NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: Sincerity is a Weapon
"I wanted to eradicate the Calamity!"
The young boy said this, his body full of frostbite, looking extremely frail. He spoke with a calm gaze that carried a trace of determination... He looked up at the Starlight Body, his voice filled with resolve.
Generally speaking, humans or other intelligent beings who found the hidden secrets and came to the Star Realm through the "door" always sought "wealth," "health," "power," or the like.
Of course, many hoped to resurrect the dead as well.
However, someone like this young boy, who straightforwardly declared to "eradicate the Calamity," was something the Starlight Body encountered for the first time... It seemed evident that he had suffered greatly from the Calamity.
For this human boy, knowing the name of the Calamity was not surprising to the Starlight Body. After Yila revealed everything, the news quickly spread to all nations almost during the banquet.
Both the nobility and the common people quickly learned the truth about the Calamity. This was indeed what Yila wanted to achieve... Only in this way could the hoped-for outcome be achieved by relying on the external force known as the Calamity.
"Which Calamity?"
The Starlight Body asked this. Unlike before, it did not immediately inquire whether the visitor was willing to pay certain costs after making a request because it would not help with eliminating the Calamity.
Even if it could, the boy in front of it could not afford the cost.
The Starlight Body was no benevolent entity, at least not anymore.
"Every Calamity."
The boy requested, looking a bit tired. He said this to the Starlight Body, which he regarded as stronger than the Calamity: "Lord Yila said to eradicate every Calamity we know or do not know."
This was a bit too greedy.
"..."
"Do you know what a great cost you must pay to get information on solving the Calamities?"
The Starlight Body said this. She looked at the boy in front of her, her faceless visage turning towards the boy as she shook her head, saying: "Do you have the resolve to give your all, including your life, including your soul?"
"Moreover, even if you give your all as a price, it would only exchange for part of the information about the Calamities. For all of the Calamities, it would be merely a drop in the bucket at best... You could ask for something else."
The implication was clear—go back.
However, even the Starlight Body could not seize the other's soul... That was the domain of the gods.
"Information... Right... You can only give people knowledge... That's what my grandfather's book says..."
The confused boy said, talking to himself in a daze. His face gradually turned mournful, and then he covered his face and cried aloud...
But the Starlight Body had enough patience to wait for him to cry his tears dry.
"But, but..."
The boy sobbed. He did not really understand how important the "world" Yila spoke of was, but he knew very well... His family members, his friends, were all gone, and his country was on the brink of collapse.
It had been a small nation, not a great place... Disasters treated everyone equally, which was the most unfair thing.
"But the people around me died..."
That had nothing to do with the Starlight Body.
"Lord Yila and the King said they wanted to save the world... I don't understand how we are supposed to do it. It seems like everything is still the same, only the people I cared about are gone."
That also had nothing to do with the Starlight Body.
"I don't know what I can do, but Lord Yila and the King, they must be doing something great... My mother said I am more deserving of living than she is. I don't understand..."
"..."
"..."
How cumbersome.
The Starlight Body thought this but still did her best to be a qualified listener... Even though she now felt less like the "Black Morning Star who trades in knowledge" and more like a psychologist.
"But I remember what she said, so..."
The boy said this. At some point, he had stopped crying. He raised his head and said: "There must be someone more deserving of living than I am. If that information really helps..."
"..."
In the silence, the Starlight Body raised her head... She looked at the boy with a bit of surprise, though one could not see any thoughts on her faceless expression.
But it was clear that the boy had already made up his mind.
"I will trade. Take my body and soul..."
The boy said this, seemingly smiling. Under this willingness for self-sacrifice, he happily smiled and said: "Please give the information that is useful to the world to Lord Yila!"
"..."
What kind of logic was this?
The Starlight Body tilted her head, pondering very clearly... The boy's logic was "I (the boy) die", gain the "information", tell Yila, and then Yila can prevent more and more important people from dying.
"You seem to trust Yila a lot?"
In response to the Starlight Body's question, the boy, prepared to face death, nodded firmly and said: "Yes, because I am useless, and useless people have to trust capable people. People without worth have to trust valuable people."
"And then..."
The boy continued, smiling at the Starlight Body: "The weak have to be considerate of the strong, and the strong have to protect the weak... I am very grateful to Lord Yila and the King, so I must..."
"Do something for everyone."
Even if the price is your life?
The Starlight Body wondered in her heart. She looked into the boy's eyes and found a definite answer... Yes, this was what he thought, and he had already made up his mind.
Perhaps many ordinary people in the Main Plane had made such preparations.
Perhaps the distance between the mundane and the great was not so far...?
"But most people are born to be above others."
The Starlight Body said this, her voice seeming to come from some distant place. It was as if she was reminiscing about something and said: "Whether it is me or many others, we always stayed detached, even though we were strong."
The boy was stunned...
"Then you all are wrong."
The boy replied with certainty... His gaze was firm, his words were unequivocal, as if what he said was the truth of the world itself and not his personal naivety.
But on closer thought...
The Starlight Body seemed to realize—this might indeed be correct.
It was not that some people were too naive, maybe some were... too selfish.
...
Starlight Body: "Get out."
The boy, sensing the other's anger, suddenly felt a bit scared. He was not afraid of being killed but worried... worried that the world might be saved by just a little bit more.
And the enraged Starlight Body decisively waved her hand and sent him back to the Main Plane.
The Star Realm returned to stillness once more.
...
...
...
"If the Main Plane also turned into stars... It might be... a good thing... It might let me touch the power of the gods... But..."
"I... should not... I... I don't know."
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Destruction of the World Act Nine (2/10): Starry Waves
Disaster Relief