Chapter 381: Death of Longing for Fireworks
“…So that’s what it said.”
Aleister sighed and changed the subject: "Speaking of which... do you still have the urge to transcend the Tao?"
Seeing David’s obviously hesitant expression, Aleister added: “If there is anything, you can tell me.
"After all, it's unlikely we'll see each other again, and we're not in the same social circle. You can just treat me like a window to vent the things you don't dare to say to the people around you."
“…That still won’t work.”
Unexpectedly, David rejected Aleister's proposal.
"Why?"
"You and Mr. Aiwass are friends, and I have great respect for him. He's a wonderful man... gentle, honest, and kind."
Mr. Knight hesitated for a moment, then said, "I don't want him to know that I'm someone with a tendency to transcend the Tao."
……Wow.
You are good at praising people.
Aleister even felt a lump in his throat from the praise, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.
But soon, a gentle smile like coaxing a child appeared on her face: "Well... then let's make a deal, David. I swear not to tell Aiwass what you said to me, okay?"
"But is this really okay?"
David said worriedly, "You're friends, right? If you do this, you're hiding something from your friends... I'm afraid you'll quarrel over this. I respect you both, and if you quarrel over this, it will be partly my fault."
"...Then let me put it this way. If I want to tell Aiwass about you, I have to get your consent first. Is that okay?"
Aleister seemed to take a step back.
David was clearly successfully fooled. He thought carefully for a moment, then slowly nodded, "That's fine. If you guys ever want to argue about this, remember to tell me... No, if it's an emergency, I'll just assume you agree."
"Honestly, I think you are more suitable for the path of dedication."
Aleister sighed: "You are indeed a good boy."
But when David heard Aleister praising him for being a good boy, he curled his lips and was obviously unhappy.
He didn't respond. Instead, he put on a stern face and acted like an adult, then spoke seriously about the matter: "Miss Aleister, I have carefully considered the three questions you asked me."
"Just call me Aleister," Aleister added with a chuckle.
"Yes, Lord Aleister."
David was a little stubborn, but maybe he just didn't dare to call Aleister by his first name.
He said seriously, "I think I have been able to achieve at least the first two points stably.
"—The courage to face death, and the resolve to challenge an invincible enemy.
"Only the third point... 'abandoning the victory already achieved to pursue a greater victory' is somewhat difficult. I think I might be able to do it, and I have the determination. But after all, I have never faced such a painful decision... Therefore, I am not sure if I would be able to do it if the time came..."
At first, he looked like he didn't want to talk, but once he started talking, he started talking non-stop.
It was obvious that he had a lot of worries and troubles in his daily life, but he didn't dare to tell others about them.
Although Aiwass knew that the illegality of Avalon's Transcendent Path was largely due to the illegality of the Noble Red, which monopolized the knowledge of Transcendent Path advancement. And now that the Noble Red had been eliminated, the Transcendent Path would soon be lifted.
The restrictions on other paths are basically class-specific. For example, those on the Twilight Path can become either a Preservator or a Necromancer. From the perspective of Avalonian morality, the former is considered good, while the latter is considered bad.
But David, who knew nothing about politics, was obviously not aware of the problems with this stance.
He simply felt that he was touching the taboo of Avalon.
On the one hand, he did feel a resonance in the Dao, but on the other hand, his father's identity made him dare not tell this to anyone.
He was afraid that his father would be disappointed in him and that he would cause trouble for his father.
Only "Miss Aleister" - a senior who is an extraordinary person who has transcended the Tao but very kindly stopped him from taking this path, can allow him to boldly express the worries in his heart.
David sat across the table from Aleister and talked non-stop.
It started with the "Three Principles of the Path of Transcendence" that Aiwass had shown him, and then he smoothly talked about his classmates, and then began to complain to Aleister, the human-shaped tree hole.
He thought his classmates were too immature. They had no ideals, no dreams, and no sense of responsibility. They just lived day by day, squandering their time carelessly...and this made David feel uncomfortable. He felt the immense pressure from his parents' repetitive teachings; yet, from another perspective, he truly felt exhausted.
That's why he skipped classes—not because he wanted to play, but because he thought "the teacher couldn't give him what he wanted." He wanted to learn something more useful and profound. But even his parents didn't know David's true thoughts.
David didn't dare speak these words out loud. He felt they were "too transcendent" and would cause others to question his suitability for the Tao. Therefore, he deliberately concealed his true thoughts.
Aleister just smiled and agreed. As David continued to talk, his words gradually became more natural.
