The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 109

To sacrifice oneself, or to kill another to save many more... This question is fraught with dialectical insincerity. Lloyd gazed quietly at Merlin, feeling he had underestimated this enigmatic alchemist. The weight of Merlin's words far exceeded Lloyd's initial contemplation.

"I'm not saying you must sacrifice yourself, Mr. Holmes. What I desire is for you to make your own decision. Whether you kill another, sacrifice yourself, or choose to bear no consequences by remaining indifferent, I care not. What matters is your decision: what will you do?"

Merlin's response nullified Lloyd's words, transforming the dilemma from a mere question to a profound moral debate. By slightly altering the phrasing, Merlin's meaning became strikingly clear.

Would Lloyd make a decision for the entirety of humanity lying on the tracks? Would he remain indifferent as the monstrous train bore down, or would he sacrifice others to halt the demonic advance, or place himself on the tracks to battle the fiends to the bitter end? Could Lloyd, for humanity's sake, break free from moral constraints, even from his own?

Lloyd took a deep breath, finding the conversation increasingly intriguing. He then responded, "I'd push the unfortunate soul onto the tracks."

"You mean to survive by sacrificing another, correct?"

The train roared past, and Lloyd shoved the hapless man into its path, resulting in a gruesome scene. The man was innocent, guilty only of being near Lloyd. Thus, he perished, saving the remainder of humanity, causing the demonic train to slow. But was it truly that simple? Why him? Why must he be the sacrifice? No one asked his opinion, yet he died all the same.

Ethically, it was Lloyd who killed the man, deciding his fate. Lloyd nodded resolutely, while Merlin appeared somewhat puzzled. He asked, "Sacrificing others to save yourself, Mr. Holmes, this choice hardly inspires trust. But I assume you have your reasons for such a decision. Care to elaborate?"

"It's simple: I have greater value."

Lloyd's tone was icy, as he earnestly conversed with Merlin. "If someone must be sacrificed, let it be determined by value. I survive, he dies."

"And why do you believe your value surpasses his?"

"Because I can make the decision."

Lloyd reiterated, looking at Merlin with a contemptuous smile. "Whether it's you, Arthur, or those higher-ups behind you, if placed in this scenario, you too would be the one pushing someone onto the tracks. The victim could be Beryl, or Lancelot."

"In the end, decisions must be made, and someone must bear the anguish and guilt of those decisions. I believe I'm better suited to make such decisions than to be sacrificed."

"Decisive, ruthless, emotionless—the decision-maker embodies these traits. Human lives are mere numbers, sacrificed to maximize the survival of the greatest number."

"Therefore, I must survive. Only someone like me can coldly push the innocent onto the tracks to ensure humanity's continuation and the demons' silence."

Lloyd's face softened slightly as he continued, "Rather than a series of noble leaders sacrificing themselves, which sounds grand but is ultimately foolish."

A prolonged silence followed. Arthur began clapping slowly, with a look of both appreciation and kinship. Merlin's voice, like grating metal, broke the silence.

"A wicked answer, sounding like the villain in a story, but in truth, this is reality. Absolute logic, absolute decision-making."

A raspy laugh, like mourning crows, echoed for the corpse on the tracks. "Often, righteous actions do not yield good results, but wickedness can sometimes bring the greatest justice."