"In light of the situation..." Looking at his son-in-law, Juan said, "It would be wise to have Rargnes take the lead."
Rargnes frowned. "Why me?"
What was the purpose of sending a family member to the slaughterhouse?
"You're simply the best suited for this. You're at the least risk!"
"Maybe... but that doesn't mean I'll take on the risks of all the team just to take them. I see no reasons."
"We'll attribute rewards according to the risks taken."
"Yeah, I'm sure you will, but that's if I'm alive to take them." he shook his head.
"Don't take it like this," said Luan. "We might not even need you to be at the forefront."
"Yeah, but the risks aren't worth it."
The three locals seemed confused. As Luan stopped talking, another spoke:
"Then why the hell you've taken resistance?"
"Well, maybe not to die?"
Luan, William, and Giltrur looked at each other in confusion.
"So you've taken an energy path that allows you to take a hit on, but you don't want them to actually use it? Then what's the use?"
"The goal is defense, and it does it cleanly."
"But, energy must be used for something... it's like, you got a sword for self-defense and won't use it? A sword might only rust, but energy is different! Who wanna rust from the inside? Preventing something's purpose only strengthens it and invites more things to fulfill that purpose, its nature."
"Nice, then I'd get just more resilient in the future. Anyways, let's talk about the battle formation," said Rargnes. "There's a reward for the future slaughtered one, apparently."
There was a silence.
"But what don't you understand? Not only is it safer for the group - which will be safer for you, too, as you won't stand much chance alone, but no energy can grow from nothing. If you're so focused on defending yourself, you will become better at defending because you actually defend by withstanding attacks all the time! It's an opportunity!"
'They think they're in a game or what? I got one life!'
"I don't wanna," said Rargnes, calming his anger.
"But what will you tell the king when you must give him your energy?" Juan asked as if he couldn't understand his son-in-law. He put his hands on Rargnes' shoulders and shook him off. "The most powerful energies must reign—no one, not even the noble, can stop those who truly deserve to win. Your path is correct, and you just need to respect it. If you don't prove your energy path, your energy will do it for you, imagining instead of living danger, manipulating you to see danger everywhere. Still, as you give back your energy for the king to see its interest, you'll realize its purity will be as small as they were fake dangers!"
Rargnes tried to brush him off without conceding his take, while beside them, Jean asked the other two locals.
"But if the noble wants to stop you, isn't he likely to attack?" Jean asked a question translated by Mei.
"The noble is afraid. He fears the simultaneous destruction of his forces in his fight against the other nobles—he fears ruining the king's energy. Once the city is ours, he wouldn't waste troops attacking those who have proven to be the king's best subjects, and if he did, the wind of rebellion would sweep across every part of his territory."
He added as if to convince himself:
"Our methods are more efficient; the energy will be better utilized in our hands."
"But… wouldn't he want to make an example by getting rid of you so that he can control all energy for himself?"
"If he had so much power, he'd force everyone to the border and steal all their energy, starting with the other nobles. Being a noble isn't that hard as long as you generate enough energy's interest, but if he loses all the lands loaned by the king or even just a significant part, he could be killed directly by the king."
"Or simply, he'd lose the energy auctions," added another local. "His investment must pay off. It's just not worth to make an enemy for nothing."
Meanwhile, Rargnes and Luan's 'discussion' was still going on.
"Maybe, but that has nothing to do with me taking the hits."
"I'm not saying it's easy, but your ability allows you to withstand more challenges, so it's in everyone's best interest—yours first and foremost—to defend the position. If you don't, we'll die more easily and isolated; you'll die even with better resistance," repeated his father-in-law.
Another local added, "This resistance proves you'll be more careful, making you the most suited to face this challenge. If you didn't care, how could we trust you?"
"This will be a confirmation of your energy," said the third. "It will need to be purified to pass the king's trials when the time comes when you'll present your energy to the king, and he'll redistribute your future role. Who knows? Maybe you'll become a noble after climbing the ranks of nobility."
"I..."
"If you're not confident, if you don't confront your own nature, how can you affirm that this path suits you? What will you do? Increase resistance even more? Whatever your beliefs, you can't deny that, at a certain point, classes stagnate or limit the chosen path. If you didn't want to absorb the pressure of this world, why did you choose to have more resistance than others?"
'But they're crazy!'
"But in any case, if we have to kill them quickly, we might not even need to resist, or maybe I'll be too far away to defend you! And it's the same if they come from all sides."
"Of course, it's just a safety measure, but things need to be clear."
Jean turned to Mei: "I don't get it, so why would the noble need energy? And how come he pays for the noble's position?"
Mei shrugged. "Locals' religion, what more explanations do you want?"
At the end of the discussions, they agreed that Rargnes should defend a flank if they found themselves in a narrow place with only one entrance. The others, depending on their equipment, would follow him, with Jean in a slightly more protected position. In exchange, Rargnes' share of the loot would be 3/12, with Jean getting 1/12 and the rest getting 2/12. If a death occurred, their share would be bequeathed to their heirs according to their wills.
Rargnes parted ways and returned to his wife's family, where he stared at his journal for long minutes, his mind wrestling with whether to write a will or not—if everything was ready for his death, wouldn't he be less attached to life?
He finally decided and wrote a will in accordance with the laws he remembered, reserving it solely for Heze. He informed Heze, Sengrar, and two goblins who had helped him.
'It was as if, by writing my last will and dictating them orally to the goblins, I was rewarding Dad and Mom. It was a way for them to live through me - no, more like to ensure a meaning to their existence. They would have created something, a seed, a lineage with a potentially immortal future, limitless before it broke, and I wouldn't have dishonored them entirely by doing my best to help its continuation.'
In passing, he deposited his remaining class upgrade tokens to Sengrar. All soldiers were required to do so in accordance with the accounts, to their respective leaders distributed among Sengrar, the masked woman, and the commander.
As much as he trusted Sengrar, he wouldn't be as calm if he had to entrust them to the other two, but at least it might let him hear some interesting things about the moral character of the other two.
The wait was unbearable, but eventually, night fell, and they emerged armed from their cellars.