Chapter 55: Philosophical Clash: Kant and Raphael's Debate

After the small confrontation, Jacob and the others took the prisoners into the village. The battle was over, but another threat loomed over them...

Looking at the stars, Grace was in her room, letting herself be absorbed by the moonlight that illuminated her. She gazed at the moon and reflected, "Jacob returned different after Paris... Before, he used to avoid talking about our relationship, but now he has completely opened up. To be honest, I'm curious to find out the reason behind this." She pondered while looking at the moon, which seemed to understand her thoughts.

Suddenly, Jacob appeared behind her and hugged her comfortingly. Instead of being surprised, Grace surrendered to his embrace, saying nothing. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and they both admired the scenery together, enjoying each other's warmth.

"Those men, have they obeyed you?" Grace asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. Jacob sighed before answering, "Not yet... It seems that their new leader would rather die than become slaves." His voice sounded tired, as if he had spent days trying to convince the men to join him.

Grace looked at Jacob with a worried expression. "And now? What are you going to do?" she asked, knowing they needed those men to help Jacob reach the top.

Jacob frowned as he thought of a solution. "I'll find a way to convince them that it's worth fighting for me." Grace nodded as if she believed him and said, "I know you will, but I want you to rest today. You're working too hard."

After Grace finished speaking, Jacob responded by lovingly kissing her neck. She felt loved like never before and closed her eyes, surrendering to the moment. But that same question continued to weigh on her mind, and she finally expressed it in words: "After Paris, you came back different. Before, you seemed to be afraid of something, but now you act freely, allowing yourself to use your emotions. What happened?"

Jacob stopped kissing her and looked at her affectionately. He knew Grace deserved an honest answer, so he sighed before starting to speak. "Well, Grace, after everything that happened, I realized that I couldn't continue living in fear. I lost too many things, and I didn't want to live my life anymore being afraid of losing someone else."

He paused for a moment, looking into Grace's eyes. "It was a pivotal moment for me, and I realized I needed to be brave and face my fears. From then on, I started allowing myself to feel my emotions instead of trying to suppress them."

Grace listened carefully to Jacob's words, feeling a deep connection with him. She knew that love was what brought them together, but she also knew that Jacob's ambition would take them to amazing places. "I understand," she said softly. "And I'm glad you decided to, because now we're together and we can face anything together."

Grace's words were like a balm to Jacob, who felt his heart overflowing with love and gratitude for having her in his life.

He hugged her tightly, feeling the warmth of her body and the sweetness of her lips. Jacob smiled at Grace's response and kissed her again, this time with even more passion and intensity. He felt that he had finally found the strength he needed to live fully, and all thanks to Grace's love and support. Grace felt enveloped by the kiss and the emotion emanating from Jacob's body. They pulled away for a moment to look into each other's eyes, and Jacob whispered, "My chains were never physical, Grace. They were always in my mind. But now I'm free of them thanks to you, thank you, Grace."

A tear escaped from Grace's eyes, touched by the sincerity of Jacob's words. She hugged him tightly, feeling a wave of love and gratitude for the man she had in her arms. They stood embracing each other, enjoying the moment of peace and love they were sharing. Jacob knew there was much work to be done, but today, he just wanted to savor this moment and be himself at least once in this world.

Kant was sitting in his armchair smoking a cigar when the door opened and Raphael walked in, covered in blood but not seeming bothered by it. He walked confidently towards Kant, making it clear that he wasn't there to play around.

"Kant, my old friend. You've put me in a rather delicate situation," said Raphael, with a calm but threatening voice.

Kant smiled contemptuously. "And what are you going to do, my young friend? Kill me? I'm not impressed by empty threats."

Raphael ignored Kant's taunts and got straight to the point. "You gave the wrong information about Jacob's location, didn't you?"

Kant laughed out loud. "And you think you can take down Jacob? You underestimate his strength and overestimate your own."

Raphael stepped closer to Kant, staring him in the eyes with intensity. "I don't underestimate anyone. And I will kill Jacob, yes. But before that, I'm going to take care of you."

