Mercy means little when nothing was actually owed.

Mercy is only meaningful where something could rightly have been demanded and was not. If there was no debt, no wrong, and no claim, then what is offered is not mercy but simply ordinary decency renamed. Calling it mercy quietly inserts a debt that was never there and puts the other person in a position they did not earn.

Watch for generosity that comes with an implied ledger. If you are offering something, offer it. If you are forgiving something, be clear about what.