Volume 9, Chapter 16 – Differing Convictions

As for the specific situation, according to Fia’s understanding, it was as if someone had pressed down hard on the middle of a cake, creating a drop of several thousand meters compared to the surroundings. Combined with the giant banyan tree shrouding the sunken land, it had become an isolated dead zone.

If they were humans, they would undoubtedly be in a desperate situation, but dragons possessed superior physical endurance; they likely weren’t in immediate danger.

Fia asked, her expression unchanged.

“Can’t those half-dragons just transform back into true dragons and fly up? Even if they can’t fly, climbing the rock walls should be no problem. Besides, it is the World Tree Core that isolated the world beneath the volcano from the outside. If you let the dragons from outside who still have mana in, they could carry those who cannot fly back to Dragonfall. That would solve the survival crisis.”

“Haah, it’s not as simple as you say. Don’t think dragons can just fly whenever they want just because their wings are big. To take off from flat ground, they need to use [Flight] and wind magic, but the mana and elements there are too scarce. The strength of [Flight] and wind magic wouldn’t be enough to carry a dragon’s weight. As for climbing, that’s a pipe dream. To climb a four or five-thousand-meter vertical rock wall while suffering from vertigo in a mana-exhausted environment? Even a half-dragon couldn’t handle that. If I let the dragons from outside in, wouldn’t I just be sending them to their deaths? Beings devoured by Chaos eventually become nutrients to spawn more Chaos. Even if I didn’t cherish their lives, I have to consider my own future. And…”

The Angel’s voice trailed off, seemingly lost in thought.

Fia raised an elegant eyebrow.

“And?”

“And I was thinking… if I leave that piece of land there, Chaos might not think about devouring the entire Dragonfall in one go. In other words, using that sunken land as bait to attract the attention of Chaos, letting the dragons struggle there… That way, sacrificing a small portion of the population can buy survival for the majority.”

“Hey.”

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Fia’s tone suddenly turned cold. She turned and grabbed the Angel by her collar, a faint anger surfacing in her ruby eyes.

“Do you know what you are saying? Are these words that you, an Angel, should be uttering?”

Instead of showing fear as before, the Angel looked away, a note of stubborn reluctance entering her voice. She pouted and muttered.

“If you were in my position, you would think the same. Rather than everyone dying together, it’s better if only a portion dies. I am merely making the choice that allows more people to live.”

“If you were willing to sacrifice yourself, I might believe you a little more.”

No one wants to be the sacrifice for the majority. Those who talk about sacrificing the few for the many are merely speaking from the perspective of a bystander; their attitude would be vastly different if they were among the victims. Praising grand narratives is purely for those who have never experienced the feeling of being crushed to death by the wheels of history.

Firstly, Fia fundamentally disagreed with this viewpoint. Secondly, if she accepted this logic, she would first have to face Claire’s situation; the Goddess of the World Tree was doing exactly that—sacrificing Claire to ensure the survival of those on the World Tree Continent. There was no way she would agree to that.

Pushing the Angel away forcefully, Fia discarded her slightly improved opinion of her.

“If I were you, I would be thinking about how to preserve everyone, not how to sacrifice a part to save the rest.”

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“How arrogant! You aren’t standing in my position at all! If there were a choice to save everyone, would I just ignore it? You haven’t experienced that kind of helplessness; you wouldn’t understand the Goddess’s difficulties!”

“How do you know I haven’t? The despair I have felt is more intense than anything anyone in this world has experienced. Furthermore, I am not saying your choice was wrong; I am criticizing the fact that you didn’t try every other possible option before resorting to a sacrifice intended to minimize losses. At the very least, you should have believed in Claire’s strength and let her lead you to defeat Chaos. Your first thought when facing an enemy wasn’t to win, but to find an innocent person to use as a scapegoat…”

Fia originally intended to use a word like “spineless,” but she changed her tune at the last moment. The other party was an Angel, a loyal servant of a god; shaking her faith would serve no purpose for an entity like her.

“Whatever, gods are all like this. Listen well. I care about the Chaos you fear just as much as you do, but I will not burn someone just to survive. I will personally erase Chaos from this world until not a single drop remains. So, put away your thoughts of sacrificing the few for the many; I don’t want to hear such talk again.”

“You…”

The Angel’s expression became complicated. She opened her mouth, but felt that anything she said would be futile. She could only stare into Fia’s eyes, searching for a trace of cowardice. Fia did not back down; she tilted her chin slightly and stared back.

“What?”

“…Hmph.”

The Angel didn’t answer. She let out a heavy snort and looked away. She actually wanted to mock Fia, to ask if she wasn’t afraid of making such big boasts and being unable to save face later. But she only saw a burning determination in Fia’s eyes—a radiant, dazzling thing that she herself lacked, so hot it almost scorched her.

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She admitted defeat, leaving only a hollow sneer.

“When you fail, I’ll be there to laugh at you.”

“Then keep watching. That day will never come. How is Mimiu’s current situation?”

“I don’t know, but she’s definitely alive. Don’t tell me to just let her out. Firstly, she jumped in there herself out of a sense of responsibility as the Dragon Sovereign. Secondly, I have no way of entering that dead land where mana and elements are so scarce.”

“You have no way to rescue her, yet you told the dragons that if they found Claire, you would release Mimiu? No, wait… you just said that if these five dragons found Claire, you’d release her. Does their coming here now mean that Claire has been found by them?”

Realizing this, Fia looked down at the blood-red one-handed sword hanging at her waist. It wasn’t glowing, which meant Claire wasn’t in danger.

The Angel was still dissatisfied that her convictions had been scolded by Fia. She pouted and answered reluctantly.

“Probably. I told them not to come looking for me unless it was important.”

“Let me out. I’m going to meet them.”

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“And what about the people at the bottom of the volcano? You just made a grand speech about saving them; are you going to ignore them now?”

The Angel’s eyes held a hint of mockery and a feeling similar to hope—she was mocking Fia, hoping she wouldn’t be able to back up her words. Most people in this world are like this; they hope others cannot accomplish what they themselves cannot do, so they can convince themselves: “See, everyone failed, so I’m not that useless.”

Fia didn’t look back at the Angel. She smoothed back the ink-black hair that had drifted to her chest and replied plainly.

“I will help. But only with Claire. Open the door.”

Mimiu had helped Claire. As Claire’s fiancée, Fia naturally had to repay the favor. However, Claire was more important than Mimiu.

Without another word, as the stunned Angel opened the gateway to the outside world, Fia appeared before the five half-dragons of varying colors.