NOVPUB"Great... great..."
Tears cascaded down Christina’s fair cheeks, gathering into a crystal droplet at her jaw, before falling onto the hem of her pale blue dress, staining it with a darkened wet spot.
Her lips quivered slightly as she tried to muster a smile, but the tears flowed uncontrollably, growing more numerous.
"As long as she’s alive, solitude can’t defeat me."
Christina pressed it close to her cheek, her smile bittersweet in the shimmer of her tears, yet filled with boundless consolation and emotion.
"Rocky, thank you."
Christina murmured to herself, her tone filled with relief.
She closed her eyes, her lashes still adorned with droplets.
"..."
Lanci’s gaze quivered, and he pursed his lips, looking away.
"I’m off to work."
He emphasized once more, then quickly left the room.
Watching Christina’s mix of sorrow and joy, his heart was a turmoil of emotions.
Lanci left the room, closing the door behind him, walking alone down the long corridor, his footsteps echoing in the empty space.
He felt like going outside for some fresh air.
Upon reaching the balcony on the other side of the third floor, he stopped.
"Whew—"
He leaned on the railing, gazing out at the garden, taking a deep breath.
Then he watched for a long time the maple grove outside the courtyard, its leaves silently falling.
"Meow."
A little black cat silently leaped onto the railing and sat down next to Lanci’s hand.
It lifted its head, looking at Rocky with bright eyes, its tail gently swaying.
"..."
"Cat Boss, don’t fall off."
Lanci reached out to stroke the sleek fur of the little black cat.
"Have you forgotten that I am a Divine Beast?"
Cat Boss asked in its childlike voice.
It possessed telekinesis magic and even an ordinary cat wouldn’t have too much trouble leaping from such a height.
"Meow, feeling troubled?"
Cat Boss blinked, making a soft sound.
"I think not telling her the truth is a mistake."
He whispered, his voice low and weary.
Some people believe that lying is always immoral, regardless of the consequences.
Others think one should focus on the results of actions; if an act brings more overall happiness than unhappiness, then it’s moral.
But sometimes, solely considering consequences can overlook the autonomy of the participants.
"Surely not telling Christina the truth is better, meow."
Cat Boss felt Lanci had done nothing wrong, though it also didn’t understand why seeing Christina like this might make it feel even worse.
"Cat Boss, imagine if your brain were connected to a Magic Terminal Device that’s probably more advanced than the Artificial Shadow World’s startup terminal. It could bring endless joy to the rest of your life, with only happiness, no sadness. If given the choice, would you want this machine?"
Lanci asked with a wistful smile, softly stroking the little black cat’s back.
Before Cat Boss could answer, Lanci continued:
"Keep in mind that once you enter this experience machine, you would never be able to return to real life, but you’d hardly be aware of this fact. You wouldn’t be able to tell whether you are in the real world or a virtual one, and the normal ups and downs of life would be replaced with smooth sailing."
"Meow..."
Cat Boss thought about it and it sounded quite appealing.
But upon further reflection, this was just the Fallen Wonderland.
This machine, however, seemed to lack the soul-eroding negative effects of Fallen Wonderland; it was a purely harmless experience.
"Why wouldn’t you want to enter, then?"
Lanci seemed to catch Cat Boss’s hesitation, understanding what it was contemplating.
Such a good thing, why the hesitation?
If according to hedonism, the most important thing in life is to maximize net pleasure since happiness is the most precious gift life brings, then what should be pursued must also be things that bring the most happiness.
In other words, the sensation brought by Fallen Wonderland.
But what is holding you back from choosing this endless joy?
"This is exactly what the question seeks to prove and refute that we still have sufficient reasons not to enter this machine."
Lanci said to Cat Boss.
"What, meow?"
The little black cat hopped onto Lanci’s shoulder and looked at him.
It felt the answer was close to heart, yet elusive.
"Authenticity."
Lanci watched it, his green eyes shimmering with contemplation,
"It might be a somewhat peculiar comparison, but for Christina, which is more important, protection or truth? Compared to the comfort of being deceived, might the pain of reality be better for her?"
His gaze drifted once more to the autumn view beyond the railing.
If uninformed of the truth, Christina was essentially living in her own "experience machine."
Though she would be unharmed, it wasn’t real. 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
Originally Lanci would have used "Fallen Wonderland" without hesitation against enemies but never on his own people.
Now, perhaps his understanding of the magic had changed; some things might be impossible to describe as simply right or wrong.
"I do not understand, meow, I am just a little cat."
Cat Boss shook its head,
"I feel that lies are more like a tool? Tata could use a knife to chop vegetables, but also to threaten you. You can only judge the user’s actions, not the knife itself, meow. I think not telling Christina is not a problem; she’s still so young, she shouldn’t be allowed to fall into despair."
