"What did you say? You're a member of the Revolutionary Army?"
Rorschach felt a great shock and looked at Elia in the cell with disbelief.
Could this man, who saw human lives as insignificant as flies, really be a member of the Revolutionary Army? Was Dragon blind?
Perhaps Elia noticed the surprise in Rorschach's eyes, as his expression turned serious for the first time.
"Don't misunderstand Mr. Dragon; he is the only person I respect."
When he said that, a rare expression of respect appeared on Elia's face.
"Mr. Dragon is a true pioneer, the first person in this corrupt world who dared to publicly stand against the World Government, igniting the flame of hope and light in this world!"
"Unlike Pirate King Roger, who placed his hopes of overthrowing the World Government on a group of chaotic pirates, Mr. Dragon himself went to those poor and dark places, providing food, warmth, and the hope of survival to those who had lost everything."
"What he did didn't make the world more chaotic like the Great Pirate Era did. On the contrary, in some forgotten corners, he sparked a small glimmer of hope."
"He personally told me that he awakened to the path he must take on the day Roger was executed."
"But he won't make the world chaotic like Roger did. He wants to forge a new path to save this world."
"I disappointed him and chose the wrong path. But..."
Tears began to flow from Elia's eyes, and he looked up at the sky, "I have no regrets."
As Elia continued speaking, Rorschach's eyes widened.
Shock filled his heart, indescribable.
He had thought he had overestimated Elia.
But he had still underestimated him.
This man had managed to understand Roger's true intentions.
Elia continued speaking.
And Rorschach learned that Elia had once been a counselor for the Revolutionary Army.
His position wasn't as high as the second-in-command, but he was equivalent to a vice-leader, a prominent member of the Revolutionary Army's upper echelon.
About ten years ago, in the year 1506.
Elia left the Kingdom of Prince in a state of discontent because he hadn't received recognition and attention from his father, the king, and went on a journey through other countries in the North Blue.
By chance, he met Dragon, who was organizing a popular revolution in that country.
Perhaps it was fate.
With Elia's help and rhetorical skills, Dragon succeeded in seizing control of that small nation without spilling any blood.
He liberated the oppressed peasants, who couldn't even feed themselves, from the rule and exploitation of the nobles, giving them land and freedom.
Dragon extended an invitation to Elia, and the latter did not refuse.
At that time, he was also moved by Dragon's courage in challenging the World Government.
In the following years, Elia helped the Revolutionary Army in the North Blue overthrow noble rule in several small nations, giving thousands, even tens of thousands of peasants, the hope of life.
Thus, he began to feel confident in himself.
He believed that as long as he didn't give up, he would gain recognition from his father, the king.
He wasn't seeking the throne of the Kingdom of Prince; he just wished to hear a word of acknowledgment.
Later, the Revolutionary Army shifted its focus to the South Blue, and Elia chose to stay, promising to take care of the small nations that had found the light.
But this step became a turning point in Elia's life.
"Do you know what I saw when I returned to those nations that had overthrown the nobles' rule after seven years?"
A bitter smile appeared on Elia's face.
It was unclear whether the sarcasm was directed at himself or someone else.
Rorschach didn't respond, but he felt the answer in his heart.
"I saw darkness swallow the light once again, and the peasants in those nations returned to living in even harsher conditions than before!"
Elia said, his face showing signs of pain.
The sound of chains echoed as he raised his hands to place them on his head.
"Why did it happen?" "It shouldn't have happened!"
"We killed all the nobles, leaving no heir to the throne, and the peasants were supposed to become the masters of those small nations."
"Why did new nobles, new exploiters, new rulers emerge?"
"Heh, I couldn't believe what I saw, and I began searching for the answer!"
Elia suddenly lifted his head, his eyes filled with blood.
"One of those small nations was called Conis."
"It was a very small nation, not even deserving to be called a kingdom, with a population of less than ten thousand people."
"I stormed the royal palace, which looked like just an ordinary mansion, and captured its new rulers, interrogating them."
Elia laughed and said: "Haha, I got the answer. These new rulers were originally peasants who had been oppressed. They were among the most insightful and educated of the peasants, which is why we entrusted them with the administration of the nation of Conis after we left."
"But who would have thought that just three years after we left, or maybe even less, they became the rulers of Conis!"
"They were even harsher in their treatment of the peasants who had belonged to the same class as them."
"I couldn't believe my ears. I thought I was doing something sacred, pulling people out of the hell of misery."
"But I didn't realize that I wasn't pulling them out; I was pushing them into a deeper hell."
Elia lowered his head and began to shake his shoulders.
He started laughing softly, which then turned into loud laughter.
As he laughed, tears streamed down his face.
"I left that place, but before I left..."
"I killed all ten thousand inhabitants of Conis!"
"From top to bottom, from the elderly to the children, from men to women, I left no one!"
Elia looked at Rorschach and slowly said, "Then I began to think about finding the root cause of this and discovering the answer."
"Only by understanding the nature of this world can we find the right cure and prevent tragedies like what happened in Conis from happening again."
"If we don't understand the nature of the world, then all the efforts of Mr. Dragon or Roger, no matter how great, will bring the world back to this chaotic, miserable state!"
"Rorschach!"
Elia raised his voice.
"I greatly admire what you said."
"About courage and faith, about good intentions and conscience."
"What you said was absolutely correct; it is the right path!"
"Mr. Dragon and his followers are following a similar path, risking their lives to carry out these dangerous tasks in defiance of the world."
"But if we don't find a way to deal with the nature of the world, everything you do will eventually return to square one!"
"That is destiny and power!"
"If you control them, maybe you'll become the new rulers of this world."
"And if you destroy them, the world will head towards an unknown future."
"That is the choice you must make, and there is no third path."
After Elia finished his emotional speech, his presence began to fade like a candle melting in the wind.
It seemed as if his mind suddenly collapsed, and he lost the will to live.
His once handsome and delicate features turned pale and gaunt.
His hollow, dull eyes gazed through the bars at Rorschach.
"Rorschach, if you ever get the chance, please tell Mr. Dragon the answer you've found. You are the only person I've admired after Mr. Dragon."
"Courage... Perhaps I never truly possessed it in my life..."
(End of Chapter)
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