Whispering Poems

Chapter 3881 So-called Fate

"A Third Fate"

The doctor thought about it carefully:
How about we each share a guess?

Xia De nodded:

"Of course, then I'll go first—make a promise."

The doctor shook his head:

"That's impossible. I've never promised anything. Everything I'm doing now is my own choice. I think it's 'luck,' the destiny held by the chosen one of those unicorns you mentioned."

Then, as expected, he saw a surprised look from Shad. The doctor explained:
"Detective, although I am not as old as Priest Augustus, I am already over forty years old. From aspiring to study medicine in my youth, to devoting myself to the then-unregulated field of psychiatric research for various reasons in my young adulthood, to later unexpectedly becoming a ring sorcerer, and surviving that accident."

For the next ten years or so, I pursued various demons. Just when I was about to give up, I met you again. Then, in two years, I was close to the eleventh ring and successfully balanced the demon's power with the hunter's strength.

He asked Xia De:
"If this isn't considered lucky, then what is? All along, it's been like walking on a thin layer of ice on a lake. Looking back now, I'm amazed that I've come this far."

Xia De still thought it was unlikely that the doctor would empathize with "luck"; he just thought the doctor was very open-minded and didn't complain about his experiences at all.

"Fate is two-sided; if it gives you misfortune, it will also give you a life commensurate with that misfortune."

He said this as he continued forward, listening to the rushing sound of the waterfall behind him:

"So let's guess what will become of Father Augustus? We know he resonated with [Death]."

The doctor then smiled and said:

“Then I’m going to cheat—after I went back that day, the priest told me that the [Holy] spell in the hands of that 13th-ring sorceress with angelic blood could resonate with him.”

Shad nodded:
"Death and holiness, is that it? Then I guess the third ring is... mission."

Shad had never discussed the priests with the doctor, but the doctor now clearly understood some things:
"Yes, mission, the mission to sound the horn."

He shook his head again:
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about such mood-ruining topics. Let's talk about recent events instead. You were invited to participate in a local poker game under your real identity, Shad Hamilton. The church and association may not know the truth, but the academy couldn't possibly be unaware that the other four players besides you are all ordinary people."

Will this cause you trouble?

Xia De smiled and shook his head; he had already thought about this problem:

"Don't worry, I have connections at the academy. With that professor's help, the only one who can truly match my real identity with the academy's students should be Principal Professor Pigman. But I don't think the principal will investigate the matter thoroughly. After all, sometimes some things are better left unsaid."

"I understand. So when do you plan to go back? Will you still be able to attend next week's group meeting?"

“The writer has already gone back to finish the manuscript. I will probably be back in two or three days. The fortune teller is not sure yet. She said there will be a training session later.”

The doctor nodded:

"The group meeting has already been delayed for two weeks, and we absolutely cannot cancel it again next time. Everyone applied to skip a grade this year, so there's a lot more to do during the summer exam week than usual. I wonder if this is just another side of fate."

"Everything in this world has two sides. Even the titles of the true gods have two sides, don't they?"

Shad reminded them that the temple was not far ahead, and they were almost at the uphill section.

The doctor agreed with Xia De's statement:
"If this topic continues, it will turn into a philosophical discussion. But the principle is indeed correct: with gain comes loss."

Shad joked:

"For example, if someone gets a lot of money, then he will lose the pain of being poor."

Both of them laughed. A short while later, they passed the temple entrance. Xia De turned his head and glanced inside. There was no one in the temple today.

"Detective, do you believe that fate is fair to everyone?"

The doctor asked again.

"Why are you suddenly asking this kind of question? I've always believed that fate is fair."

Shad answered, but the doctor, still walking in the shadows of the cliff face, continued to ask:

"If fate is fair, then why are some people born into nobility, living a life of luxury and doing all sorts of bad things, yet still able to live to be seventy or eighty years old before they die; while others are born always hungry and may die before they are even ten years old."

Shad wasn't sure if the doctor was testing him or if he was genuinely contemplating the matter, but the outsider had his own answer:

"The unfairness of one's starting point is indeed an objective fact, such as little Beren, or little John, the boy I met in the garbage alley behind the Green Lake Hotel. As for the examples of nobles who did all sorts of bad things but were not punished, there are too many to list. This is a difference given by the times, a difference that cannot be chosen."

Xia De exhaled. Although there was a sense that spring was approaching, the temperature on the mountaintop was still extremely low.
"What I want to say is that the fairness of choices and actions after birth is the universal right that fate has given us. Although we start from different points, most people have the freedom to choose how to live, that is, how to make use of their own conditions, how to face difficulties, and how to accumulate abilities."

