Cruelty is merely a label we put upon an action we find harmful. Like every word, it is made up.
No word is the thing it points to. Except perhaps the word, "word" itself. Every word I have written is a small lie.
One does not go around licking recipes in order to taste the dish.
Please feel free to get familiar with semantics.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semantics
Now if you have an actual argument for why free will exists, please do argue that. Else, I have said as much as needed.