Chapter 63: What Does It Mean To Fight?
After the decision had been made, the lady led them back to a weathered cottage in the village center—once the main hall, now their last refuge.
They had spent the day constructing savage wooden fences with razor-sharp edges and building makeshift catapults to hurl stones at distant targets. Though primitive, Lucien found himself impressed.
Seeing so many huddled at the gate, one might think they had all surrendered to despair and chosen to flee, scavenging for scraps within the Federation’s walls.
However, more people were fighting back in the village, and Lucien was deeply impressed by that.
He saw no need to run from challenges like this—in life or in games. Confronting such dangers was the very essence of existence, the reason we live and breathe.
What good is life if everything unfolds exactly as expected?
Lucien hadn’t realized he’d always held this philosophy, but now that he reflected on it, that would explain why he pursued his path despite harboring grudges against his father.
Lucien smiled faintly before stepping into the cottage.
The cottage wasn’t large, but it could accommodate about fifty people. They had created makeshift partitions for families to shelter temporarily.
A choking, foul stench hung in the air. While Lucien wanted to pinch his nose, he refused immediately—that would be unfair to these desperate people.
Gaya, however, frowned and pinched her nose.