"Executioner?" Shian raised an eyebrow at the unexpected name.
"He's an assassin who's been causing chaos in the kingdom lately," Nova explained. "It's been six months since he appeared, and he's already killed five nobles."
"Ah, a vigilante," Shian muttered, sounding uninterested. Wasn't that red potato also one in the past timeline? He couldn't help but compare.
Nova tilted his head, clearly not understanding what Shian meant. "As you know, Big Brother, Brother Cyrus has been researching the slums recently… and he encountered the Executioner."
That caught Shian's attention. He glanced at Nova, who now wore a much darker expression.
"Brother Cyrus told me the Executioner is looking for corrupted people… and killing them."
Before Nova could continue, Shian smirked knowingly. "So, you want to know if what he's doing is a good deed or a bad one, huh?"
Nova blinked, surprised. "Y-Yeah… that's what I wanted to ask."
Shian leaned into the armrest, resting his chin in his palm. "That's not exactly a hard question," he said. "From my point of view… I'd say the Executioner is doing a good deed."
"But murder is wrong!" Nova burst out, nearly rising from his seat.
Shian didn't flinch. "We don't really have the right to define what's good or bad in absolute terms." He raised an eyebrow at Nova. "Answer me this, little potato, if someone murdered someone you loved, would you calmly think rationally? Or would you be out for revenge?"
"I… I'd be filled with rage and sorrow," Nova answered honestly, eyes dropping to the floor.
"Alright then," Shian said in a sharper tone. "Now imagine the person you love had previously killed someone that murderer loved. Would you forgive them then?"
"What…?" Nova's eyes widened. He was completely thrown off.
Shian smirked. "See? You can't answer right away. That's the same with everyone. Once a cycle of revenge starts, it rarely ends, unless one party forgives the other. And let's be honest, forgiveness doesn't come easily. So who are we to judge? I think it's the same with the Executioner. He's targeting rotten nobles… but I'm sure he has a reason."
"A reason…?"
"Yeah." Shian's voice dropped to a thoughtful murmur. "He's likely a victim of those nobles. But if you think about it, he's not killing every rotten noble, is he?"
"I… I don't know."
"That's the point," Shian said with a sigh. "If he were killing every corrupt bastard he could find, he'd be more of a radical, an anti-hero who hates the system. But if he's only targeting specific individuals… then that means this is personal. This is revenge."
Nova lowered his head in silence.
"Justice is subjective," Shian added. "Your version of justice isn't mine. And mine won't be the same as anyone else's. So, from where I stand, no, I'm not against someone like the Executioner wiping out trash that poisons this kingdom. But from your point of view, someone who believes in fairness and law, murder can't be justified, no matter the reason."
Shian leaned back, closing his eyes. "So what you really need to think about isn't whether the Executioner is right or wrong. What you should be asking is: what is your own form of justice?"
He opened one eye, staring at Nova. "Figure that out, and you'll have your answer."
After their conversation, Nova quietly left, his expression troubled, as if Shian's words had planted a thousand questions in his mind. The room fell into silence once more, save for the soft rustling of the curtains in the wind.
Shian sighed and leaned back. "Was it okay to say that?" a voice suddenly asked from behind.
Shian nearly fell out of his chair. "What the-Sans! Didn't you say you were heading back to the city for a break?!"
The young guard stood there, calm as ever, arms crossed casually. "I did. But I returned. And I am Hans."
Shian narrowed his eyes. "Damn ghost. Why do you keep showing up like that?" He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm his nerves. "Anyway, what do you mean by 'okay'?"
Hans glanced toward the door where Nova had exited. "Prince Nova's just a kid."
Shian met his gaze with a blank stare. "Exactly. That's why it's better he figures out what justice means to him now, before he grows up and does something irreversible. If he can find his answer early, maybe he won't end up lost like the rest of us."
Hans let out a long sigh. "You really are something else, you know that? What happened to you last night?"
Shian ignored him. "As for this vigilante… the Executioner, look into him, will you, Sans?"
"It's Hans," the guard corrected with a hint of exasperation.
Shian smirked. "Right. Hans."
There was a short pause before Hans spoke again. "My prince… may I ask something?"
Shian groaned, already regretting it. "What now?"
"What's your form of justice?"
For a moment, Shian didn't respond. He stared ahead, his expression unreadable. He was still tired from everything, the conversation, the day, and especially Nova's innocent but sharp questions. Now, even this guard potato wanted a philosophical debate?
"My justice… huh," Shian murmured, then chuckled faintly.
"Alright, here's my justice: Don't start shit you can't finish. If you start something, then see it through to the end. That means, kill or get killed."
Hans squinted. "What?"
Shian stood, brushing off his coat, and walked past Hans toward the staircase behind him.
"What I'm saying is…" he paused, glancing over his shoulder, eyes sharp with quiet resolve, "…my form of justice is survival."