"So, what do you suggest we do since you seem to understand everything?" Ryuu asked, her tone dripping with irritation.
She hadn't liked how Draco had lashed out at Alise and Adi.
'By the gods, am I dealing with stone?' Draco wondered.
"I'm not here to tell any of you what to do; I'm simply pointing out the flaws in your actions. You are free to ignore what I said earlier—I just wanted to clarify where I stand," Draco replied, maintaining his patience.
He didn't want to solidify the idea that the Bahamut, Astraea, and Ganesha familias were in some sort of conflict.
"You mentioned being fair to all. What do you mean by that?" Alise asked, her curiosity piqued.
What Draco had said resonated with her; by letting this particular thief go, they were being quite biased.
This realization made her reflect on some of her past actions.
There had been individuals who had committed even lesser crimes, yet she hadn't hesitated to arrest them, even as they pleaded for mercy, all in the name of her version of justice.
Now, however, she was about to release a thief based on what—sympathy?
Why hadn't she extended that same compassion to others who may have done less?
'Sigh, why can't these girls think for themselves? Why are we discussing this in public? Don't they know that everything said here will spread as rumours throughout the city? Why do they want me to expose all our flaws to everyone?' Draco mused.
He felt compelled to answer Alise's question, noticing that not only she but also the gathered crowd was eager to hear his response.
"The answer is simple: let the law be applied equally to every mortal. I admit that certain laws may be too harsh for specific crimes based on their circumstances, but those laws can be changed, can't they?" Draco said.
"Laws exist to preserve order, and when that order is disrupted, it's justice's role to rectify the situation. Law and justice go hand in hand, but I know that there are times when the misuse of the law conflicts with justice, or vice versa. However, that's a dilemma for you to solve individually, not one that I should answer for you," he continued.
"Laws can help dispense unbiased justice, protecting the weak from the strong and the strong from the schemes of the weak. It's your duty as warriors of justice to recognize and apply this, isn't it?" Draco asked.
"Anyway, this is just my personal view and shouldn't be taken as the sole truth," he concluded.
Silence fell as everyone listened to Draco, reflecting on his words.
There was a lot to consider based on what he had said.
'Phew, good thing I stopped myself from going too far. I nearly gave a "power to the people" speech, which could have sparked some kind of uprising,' Draco thought playfully.
"Bravo! Oh, I say, Bravo!" a voice exclaimed, breaking the silence.
It was the god who had been robbed, accompanied by Michalis.
"It's you!" Alise muttered, her mind now in disarray.
Everyone turned to face the newcomer.
"What an excellent speech, laced with undeniable truths," the god said, approaching Draco.
He grabbed Draco's hand and shook it vigorously, staring into Draco's reptilian eyes.
This went on for several moments before Draco managed to pull away, feeling quite uncomfortable.
"Uhm, am I still free to go?" the thief asked, overwhelmed by the entire situation.
In fact, he preferred to be arrested right then.
Having been seen by so many people and recognized as a thief, he felt as though there was no point being set free.
However his question was ignored, everyone focused in the new arrival instead, so the thief just kept quite and remained seated on the ground.
"Sorry to have caused all this fuss. I admit I was a bit careless," the god apologized.
Draco signalled to Michalis, silently checking with him if the god had done anything suspicious.
The god, with his carefree grin and long, somewhat unkempt black hair, didn't seem particularly powerful.
Yet there was an unusual aura about him that suggested he was more than he appeared.
Michalis shook his head, indicating that the god hadn't acted suspiciously thus far.
'Am I just being paranoid? I feel like I should know this person. Ugh, this is why I shouldn't have skipped through the novel,' Draco thought.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Adi asked, handing the god his stolen wallet.
"Not a scratch, cutie. Thanks for returning my wallet," the god replied.
"By the way, my name is Eren. What are your names?" he asked, turning to the group.
"I am Adi, from the Ganesha familia," Adi introduced herself.
"Alise Lovell, captain of the Astraea familia," Alise said proudly.
"You can call me Leon, also from the Astraea familia," Ryuu introduced.
Despite her disdain for her heritage, she adhered to custom.
Thus, she always wore a mask to conceal her identity and used her family name, Leon, during introductions to strangers.
Eren then turned to Draco's side, waiting for him to introduce himself.
"Draco Black, captain of the Bahamut familia," Draco stated.
"Michalis Black, also from the Bahamut familia," Michalis added.
'Bahamut and Astraea, huh? The followers of two goddesses who embody justice,' Eren mused, glancing between Draco, Michalis, Ryuu, and Alise as if contemplating something profound.
"I see. Three familias who are emissaries of justice. It's fortunate we met like this," Eren declared, eliciting a frown from Draco.
'What does he mean by that?' he wondered.
"What are you talking about?" Ryuu asked.
"I'm saying it's fortunate that you kind souls saved me," Eren replied, ignoring their puzzled expressions.
"I was impressed by your discussion on justice. The morality of grey, beyond good and evil. The dialogue on law and justice, along with the conflicting ideologies—it captivated me, especially you two," Eren said, pointing at Draco and Ryuu.
"And why would you find us interesting?" Draco inquired.
"The elf girl is noble yet uncompromising, struggling to make sense of the world, easily swayed by the currents. Your heart is by far the purest here," Eren observed, before turning to Draco.
"You, on the other hand, seem to perceive the world for the grey it is, emphasizing flexible law over pure emotional justice like them. Just what kind of life have you experienced to come to such a perspective at such a young age?" Eren asked.
"Nothing compared to what you gods have witnessed," Draco replied with a smile.
"Hahahaha! What an interesting answer!" Eren exclaimed, his eyes sparkling in a way that made Draco uneasy.
Eren was a peculiar god; unlike most, he seemed to revel in uncertainty.
His divine charisma was undeniable, making it hard for those present to ignore him.
"I really want to see what you all make of this age and what this age makes of you. Ah, I just can't wait to see the conclusion!" Eren said, his enthusiasm infectious, though it left Draco and the others feeling oddly unsettled.