User blog comment:Derax-Pagani/Fairy Tail Chapter 494: The Hill Extending Towards Tomorrow Review/@comment-130.105.225.146-20160718071801/@comment-25111584-20160718140035

Well, if we want to be technical, by compromising with Invel rather than standing his ground or letting Invel have his way, Zeref is being cruel. Being frozen solid yet remaining alive is arguably far better than retaining consciousness yet having your ability to formulate rational thoughts stolen from you and then being shown a scene that causes you great despair. Doesn't help that any halfway decent soldier would expect Mavis to have sinister plans as far as the Empire is concerned (and she actually does), so Zeref is kinda being an arrogant dumbfuck (the trait we've all been berating the Shields for) for not letting Invel do his thing.

All completely technical, of course. Mashima is obviously does not mean Zeref to be seen this way and the fandom understands this well enough. ._./