The Array Lord's Inheritance (7)

Under different circumstances, it might be beneficial to have prior experience, but in this case it was a restriction. Even if the test only required an answer that was worth six out of ten marks, Shui felt obligated to go for the perfect ten because if he couldn't be convinced by his answer, then he wouldn't believe the young man would be either.

Shui took his time to recall the young man's life story. Although it started as a tragedy, it was pleasant for the most part. Unfortunately, the source of that pleasantness was dead. Shui tried to find anything else that was linked to the young man's joy, but could only think of his research. However, he knew from experience that one would curse their own talents if it failed them in their time of need. The arrays he made had all worked as intended, but it didn't change the fact that it hadn't been enough.

Shui couldn't think of anything that the young man could draw hope from, so he chose to pick at his hastily-formed scab first.

"...Do you remember, the day you two first met? You were alone and at the brink of death, you probably only had a faint idea of what had happened. Still, you knew that there was no chance for help to come, and you couldn't move anymore, so the end seemed obvious. You might not have even thought you would be able to open your eyes again, but you did.

You found yourself lying on a bed, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, wary of the unknown woman who cared for you. Even then, you were glad, weren't you?"

The young man reacted by slightly nodding his head.

"She started as a stranger, but her warmth melted your worries away. Once you believed you were safe, dreams of that night plagued you, but her embrace was there for you to cry into. You wondered if it was okay for you to accept her care even though you weren't her child, but eventually you surrendered to her love."

Shui continued to recount the young man's life while sharing his perspective on it. As the young man joined him on this nostalgic journey, the wall of his heart weakened against the wave of memories crashing against it. He didn't want to accept it, but as he remembered every memory he had of her, the realization that there would be no new memories grew stronger. He could have stopped listening and continued rejecting the truth, but it appeared his heart was tougher than that. Even if he wanted to ignore it, now that the lid on his memories was gone, the process couldn't be stopped anymore.

Midway through his reminiscence, a tear dropped from his right eye. The first tear led the charge for the rest that poured out of both eyes like waterfalls. It was a good sign, and since he could sense the house he was in begin to fade away, Shui knew that the test was over.

"You have perfectly completed the sixth test."

Out of nowhere, Shui found someone in a high-quality, loose, white robe standing next to him. They were a few inches taller than him with a slender build. Their face was hidden by the darkness that began to surround them, but based on the voice they appeared to be male. Shui was about to greet this person, but they raised their wrinkly hand to stop him.

"If you mean to speak, then stop. This is only a prerecorded message."

It was oddly perfect timing, but it seemed to be true so Shui closed his mouth. The person then lowered their hand and moved on with the message.

"What you just witnessed was the early life of one of the most brilliant Array Lords of my time. After this event, he travelled to the capital to advance his research and eventually set the standard for medical array techniques. Thanks to him, damage during the times of chaos was greatly reduced, so there was a splendid statue built in his honour, though I don't know if it has survived in your time. The story of his background was a popular topic when his name first gained fame, and I noticed that the opinions that others had on his life was quite indicative of their personality, so I used it to test my potential successors.

To be honest, for most of my years, I spent little time concerning myself with the morality of others. To me, there were only enemies and allies, and there was no need to create any new categories. However, as I began to imagine my successor who be born in the distant future, I wondered what they would be like.

I wouldn't bat an eye from across the stars if they became a villain that brought the world to its knees, but I despised cowards. I would care little if they kept themselves in obscurity to perfect their techniques, but it would irk me if they allowed others to disparage my work without providing comeuppance. Even if they laid not a finger on my inheritance after earning it, I would be satisfied as long as they left it for future generations.

I know not whether the type of successor I seek will truly be fit to complete my work, but I at least hope they will be a person I can be proud of."

With those last words, Shui sensed the end of the test, but as he felt himself being moved to the next area, he bowed in respect.

Emily's solution to the test was more bold. She couldn't emphasize with the young man as much as Shui, but she also understood the pain of being alone. However, she didn't think any words she could produce would be of help, so she chose the most direct approach she could think of.

Emily wrapped her arms around the young man and pulled him into her embrace. He put up a weak resistance at first, but then she softly whispered into his ears.

"It's okay, no one else can see you. You don't have to hold back. This is your private space, so you can scream and shout as much as you want."

The young man stopped his arms from pushing her away and let them hang loosely from his shoulders. Emily's chest wasn't as bountiful as his mother's, but it possessed a similar warmth that awoke him from his stupor. Shortly after, Emily felt a cold wetness over her chest, but she hugged him tighter.