Arknights' Lock of Heaven

“Now, the mayor thinks highly of him and has given him such good treatment,” the butler said, scrutinizing Raymond, “yet he’s going to take himself and his mother to their graves for some vague and unfounded principle.”

"I can't understand people like that, can I? What about you?"

“Of course, I can’t understand it either,” Raymond said, adopting an indignant expression. “My family is still crammed into one house, and so many people are already envious of us. The mayor treats him so well, yet he’s so ungrateful. He deserves to die!”

“So,” the butler nodded in satisfaction, smiling at Lemon, “you see, what’s the use of studying?”

"What's the use of a kid from a factory or a back alley graduating from university? He actually did something like this. He must have gone crazy from studying."

Upon hearing this, a look of astonishment appeared in Raymond's eyes.

But the butler continued talking.

"The son of a nobleman will always be a nobleman, and the son of a serf will always be a serf. Just like me, my son, and my grandson will always be the mayor's good steward. In this country, everyone has their place."

Raymond's fingers, hidden beneath his sleeve, suddenly dug into the flesh of his palm.

"That's the reason why Ursus has existed for so many years, don't you think?"

"After all, it's better for people to be content with what they have and be content with their lot."

Upon hearing this, Raymond immediately patted his chest and assured him, "You're absolutely right, sir. Reading really isn't a good thing. When I got home, I burned all of Igor's notes."

“It’s because of these things that he’s become so naive. I don’t want my son to become like that.”

"Otherwise, I wouldn't even know I'd been dragged down by him and died that day."

Hearing his statement, the butler nodded in satisfaction. "It's a good habit to admit your mistakes and correct them. Over the years, there have always been people who overestimate their abilities and try to change the ancient system of Ursus. The more I see it, the more anxious I become."

"Alright, I should go back and report. You guys pack up and leave too, so he doesn't notice anything amiss."

"If he's afraid of dying and doesn't dare to go, you know what to do."

“I understand that Igor is a filial son.”

-

“You…” Lemon, with a dozen thugs, stood at the entrance of the villa, looking at the absent-minded Igor.

I want to speak, but I don't know what to say.

Perhaps before, he had been secretly mocking Igor's choice, but after talking with the mayor's butler, everything changed.

He told himself that one should be content with one's lot and not crave things that are not meant to be. He told himself that climbing the social ladder was wrong, and studying was wrong...

However, when the mayor's son was admitted to a prestigious university in Ursus, and he himself stood like a lackey at the banquet entrance, he couldn't see anything wrong with them thinking that studying was a bad thing.

Ultimately, it's just that they feel people from the lower classes don't deserve to study.

If it weren't for the late emperor and the previous emperor's vigorous promotion of public education, people like myself from the lower classes would truly not be worthy of studying.

Raymond was in his thirties. When he thought about what the butler had said before, he felt a lump in his throat for no reason.

He knew that the butler wasn't trying to make things difficult for him. Yes, he wasn't making things difficult for himself; he just genuinely believed his own ideas were the truth and was condescendingly 'preaching' to him.

He knew himself all too well; he was just a henchman leader. Even if he was respected by some people, he was still nothing in the eyes of the mayor's personal butler.

Even his own superiors had to fawn over him. If it weren't for the mayor needing to do something, he would hardly be able to even speak to such a person.

Who do you think you are to make things difficult for others? They were just saying a few words casually.

But even though he was just saying a few words, Lemon had already decided that when he got back he would burn the notes that Igor had kept from his school days, which he had brought home as treasures.

Not only should it be burned, but it should be burned in a grand and ostentatious manner.

The butler wouldn't make things difficult for him, but those who wanted to curry favor with him didn't care whether he was just saying it casually or not.

The son of a nobleman will always be a nobleman, and the son of a serf will always be a serf.

He looked down at his hands. "Is my son going to be a thug for the rest of his life?"

But what other choice do we have?

Ursus, that's how it is...

