Aurora Over a Dead World

Chapter 19: A Cruel Truth

While the other students head home, Charlotte stays behind, staring at me. I lean against the simulator’s railing, my tail shifting to adjust to the realization that I didn’t actually lose my spine and arm.

"What do you want, professor?" Charlotte calls me professor. My students generally vary between being informal, insulting me, or calling me professor. I wonder why.

"Why did you push me?" I question her as the Nexus downloads the recording of my students’ entire fight and sends it to files I can access at home.

"I-It was an accident, I’m really sorry that happened." Her voice trembles as if she’s feeling guilty.

"Oh, come on. Don’t be a lying bitch. Let’s agree you’re not stupid — you should have figured out your dear headmistress gave me data on all of you. I know you’re fake." When I say that, her guilty expression turns cold. All that false cheer vanishes as she stares at me.

"That’s better. That expression suits your pretty little face much more. Now go on, tell me why you risked pushing me. If you’d stayed quiet, we wouldn’t be having this conversation."

"Hahaha, professor... isn’t it funny? You throw us to our deaths while you stay safe watching, mocking us and talking about our failures like you’re so special? I just showed you that you weren’t so great either." She shows her true colors, speaking in a very arrogant way.

"I understand. It really is unpleasant." When I agree with her, her expression shifts from arrogant to confused.

"You’re not going to complain?"

"Why would I? You’re right. Completely right. It’s disgusting when a superior throws you to your death or gives you an impossible task and then complains about you and says they would have done better."

"I was an ordinary soldier before I became a commander. You think I never received orders from superiors that were impossible to carry out, and then got blamed for failing something, and still had to hear that they would have succeeded?"

"The reality is that a lot of people at the top only lead from a distance. They’ve never set foot on a battlefield. They talk a lot of shit and send many to their deaths out of pure whim and egocentrism, refusing to see human limits."

"I’m glad you’re able to see that a superior was just a complete asshole. But Charlotte, did pushing me to die gain you anything useful?"

"If it were a real situation and I died, you could be executed or imprisoned for doing it in front of many witnesses. And if it were a real situation, I would never have been relaxed, meaning I would have killed you right there."

"..."

"Don’t try this again. Or next time, it won’t just be a conversation we have. And if you have questions about your superiors’ actions, keep them to yourself."

"Showing that kind of attitude will get you killed someday. And if you want to make someone disappear, do it in secret."

"Oh, in secret? Why do you say that? And should you really be giving me that advice?" She questions with a little smirk.

"...In this life, a commander has to do what’s best for humanity. And if making someone disappear is part of that, then it will be done." When I say that, she swallows hard.

"You’re terrible, wise professor. Someone evi—"

"Not evil. Please, don’t use that word to describe me. I’m practical. And practical people don’t stall or make excuses for things they have to do. That’s the difference." I hate this ’good or evil’ thing. It doesn’t exist in this post-apocalyptic world.

There are only survivors, civilians, and lunatics. All with the goal of surviving. It remains to be seen what each one is. I am a survivor. And lunatics are the ones called ’evil.’

"I have doubts about the reason for your pleasant life advice, Professor Zenith." She goes back to her innocent face from before.

"Because you also have spatial powers. And the powers of all Kairas depend heavily on personality, way of life, and personal attitudes. So we’re the same, up to a certain point."

"The difference is that you had luck. Luck to be born on this island in safety, to be able to live without so many risks. And I had the misfortune of having to survive since childhood in a more difficult era of life." Twenty years ago was when things started to get better. Meaning, around the time they were born, the island had become safer.

"You talk too much, professor. You don’t know my life, or anyone’s here."

"I really don’t. But I have experience with life, let’s say. And I know that people like you either rise too high or fall before you realize it. Manipulation only works on rational beings who are willing to listen to your words."

"I didn’t throw them into the simulation to die because I enjoyed it. I threw them in to show that talent won’t protect them out there beyond this island."

"You think that monster you faced is the worst of everything? Nemesis may even be humanity’s greatest enemy, but let’s agree the chances of you finding her personally are low."

"The real worst are other monsters. Powerful monsters that roam down below this island, searching for prey to kill, searching for humans to torture. To those things down below, you, me, and everyone on this island are toys to break."

"No one starts at the top. So no one here is going to start by facing the strongest monster in the world. But of course, you’re talented. You’ll definitely survive, right?"

"Professor Zenith, you underestimate us too much. I even understand you thinking that about that idiot Tanya, who’s impulsive, and Eirwen with her insignificant moralism. But do you really think someone like me would die down there?" Charlotte speaks with an arrogance that irritates me.

"Have you ever heard of the magnificent Star Blade?" When I ask that, she gets confused.

"What? Is that a weapon?"

"No, she was a Kaira from the past. More precisely, from 70 years ago. She was someone who watched Astrid grow up and become powerful... she was also erased from any record by Astrid, who killed her."

"..."

"And before her, there were other cases. Monsters won’t be your only enemies. It’s not uncommon for one strong Kaira to kill another. Disputes, fights, religion, culture — all futile reasons."

"But do you know something ironic? Even the most futile reason can lead a powerful person to commit horrible acts in a world that doesn’t have laws strong enough to punish them. Astrid killed the Star Blade purely out of personal dispute."

"And then erased her from everything. Made it seem like she never existed, and obviously wasn’t punished. Because even if people were suspicious, who would be strong enough to punish her? And would it be worth punishing someone powerful who is so useful? And want to know another ironic thing? I’ve also made people disappear for petty reasons. And I don’t say that because I’m proud of it."

"But because in this broken world, the one who survives is the one who can defend themselves. Physically, psychologically, or ideologically. And without a doubt, people like you, Charlotte, will make many enemies."

"Did you know that Kairas have a 38% mortality rate through other Kairas? They kill each other almost as much as monsters do. Actually, the monster rate is around 41% to 63%, while the rest of the percentage is death at the hands of fanatics and lunatics, as well as criminals." When I say that, Charlotte seems uncomfortable.

"You can go, Charlotte. But don’t forget — a single fight with a person on a bad day can kill you. Humans are fragile, both physically and in their egos. And a single problem can create someone who will take your life in the future."

"After all, down below, there are no laws to protect weapons. A weapon doesn’t need to be protected. It just needs to protect others."

"..." Charlotte seems to realize that she’s like that too. She also hurts people over minimal disputes. But I think she never considered the fact that others could hurt her over minimal things, just as she does to other people.

"I... I’ll think about it... it’s indeed a strange view of life... but don’t expect an apology from me, professor."

"I don’t need that. I just need you to understand that fact and nothing more. After all, I’m the professor who’s supposed to teach you, right? I’m teaching you to live a little longer."

"..." She leaves in silence as the data is downloaded and sent to me. As soon as she leaves, I look at my reflection in the monitor beside me. I’m not proud of having made people disappear for my own personal matters. But just as humans fight against monsters, in this world, only those who are strong and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty survive, unfortunately.

"...Nadir... I wonder how he is at this moment..." I feel a tightness in my heart. Nadir is relatively gentle with people, even though he can be very cruel if necessary. Talking about this makes me think — could someone be planning to kill him right now over a simple dispute?