Chapter 26: A line I don't want to cross?

  Animals are okay, but humans are not. I think that's something that anyone would agree with if they thought about it normally, but...

  Could this be a difference in ethics...?

  ?

  "No, at least in Alness Vilge, if you hurt someone without a reason you were punished."

  ?

  "R-Right?"

  ?

  I was a bit startled.

  Ways of thinking differ depending on where you live. I know this world can't be peaceful as Japan, but for a moment I thought this was the end of the world, where anything goes. It seems like God has already decred it the end of the world, but that's beside the point.

  I had only just breathed a sigh of relief when the question I hadn't answered was asked again, leaving me groaning.

  ?

  "The difference, difference... Is it because we can talk with people...?"

  ?

  "It's true that we can't talk with animals, but they still have their own wills, they just can't communicate with us."

  ?

  "... That's true, but..."

  ?

  The animals we raise at home have even seemed to be getting attached to Fin, who is taking care of them, recently. This is probably because they recognize her properly.

  They are not being used for meat right now because we want to increase their numbers, but they are more than ready to eat once their numbers increase. When that time comes, there is a good chance that we will grow attached to them and will not be able to kill, but that doesn't change the fact that they still look like food - materials for me.

  ?

  "If the criterion for judgement is whether or not you can talk with them, then what about Zephyr and Jizu? Do they look like materials?"

  ?

  "... To be honest, I see them like that..."

  ?

  At the beginning, I said to Zephyr, "If anything happens, I'll peel off the scales and skin and you are going directly to the grill." and I was serious about it. However, Zephyr had more reason and intelligence than I thought, so that didn't happen.

  In Jizu's case, I was even able to converse with it, but I could only see its feathers as materials.

  The reason I didn't do anything even though I saw them as materials is because I don't want to do that to someone I can communicate with. Well, Zephyr is now like a pet, so I am even less conscious of that part. Leaving aside the fact that Jizu is too strong and I can't do anything to it.

  But those two are monsters, so I don't think they can really be used as comparison.

  ?

  "Because it's a monster or not?"

  ?

  "That's one possibility."

  ?

  To me, monsters are something to be defeated and used as materials. In this respect, I don't think there's much difference in my attitude compared to the residents.

  ?

  "In that case... I'm an elf, but is there any difference between me and the hyumans in that vilge?"

  ?

  Hmm...? Humans and elves...?

  Of course there are lots of small differences. Like appearance, lifespan, and areas of expertise. But I don't think that's what Fricka wants to know.

  In my eyes, there's no difference between humans and elves.

  Fricka nodded at my answer, then made another (to me) outrageous statement.

  ?

  "Rion-sama. To begin with... At least in Alness Vilge, when we die we become materials, you know?"

  ?

  "...... Yes?"

  ?

  Elves are... Materials, you say...?

  ... Could it be that elf blood and hearts are circuting among humans as an elixir of eternal youth and longevity...?

  Such dark fantasy tropes came to my mind, but it turned out to be completely unreted to the story. If that were the case, I would have been chased out of Arnes Vilge just because I'm (in appearance) human, haha.

  ?

  "In Alness Vilge, the dead are buried in the ground, and become food for the forest. Isn't this the same as the fertilizer that you normally make, Rion-sama?"

  ?

  "That's..."

  ?

  It's different, that's what I was going to say.

  If we just look at the effect... It may be that they are the same.

  ?

  "I think it's probably best to avoid saying 'no different from monsters'... But ultimately, everything in this world can be used as material."

  ?

  "--"

  ?

  I couldn't deny it.

  Even though I had said so loudly about how I hated seeing people as material.

  ... In the end, it seemed I had accepted that they were material.

  ?

  Ahh, I wonder if I am... A heartless "inhuman"...

  ?

  "This isn't Japan, this is another world. I don't need to treat it with the same ethical standards as in Japan,"... I couldn't just to say that and accept it, and was troubled to no end. I just came off like a hypocrite who puts on a good face on the surface.

  No, even a true Asterian would feel bad if someone said, "That corpse looks like a good material." unless they were a really cold-hearted person. I get the feeling that Fricka was making that statement lightly in order to cover for me.

  ?

  The nausea returned, and I unconsciously rubbed my stomach.

  Fricka noticed what I was doing and frowned looking troubled.

  ?

  "It seems you're still not convinced."

  ?

  "... I can't~..."

  ?

  When I compined weakly, Fricka put her hand to her chin and thought for a while before asking me again.

  ?

  "Rion-sama, do you think I look like a material?"

  ?

  "Ugh... I can't see you like that!"

  ?

  No matter what you say, I've never seen a living person as material before!

  ... It was the first time I'd ever seen a dead person and thought that, which is why I'm so shocked.

  ?

  "So, do you ever feel like you want to use me... No, not just me, but anyone else as material, even if it means harming them?"

  ?

  "I don't think that at all!!"

  ?

  Infuriated by the outrageous question, I stood up and shouted.

  ... After shouting, I came to my senses and realized that I shouldn't take it out on Fricka, then I colpsed.

  Not wanting to face her, I looked down and lowered my gaze, when a soft hand touched me... I was relieved to see that I hadn't offended her.

  As she continued to gently stroke my head, a calm voice admonished me.

  ?

  "Rion-sama, if you can say that, you're definitely not a heartless person."

  ?

  "... But... That doesn't mean I won't think that way in the future..."

  ?

  Even if it's okay for now, there's a chance that in the future, things could go awry.

  For example... What if a human heart could be used as a resuscitation elixir?

  This example is extreme and absurd no matter how you look at it, but what if I found out that people were "useful" as a material? If there were no other alternatives.

  Weighing it against the finished item... I might end up using a person I "dislike" as a material.

  ?

  I know there's no point in worrying about "what ifs."

  But I don't trust my own reason enough to say that it will never happen.

  After all, in my life up until now, I've never seen people as material.

  Just as an unexpected change has already occurred, it's possible that a simir change will occur in the future where I will want to use people as material.

  ?

  "Well then, Rion-sama, let's do this."

  ?

  "...?"

  ?

  Fricka, who had been stroking my head the whole time, suddenly cpped her hands as if she had come up with a brilliant idea.

  When I looked up, reluctant to have the warmth leave, Fricka said something with a completely serious expression and in a voice that didn't sound like a joke, that made me wonder if I was hearing something.

  ?

  "If you really can't stand it anymore, then please use me."

  ?

  Huh? What did you just say?