Above The Sky

Chapter 1962 - 10: If Only I Were Also One of the People of Silverpeak

"My limit..."

Marquis Grant now understood what ’wanting it both ways’ meant. He wanted everything in Little Komet to develop naturally, yet hoped the child would have the personality he desired.

But that was impossible. Although Terra didn’t have the saying about a child’s nature being set at three, Komet was clearly not the typical sharp and cautious ’smart person.’ He was an open and slightly untethered child; if he didn’t grow crooked, he might become a bold, big-brother-like figure in the future—just like his grandfather, Harrison Grant, charging at the forefront and dying quickly.

This personality wasn’t bad, but as the heir to the Marquise Family and disciple of Duke of Silverpeak, Komet needed to be more cautious, not causing trouble for his teacher and family, nor dying carelessly.

But was it that simple?

Komet was destined not to naturally grow into the ’wise’ person Ian described... but if he were to be altered, it would be akin to changing Komet’s nature, making him no longer himself...

Marquis Grant held his head, pondering bitterly.

"Learning is transforming oneself."

Ian watched the old superior ahead and said calmly, "Encountering failure and changing due to pain is also transforming oneself."

"Even entering prison and achieving enlightenment might make a habitual criminal abandon past life and be reborn—or utterly fall, becoming a great villain known to history."

"These are all transformations of oneself, a remodeling of self."

"Yet people do not consider this brainwashing... bear in mind that in schools, private schools, under the guidance of teachers like me, an overwhelming flood of information bombarding a child might not be much better than brainwashing."

"Just like the numerous schools and training camps operating in Xiahui City, aren’t they inherently using collectivism, repeatedly indoctrinating through human interaction, resonating, brainwashing them into having a sense of belonging to the Silverpeak Domain, recognizing me, willing to be loyal to me?"

"And for ordinary people, how is this different from my technology?"

"These can’t be considered brainwashing, right..."

Viscount Grant lifted his head, understanding it was Ian’s guidance, and he thoughtfully tried to refute along Ian’s provided reasoning: "These are changes people ’choose’ themselves after experiencing certain things, having insights and ideas."

"Even if following trends, changing one’s idea with popular thought is a kind of subtle transformation... Otherwise, extremity in saying when you communicate with others, if you adopt their opinion, you are brainwashed by them!"

"Why isn’t it brainwashing then?"

Ian questioned back: "When interacting, if you accept someone else’s arguments without your own thoughts—simply because you like the way he talks or his appearance—so easily agreeing with someone’s words and views, not thinking of underlying meanings, of true origin, significance or purpose—immediately agreeing."

"Then why not say, he was simply brainwashed by one statement from another person?"

Having said this, Ian Silverpeak stood up.

A Fifth Energy Level powerhouse, Edge of Perished Sun, Duke of Silverpeak stood before Marquis Grant, and that searing yet overwhelming dark aura engulfed Grant, rendering him incapable of even trembling, completely frozen on the sofa.

[If I issued a command]

Ian’s voice once more: [Would you obey?]

[If you obey, does it mean you’ve been brainwashed by me? Then why didn’t you speak up?]

[If you defy, is it because you’re brainwashed by other strange influences? Why dare you oppose me with Fifth Energy Level power?]

Grant was unable to move.

At this moment, he felt all Origin Quality Spiritual Energy, even Aether around him were seized away, and his Sublimation Organ couldn’t operate, making him a cripple incapable of even moving—a common person would fare worse, as they’d lose even thinking, becoming a zombie.

Grant struggled to turn his head to look at his child but was shocked to find Little Komet unaffected at all, still blinking his sea-blue eyes, looking at the suddenly standing ’teacher’ and the ’father’ fallen into the sofa.

Marquis Grant suddenly understood Ian’s meaning.

"I... understand."

Marquis Grant sighed, "Ian... You are gentler than anyone, more eager for humans to obtain true free will... Nevertheless, for this very reason, in your perspective, our current Terra, the whole Terra, perhaps none can truly pursue their freedom."

He slowly attempted to sit upright, grinding his teeth: "What is truly chosen growth? I see... Well, I comprehend now."

"Ian, indeed your technology requires a child like Komet to experiment, since only such a blank slate child is naturally compelled to ’learn’... and learning is an inevitable duty for children living in human society; they must learn how to enter the adult world, acquire skills and thinking patterns, a not-strictly-defined ’brainwashing’."