From his upright sitting posture, he gradually shifted to a slouched position on the table. David was 1.6 meters tall, but the interrogation chair, designed to emphasize the interrogator's stature, was still too tall for him, causing his legs to swing back and forth naturally.
Under Aleister's guidance, David easily talked about his emotions.
He did have a girl he liked in his class.
She was a bishop's child, about the same age as him. Her mother, like Bishop Mathers, was a spiritual councilor of the Round Table. Perhaps that was why they were able to attend the same school.
At first, David secretly fell in love with her because of her gentleness and kindness.
He felt she possessed a certain "maturity"—or rather, a different vibe from the 13 or 14-year-olds around him. She had a caring, older sister-like quality. Against the backdrop of those carefree children, she seemed much more mature than the others.
But David did not confess to her, but observed secretly.
But soon, he felt disappointed again because he found that she was not as mature as he thought... She was also willful, noisy, and liked the same things that children liked.
What shocked him the most was that at a social party, he saw the girl quarreling with her mother, saying that she wanted to go home, and even burst into tears - that was completely different from the gentle and tolerant image she had in school.
David never argued with his parents.
He admires his parents very much and dreams of becoming a great person like them, able to protect others with his life.
"I see."
Aleister whispered, "So you don't like her anymore?"
"Um."
David nodded, but felt a little lost. "Or rather, I never really knew the real her. I only fell in love with her profile, but I thought that was all she was."
"Not bad, and you can even say some very philosophical things."
Aleister smiled and said, "It's good that you can figure it out on your own."
"Yes, so I plan not to fall in love or get married in the future."
David straightened his chest and raised his head, saying seriously: "I will protect Avalon with my entire life."
"Then you're going to be beaten by your father." Aleister teased lightly.
Hearing this, David shrank his neck and dared not speak.
He did want to be a "hero," and he did get beaten by his father.
In fact, his original dream was to become a "sacrificed hero" and be worshipped and mourned by people - but after being beaten up by George, he reluctantly gave in and changed his dream to "hero".
"But I still... want to fight to the end and sacrifice for others."
David whispered his true thoughts: "If I have a wife and children, they will definitely be sad if I die... Just like if my father died, I would be very sad. And if I die, it will probably affect their lives... So, I think it's better not to get too close to other people."
This was the thought hidden in his heart.
If he hadn't been having such a happy chat with Aleister, he would never have said such a thought.
——Because this is like admitting that one's sacrifice was done with "ulterior motives." Then one is no longer a pure hero, but merely a madman yearning for death.
Aleister was thoughtful.
She also felt that it was not so much that David wanted to be a hero... but rather that he longed for a heroic death like fireworks.
This is determined by his adaptability beyond the Tao.
In other words, given that neither of his parents were suited to the path of transcendence, the fact that he had such a clear desire to transcend at such a young age showed that he was inherently abnormal. It was simply that the Great Guardian's education was so good that it masked his problems.
——Then maybe, I can really hand over the Ascension Warlock to him.
This kind of career that involves living towards death is undoubtedly the most suitable for David.
"Well, David."
Aleister said softly, "Do you believe me?"
"I have great faith in you, Lord Aleister!"
David said firmly, with some eagerness in his eyes: "Do you have any tasks for me?"
Although Aleister was different from the image of a mature woman he had imagined... this gentle, intellectual, sister-like image did make him want to get closer.
He also believed that Aleister was by no means a bad person.
In other words, Aleister, who was recognized by her father and was willing to let him contact her...there was no doubt that she must be an innocent good person!
And looking at Miss Aleister, wearing only a sweater and tied to a chair in the interrogation room in the dead of winter...this made him feel a little uncomfortable.
If I could do something for her...
"In this case, once you've been promoted again... you can go find Miss Ligeia."
Aleister whispered, "Just say you were introduced here by Aleister, with Aiwass's permission. You want to seek the 'secret of molting and rebirth' from her. Just say you're searching for seven memories that can be used in the ritual..."
Hearing this, David couldn't help but widen his eyes and straighten his body.
He suddenly realized that this was not a task, but an opportunity.
He listened carefully to the mystery that Aleister was telling, with a vague purple aura in his eyes.
Ligeia, holding Aleister's skirt and about to go in, stopped at the door.
She closed her eyes and listened for a while, then shook her head silently.
After Aleister finished explaining everything to David and David confirmed the details, she waited a little longer before reaching out and knocking on the door.
"Miss Crawley," Ligeia said in a voice that was childish yet strangely commanding, "the interrogation is complete. You may leave now."
Then she pushed open the door of the interrogation room.
An update of 6,000 words at the beginning of the month, please guarantee your monthly vote~
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
