The Weight of Principles

Iordera hesitated for a moment, then whispered, “But that’s just your side of the story; I can’t completely believe it just because I’ve heard it…”

“That’s perfectly fine,” Hecate replied, settling back into her elegant posture. “However, I have fulfilled my promise. Now, my dear, it’s your turn to tell your story.”

“I…” Iordera’s small mouth parted slightly. “Do I really have to?”

“Of course.”

“…Alright then.”

She pulled a small stool closer, settling against the wall and presenting only her profile to Hecate. When one was about to divulge personal matters, it was natural to wish one’s changing expressions to remain unseen.

“You always say I’m gloomy… well, perhaps I am a little unhappy, just existing day to day… But when you say I have something on my mind, that’s where I…” Iordera’s brow furrowed. “Alright, perhaps there really is a little something.”

“The thing is, before I came here, I actually had a job. I was working for a procurement company…”

Her memory, carried by the crisp resonance of her loli-like voice, traversed through time and the very barriers of the world, returning to those bygone days.

The teenager, fresh out of school, brimmed with eager anticipation for work. Though they harbored no grand ambitions, their heart was pure—to diligently fulfill their duties and strive for excellence.

After some time, as they gradually familiarized themselves with the procedures, their supervisor entrusted them with a task of moderate importance.

It was a simple task, one that should have been completed effortlessly and without error, yet…

“When I received the goods and thoroughly checked them, wouldn’t you know it, a good third of the consignment turned out to be counterfeit—high-quality fakes from some knock-off workshop,” Iordera recounted, growing more animated with each word. “There was no way I could let that pass, so I explicitly noted on the order which items were genuine and which were high-grade imitations.”

Hecate pondered for a moment before remarking, “Your boss must have been furious.”

“Oh, he certainly was,” Iordera affirmed. “He wasn’t just angry; he cornered me and gave me a thorough dressing-down. He went on about how it was for the company’s benefit, how society simply operates this way.”

Iordera’s cherry-red lips chattered incessantly, her indignation seemingly surpassing that of her former boss. “He acted as if I were an idiot, as if I didn’t already know what society was like.”

“But just because something is a certain way doesn’t make it right. All that talk about there being no true right or wrong, about the world not being black and white, as if they had some profound reason for it,” the white-haired loli declared, her voice bristling with indignation. “At its core, isn’t it just about swindling people out of their money and tricking them?”

“So you chose to stand your ground against your boss?” Hecate inquired.

“Of course,” Iordera asserted, a proud expression gracing her features. “I told him right then and there to pay me my wages, because I wouldn’t be coming in tomorrow.”

“Wouldn’t that have felt liberating, then?” Hecate tilted her head slightly. “If so, why does it still weigh so heavily on your mind?”

“Because he… he’s despicable. He was clearly in the wrong himself, yet he cursed at me, calling me an idiot and such.”

Iordera paused, her voice softening. “Actually, being cursed at isn’t a big deal; I don’t care. Everyone’s dead anyway… everyone’s gone, and I’m here now, so whatever chaos is happening back there is none of my concern. It’s just that his final words to me were that the order had been withheld and someone else would be sent to fulfill it. So, the old guy at the retail store would still receive a pile of fake goods.”

The loli clutched at her collar, a pang of discomfort in her heart.

“That old guy really trusted me. We talked business quite late that day, and he even treated me to a meal,” Iordera murmured, her head bowed. “He told me a lot, how his shop wasn’t big but had many regular customers. Usually, when customers wanted something, they’d ask him to procure it for them. The items he’d requested from us that time were also for a few familiar patrons, who were eagerly looking forward to receiving them.”

As she spoke, Iordera suddenly deflated. “In the end, he still received a pile of defective products.”

“I understand,” Hecate interjected. “Not being able to prevent the small retail shop owner from suffering losses—is that why you’ve been so glum?”

Iordera nodded, then shook her head. “And those swindlers who trick people out of their money, they deserve their comeuppance too!”

“Regrettably, things rarely unfold as one wishes.”

“Indeed, alas.”

The white-haired loli hung her head, utterly disheartened.

Hecate observed her silently for a moment, then abruptly spoke. “Are you waiting for something to happen, my dear?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Iordera was somewhat bewildered by Hecate’s seemingly random remark.

“Juenburg is a city fraught with unrest, problems surfacing at every turn. Did you choose to remain here, perhaps hoping for an incident to occur, something that would allow you to intervene?” Hecate posited. “Much like Clarice Starling (TL Note: A reference to the protagonist of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, known for her strong moral compass and desire to save victims) awaiting a lost lamb.”

“No, not at all,” Iordera’s lips twitched faintly. “Don’t overthink it. I only stayed because Sir Olcott offered generous pay, and I needed to earn more travel money.”

“Clarice Starling never truly left that slaughterhouse, did she? And you, my dear, have you ever truly departed from that night?” Hecate continued, seemingly oblivious to Iordera’s words, speaking as if to herself. “Are you, too, searching for a form of salvation?”

Iordera offered a wry smile. “It’s not that serious. I’m not one to dwell on things; it was just a scolding. As for that old guy, I did everything I could. If I couldn’t help him, there was nothing more to be done…”

“It wasn’t merely about being scolded or failing to help someone,” Hecate interrupted her. “More significantly, it was about the principles you clung to being defeated, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“Right is right, wrong is wrong, and good and evil will always receive their due retribution. You approached the situation with unwavering principles, yet ultimately, you were powerless to save anything.”

Hecate shifted her posture, her voice taking on a light, almost ethereal quality. “Young Clarice Starling eventually understood that justice is often overcome by evil. And you, my dear, on that fateful night, finally realized that principles are rendered meaningless in the face of compromise for profit.”

“You await not only a salvation but also a vindication for the very things you hold dear.”

“Tell me, my dear, will you find it within Juenburg?”

Iordera instinctively opened her mouth, only for a sudden chill to strike her heart.

How had she been led by the nose, almost getting entangled in this web?

‘This witch is truly terrifying.’

“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ve fulfilled my promise,” Iordera declared, vigorously shaking her head as if to dislodge Hecate’s words. “May I leave now?”

Hecate remained silent for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle.

“Of course, my dear. Just remember to return by lunchtime.”

“I know.”

Receiving an affirmative reply, Iordera finally breathed a sigh of relief, then scurried away without delay.

Regardless, she had at least managed to secure a “three-hour workday.”

As for Hecate’s earlier words…

‘I’m not one to overthink things to that extent. She must have said that deliberately, trying to psychologically manipulate me,’ the white-haired loli thought, raising both hands to cover her small ears. ‘I didn’t hear a thing.’

Training, earning money, leaving Juenburg with her maid, and heading to that academy to uncover her origins—these were the tasks she truly needed to focus on.

‘Juenburg is such a vast city, teeming with countless experts. What right do I, a mere Level 20 novice, have to meddle?’