The two finally arrived at the slope leading to the cliff. Although there were steps under the thick snow, it was actually a snow slope because no one had cleared it.

The doctor shook his head:

"Are you trying to say that the relatively fair nature of fate is reflected in the fact that children in slums can acquire knowledge through diligent study, while impoverished nobles may squander their fortunes due to laziness?"
But this is only a possibility. Children in slums are more likely to die young or continue to live in poverty, while even the most destitute nobles rarely live the same kind of life as the poor.

Shad nodded, patted the cat that peeked out of his pocket, and casually placed it on his shoulder:
"The fairness of fate I'm talking about doesn't mean that everyone can have the same outcome, but rather that cause and effect are consistent, that is, what you sow, you reap."

Light snow began to fall again, the fine snowflakes drifting down as the two climbed the slope. The summit of Mount Fatumunster remains unaffected by the seasons; it is perpetually a world of ice and snow.

So if the girls want to play in the snow, they can come here anytime.

After crossing the snow slope, you can see "Oracle Square" a hundred meters away. Oracle Square in the snow looks unchanged. In fact, even if Shad didn't say it, the ring mages of the church, the academy, and the Society of Prophets have never come here again since the War of Destiny.

Gods once fought here, and mortals revered this place while also fearing to offend the gods, especially one of them who was a god of misfortune. So Shad and the doctor were among the first to arrive here after Emilia's coronation.

As Shad planned to leave, he used "Moonthorns" to simply block the entrance to the snow slope. This, of course, could not stop those who truly wanted to break through; it was merely to demonstrate the attitude of the "Caller of Gods."

"Diligence is likely to be rewarded, while opportunism will ultimately lead to risks. Flipping a coin and getting heads is a 50/50 chance, and teasing an unfamiliar cat may result in a scratch on the back of your hand."
These patterns of fate apply to everyone; this fairness is not egalitarianism, but rather ensuring that everyone's actions receive a corresponding response.

Shad explained, and Dr. Schneider also looked towards "Oracle Square." The square was now covered with a thin layer of snow, and the stone pillars surrounding it were old and broken. No one could tell that gods had once descended here, that Ellie had connected with the unicorn, that a demigod witch had once trod here, or that thirteen girls had once sung to call back the fallen moon.

"I think I understand now. So, you believe that the fairness of fate lies in the fact that the probability is equal for everyone?"

The doctor asked, and Shad nodded:
"Yes, that's roughly the idea. And you, Doctor, what's your view on fate?"

Bill Schneider replied:

"Let me answer with what you always say—fate is a double-edged sword. I also believe that fate is fair. The world is a big net, and every action we take makes the net of fate tremble, and then at some point in the future, we will feel the rebound from fate."

The two walked past "Oracle Square" towards "Saint's Cliff." Shad thought again of those stories of fate, and of everything he had experienced in this place:
"The sword of slaughter ultimately killed itself; the search for the secret treasure ended in voluntary abandonment; the obsession with resurrection was met with falsehood; the turning of fate resulted in the arrival of war; the truth of love is mutual torment; to call back the fallen moon, one must relinquish the right to be chosen."

In the end, the competition among five people resulted in a sixth person emerging victorious, but the players still managed to get what they wanted.

Shad smiled:
"The god of fate, Mr. Huan, made it very clear in the story that all gifts come at a price. To gain something, you must first lose something, and deliberate pursuit may only lead to unexpected results."

“I don’t know much about the God of Fate, but from your description, the play that God of Fate wanted to see is indeed interesting. It’s just that these great beings can sit in the audience, watch the story on stage, and judge whether fate is fair by the measure of time, but what about us mortals?”

The doctor pointed to himself:

"We usually only see one side of fate and time, and we can't see the grander and more magnificent stories of fate. In addition, many things are related to people's interests, so most people probably think that there are always some people who are favored by fate in the world."

On the road leading to the Cliff of the Saints, there was no trace of the coronation ceremony from last week. After the ceremony, Emilia went back in time to restore the place to its original state, so the two of them walked on the snow.

"A favorite of fate~"

Shad watched as the edge of the cliff drew ever closer through the snow:

"It's like the knight in chivalric romances who, no matter what setbacks he faces, can always defeat his enemies; or the man in courtly erotic novels who, no matter how convoluted the story, can always climb into the bed of a noblewoman."

"Well, although the second example is a bit vulgar, these are indeed so-called darlings of fate. From the perspective of a book or a story, fate does favor them, but if this is something that happens in the real world, and if we stretch the timeline to the past and future, then it's hard to say what fate has actually given them."

The doctor concluded:
"Or, to put it another way—what is the cost?"

P.S.: This volume will end in the next chapter. Besides the main text, there will also be a bonus chapter at the end of the volume tonight.