Differing opinion

After dinner, it was getting close to midnight. Elizabeth and her friends were beginning to feel they were overstaying their welcome, which was not too surprising. The fiasco in the city square was resolved in a blink of an eye. Since there was never any risk, how could they accept any reward? Although they came with the goal of giving Elizabeth a respite, it felt like they were cheating this poor family out of a free meal instead. They were not shameless enough to continue. With that thought in mind, they announced their intentions and headed for the door. Just as Elizabeth was about to step out, she hesitated.

"Elizabeth, what's the problem?" Freon asked as everyone glanced at the still girl.

"I… have to ask something." She turned back to face the family. "Do you… hate the Alzar Kingdom for what they did?"

Everyone looked at her funnily, especially her friends. They could not understand her question. Benedict thought that for the people of the Xingyuu Empire, it was natural to hate the Alzar Kingdom. After all, their histories were paved with the blood of millions! And it was not an exaggeration either, since the First Great Kingdom War spanned five centuries alone. Five centuries! It was a mind-bogglingly long time, filled with conflict and death. Like oil and water, the Alzar Kingdom hated the Xingyuu Empire, while the Xingyuu Empire hated the Alzar Kingdom. This fact seemed unchanging and eternal! For Benedict, he felt the same way. It was an expression of loyalty to hate the enemy!

On the other hand, Shirley thought about what she would do in their shoes. A soldier losing their life might be a normal occurrence, but for this family… Shen and Ren lost their son and daughter-in-law, while Little Wu lost his father and mother. How would they feel? How should they feel? Shirley did not have to imagine it because she went through the same. Her father was dead, her mother was comatose for years, and her entire hometown was destroyed. Even after five years, the townspeople were still recovering from the devastation. Hate? What an understatement! She absolutely despised the Xingyuu Empire! If she felt this way, then there was no chance that this family would feel differently.

At the same time, Freon thought about the current situation instead. The Alzar Kingdom slaughtered their way into the Yunyun Stronghold, killing over four thousand people, and forcefully occupied the fortress. The people were too frightened to step out their front doors and for good reason too. Freon knew about that the kingdom would turn a blind eye to whatever their soldiers did to the empire's citizens. After all, it was not their citizens, so why should they care? The previous trouble in the square was a lighthearted joke in comparison to the truly sick and disgusting things probably happening behind closed doors right now. If anything, the people needed a reason not to hate the kingdom instead!

"Ah, that was a stupid question! Don't mind me!" Elizabeth waved her hands in embarrassment. She spoke without much thought and realized how silly her words sounded after. If her grandmother, Queen Bethnal, was here, she would scold Elizabeth heavily. Speaking without thinking was one of the greatest taboos in politics! She wondered, ever since she left the castle, she began losing her edge.

Ren closed his eyes and sighed. "Of course, I hate the kingdom, since they were the ones that killed my children. How could I let that matter settle? I was overcome with rage, so I cursed the kingdom for a hundred days and a hundred nights. There was nothing more that I wanted to do except exact revenge." A fierce expression flashed across his wrinkled face for a second, making everyone's heart skip a beat. In the next second, he returned to his tranquil self. "However, I realized… what was the point?"

Elizabeth was stumped, as were her friends. They did not understand.

"Why would you say there's no point?" Elizabeth asked curiously. "Honoring your deceased children by taking revenge on the Alzar Kingdom… I would think this is a normal thing."

"In the end, what's the difference between the kingdom and the empire?" Ren replied with his own question.

"The kingdom deserves to die!" his grandson interjected furiously. He never had a good opinion of the kingdom, especially after what happened to his parents. The trouble in the city square earlier reinforced his spite.

"Silence!" Ren shouted. "This isn't a conversation for children to butt in!" Elizabeth cast a sympathetic glance at the child before pondering on the question seriously. As if expecting this, Ren chuckled and gestured to everyone else. "What do you think the difference is?"

Benedict scratched his head and said, "Is it history?"

"Government?" Shirley replied, puzzled.

"Ideology," Freon answered.

Yet, the man simply shook his head and said nothing. It was obvious that none of them were correct, which annoyed Elizabeth's friends slightly. They had a feeling they were being toyed with. Ren shifted to Sir Winstin for an answer, but the Protector remained silent and expressionless as usual. Unless he was asked upon by Elizabeth, he would not do anything out of line. Therefore, everyone's gaze eventually landed on Elizabeth for her answer.

The girl mulled it over and frowned deeply before ultimately saying, "There is no difference."

"Why would you say that?" Ren smiled like a senior instructing a junior.

"History, government, ideology, and everything else… These are transient concepts, ever-changing with the flow of time. Although there are differences now, there may come a time in the future where these things may reconcile. The Alzar Kingdom and the Xingyuu Empire… these are only labels that define us. We are the same humans standing on the same earth and living under the same sky. How could there be any difference?" Elizabeth explained her philosophical thoughts.

There was a famous saying about this. Three people stood in a room together: a farmer, a soldier, and a king. The farmer toiled in the fields, tending to crops and livestock to feed the kingdom. The soldier trained his sword, shedding tears and blood on the battlefield to protect the kingdom. The king governed the lands, commanding with an iron fist to lead the kingdom. One a farmer, one a soldier, and one a king… However, born from nothingness and return to nothingness. Before the cycle of life and death, all beings were equal! Naturally, this applied to the Alzar Kingdom and the Xingyuu Empire too. Despite their ever-lasting feuds and countless unreconciled differences, everything seemed insignificant when compared to the heavenly principles!

Realization dawned on Elizabeth, but her confusion remained. "I understand your point, but is this truly something that can satisfy you? The Alzar Kingdom killed your children, conquered the Yunyun Stronghold, and threatens to destroy the Xingyuu Empire. Philosophy is one thing, but reality is another."

"Let's say I killed those responsible. What then? They would want justice for what I did to them. In this never-ending cycle of hatred and killing… until one side finally collapses, the other side won't rest. I'm old and I've lived a full life. I don't want to plunge the world into more chaos before I leave."

Elizabeth looked at the elderly man with disbelief. Who in this world could be so magnanimous to forgive all the crimes committed against his family? Saints were a fairy tale, and even the holiest man in the Alzar Kingdom, the High Royal Archbishop, had a dark side to him too. Everyone could spout ideals and words of forgiveness, but once push came to shove, reality would set in. Against the cruelty of this world, goodwill seemed as fragile as glass, easily shattering with the slightest crack. This was doubly-so for people who preached about the greater good of the world. Elizabeth did not believe that anyone could resist the temptations of vengeance, much less this random stranger before her.

"I can't take revenge with these hands of mine anyways, so what's the point of holding a grudge?" he continued, spreading his hands powerlessly. "Best to take these grievances with me to the grave and let the next generation decide their fates."

"I'm beginning to understand you. You're very open-minded," Elizabeth looked at him with a complicated expression.

Indeed, he was too powerless to do anything about it. He was a simple man with a simple background. He could not even flee from the Yunyun Stronghold when the Alzar Kingdom came to attack, so what could he do? Assuming he killed a few random soldiers with a sneak attack, so what? Would that alleviate his hate? No, it was unlikely to do anything, and it would endanger his remaining family as well. Since there was nothing, he could do, then holding onto these grievances would simply make his pain one-sided. And like the man said, an eye for an eye would make the world blind. When he dies, everything would end with him. There was no need to create more pain and suffering in the world he left behind.

"Do you think peace is possible?" she asked.

Ren hesitated. No one said anything as silence permeated the air. There was nothing but the rustling of the wind surrounding them. After what seemed like a long time, he said two simple words. "I do."