Arthur glanced at Godfrey. "Did you know I was adopted into this family? My wife was born into it. I was quite young back then, but I still rember those days at the orphanage. I would make sure my peers got fed; it was already a battle for food due to our numbers and so kids that just wanted more. I comforted those around with what little words and food I had. This man you see wasn't a stranger to starvation, not because I couldn't fight for food, but because I chose to give it out to those weaker."
Arthur proceeded into the living room. "I fought off bullies; most of them were older than , so I usually got beaten to a pulp, groaning for minutes on the ground. At least they didn't hurt the others, I would tell myself."
He sat down on a sofa, eyes flickering. "That little boy wanted the pain to end with him because soone had to carry the pain for others to be happy. I cage my emotions because I am that anchor when they're down, solace when they cry. I chose this stance as a guardian, and I will die without regret."
He looked at the silent Godfrey with a soft smile.
"That's just how I grew up to beco. You know Cain wants to remove trust from this world, from you. He inflicts pain and discord because he fears what trust can produce, what a united humanity might beco."
His eyes t Godfrey's blue eyes.
"But in this world, I will embrace trust." A warm smile appeared on his face. "Knowing I will be stabbed in the back again and again, and maybe one day die, but Cain will live dreading the man who refused to live by his rules. He will call a fool, but then loathe this fool. All the days I shall draw breath, I will pave a path for my daughter and you."
Arthur's bright smile, that peace on his face, confused Godfrey.
"I know you feel pain. We at the top feel it the most; we face death more than others. Power cos with responsibility, no matter how insensitive you are. It burdens you. Your pain might linger, but know you're bringing back hope and joy. One day, you will rebuild the entirety of Pathan, you will restore a world and bring happiness to it. Let the pain end with you, with us."
Godfrey sat on the sofa opposite him and looked at the ground, then exhaled loudly.
"I think I should visit my mother."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Godfrey lifted up his head. "My mother is the incarnation of the mana tree. You see, I am an engineered product of that tree's mad quest."
Arthur's facial muscles relaxed, as this was the kind of shock that silenced a great crowd. He stared at Godfrey for a good while, then leaned back.
"I guess it all makes sense now."
"I guess it does." Godfrey's flat response made Arthur focus on him.
"I don't think it was a pleasant revelation for you to know that mana itself is your mother, and all this, the apocalypse and everything else, is her doing."
"That's an understatent. She looked right into my eyes and told if I fail, at least I would be of help to Cain as his summon. It doesn't matter how I die; she'll figure out a way to make Cain's summon, probably by intercepting my soul and binding it to his soul space."
Arthur frowned deeply. That was cruel for a mother to say that to her child.
"When did you et her?"
"I haven't," Godfrey replied. "I was opportuned to see what the future has for ."
"Then she's been pretending all this while?" Arthur inquired.
"No. My mother… the woman who raised is still there. I think the mana tree allowed a personality to form, since all she wanted was for to be born bearing Pathan in my soul space. That aside, I have no idea why she would reveal herself."
Arthur's eyes flickered when he heard that. "Because she doesn't want you to fail. At least, she wants you to do your best to get stronger, but in the end, once you die, it still benefits Cain."
Godfrey tilted his head. "See."
"But she's still your mother. The personality that grew here loves you and will do her best to protect you," Arthur said softly.
"That body doesn't an much to the mana tree, since objectives have been achieved. And I don't think the mana tree has any need to harm her. It's only interested in you. I'm saying this so you don't just give your mother a cold shoulder. I support you going to et her; don't get isolated further," he added.
"Now, I think you need updates on sothing. First, Sebastian is being moved to Rikers Island, which holds the most dangerous prisoners in the world. I looked into it, and according to the report, Sebastian might have lost his mind and slaughtered every single prisoner during yard ti. They said he piled the bodies, along with that of the policen who had access to their summons. Apparently, he also killed them, added their bodies to the pile, and sat on it."
Arthur spoke with a grim tone.
Godfrey frowned. 'Mastery. It might have been him who taught Paradise that skill. I should have known.'
"They plan to put him under lockdown, making sure he won't be able to see anyone. Even in a prison with the worst kind of people all over the globe, he's considered the most dangerous," Arthur continued.
"Now, I have no idea why he did that. For the fun of it or to throw us off. Whatever his reason was, I think he wanted to get to Rikers Island."
Godfrey sighed. "Going after Cain won't be wise. We don't know how far he has planned and his contingencies. You can't be right about him without solid facts."
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