished his first lesson and hopes that he has understood its importance. Or just remember when the time comes.
"The second thing is to protect the weak and the needy," Shoi-Ming continues.
"As I told you, you are fortunate to be able to protect those who do not have your skills. You should not do it for money or glory, or because you are asked to, but simply because you can. Because you are capable of it and because these people cannot defend themselves as well as you can and therefore their lives are more fragile than yours, do you understand?"
This time his gaze softens as he thinks back on those residents and all those people in distress. Of course, there will always be people who mistrust them or spit their contempt at them, but it would be a mistake to lump them all together and feed on their resentment, allowing the seeds of anger and hatred to take root. From what he had seen, Shoi-Ming also had reasons to hate.
But he hadn't.
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if hesitating to mention the new lesson, but it was something that mattered to Shoi-Ming and... to him too? Yes, perhaps he was beginning to understand.
Him, Chao, the guy who sometimes rushed into things without thinking and had spent the campaign thinking of himself as the hero of the story, as if his exploits illustrated his legend and his sacrifice would matter. Tsk, in the end, in his own way, he had been weak and foolish to think that way.
"The third thing is certainly something that many people would disagree with, but—" he hesitated, biting his lower lip, finding it silly to say that to the soon-to-be most powerful being.
"Don't hesitate to run away if the danger is too great. Some people think they are more powerful than they really are. It's one thing to be brave, but it's foolish if it costs you your life. Your life is as valuable as the lives of those you protect, no matter who they are. There's nothing wrong with thinking about yourself."
The boy's gaze suddenly becomes more piercing, and Shoi-Ming fears trying to analyze it to find out what he might see behind it. Surprise? Indignation? Disgust? Something worse? He keeps up appearances, however, placing one hand on top of the other to reassure himself and keeping his voice steady.
"Fear is not a weakness; it's there to preserve our lives. If we reject it, sooner or later it will come back to paralyze us. If we suppress it, there will be no way of knowing when it is wise to flee. We must accept it without letting it overwhelm us and move forward or backward with it. With time, you will know when it is reasonable."
Haha, he's saying that to a child, it's certainly too complicated for him. But if he understands the gist of it, that's the main thing. These are just words that probably don't mean much, especially coming from a stranger. Maybe one day, when he realizes Shoi-Ming's weak, he'll think that these words aren't worthy of a protagonist. What goes on in the mind of a protagonist anyway? He doesn't know.
"Finally, the last thing may contradict what I just said, but... never give up. Even when you have to run away, come back stronger. Even when you're down, get back up with your head held high. Even when you're mocked or criticized, don't prove them right, don't take the easy way out by giving in to resentment or despair. Become a good person."
Don't be like Jun Hie. Don't turn yourself a villain. Don't have a revenge arc with him on the menu, pretty please.
"Respect people and they will respect you, and if they don't, don't stoop to their level, forgive them without letting them walk all over you. And when you will be alone, when you'll feel like everyone has turned their back on you, when some people try to take advantage of your vulnerability, remember that there will always be people behind you, that some have been good to you at one time or another and have sincerely appreciated you. Maybe there won't even be a need to speak in the past tense."
Was that a cliché lesson? Maybe not giving up is, but Sakeru is already the kind of person who persists despite failure, and it won't hurt to remind him.
[ Congratulations! You gain Charisma +5 for your inspiring and instructive speech. Quest "On Solid Ground" completed. S-points +20 ]
After listening carefully to Shoi-Ming's words, Sakeru remains silent for a moment, letting the teachings resonate within him. Then, with a mixture of innocence and wisdom beyond his years, he looks up at him, his eyes shining with a new light, understanding, and determination.
"Thank you, daozhang. I will remember everything you have said. I want to become a good person, like you."