Lemon stared at Igor in silence for a long time, wanting to ask something, but with others around, he couldn't speak.

Finally, he left in silence with his people.

There wasn't even a goodbye.

As the sun sets, the two people, who were born on the same street, gradually drift apart.

"..."

"Mom, I..."

After watching the thugs who had kept him under house arrest for so long leave under Lemon's leadership, Igor turned to look at his mother behind him.

His eyes were filled with guilt and hesitation.

My mother is getting old.

She is no longer the fierce mother who could brandish a kitchen knife and argue with people for her sake.

Her hair was completely white.

Her strong spine has bent.

Now that I've returned after completing my studies, I should be letting her enjoy a life of comfort, but instead...

In the east of the city, there was a group of innocent people who came for justice and salvation, but Ursus, their own homeland, greeted them with swords and cannons.

Before him stood his mother, who had worked tirelessly to support him throughout his life.

Struggle and hesitation constantly shifted in his eyes.

But the next second, he saw his mother take out her luggage from behind her back.

"When are we leaving?"

Yes, how could I possibly hide what I wanted to do from the mother who raised me?

"But……"

“But what,” the mother said slowly, “I’ve lived in this city my whole life, don’t I know what kind of person the mayor is?”

"From factories to schools, and even streetlights, when has he ever kept his promises?"

"You don't think that my son and I will be safe just by staying here, do you?"

Seeing his hesitation, his mother said with exasperation, "It's no use saying anything now. If you're not willing to give him a job, how can he possibly allow us to continue living here?"

"Think about it yourself, why didn't they kick us out? Was it because they were kind? Or is it because the mayor has so much money that he can just give away such a big villa?"

"My dear child, even though you've learned a lot, there are still so many things in the world that you don't understand. But that's okay, Mom understands."

"Listen to me, let's go."

362

"So we really should go back sooner."

The Earth Spirit looked at the few grinning thugs in front of her, sighed, then shielded Eyjafjalla behind her, before turning her gaze to Skadi, who had been idling around.

Having wandered around the city for so long, it was just me and Eyjafjalla running around, while Skadi followed silently, carrying that exaggerated greatsword.

It was as if nothing mattered.

Well, the Earth Spirit had heard about this colleague on Rhodes Island, well, some rumors.

How should I put it? It's so exaggerated that I still can't believe it.

However, now it's time to verify.

She watched Skadi's retreating figure with curiosity.

Skadi, however, paid no heed to any of that. Facing seven or eight drunken, foul-mouthed thugs, she simply untied the sword sheath from her back.

"***, have some fun with these old men..."

Before the leading thug could finish speaking, a street lamp by the roadside was smashed in two by a single sword strike.

Yes, smash it, she didn't even draw her sword.

As the streetlight clattered to the ground, the soldier who had reached out to Skadi instantly sobered up.

And so they just stood there awkwardly, wanting to take their hands back in front of their subordinates was a bit embarrassing, but not taking them back might...

But after weighing the options carefully, he withdrew his hand. Why? Because losing face was better than losing his life.

He knew exactly what the streetlights were like in this godforsaken place. In this icy, snowy city, anything less than a robust machine simply couldn't adapt. This was the dock area, and as a mining city, the infrastructure of Ciprini's dock area was top-notch. At least in ordinary civilian streets, well, how should I put it, it's not that there weren't any streetlights, but whether they were lit or not was another matter entirely.

But what if the streetlights in the dock area go out and prevent the men from making money?

Therefore, the streetlights here are particularly robust and durable.

As for why he knew so much...

Because the Sixth Army's discipline was so bad that the mayor of Ciprini complained repeatedly, General Boris, annoyed by the complaints, simply grabbed a few people and hanged them on streetlights to appease them.

One of them was hung up by him.

He knew all too well how sturdy the streetlights were.

Now, looking at the streetlight that had snapped cleanly, and then at the obviously impatient woman in front of him and the exaggeratedly large sword in her hand, he made the clear choice to back down.