Raphael pointed a knife at Kant, determined to execute him. But Kant didn't seem to be afraid of his imminent death. He looked at Raphael with a contemptuous smile and said, "Do you think you can kill me? I am a man who lives according to my own principles, I am not afraid of death."

Raphael was surprised by Kant's attitude. "You are a liar, Kant. You lied to me and now you're willing to die for it?" he asked with disdain.

Kant looked at Raphael with an ironic smile on his face. "I am a man of principles, Raphael. I believe that humanity is capable of great feats, but also capable of committing the worst acts. I lied to protect my own humanity. I am selfish, but I am not a hypocrite. I am a man who lives according to his own convictions, and that is something you will never understand."

Raphael fell silent for a moment, absorbing Kant's words. He lowered the weapon and said, "You are a madman, Kant. I will never understand your crazy philosophy."

Kant smiled, knowing that he had managed to get out of the difficult situation he was in. "You will never understand, Raphael. But I still believe in humanity. And that is what makes me continue to live according to my own principles, even if it means lying to protect my own humanity."

Raphael looked at Kant, surprised by his response. "Aren't you afraid to die?" he asked, confused.

Kant smiled ironically. "My dear Raphael, death is inevitable. It's not a matter of being afraid or not, but rather accepting our finitude and seeking to give meaning to our existence while we're alive."

Raphael thought for a moment, pondering Kant's words. "So why did you lie to me about Jacob's whereabouts?" he asked, curious.

Kant sighed before answering. "Humanity is a complex creature, Raphael. We are motivated by an infinity of factors, often contradictory and confusing. I lied about Jacob's location because, at that moment, I thought it was the best for everyone involved."

Raphael frowned. "How was it the best for everyone involved?"

Kant explained, "If I had given you the correct information at that time, you would have gone after Jacob and most likely killed him. And that wouldn't have brought any benefit to anyone. Jacob is an important piece in the game we're playing, and he still has a lot of value to us. So, I lied to protect him."

Raphael pondered Kant's words, understanding that even though human actions may seem selfish or immoral, there is often logic and justification behind them.

Kant continued, "Humanity is a rational creature, but it is also driven by emotions and primitive instincts. Sometimes, it's necessary to lie or manipulate to achieve a greater goal. I don't regret lying to you, Raphael. I did what I thought was right based on the information I had at that moment."

Raphael stared at Kant with a cold look and said, "Even so, you crossed the line, Kant." Kant's expression immediately changed, and his anger flared up. "You can't understand the actions I had to take, Raphael. Humanity is a complicated thing, and I made the decision I thought was best."

"I understand humanity very well, Kant," retorted Raphael, "and I don't tolerate betrayal. You lied to me and put me in a dangerous situation. That's not something you do to a friend, right?"

Kant stood up from his chair, his face red with anger. "I am not afraid of death, Raphael. But you must understand that in a world where people are disposable, truth and trust are more valuable than life itself."

Raphael also stood up, staring at Kant with determination. "I won't kill you now, Kant, but don't forget that you have crossed a line that cannot be erased."

"I follow the old testament, my friend. If you want to kill me, then kill me! But instead of finding petty reasons like betrayal, find honorable reasons, like a true hero!"

The argument between the two became even more intense, with each defending their principles and beliefs. Kant knew that life was fleeting and death could come at any moment, but he was not afraid. For him, the important thing was to live according to his ideals and be true to himself, even if it meant challenging society's conventions.

After hearing the word "hero," Raphael stepped back a little. He had forgotten that before he could be called a human, he was a hero. Sighing, he sat down and asked, "Why do you think Jacob has value?"

[...]

Author's note:

Sorry for the delay...

The reason for this argument was to align the future. But that doesn't mean anything! It was just to avoid possible plot holes.

In the future that Odin predicted, Raphael spared Jacob, meaning Raphael recognized that Jacob had value. Again, this does not mean anything about the future of the story.

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