Darren… the man who shattered his family's foundation. The one who made his mother cry silently in her room, while his father had to sell the only villa that held the memories of his childhood.
Letting him suffer… should be fair, right?
Isn't this his karma?
But at the same time… Darren's voice came weakly from the ground.
"A-Alaric… help… me…"
It wasn't the voice of a traitor. It was the voice of a scared little boy. Just like back then, when they were chased by the neighbor's guard dog and Darren had hidden behind his back.
Alaric clenched his jaw.
He felt like his heart was split in two. On one side, the screams of vengeance. He wanted to see Darren beaten until he couldn't stand anymore. But on the other side… was his mother's voice.
His mother once said, after they had just lost their home:
"Son… sometimes the world hurts you. But we are not the world."
"We must remain human… even when others are not."
That sentence felt like a light, glowing within his chest full of anger.
One of the thugs stepped closer to Darren, raising a metal pipe high.
"Alright, kid. This time, let's take your eye."
And that was when… Alaric's body moved on its own.
He ran.
In an instant, he leapt in front of Darren, arms spread wide.
Blaaaggh!
The metal pipe struck his back.
Burning pain radiated from his spine to his shoulders. But he didn't stop. With one move, he kicked the thug in the stomach. Sent him stumbling back, then elbowed the other man in the chin.
Darren curled up, sobbing.
"Why…?" Darren asked, barely audible.
"Why did you… help me? Even though I—"
Alaric didn't answer right away.
Sweat dripped from his forehead, blood from the corner of his mouth, and his chest rose and fell rapidly.
He turned to look at Darren on the ground. His eyes were not angry, but they weren't soft either.
"I don't know," he said honestly.
"Maybe because… I don't want to be like you."
Darren went silent.
Alaric stepped closer, draped Darren's arm over his shoulder. Even though his body trembled from the pain, he slowly helped him up and carried him out of the alley.
The sky began to clear. The rain faded.
And the system spoke once more:
[Trial I Complete]
[Ethical Note: Subject chose compassion over personal revenge.]
[Moral clarity detected. Awareness increased by 3%.]
[Next trial begins in... 10 seconds]
Alaric hadn't even caught his breath when everything began to dissolve around him. The alley turned to dust, Darren's voice faded, and his own body was pulled into the next void.
But one thing stayed in his mind.
He didn't save Darren because he had forgiven the betrayal.
He saved him… because it was the only way not to become a monster.
And for the first time, he understood. That true strength wasn't always about defeating your enemies, or those who had hurt you.
It was… about resisting the urge to strike back.
Alaric froze as the second simulation began. He braced himself, not daring to guess what would come next.
But this time there was no rumbling, no fierce wind like the first trial. The world changed as quickly as a blink. Just moments ago he was in the silent system room, and now he stood in front of a sleek, modern black-and-white building. It was his store.
Or more precisely, the store that in this simulation was his in the future. Large glass windows displayed a neatly arranged minimalist interior. On the right side, a showcase of luxury watches. On the left, high-end men's suits.
A place that represented success and stability. A place he once could only dream of. He felt lucky to be given the chance to experience owning it, even for a moment, even if it wasn't real yet.
The store was pristine, the floor golden. The weather, too, was clear with no sign of storms or lightning. But Alaric could feel a pressure far heavier than the first trial.
Then he saw her.
A girl stood under the store's awning. Her hair was messy, her body thinner than he remembered. Her clothes were shabby, as if worn for days without change. One of her high heels was broken.
But the most heartbreaking part was her gaze. No light. None of the proud look she once had when she looked down on him. Only exhaustion, shame… and pleading.
Alaric swallowed. His throat dry.
It was her.
The woman who once yelled at him in the middle of campus.
Who walked hand-in-hand with her new boyfriend in front of everyone while laughing at him like a broken toy.
The woman who crushed his pride without mercy, tearing his heart apart.
And now, she stood in front of his store like a shadow from the past seeking justice. Or perhaps… forgiveness?
The system said nothing.
No panels, no voice. As if the choice was entirely Alaric's. But one thing he knew… every step, every word, would be judged. And recorded by the system. No matter who held full control.
"Alaric…?"
Her voice was soft. Not the loud, irritating tone it once was. He almost didn't recognize her, though it was impossible to forget her face.
"I know this is humiliating. But… I need a job. I heard you were hiring and I—I don't have a place to stay anymore. I really need…"
Silence.
