It doesn't feel right when a practical character just goes "Oh the environment will finish him, I don't have to confirm the kill."
Black is knowledgeable, but it's iffy if he ever had to kill before, even if he had done it before, it probably didn't happen often,
so reasonable to be hesitant/back out of it
Like, it feels worse that the narrative explicitly had him go for it then arbitrarily decide not to
one of our protagonists making an out of character decision.
1. it's
not arbitrary and definitely
not out of character, because he didn't want Solte (the niece he clearly cares about) and Firo to see an extra death, when both are clearly stressed over it
2. another part of the reason is that explained by the invisibility cloak explanation which is literally unnoticeable
Also, keep in mind: black is probably right about blights eating him- it's not napta that's pursuing them, but a strong blight wearing his skin
Sorry, childhood friends.
personally, I think they got what they deserved since they immediately decided to join a group that kills entire villages (and their
own village), when
only one person in the village studied magic.