Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e

Volume 3, Prologue: Chabashira Sae’s Monologue

There are many stories in Greek Mythology that include human suspicions, hatred and jealousy. Have you ever heard about Icarus’ wings? Here a simple summary of it.

Once, in Greece, there was a great inventor called Daedalus. Daedalus was ordered by King Minos to build a labyrinth where the monster Minotaur would have been confined.

However, later, he was forsaken by King Minos and ended up being confined in a tower together with his son Icarus. Daedalus, to escape from the tower in which they were imprisoned, managed to gather all the birds’ feathers he could find, so that he could fabricate bigger wings. The big feathers were fastened with threads, while the small ones with wax.

Soon, the wings were completed and at the request of the son who asked him when they could fly away freely, Daedalus, as a father, warned him: “If you fly too high, the wings that are reinforced with wax will be burnt by the sun and they will melt. Be careful!”.

Icarus, who received such a precious advice, flew away from the tower with his father. Then came the Freedom. But freedom, on some occasions, is a dangerous thing because it makes one lose sight of his own self.

With liberty spreading out before his eyes, Icarus became intoxicated by it. Maybe it was inevitable. It was like a breakthrough from a painful, restrained situation.

Completely fascinated by freedom, he forgot his father’s advice and flew higher and higher. The wing crafted as one of a fake angel was burnt by the sun and the wax melted out in a twinkling of an eye.

Eventually, the false wings were burned out completely. Icarus fell into the ocean and died.

Was Icarus simply a brave man who jumped up in the sky to gain freedom? Or was he an arrogant man who believed he could have reached the sun and just overestimated his own power and capacities? Maybe, except for his own father, no one will ever know.

Now, I don’t know why I was reminded of Icarus’ wings when I found myself in front of a particular boy. Comparing this to various situations, I felt that he’s none other than the closest to that figure. Though, right away I’m made acutely aware that they were both radically different. Because this boy didn’t have the courage nor the arrogance of Icarus.

I was being pressured. I had no other choice but to do this.

There was no other way to deal with it, but to incur the boy’s displeasure.

I couldn’t do anything but to behave firmly and with courage towards the boy who turned his quiet anger in front of me.

I cannot restore a rolled dice to its original position.

Because the bet already started.