Some people walking by slowed down. A few store employees inside glanced outside. Strangers' gazes turned toward them. The kind of stares he used to get. Now… aimed at her.
Alaric said nothing.
"You once stripped me of my dignity in public. Now it's your turn to fall. Do I have enough heart not to strike back?"
In his mind, hundreds of voices roared. Voices from the past. When he was abandoned without reason. When his pride was torn apart in public. When he was insulted like someone unworthy of life.
"What kind of girl would want a loser like you?"
"You're a burden, Alaric. Useless."
His fists clenched. He knew he could get revenge now. With just one sentence, he could humiliate her in return. Make her feel all the pain he had buried for years.
He could say,
"Work here?"
"Do you think I'd ever hire someone like you?"
Easy. Too easy.
Especially since…
The system didn't stop him.
That was the trap.
He knew. Because this wasn't just about revenge.
This was about who he was now.
Her head hung low. Her hands clenched the edge of her shirt. Her cheeks a little dirty. Lips dry. The arrogance in her eyes now replaced by anxiety. Fear.
"If… you don't want to, I understand…" she said, trembling.
"I just… thought I'd ask. Maybe you have something like a shop assistant job, or cleaning duty. I'm—not asking for much. I just want to work."
And that was where his heart cracked.
Just for a moment, he imagined himself in her place. Fallen. With no one left. Standing in front of someone he had once hurt. Asking for mercy.
Maybe… that was worse than death?
His feet stepped forward.
He stopped just a meter from her. Their eyes met. She quickly looked down again, afraid he would lash out. A person who once treated others cruelly now feared receiving the same.
"Hey," Alaric said quietly.
She looked up.
And Alaric asked,
"Do you remember… when you said I had no future?"
She flinched. Her lips parted, but no answer came.
"Do you remember when you said I'd be a burden forever?"
The surroundings grew quiet. Even the sound of traffic horns felt distant. The world seemed to wait for Alaric's decision.
He stared at her for a long time. Then took a deep breath and… let it out slowly.
"I remember everything."
She said nothing. Her eyes began to redden. "I… I'm sorry…"
Alaric nodded gently. "You have plenty of reasons to fear I'd get back at you."
Her face turned paler.
"And I have just as many reasons to do exactly that," Alaric continued.
Then… he extended his hand.
"Starting tomorrow, you're in. Eight a.m. Uniform will be provided. You'll start at reception."
Her eyes widened. "You're serious…?"
"I don't want anyone to know you're my ex. I won't bring it up again because I've moved on. You work. You get paid. You'll also be given a place to stay. But if you ever repeat your past behavior…" He stared firmly.
"You're out. Instantly."
Her hand trembled as she shook his. Tears fell, unstoppable.
"Thank you… thank you…"
As she began to sob, Alaric gently pulled his hand away.
"Don't thank me."
"Thank yourself. For still having the courage to stand before someone you once broke. That takes bravery."
He turned, stepping into the store.
She stared after him, touched, still unable to believe how he had responded.
Even his words just now… almost sounded like admiration.
And then, the system panel finally appeared, glowing softly.
[Ethical Trial II: Complete]
[Decision: Granting a Chance Without Revenge]
[Result: High Pass]
[System Note: "Sincerity is a strength that needs no spotlight. But those who possess it will stand taller than the rest."]
As Alaric entered the store, his heart didn't feel lighter.
But something stronger than pain filled him. Peace.
Not because he had forgiven.
But because he chose not to repeat the wounds he had once endured.
And that… was a power he never had before.
Cold hospital air pierced the skin, even though the sun had just set. The hallway lights shone a sterile white that couldn't dispel the cruel reality.
This place felt closer to death than to life.
Only the hum of machines and the ticking clock echoed, herding someone toward a final decision—
Before their last breath was taken.
Alaric stood between two ICU rooms.
The glass door on his left revealed a figure he knew well. A middle-aged woman with graying hair, pale skin, and a nasal oxygen tube. Her breaths were shallow. His mother.
In the room on the right, a small child about eight years old. His skin pale, breathing strained, eyes closed. Another mother sat by the child's bed, tightly holding his tiny hand. Crying in silence. No words. No pleas.
Only tears fell, one by one, like wasted time.
The system didn't speak immediately like before. This time, only one panel hovered before him,
[One dose left. Two lives. One choice]
Alaric didn't move.
His mind throbbed. Mouth tasted bitter. Hands sweating. Even if this was just a simulation, his body couldn't tell the difference. The emotions were too real. Too painful.