awashlogs | March catch-all

Destiny's course is malleable. What lies at the end of that path, however, cannot be altered. A commoner can lead as many armies as he desires; in the end, he will never be recognized as king.

[ He hates Alm. ]

[ Prince Berkut? Your Highness? Your Imperial sir? You got a big storm a-comin'. ]

Ah, is that so?

[ He almost wants to open his mouth to tell the tale of King Arthur, but shuts his mouth again. It really seems like in bad taste to dig into someone's wounds. ]

What would you do as king? [ Hey, I got an idea. Let's change the fucking subject abruptly! ] A commoner may never be king, but you are one that will be. Have you thought of what you wish to do? Perhaps... create a kinder world? [ Eh-eh?? ]

[ This is a topic that Berkut can appreciate, unlike the boiling memories of Alm that pervade his mind once in a while. Subconsciously, he straightens more than he already has. ]

I shall be an emperor worthy of the name by strengthening the Empire from within. By the time I seize the throne, all of Valentia will have fallen to Rigel, including the people of Zofia. My duty upon succeeding His Majesty Rudolf will be to ensure that the Empire as a whole thrives, more than ever before.

[ The strong trounce the weak; Berkut, however, is of a noble lineage and carries certain obligations close to his heart. His duty, therefore, is to assert his strength and then elevate the entirety of Rigel, which would include the assimilated Zofians, with his might.

It won't be a kinder world. But it will be fairer and stable. ]

[ As he talks, Shen Qingqiu listens. Of course, he does. Even if he's changing topics, he isn't going to just suddenly plug his ears and go, "I'm deaf all of the sudden." He wrings out his sleeves as they walk. ]

As a whole thrives?

[ That's much better than the tyrannical way that you were raised! But I'm a little concerned all the same? His head tilts just a little. ]

What about those that need extra help?

Are you referring to the Zofians?

[ That makes the most sense to him. ]

Until recently, Zofia was a bountiful land. Using the continent's combined resources, those citizens will be given the opportunity to begin life anew as true Rigelians.

[ If they don't know how to work the fields, they'll be taught. How far they go will still depend upon them. It's as simple as that. ]

[ ........!!!

That sounds quite hopeful. Of course, he was thinking of the more downtrodden but if Berkut was willing to accept his enemies into his empire and willing to let them be considered true Rigelians, isn't that great news? I mean, sure, he's fighting against the protagonist so it ain't gonna go anywhere, but... saying true Rigelians means like ... real citizens instead of like 'new servants of the country!' ]

You know ... it does sound like a kind world that you're hoping to make in the end. Even if it may not sound that way to you. [ Where enemies work together and work towards a common goal. I'm sorry to think that it isn't going to work, but... it's nice that you're thinking that way! ]

[ The fact of the matter is that Zofians number as many as Rigelians. To alienate half the unified country would be suicide in more ways than one. Berkut's face hardens, though perhaps not as intensely as his usual frowns. ]

Rigel values strength, not kindness. The unification of a divided continent will be the mark of a strong ruler.

[ In the end, for Berkut, this is as much the realization of his ideals as it is his own opportunity to prove himself. ]

[ He offers a small nod. ]

There will certainly be a lot of upset feelings. I know that Rigel values strength. [ The man just said it, after all! ] But you will try to be sympathetic to the losers in this war, ah?

[ Shen Qingqiu is just checking. But really... Prince Berkut is so mature for his apparent age. He thinks back to his own teenage years and abruptly decides that those memories should be considered deleted footage for no one to find.

Fuck. I'm going to wake up at 2AM remembering something I did when I was fourteen! In another body! In another world! And still die of embarrassment!! ]

What good is pity? Is it not enough to recognize the impediments imposed on them by their last monarch and goddess?

[ Berkut may be politically minded, but he's far from attaining mastery over emotional intelligence. In some ways, this allows him to be brutally fair. ]

Supposedly, the Zofians feared the very thought of our arrival on their soil. Why do you think that was, teacher? It was because they believed the Rigelians, who endured hardships where they found none, to be stronger. And so it will be my task to rectify this gap.

[ This is the gap he will fill. Not the strange moe that Shen Qingqiu had mentioned a ways back. ]

[ No one likes war, my guy. If these people were living peacefully, they probably weren't all that battle-ready. That doesn't make Rigel stronger, it just makes them more ready to fight. ]

[ Pfft. Like I am going to say that!

Besides, strength is more in the military might. He feels like he should stop while he's ahead, however. Cang Qiong Mountain is the strongest sect in the world due to its numbers and how fucking stupid a person would have to be to challenge it. Granted, most of the peaks are pretty peaceful. They do have Bai Zhan Peak which tends to be a good deterrent to others.

Like waving the biggest FUCK-OFF banner by way of gesturing to Liu Qingge. The only person that would be able to challenge the might of the entire sect is one person -- the protagonist.

