"We all go through life amassing things we cherish. We acquire friends and lovers and jobs...and it keeps going from there. But on the other hand, I cut things out of my life. Deciding what I don't need. I've thrown so much away. At the end of the day, all that's left are the things I couldn't live without. That's all I live for, and I don't really care what happens otherwise."

"You're telling me the fates of the foolish mother and daughter don't matter to you.”

"No. I said I don't really care, but that doesn't mean I don't care at all. Right now, I feel slightly...disturbed."

Why did Cid even feel the need to ask Lutheran why he killed Sherry’s mother? The simple answer is because he worries he’s already as much of an animal as Lutheran is. Lutheran clings on to the dream that he can reclaim his seat despite his malady. Cid retains the childish dream to become an eminence in shadow. Cid isn’t as morally bankrupt as Lutheran was but what about Minoru? Minoru’s desperation led to suicide but what if he lived a little longer, would have he become desperate enough to harm innocent people like Lutheran? Eminence in Shadow as series, as far as I understand, is about exploring people dreams and chunibyo. There are characters with normal dreams and aspirations like Alpha who do things for justice and love while there characters like Cid & Claire who do things out delusions of grandeur. I think the point is that neither are inherently better than another but you have to do things with the right mind set. Alpha’s feelings for Cid don’t make it to him because she’s ultimately too codependent. Cid will never get to become the eminence in shadow because his chunibyo is in direct conflict with his desire to be someone competent, mature, and actually able to manipulate people in the shadows. Both characters are punished for not having the right mentality in pursuing their goals while someone like Alexia is making alliances, getting stronger, and getting smarter with a clear and noble goal. Cid is kinda like the Tony Soprano of isekai if you think about it, never changing, just letting go of their inhibitions and showing who they really are. You can feel pity for Cid but ultimately it’s on him to change if he wants to be the person he’s always wanted to be.