Read Novel Full Chapter 183: The Ultimate Lie
Chapter 183: The Ultimate Lie
Vale sat on his throne, then, after saying "no" to dismiss the Level, he took a peek at his Trait’s description.
[Ember of Lust] - [Lust was thought to have vanished from the world, but a dim ember stirs deep within your soul. Nurture that passionate flame, then unleash Lust upon the world once again.]
Vale read it carefully, then decided to read over [Charm] as well.
[Charm] - [As the incarnation of Lust, people are naturally drawn to your presence. People can’t help but feel inclined to worship you. Your words and actions are convincing and appear honest. Those who are charmed by you can also evolve into your Champions and submit to you if their Loyalty rises high enough. But, beware, the acid of Love rusts the chains of Lust.]
As for why he read over Charm while trying to advance in his understanding of Ember of Lust...
’There has to be something I can use there.’
In fact, Vale was certain Charm’s description was important, which is why he’d waited to try for this revelation until after asking Mias about Love.
’But from what Mias said, it’s impossible that if Love were a person, for them to have interacted with Lust.’
So, that would mean...
’It would only make sense for Love in the description to be referring to a concept.’
That’s not to say Love wasn’t a person from a different world who built their Origin there and spread it, but more so, the only way there would be a link between the two was by the intersection of their concepts.
So...
’How is love, the concept, an acid that rusts the chains of lust, the concept?’
To figure that out, lust and love needed to be defined.
’What is love?’
Vale felt that the abstract question could only have an abstract answer.
’Is it the connection between two?’
The bond of souls?
’Deep affection and care for another?’
A unique feeling of kinship only definable by indescribable emotions?
Love was...
’A feeling.’
’Unique in expression and form.’
’An ideal connection.’
That wasn’t enough.
A few flimsy words weren’t enough to define ’love.’
’What’s that axiom?’
’Love is unconditional...’
’Quite the funny lie.’
There was always a condition in love.
Maybe it wasn’t always a stipulation for reciprocation, but if a person derived joy from witnessing the joy of another.
’Is that not a condition?’
For love to be truly unconditional, there would have to be no emotion involved — the one who gives love would have to exist without purpose.
’Quite the paradox.’
So, even if he said he loved them, how would he know if his own words were true?
Did he love Salome?
’Probably...’
Did he love Awilix?
’Maybe...’
Did he love Ximena?
’Maybe.’
Was love something one decides to feel?
’No...’
Even when thinking of what he loved or didn’t, reason remained elusive.
Vale concluded that for love to be understood, its opposite had to be understood as well.
’Hate...’
What was hatred?
To Vale, it was...
’Something much easier to understand.’
Vale could easily think of the things he hated.
’I hate pickles.’
They tasted both too salty and too sour!
’How does one make a food that terrible?!’
Vale also hated losing.
In every sense of the word.
He didn’t want to lose any of his Legion, not even the Workers.
He did not want to lose a fight.
He did not want to lose time.
But thinking of hate...
’What is hate to love?’
Are they simply opposites, as their dictionary definitions would suggest?
’I doubt it.’
Was love simply the absence of hate?
’No...’
There were many things Vale didn’t hate nor love. Things he looked upon in neutrality.
Though what was that line of separation that gave rise to the three categories?
’Something impossible to know.’
Was love a sharing of hatred?
’No.’
Was love, love?
’...No.’
As Vale thought about it...
’I love many things about Salome...’
But there were a few things he disliked about her, too.
’So, love is overcoming hatred? Looking at something you despise, and still lending out a hand?’
Close...
Love was something much more profound, yet simpler.
’Seeing the good in the bad?’
Vale tapped his foot repeatedly.
’Am I even going about this the right way?’
There was one thing Vale knew he hadn’t been wrong about in his rumination: ’love is a feeling.’
Vale felt there was one constant truth he had to go off of...
Language was inherently ineffable.
An inadequate, awful attempt to translate feeling and emotion.
Vale stopped trying to piece words together and began replaying moments from his life in his head. He tried reliving the emotions he felt at the time.
Once again, he felt the pain of watching his dad leave, then his mom.
He felt the pain of watching those at the brothel become victims of the system.
He felt joy as he thought back to when he and Fleur had first met.
He felt a terrible pain as he remembered the look on her pale corpse.
Vale thought and thought.
But thinking wasn’t enough.
’Damn it!’
’Love! What are you?!’
Vale could say there were things he loved, things he cherished. Yet knew not what he meant.
Language wasn’t enough, and neither were raw feelings nor emotions.
Vale sighed, then decided that if he were to understand love, he needed to start thinking about something much closer to home...
’Lust.’
Something he could describe and feel with ease.
’Lust is carnal desire.’
It was a physical want. A want decided by the body.
While Vale couldn’t say he loved Salome and the others with full confidence...
’I can say I lust after them.’
So then...
’Is lust the ultimate form of truth?’
After all, lust couldn’t lie.
If he felt it, he felt it.
Nothing confusing about it.
’Then...’
Vale felt like an electric spark shot through his head.
Love for another was intense, deep affection.
But love also entailed resisting one’s other lusts and putting aside some hatred — if one loves something deeply, they wish not to hurt it in any capacity; however, their physical desires of lust still exist.
While these desires can be for one another, they may still extend beyond.
To something one doesn’t love...
But indulgence and acceptance of it would hurt the object of one’s love, which would go against the idea of love and breed hatred.
Therefore, love was both the indulgence and ignoration of lust.
It was the sacrificing of desire for the desire of another.
That would mean...
’Love is the ultimate lie.’