That said!! Berkut is also challenging the protagonist. So, really, who is strong here? Who is more capable? If all of them can just be made into chumps by one character, what does that really say about what strength really is? ]

[ Again, another point, I'm not going to bring up. ]

Prince, what do you think of when you think of strength? In broad terms, if you would be so kind? I had been thinking about my own definition and found myself ... losing confidence in it.

It is the ability to overcome hardship. Battle, pressure, and duty—all these things and more can be overcome with strength.

[ The most obvious application is, of course, in combat. His country is at war, and it's the prime time to be flexing one's muscles and skill with a weapon. If he loses face here, what will the rest of his achievements matter?

He turns his head to watch Shen Qingqiu. What a bold admission of vulnerability. ]

What is this definition of yours?

[ Hey, not bad, not bad.

Shen Qingqiu can't say that he disagrees with that idea, either. It seems like one that would work well for anyone. The means to keep getting up after one is knocked down. Tenacity, more or less, eh? ]

[ Fuck!

He should have known that Berkut was going to ask what his definition was when he said that he was struggling with what strength meant for him!

Uh ... how about uh... He doesn't feel like he should get into everything and decides to pick what he has said once in the past. Oh wait, I said I wouldn't lie to Berkut, so it's kind of a lie to say that that is my definition of strength. ]

[ Strength for me, then? Let's see.

The strongest person that he knows is the protagonist so, like... ]

To be a force that not no one under the heavens should challenge.

[ Berkut actually smiles—though one might describe it as something more akin to a somewhat mirthful smirk. ]

I quite like that definition. What made you lose confidence in it?

[ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

+500 POINTS! He wants to lift his arms up in triumph at seeing him smile. Who knew that would be enough! ]

I was thinking that such a state would be impossible to achieve.

[ He regards Shen Qingqiu with a mildly thoughtful glance. Yes, he supposes that's true. ]

Certainly, it is an impossible dream for one of common birth.

[ He frowns. ]

That's --

[ Shen Qingqiu holds his hand up as a way to say. Hold that thought. ]

[ Wait a fucking second. Is he right?

He wants to say that there are those with a common birth but achieve such strength. His eyes dart side to side. Luo Binghe has the blood of a Heavenly Demon Elder in him. He's also the child of a highly proficient cultivator. A person can't say that isn't grade-A goods.

He thinks of a certain young wizard that's parents were actually quite miraculous in their own right, enough to be singled out by the main bad guy. He swipes to another hero. That person is a young wizard warrior in space, but his father had some incredible blood to him, too, that was passed on.

His hands start weighing all the protagonists that have some secret birth to them to those that don't and he's going through the most famous examples to try to see if he has a leg to stand on. I don't think like choose your own backstory for your character is quite fair, because you choose that. That isn't necessarily the norm of the world itself. So he swipes away a good chunk of EA games.

Can I count isekei stories? Those people are of common birth, but they get transported into another body and gain incredible levels. Which is really more luck than anything. Hey, how come they never had a System to fight with? Motherfuckers!! Now, he's just pissed that he had such a shitty time and they were immediately fine. How was that fucking fair?!

Could he count stories that are mostly mundane in origin? But that didn't seem fair since this is saying strength to fight against impossible odds. Can I count fighting games? They usually are a rags to punch you in the fucking face stories. But the main-main protagonists usually have some important backstory that ties them to the main villain.

He claps his hands as he comes up with a few that he can say are actually underdogs that gain enough power to beat up everyone. ]

Edited 2019-03-18 02:38 (UTC)

[ Okay, I'm back. ]

I did not want to answer carelessly so I thought long and hard on what you said. [ Shen Qingqiu gives a small nod. ] There are many that are able to achieve that dream due to their birth, but I believe there are many more that can despite their birth.

They simply have to want it enough. Don't you think?

[ Does he? Berkut huffs, clearly finding this whole thing very absurd. That doesn't even merit a second of thought. ]

What nonsense. A sheep cannot overcome or lead a pack of wolves.

[ I think there is at least one cartoon about how that is not true, but I mean, I see the point! ]

But what if the sheep never sees itself as a sheep? If a person never sees themselves as what they are but what they wish to be, I believe they can achieve whatever they want.

[ But ah, confidence speaking. ] Even though my sect is quite powerful, we have suffered attacks from demons over the years. Cultivators are trained to fight specifically against such forces, but still ... there is always the chance of failure. It is why I wondered about my thoughts of strength.

If the foundations are solid, if the people are of good stock, but they still lose ... what was our strength? [ I didn't mean to bring this point up, but like, hey, why not. Like I'm talking about my specific situation. I'm kind of annoyed as the cannon fodder here! We have some Grade-A goods and we lose?! I get it, but like ... un-fucking-fair. ]

The foundations are merely a starting point. If you continue to lose in spite of those boons, it means your methods are inadequate.

[ Despite his lack of the full context, he stands by this sweeping judgment. The qualities Shen Qingqiu has listed aren't bad, but they hardly make for an easy victory. Against strong enemies, triumph must be earned through effort and diligence, to say nothing of confidence in one's skills.

If there's a chance of failure, one must crush that likelihood with one's own hands. ]

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