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-- You can lose your life anywhere and for any reason, what’s so sad about that? It’s more important how you live and what you leave behind, not how you end your life. However, she did leave something truly significant, there is no doubt about that.
- Well, you yourself have answered your question. Is it sadder to die without leaving anything behind, or to live a meaningful life with a sense of duty fulfilled and leave behind a great legacy for centuries to come? And yet, the first option is much more common. Author
-- No, personal experience says otherwise. Moreover, our country is not a wasteland; any traveler who has talents to offer will not starve.
- As long as there are good times and stability, yes, but we can only thank the last two emperors and all those who worked for such a present. Author
-- That is true, but in the context of personal happiness, only his self-perception matters, not the common good. The common good comes into the equation when we are looking for the ideal optimum for everyone between freedom and restrictions.
- Perhaps a person believes that, like the natives of Helma, he has wings, and according to his self-perception, he needs to jump off a cliff to be happy, but it would be better for both him and society if this path is closed to him and he is directed down a different path instead.
Typically, those who avoid fulfilling the reproductive instinct spend their lives on other things characteristic of irrational animals – eating more, having excessive fun, traveling aimlessly, and so on. A person without a child will never truly mature and will remain a child themselves, so you can't expect them to be of benefit to the rest of society. Even a broken life – which in itself is not necessarily a fact – is better than its complete absence.
-- Well, I have to intervene in this thread and say: you are criticizing our female members for not striving enough for family life, which you consider a flaw, and then you argue that this is connected to another flaw, specifically one that is not characteristic of us. No, such a substitution of the subject is a dirty trick; you should argue either about statistical patterns or about specific individuals.
- Stop,” the prisoner was grabbed by the hand. “Wasn’t that the question?… Iraola, don’t overthink it. If your time comes, it won’t be today. Instead, tell me this. The descent to the next floor is currently blocked, and that’s correct. The queen also has a hole in the floor – if she needs it, she’ll summon someone herself, and outsiders and the unworthy shouldn’t wander around where they shouldn’t. But do you and the others know of any additional passage besides these two? We need to determine if anyone unaccounted for could have wandered where they shouldn’t.
- Well, I wanted to… But you, Master Midoric, know better! I don’t have your insight and can’t calculate thousands of steps ahead like you can! I don’t even know about any additional passage… I’m sorry!
"If men were to bear and give birth to children on an equal footing with women, this guy would be singing a different tune," Beata thought resentfully, but she said nothing aloud, tired of arguing.
-- Well, I have to intervene in this thread and say: you criticize our female members for not striving enough for family life, which you consider a flaw, and then you argue that this is linked to another flaw, specifically one that is not characteristic of us. No, such a substitution of the subject is a dirty trick; you should argue either about statistical patterns or about specific individuals.
- Which specific flaw that is not characteristic of you am I linking to your group?
Added 6 minutes later Drakkoska
"If men were involved in pregnancy and childbirth equally with women, this guy would be singing a different tune" - Beata thought vengefully, but said nothing aloud, tired of arguing.
Meanwhile, Guion was lost in thought, trying to blend in with the sofa, frantically figuring out how he would explain the passage about the "slave" to the Carneolians and whether he should explain anything at all.
“I must admit, your speeches are exceptionally well-founded, Master Shao,” the knight said respectfully to the spy. “To summarize the book about royal couples that we just studied, I can only wish that everyone would realize the importance of family and lineage, rather than indulging in self-deception for the sake of emotional solitude.”
- That’s good. Hmm… But once, the descent wasn’t blocked, and the tentacles didn’t emerge from the floor at her will. There was a passage not only to the next floor but even to the one after that – have you ever been there? But most importantly, do you know why and how this change occurred? It is very important to understand one’s own history – in order to know who and why one should be grateful. Don’t answer in a few words, but as thoroughly as you can. And this will be the final part of our… testing.
- Yes, that's true. It's even sadder to realize that after reaching thirty, starting a family will become increasingly difficult with each passing year, both for social and biological reasons, especially for women.
"But I ate the fruit of ataraxia, so I'll have a few years' advantage. 😎" — You may not agree with me, but family is not always defined by blood, Mr. Shao. Even if a person "missed the opportunity" or simply could never have children due to health problems, there is always the option of adoption. Sometimes, such families turn out to be stronger than blood relatives. In the Imperial Archive, before the recent tragedy, there was even a good example of this – the story of Gungnir von Breckendorf and his adopted children.
- Unfortunately, at that time, I was too busy recording the information I heard about the "Towers," so I didn't pay attention to the meaning of the texts or the quality of the performance.
"I suspect that someone's father will soon acquire several sapphire mines. Or even line his pockets by trading such insider information. That's how resourceful scoundrels make money off of people of science. I tried to warn the redhead about this danger, but as a result, I only played into Shen Tao's hands." — Well, maybe another opportunity will arise. As far as I understand, you will be here for a long time due to your duties. "In the future, I should sing first, distracting him with the meaning of the song lyrics, and then discuss important matters."
"Now that he knows I was a slave, I'll recount to Beate the most intricate details of my time in Lower Lunaria, and while he listens intently, you can discuss your secrets." "But did you even ask me if I wanted to hear this? I'm not that depraved!"
- That's good. Hmm... But once, the descent wasn't blocked, and the tentacles didn't emerge from the floor at her will. There was a passage not only to the next floor but even to the one after that – have you ever been there? But most importantly, do you know why and how this change happened? It is very important to understand one's own history – to know who and why one should be grateful. Answer not in a few words, but as thoroughly as you can. And this will be the final block of our... testing.
- Well, uh... The Queen summoned some kind of monster... Then it devoured her and merged with the Queen... Then the Queen devoured most of the masters... Then you, Master Midorik, and your friends led our paradise and ordered two golems to block the passage to the fifth level... Is that all?
—I must admit, your arguments are quite sophisticated, Lord Shao. —the knight said respectfully to the spy, nodding. —To summarize the book about royal couples that we just studied, I can only wish that everyone would realize the importance of family and lineage, rather than indulging in self-deception for the sake of emotional solitude.
Shao responded with an equally respectful nod.Author
—You may not agree with me, but family is not always defined by blood, Lord Shao. Even if a person "missed the opportunity" or, simply, could never have children due to health problems, there is always the option of adoption. Sometimes, such families turn out to be stronger than blood relatives. In the Imperial Archive, until the recent tragedy, there was even a good example of this — the story of Gungnir von Breckenhorf and his adopted children.
—It's like a prosthesis. It performs its function, but it cannot replace the real thing.Author
—Well, maybe another opportunity will arise. As far as I understand, you will be here for a long time due to your duties.
—Actually, no, today is my last day. That's why I decided to show myself to you in order to officially meet and subsequently say goodbye.
It would be a wise decision to simply clear the fourth level if there are creatures to fight, and then destroy all the levels so that the chthonic, horrifying creature remains somewhere on the fifth level. But that wouldn't be interesting.
But now I realize that I was wrong about the antagonist not doing anything.