Chapter 139
"Before I continue answering, tell me, Aldraya.
Did that question come from the way I see the world, or from the way you do?"
A faint, subtle smile finally formed on Theo's lips, breaking the silence he had created with his deep contemplation.
After being gently scolded by Aldraya, he actually felt relieved.
The absolute rigidity that once defined the teacher slowly began to melt, replaced by a new complexity that made her feel more alive, more human.
This was the very change Theo silently appreciated—a deviation from the rigid character he knew from the game, a sign that this world breathed in its own way.
With the smile still lingering, Theo threw back a question that cut straight into the core of their interaction.
His voice was soft yet sharp, asking whether the philosophical question Aldraya had just posed—about whether faith, piety, and betrayal should be viewed so grimly—was meant to be answered from Theo's perspective as an outside observer, or from Aldraya's own perspective as someone wrestling with personal doubt.
The question itself was an invitation to look deeper within.
Theo subtly challenged Aldraya to choose her position.
Was she still hiding behind the mask of an objective teacher, or was she ready to admit that her question was born from the most personal conflict in her heart?
By asking this, Theo was not merely seeking an answer, but urging Aldraya to be more honest with herself—to acknowledge that the battle between her rigid mind and her quiet heart was the true war being fought.
"In my opinion, Ilux's words were right.
In fact, it's a truth you have to accept, Aldraya."
Fhhhh!
"Of course, it's not simply a matter of dislike, because stories about faith, piety, and betrayal tend to focus only on one side, rarely showing how those rules affect others."
Seeing Aldraya fall silent, immersed in contemplation over her own question, Theo took the initiative to continue speaking.
His voice was steady and calm, yet each word was delivered with clear conviction.
He stated that from his own perspective, Ilux's criticism indeed had a strong foundation and aligned with reality.
Theo explained that most stories dealing with themes of faith, piety, and betrayal were almost always centered on a single viewpoint—often the viewpoint of the devotee of the doctrine itself.
As a result, he continued, readers rarely get a clear understanding of how the character's beliefs affect the people around them.
The narrative becomes narrow, trapped in an echo chamber that reinforces only the main perspective without ever questioning or showing its wider consequences.
This, Theo said, was the reality Aldraya had to acknowledge—that the works she might have relied on all this time had a significant blind spot, a failure to capture the shockwaves created when a belief collides with a world of immense complexity.
Theo spoke not to criticize but to illuminate.
He saw how Aldraya might have been isolated within a labyrinth of thought with only one path, and the words of Ilux—along with his own now—were attempts to show her that there were doors she had never noticed, perspectives that could enrich or even revise her understanding.
He wanted Aldraya to understand that accepting such criticism was not defeat, but an expansion of awareness.
"This is just my point of view. I've always believed everything carries meaning."
Hhhh!
"But if I were to use your eyes, the beliefs you hold aren't flawed.
In fact, they are noble—a woman who firmly holds to her principles."
Seeing the hint of guilt radiating from Aldraya's otherwise expressionless eyes, Theo continued in a gentler tone.
He explained that his earlier assessment came purely from his own perspective, one that always sought meaning behind every event and every conversation.
However, Theo made it clear that from Aldraya's own viewpoint, the beliefs she had upheld all this time were not wrong at all.
His voice grew soothing, attempting to calm the unease emanating from Aldraya's silence.
He even stated firmly that for a woman like Aldraya, having a strong grasp on a doctrine or principle was something admirable.
In a world full of uncertainty, those principles might have been the guiding light and the fortress that kept her steps steady.
Theo understood that the value of a belief did not always lie in its flexibility, but in its ability to provide stability and direction.
This statement was not a reversal of his stance, but an acknowledgment of the complexity of truth.
Theo showed that he could see value in both sides.
Both in Ilux's critique, which demanded a broader perspective, and in Aldraya's steadfastness, which found strength in consistency.
He did not force Aldraya to choose, but gave her space to breathe—to understand that holding firmly to one's principles was not a mistake, even if the world around her questioned it.
Between his words, Theo was quietly building a bridge of understanding.
He wanted Aldraya to know that what she was experiencing—the conflict between holding onto old beliefs and considering new perspectives—was a natural and deeply human process.
And whatever choice she eventually made, whether to remain firm or to bend, it would be valid so long as it came from her honest reflection.
"I see."
"More or less."
Hussssh!
"Thank… you. All this time, my conversations with you have opened my eyes."
For dozens of seconds that felt like eternity, the atmosphere froze in a silence filled only with the whisper of the night wind.
Then, from lips that barely moved, Aldraya uttered a single word in response.
"Very well."
The word was short, flat, yet it fell like a stone into a still pond, sending ripples of subtle acknowledgment.
Theo answered with a small nod, along with a brief confirming phrase, signaling that his message had reached her.
Then something unexpected happened.
Aldraya, who always stood like an unmoving monument, slowly lowered herself.
Not merely bowing her head, but bending her entire upper body forward, directing herself fully toward Theo.
The gesture was full of meaning—a deep and rare sign of respect from her.
In that posture, with a voice still flat yet carrying a new frequency of sincerity, she expressed her gratitude.
She thanked him because her perspective, once trapped within walls of doctrine and singular belief, had been illuminated by Theo.
Her gratitude was not blind surrender, but an intellectual acknowledgment that the perspective brought by Theo—and previously by Ilux—had opened a new window in her mind that had long remained shut.
An acknowledgment that the light from outside was capable of illuminating the forgotten, shadowed corners of her thoughts.
Theo witnessed this symbolic transformation with a profound feeling.
He realized that this was a moment when a teacher—long assumed to be a wellspring of truth—humbly admitted that she, too, still had much to learn.
That enlightenment could come from anyone, even from an observer who spent most of his time hiding behind leaves.
And for Aldraya, this gesture might very well be the first conscious step in her new journey—a journey no longer bound to a single map, but one that dared to explore a wider ocean of thought.
"Rise, Aldraya. And may you return safely to your homeland."
Hhhh!
"Be careful."
"Of course. I will guard it along the way."
Fhhhh!
"You be careful as well."
To be continued…