2300 – Deeds
“…Charity?” Aru’s expression turned to that of someone struck on the head with a hammer.
“Yes, charity. What’s so strange about that?” Robin replied seriously, then looked into Aru’s eyes. “What do you know about karma?”
“…” Aru glanced at the equally puzzled Glacion, then turned back to Robin and answered hesitantly, “A law that punishes the wicked?”
“There is no law of karma.” Robin shook his head.
“What do you mean?” A strange look appeared on Aru’s face. “Everything in the universe is governed by laws.”
“Really?” Robin chuckled. “Where is the Law of the Soul? And where is the Law of Blood, or more accurately, the Code for Creating Living Beings?”
“…?”
“Karma is like them.” Robin furrowed his brow slightly. “Those things related to the soul and the true secrets of creation have no law. You can use Identity to change matter into matter, or Creation to alter matter’s form… but intelligent beings are treated separately for some reason. You could say they are concepts we observe rather than written laws, and karma is one of those concepts.”
He then continued, "Call it karma, consequence, deeds, or whatever you like—ultimately, it's a concept that forces living beings, especially intelligent ones, from walking down the path of pure evil." Then he waved a hand, "This may manifest as physical punishment, or simply spiritual, like depression and losing the meaning of life. It's very rare to find an evil person who is both physically and mentally healthy at the same time."
"...." Glacion opened his mouth slightly; even he was hearing the concept of karma in detail for the first time.
"...." Aru looked down, "What about Darvion the Accursed and everything he's done? Does he also give charity, and that's why he's alive?"
"Darvion will die a humiliating death within days," Robin waved, "All the evil he has done in his life has made him stand in my way, isn't that enough? Secondly, look at his face in any widely circulated image of him—that person's soul is screaming, it wants salvation... I will save him." Then he chuckled, "And I don't think he will find salvation even after his death."
"What do you mean?" Aru felt a hint of fear.
"I will not speak about what I am not certain of," Robin waved, then looked at Aru seriously. "What matters now is observing what is happening before us and finding a way to minimize our losses from it." He then continued, "The one who established the concept of Deeds wants to prevent the universe, or universes, from slipping down an irreversible slope of evil. He wants goodness for people, and that is why if you commit evils and then go and perform a good deed before him, you will have achieved some Balance, and you will not feel the same degree of pressure and calamities that are currently coming upon you."
"But this is unfair!" Aru waved forcefully. "There is no such thing as evil or good; they are all relative matters. What is evil to someone else is good to me!"
Robin shook his head, then pointed at Aru's chest. "Each one of us is born with something inside that distinguishes right from wrong. Any child from any civilization and any time will know that premeditated murder is wrong. It does not matter if you do not believe in the existence of a god or worship an old shoe; in your heart, you will know that helping an elderly woman is a good thing."
He continued, "That instinct is proof that there is a fixed reference for what is good and evil in the eyes of the maker of Karma, and you, as a creature who has barely heard of the concept, must follow it, or at least, know how to evade its consequences." Then Robin extended his hand further and poked Aru's heart, "I won't tell you the content of that reference because I don't possess it, but you have your heart—ask it."
"...?" Aru looked down at Robin's finger, then raised his head again, "I am a military Marshal. Do you know how many souls I have killed and will kill? Or are you advising me to leave everything behind?"
"Your head is as thick as a real bull's..." Robin waved with a sigh, "When you occupy a planet, send orders not to destroy the forests or kill civilians... If you destroy a planet, send food aid, build cities on another planet, and help them reproduce in a better environment. And if you have prisoners from long ago, kill them or let them go."
Then Robin shook his hands, "Balance," then lowered them and continued, "The creator of the concept of Deeds wants you to return to your good side no matter how far you walk the path of evil. The doors are never closed, and your instinct will always tell you the right thing to do."
Then he pointed into the distance with a laugh, "Even someone like Darvion has a chance to erase all his heinous crimes. True, he'll have to rebuild several sectors and spend the rest of his life scrubbing the toilets of the elderly to manage it, but you get the idea."
After that, Robin gestured gently toward him, "You're still on solid ground, still young, still breathing... You can still easily balance things out."
"....." Aru looked down, then nodded after a few seconds.
"Good." Robin clapped and stood up, "Now think of ways to lighten the Karma burden on you. I want you to prepare your army to occupy the galaxy after Zargul is killed. Don't carry out any operations or take any more risks from now on—just get ready for a swift and decisive expansion."
"Understood." Aru stood up with difficulty to salute Robin; he couldn't remain seated while the other was standing.
As for the talk about killing Zargul? After all those insane words he'd heard, it was better not to ask.
Then Aru seemed to remember something, "By the way, a major attack has occurred on the Nihari Galaxy in the Young Sector, led by a seven-star Spirit Master, backed by 50 Nexus State and Spirit Masters, along with hundreds of fleets and millions of veteran soldiers from Young Sector 98."
"....?!" Richard finally sprang up, "What happened? What were the losses?!"
Aru furrowed his brows, even he was puzzled. "The report said that Prime Minister Kristan Burton annihilated the ground troops with an army of beasts, that 100 Nota-4 Fleets wiped out the enemy fleets, that the demons killed all the Nexus States and Royal Spirit Masters, while suffering minimal losses themselves..."
Then he looked into Robin's eyes with confusion, "...and that Supreme General Amon and his wife Malgra killed a Seventh-level Spirit Master and ate him."
"…………..?" Richard and Flora's eyes went wide.
Even Glacion was shocked—killing someone as powerful as a Law Dominator was always enough to be a major event... that was someone on his level!
He then looked toward Robin... Was this Amon the person he would send to kill Zargul?
"Hehe, good kids." Robin laughed, then gestured toward Richard and Glacion, "Come on, we have other places to go."