"You're at eighty-four percent corruption? That's – you should be completely lost. A monster. How are you even functional?"
"Because corruption isn't what you think it is. It's not degradation into evil. It's clarity. Seeing the world without comfortable illusions, making choices based on actual outcomes rather than moral performance."
Lyristae's voice was calm, rational, completely coherent despite carrying corruption that should have destroyed her humanity.
"I don't go around committing atrocities. I don't hurt people for pleasure or power. I just see reality clearly enough to make the right sacrifices when necessary."
"The right sacrifices," Seria repeated. "Like pushing Damien to corrupt himself for your purposes."
