Matter determines consciousness, and consciousness is a response to matter.
The world is a material realm that exists objectively, independent of human consciousness. At its root, the world is matter.
If consciousness can be regarded as an extension of the essence of the Soul, then the physical body could be called one manifestation of matter.
Matter, in turn, is like the helmsman steering the ship, determining the direction in which consciousness moves.
Think carefully about the joy, sorrow, and sudden flashes of inspiration we experience. Nearly all of them depend on subtle chemical changes within this body.
With just a little manipulation, they can appear or disappear, even causing a person's temperament to change drastically within a short period of time.
Even as intelligent beings satisfy their basic needs for survival, consciousness and matter can occasionally fall into disorder.
For example, a person may be perfectly sound of mind, yet when standing at a great height, suddenly feel an inexplicable urge to leap off like a bird taking flight.
Or they may look at a sharp knife and become curious enough to wonder what it would feel like to cut themselves a couple of times just to see how sharp the blade really is.
This is also known as a primal impulse.
Matter is like spring rain, subtly influencing consciousness, while consciousness is like a spring breeze, quietly guiding matter in turn.
If the physical body truly affects the perspective of consciousness, then perhaps we could try replacing it with an entirely new body.
Seen through a completely different perspective, we might discover things and gain insights we never expected.
No matter the circumstances, self-reflection is crucial.
Multiple perspectives are like the many facets of a prism.
They allow us to understand ourselves more clearly and from more dimensions, giving us a better grasp of our own true nature.
...
"Oh, so you two are still just friends?"
Pavel stared at Naraku with a grave expression, his tone faintly accusatory, as though he were interrogating a criminal.
Naraku looked helplessly at the middle-aged man in front of him and nodded for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Yes, we're just friends."
As he spoke, he muttered inwardly, Is this what they call a legendary daughter-obsessed father?
Seriously, what a headache.
Wait. Hadn't he gone through a similar phase himself once?
...Well, that was another bit of self-awareness gained.
Meanwhile, Pavel visibly relaxed after hearing Naraku's answer.
He was secretly delighted. It seemed his precious daughter had not been stolen away after all.
It wasn't as though he had forbidden Neia from falling in love, but just imagining that situation was difficult for him to accept.
What surprised him more was that Neia had actually made a friend, and a male friend at that.
When he and Neia had exchanged Messages before, she had mentioned that she had made a friend.
At the time, however, both Pavel and his wife had instinctively assumed that Neia had simply made it up to reassure them.
Now, it seemed that wasn't the case at all.
Was he relieved? Absolutely.
Pavel knew his daughter's situation all too well.
Thanks to what she had inherited from him, Neia had possessed a distinctive pair of eyes since childhood, which made most children her age reluctant to approach her.
She was introverted and poor at forming close relationships, and over time she had grown accustomed to doing things alone.
Pavel knew perfectly well that the Holy Kingdom's educational environment was not suited to his daughter.
If things continued that way, there was no telling what she might become in the future.
That had been one of the reasons he had sent Neia to study in the Sorcerer Kingdom in the first place.
Perhaps a change of environment would bring about a change in her as well.
Looking at things now, the decision he had made despite the risk of his wife chasing him down with a sword had unquestionably been the right one.
"Kid, your name's Naraku, right? Let me ask you something. What do you think of Neia?"
Pavel studied the boy in front of him for a moment before asking.
Naraku was Neia's first male friend. Or rather, the first male friend she had ever been this close to.
Why else would the two of them have come to see him together?
As her father, Pavel felt he had a duty to check what sort of person his daughter had befriended.
Why is he suddenly asking me that?
Tsk. No wonder Nemu refused to come along. So this was what she had in mind.
How am I supposed to answer this...
Forget it. I'll just go with my first impression.
"She has this... presence that makes you think she must be strong the moment you see her, I guess?"
"But personally, to 'me,' she's a cute girl who's cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and who isn't very good at showing her feelings to people she doesn't know."
Different perspectives naturally revealed different things.
From a dragon's perspective, appearance and strength were the first things to be judged.
What humans considered a fierce, intimidating gaze was a sign of strength in a dragon's eyes.
From a human perspective, however, one would pay more attention to appearance and the course of their interactions.
She might look somewhat difficult to approach, but the fact that she had been willing to speak to him when he himself had seemed so withdrawn was enough to show that she was undoubtedly a kindhearted girl beneath the surface.
"!!!"
This kid was something else!
He had actually noticed what was cute about his daughter!
Pavel immediately put on an expression like some terrifying Rakshasa. Anyone who didn't know him might have thought he was furious, but those familiar with him knew that this was simply what he looked like when he was embarrassed.
As a father who doted shamelessly on his adorable daughter, Pavel had absolutely no resistance to hearing other people praise her.
"Hahaha! Good, good, good!"
"Kid, I approve of you! I'll leave Neia in your hands from now on. Make sure the two of you stay friends for the rest of your lives!"
Pavel grabbed Naraku by the shoulders and burst into hearty laughter.
The irritation that Remedios's actions had stirred up in him vanished in an instant.
The safety of the Holy Kingdom? Worrying about being held responsible? How could any of that compare to his precious daughter?
Living among people was nothing but trouble.
The only reason he lived in the city at all was because of his wife and daughter.
Without them, he would have moved to some small village near the forest long ago and spent his days enjoying nature's bounty.
"What are you two talking about? You seem pretty happy."
Neia walked over, looking somewhat exasperated.
She had come to ask her father about the rumors circulating outside, yet somehow his attention had ended up focused on something else entirely.
They had barely exchanged a few words after meeting before he abandoned both the Paladin Order and his own daughter.
Then he dragged Naraku into a secluded corner outside, where the two of them whispered about who knew what.
And now, for some reason, he had suddenly started laughing.
Neia was both annoyed and curious.
This was the first time she had ever seen her father laugh so happily.
What in the world had they been talking about?
It couldn't have been about her, could it?
Neia wondered silently.
"Haha."
"This young man and I simply hit it off the moment we met. Great minds think alike, that's all. Nothing worth mentioning, nothing worth mentioning."
At least force the corners of your mouth down before saying that.
They're practically reaching the sky.
Neia rolled her eyes, but she didn't pursue the matter. As long as he was happy, it probably wasn't anything bad.
Besides, seeing her father and her friend getting along so well made her relax as well.
She had been a little nervous about it before.
Now it seemed she had worried for nothing.
Looking at the two of them, Neia unconsciously broke into a faint smile.
Her fierce eyes might not suit a smile, and perhaps a serious expression looked more natural on her, but so what?
No one here cared about any of that.
If she wanted to smile, there was no reason to suppress it.
That was one of the many things she had learned during her time in the Sorcerer Kingdom.