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CHAIN YOUR ANGER IN THE dark, my mother used to tell me, and it will only thrive.
‘A ladder should not be climbed from the shoulders of others,’ and all that.”
Victims can still be enemies.”
The power to protect is the highest of responsibilities, Diago. When a man is given it, his duty is not only to the people he thinks are worthy.
“Silence is a statement, Diago. Inaction picks a side. And when those lead to personal benefit, they are complicity.”
A fair system only works if there’s an unbiased means of assessing merit. When there is no pride or selfishness involved.” He gives a soft snort, shaking his head. “Which means that fair systems cannot exist where people are involved.”
“Yes! The Academy’s a perfect example of what he talks about: we’re meant to be the brightest of the Republic, but almost all of us here are the children of senators and knights. We’ve been trained, educated, since we could walk. Of course we’re going to be ‘better’ than some fifth son of an Octavus who’s been ceding half his life, just so his family can get by. Especially at tests which are devised by the same people who trained us. Who decide what merit is.”
The Republic rewards people who take, not who deserve.”
“A system built on promise, and therefore on greed,”
The weak and poor endure in the Hierarchy because the alternatives are harder, not because there are none. They know the system is wrong, but they choose not to think or speak up or act because they ultimately hope that in their silence, they will gain. Or at the very least not have to give more than they have already given. They are driven by myopic self-interest and greed just as much as the senators and knights, and it’s as Melior said—you of all people should hate them for that.
The decision may have been made by the few, Diago, but it’s the Will of the many that killed your family.”
Pride and self-respect may mean we never give in, but if they are all our enemies, we will never be happy.”
It is not the strong who benefit in their system, no matter what they say—it is the weak. It is the ones willing to do anything, sacrifice anything, to rise. It rewards avarice and is so steeped in a wrong way of thinking that those within it cannot even see it.”
“I’m going to make sure you burn for this.”
