Oliver wasn't one to consider himself infallible. In fact, he often thought the exact opposite. That humility allowed him to truly understand Root's perspective.
He paused, a few seconds stretching into deep thought.
Finally, with a soft sigh, Oliver spoke.
"If you think I'm being too cruel, then you should catch it."
Root froze, completely blindsided. He'd never expected Oliver to pivot so quickly. His question—about the risks of losing control of the mana beast—had been meant as a gentle nudge, a subtle push towards a different approach. Instead, Oliver had spun on his heel, doing a complete one-eighty, and thrown the responsibility back at him.
To confirm he'd heard correctly, Root stammered, "What do you mean?"
Oliver simply shrugged. "If you think my way is cruel, then catch it in a way that isn't. Can you do that?"
"I…" Root was utterly stumped.