20 20 stories "The Pros and Goings of Revenge"





 The day after the duel.
 Since then, Zeke hasn't laid a hand on us as he promised.

 The duel was settled as an "accidental stoppage", and Zeke's honor was not damaged. The students of the normal course were horrified by the duel, and the students of the heroic course were satisfied with the situation.

 The result left a lump in my throat, but perhaps this is good for now.
 If you undermine the status of the heroic department, it will create a big backlash.
 The gap between the two departments should be bridged step by step.

 At least since that time, Zeke has not been involved in discrimination against the normal department. He has become as quiet as if he were a different person.
 The other students may not have noticed it, but there was definitely something that we normal students gained from this duel.

 For the time being, the school has returned to normal.
 That day's lunch break. I was on my way to the cafeteria with Gran when I noticed Elysia in the courtyard.
 Seeing her, I called out to Gran.

"Gran. I just remembered something, so please go ahead.

Yes, sir. ......, wait. You're not going to let me take your seat again and have a go at that pretty lady, are you?

That was a misunderstanding.

 It's a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find any useful information.
 Elysia was sitting alone on a bench in the courtyard. There is no one by her side.
 It's lunchtime, but she doesn't look like she's eating anything, just sits there.

Elysia, what's wrong?

"......toeight.

 Elysia slowly turns around.
 There was no energy in her eyes.

Did Zeke do something to you?

...... That's not what I meant.

 Elysia says, dropping her gaze.
 I sat down next to her.

There are some things that are easier to talk about than others.

...... You're so kind.

The effects of counseling are not to be underestimated. I've had my moments of mental instability in the past, but each time I've gotten better with counseling from someone close to me.

Hmm. ...... Is that the person who came to see you in front of the school the day before yesterday?

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

Hmm.

 Apparently, the exchange had helped him regain some of his composure.
 It was a piercing "hmm", but it was much better than a muffled voice.

"Zeke said the duel was about revenge.

 In a small voice, Elysia said.

"...... said something like that, didn't he?

"What do you think about revenge, Toate?

 I rolled my eyes at the question.

"Are you asking about the pros and cons of revenge?

Yeah. Does ...... Eight think revenge is stupid?

 Perhaps that was the problem Elysia was having right now.
 I don't know why she's having this problem. I don't know how it happened.
 But I'm sure what she's looking for here is not the most popular words in the world, but my own honest answer.

...... No, not really.

 Is revenge a foolish act?
 I responded with a negative answer to that question.

"Sometimes the goal of revenge is a reason to live. It is common for those who have been deprived of their loved ones and have suffered unbearable pain to survive on the basis of revenge. The world may see this way of life as distorted, but ...... there are people in the world who cannot live without distortion.

 During the Great War, there were some soldiers who became vengeful demons in the agency.
 The pain they suffered was horrific. Those who have lost their lovers, wives, children, friends, or all of them, cannot live as before.

 The desire for revenge may be akin to a survival instinct.
 A person who has suffered unbearable pain will protect himself with vengeance before he becomes a cripple.

And revenge can be a deterrent to conflict. If both sides are afraid of retaliation, there will be no conflict in the first place.

 The wars of nations are often restrained by it.
 The reason why both sides show off their strength is to clearly convey the risk of retaliation.

...... So, in short, you don't deny revenge?

"In a broad sense, yes.

 In the broadest sense. Elysia tilted her head.

People who seek revenge tend to get caught up in catastrophic thoughts. They don't think about what happens after they take revenge. They even think they can die.

Why do you need to think about what happens after ......? Because for that person, revenge is the goal of life.

Revenge is a process of regaining what has been lost. Revenge is a process of regaining what you have lost. Even if you achieve it, it will only bring the negative back to zero, not the positive. Isn't it a sad ending to end your life in the middle of a positive day ahead?

That's .......

 Some of his colleagues in the agency had survived and died with a vengeance.


 The man died as soon as he achieved his revenge. His last words were, "I'm empty. --Of course. Revenge is a process of regaining, not a process of gaining something new.

In that respect, Zeke's revenge was productive. If I had been defeated in that duel, the students of the Heroic Department would have been allowed to be more selfish than before. With the power of the aristocracy, the reason for the duel could be faked. There was no justification for the revenge, but for those in power, justification is something that can be retrofitted at will.

 Elysia looked mildly surprised at my praise of Zeke, perhaps because she hadn't expected it.
 I was only talking about revenge. I'm not saying that all of Zeke's actions are commendable.

I mean, if you're going to do it, do it productively.

 He stated his thoughts and then glanced at Elysia's expression.
 She was deep in thought, and I asked her a question.

"...... Elysia. Who are you targeting (・・・・・・・)?

 Elysia answered with a fake smile on her face.

It's not that I want to do anything like that. But, well, yes. I'll keep in mind what you said about ...... (・・・・・・・・).

 Then Elysia got up from the bench and turned on her heel.

 --Keep in mind, huh?

 I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.

It's hard ...... to be a normal person.

 The battlefield has its obstacles, the everyday has its obstacles.
 After letting out a deep sigh, I headed to the cafeteria where Gran was waiting.



 .



 At this time, even though I was aware of Elysia's strange condition, I didn't try to go deeper into it.
 Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought it would be solved with time.

 But it didn't.
 I should have stopped Elysia as she walked away and talked to her more seriously.

 Having grown up in the midst of the abnormal, I am not familiar with the fragility of the everyday.
 I was quickly reminded that the ordinary can turn into the extraordinary at a moment's notice.