Chapter 403
Rattan felt a chill run down his spine. Chief’s words were heavy with despair, a complete surrender to their fate. But something within Rattan refused to accept that. He looked at the scattered pieces of the gauntlet, then back at Chief, a spark of defiance igniting within him.
"But... if we don’t try," he said, his voice small but firm, "then what’s the point? If we just give up, then they’ve already won." He picked up a small gear, turning it over in his fingers. "Even if these are just toys, maybe... maybe we can find a way to make them more than that. Maybe we can find a way to use them in a way they never intended."
He looked up at Chief, his eyes filled with a newfound determination. "I know it seems hopeless," he said, "but I have to try. I have to believe that there’s something we can do." He paused, then added in a softer tone, "Even if it’s just to prove them wrong."
Chief, seeing the innocent, almost naive look on Rattan’s face, shook his head sadly. If he were the ratman he once was, he would have been heartened by the boy’s motivation, eager to nurture his enthusiasm and share his knowledge. But the experiences he had endured had hardened him, leaving him fearful of leading another down the same path of destruction. No matter how difficult Rattan’s current life was, it was far preferable to the fate that had befallen his people.
"Quite arrogant of you, boy," Chief said, his voice laced with a deep weariness, "to think we haven’t already considered all of this."
Rattan’s eyes widened in surprise. He had expected resistance, perhaps even dismissal, but not this direct confrontation. "Then... what happened?" he asked, his curiosity outweighing his apprehension.
To his surprise, Chief actually answered. "I happened, boy," he said, his gaze distant, lost in the memories of the past. "And that should be enough of an answer for you." He watched as the light dimmed in Rattan’s eyes, the spark of hope flickering and threatening to extinguish.
Chief continued, his voice heavy with regret. "I don’t know about the other ratman underground caverns, but in my part of the world, we did everything you’re talking about. We dedicated ourselves to improving our tech, to proving the empire wrong. But it all amounted to nothing. All we learned, in the end, was that we should have accepted the empire’s ’grace.’ But by then, it was too late."
He paused, a dark shadow passing over his face. "In our fervor to increase our power, our standing, the so-called ’enemy’ of the empire managed to get their hands on us. It pains me to admit this, but with the help of the empire’s enemy, we indeed advanced our technology to a level where it was no longer seen as mere toys or tools."