Interstellar Beastworld: Raising A Cub With My Mummy System!-Chapter 65

Magus took a breath. "The Zephorians are using their own people as shields. Women and children, Uriel. The poor are being placed on the frontlines. If we fight, millions of innocent people will die. Innocent Zephorians will lose their lives because of their greedy leaders."

Uriel’s expression did not change. "And?"

Magus blinked. "And?"

"It’s normal during times of war. Civilians die. That is the nature of conflict."

Magus stepped closer, his voice rising. "Uriel! This is the time for you to prove why you are different. If you sit and watch millions of innocent people die, then you are no different from their mad leaders. What if it was the other way around? What if your wife and child were in danger?"

Uriel’s hand shot out, grabbing Magus by the collar. "Don’t talk about my wife and son."

Magus did not flinch. "You’re only confident because you have the capability to protect them. But they have no one. You will let innocent people die to win a war? This shows how little you have grown."

Uriel released him, shoving him back.

His chest heaved.

His eyes were wild.

"What do you want from me, Magus? It’s my job to win the war. It’s my job to protect Primus. That is my responsibility.."

"So do it!" Magus’s voice cracked. "A king is merciful. A king is compassionate. A king does not kill blindly."

Uriel laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "Well, sorry. I’m no king. I’m a monster. A beast." He stepped closer, his voice dropping. "You know me better than anyone else, Magus. You know I’m no savior. You know I would leave behind an innocent person if it meant achieving my goal. So why ask me to save my enemies?"

Magus grabbed Uriel by the shoulders, his grip firm, his eyes burning.

"Because that’s what’s right." His voice was raw. "You have the ability to end this war peacefully, before it even starts. You can end it. Millions don’t have to die. We can give them what they want. Their people are suffering, Uriel. Women and children, day by day. The poor suffer while the rich live lavishly on the planet’s resources. If we take away the root of the problem, we give them a chance at a new life. We can do that. You can do that." He shook him slightly. "So do it!"

The silence that followed was heavier than any explosion.

Uriel stood there, Magus’s hands still on his shoulders, the words hanging in the air between them. The wind carried the distant sounds of the training grounds—soldiers laughing, weapons clashing, life continuing.

He looked at Magus. Really looked at him.

"You ask me to be merciful to my enemies," Uriel said quietly. "To save the people who would kill my family and hurt my people if given the chance."

"I ask you to be the man I know you are." Magus released him and stepped back. "Not the monster you think you have to be."

Uriel turned away, staring at the horizon. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and red.

Somewhere beyond that horizon, millions of people were being herded toward the frontlines, used as shields by their own leaders.

"What do you suggest?" he asked.

Magus held his gaze. "We kill the leaders. Take away the bad people, and the good ones will have a chance. The people could stand a chance to vote a new person into power, hopefully a good one. That could give them a fighting chance to rebuild, to start over again, and maybe we can finally have them as allies rather than foes."

"You want me to become an assassin. To murder foreign leaders in their own homes."

"I want you to save innocent lives. Their leaders are the root of the problem. Cut the root, and the tree falls."

Uriel pinched his nose, he could feel a terrible headache coming.

"Draw up the plans," he said quietly. "I want options by morning. And I want the names of every leader who has ordered civilians to the front."

Magus bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty."

He turned to leave, but Uriel’s voice stopped him.

"Magus."

"Yes?"

Uriel did not turn around. "Thank you. For reminding—no, for not giving up on me."

Magus almost smiled. "That is what I am here for. I know you’re the not the monster you claim to be."

He walked away.

Uriel stood alone, watching the sun sink below the horizon.

He slowly opened his palm, Lin Yue did not mind touching his hand that was riddled with scars.

So for her sake, he would pretend to be the good person they thought he was.

He would hide his beastiality before she ever saw it.

Uriel walked to the middle of the space and the men immediately stopped all movement.

Waiting for whatever he had to say.

"You’re done for the day. Keep training and move up your ranks."

He kept his hands behind him as he continued."Regardless of what happens, we will always win the right way. We will never use underhanded methods like our foes. That is not who we are."

After he said this, he bowed at Magus slightly and walked away.

It was time to head home.

He took a shower in his office bathroom and hoped he could make it in time for dinner.

The drive home was very quiet but his head was noisy, messy and disorganized.

He had done a lot of evil things.

He had killed people.

He had ordered deaths.

He had made choices that left scars on his soul that would never heal.

So how could Magus still look at him like he was a good person? Why did he see hope in his eyes?

Uriel gripped the steering wheel tighter. He didn’t know how long he could keep up the act.

He had been wearing the mask for so long he didn’t know which was the real him anymore.

Who was real? The good person they all saw? Or the monster he could see when he looked at the mirror?

The mirror never lied.

He knew he wasn’t a good person.

The estate came to full view, once again he would pretend to be a good person for his wife and child, while keeping the madness at bay.

Lin Yue was by the fireplace, Auriel in hand, a book in her free hand.

"And the brave mushroom would pick itself up everyday despite being bruised by ignorant people daily. It could not see that its kindness was being taken for —"

As though she had sensed his presence, she stopped talking and looked up. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Ah, you’re back and just in time for dinner. We were waiting for you.."