Chapter 5-7: Just Embarrassing
Briar and the others watch as the flowers begin wilting and withering until they die.
"All of the flowers are wilting!" Azul says.
"Yes, and look outside. You can see them disappearing from the cityscape," Malleus says.
Everyone looks outside to see all the flowers are withering and dying outside and no longer blooming.
Malleus says, "We've managed to nip them in the bud before they could spread beyond the city limits. Now we can eradicate them."
"Yup, the Bell of Solace is one OP artifact," Idia says.
Soon, they sob and turn to see Rollo on his knees.
He says in sadness and resentment, "The firelotuses... My flowers, my salvation, they're all withering away… You VILLAINS. What have you done?!"
"There's clearly only one villain here, and that's you," Azul says.
"Not so from Flamme's perspective. He seems to truly believe he's in the right," Malleus says.
"Malleus is right. Rollo thinks everyone in this world would be better off without magic, and we wouldn't suffer the same fate as his younger brother. So many years of that belief, can't just disappear overnight," Briar says.
"I'm sure he does. It's probably the only way he can sleep at night. What a pitiful man," Azul says.
But Rollo says in anger, "You think I'm in the wrong...? No, YOU'RE wrong! It's magic! Magic is what took him away… That's the whole reason I'm trying to rid the world of mages and make it a peaceful place… I'm not the one in the wrong here...!"
Azul and Malleus remain silent. Briar is sadden to see Rollo still believes that magic is a curse.
Idia sighs, "Yup, there it is. The exact defensive denial I expected. This is just embarrassing."
Rollo is shocked to hear it.
"What, so you believe that if magic goes away, everything'll be hunky-dory? Please, that's the LOL to end all LOLZ," Idia says, "You talk about peace, but the only peace you actually care about is your own. You're over here yammering about how this is for 'everyone' and 'the world.' Meanwhile, we're just doing the blank stare emoji."
This makes Rollo growl bitterly, "Grr…"
"Just so," Malleus responds.
Briar nervously replies, "That's a bit harsh."
Then Idia says, "And another thing—you say you're trying to get rid of magic for your brother… But like Briar said, did he ever ask you to do that? You can't just claim he would've wanted something to justify your own atonement."
"Atonement? I'm not—" Rollo angrily says.
But Idia continues, "Look, I'm not saying you're wrong to feel guilty. And I definitely don't think it's wrong to remember the person you lost… But let's be real—you're not doing this for him. You're doing it for YOU. You're just calling it noble when it's actually selfish. You're not trying to save your brother or the world. You want to save yourself."
"Myself...?" Rollo questions.
Idia continues, "Oh look, he's having a belated realization. How can you just have ZERO self-awareness like that? Geez, talk about hopeless. I guess I can't judge you for that, though… If you were a genius like me it'd be one thing, but alas, some problems are too complicated for plebes."
Briar can't help but sense some truth in Idia's words, but some might be a bit much.
"That last dig was uncalled-for…" Azul says.
Soon, Rollo says in defeat, "...No more of this. I've heard quite enough. Punish me yourselves or turn me over to the authorities. Do what you will."
"Very well, we shall. But first, I'd like to check something. Let's go back downstairs," Malleus says.