“A maid named Derena…? Could it be that the maid in the palace was the arm and leg of the power that aimed for your life?”
Ruth displayed a momentarily puzzled look upon my request, then soon set his face into a chilly, firm expression. To an outsider, it might seem as though I had committed a grave offense against him, given the sharpness of the emotion etched onto his face.
However, sitting right in front of him, I felt nothing much. Because I knew all too well that those feelings were not directed at me. Instead, I was busy trying to suppress a smile, grateful that Ruth was listening to my story and getting angry on my behalf.
“Yes. That woman had definitely said before that she was the source of the rumors circulating among the palace maids. And upon investigating the maids who were spreading bad rumors about me, I found out that it was Derena who had been spreading them.”
“That woman?”
“Ah, the person who was communicating with the forces trying to kill me through a communication device in the library before. She was dressed as a maid. Her height was about… half a span shorter than me?”
“Why didn’t you convey such important information properly at the time?”
“I was out of sorts. And I was also under a lot of mental distress.”
“……”
As if he had lost words to my excuse which wasn’t meant to be an excuse, Ruth, while touching his chin, swept up his sunlit hair with his well-shaped fingers. Then, his neat eyebrows hidden beneath his bangs were momentarily revealed before disappearing again.
“Anyway, so we just need to find out information about a maid named Derena and the family backing her?”
“I’ve already asked Isabella for information on the maid Derena. Your Highness, please just find out which family she’s allied with. I don’t want to touch what comes after, so it would be great if you could handle how to deal with that family and Derena afterward.”
“Alright. Good. Then step back from this matter, my lady. There’s nothing to gain from coming face to face with those trying to kill you.”
“Yes.”
I nodded in agreement to Ruth’s assertion, leaving a brief reply. Then, I brought up the next topic.
“Lastly, I visited Sir Cedrics and Duke Draight today.”
“Ah, was that today?”
“Yes. I actually wanted to visit a bit earlier, but Sir Cedrics said he was busy with family matters. So, I managed to make some time and went today.”
“There wasn’t anything dangerous, was there? As you know, people cornered physically or mentally often can’t tell right from wrong.”
“Fortunately, nothing happened, but I felt a bit strange.”
“Hmm? Why?”
I initially intended to only recount the conversation I had with the Marquess Dright, but somehow, being in front of Ruth, I unexpectedly found myself spilling my innermost thoughts.
I wonder if it’s okay to speak my mind. Will he think I’m strange?
I looked at Ruth, who seemed to encourage me to speak, and swallowed dryly. Then, after taking a shallow breath, I slowly started.
“At first, I thought Marquess Dright was the scum of the earth for killing several vulnerable people, including the eldest son of the Harvest family. I believed he was someone who could never be rehabilitated and should rot in jail for life.”
“So, in other words, you thought he was what we often call ‘evil.'”
“Yes, exactly. But today, after talking with Marquess Dright about a painting called ‘Love’ that I saw in the casino… somehow, my hatred for him seemed to shrink.”
“Why?”
“It crossed my mind that he’s also human, a foolish thought, I guess. Even though I vowed never to forget his heinous crimes as long as he was a prisoner in the dungeon. It’s quite funny, isn’t it?”
I also didn’t understand why I felt this way, and thought it was funny how perspectives could change in an instant, so I assumed Ruth would think so too. Hence, bracing myself for some harsh words, I clutched my dress tightly.
But contrary to my expectation, the response I got from him was unexpected.
“Um… no. I think it’s very human.”
“Human?”
“There are three things you need to keep in mind. First, you were not directly harmed by the murder committed by Duke Dright. So, the hatred you feel towards Duke Dright stems only from the fact that he violated fundamental morals.”
“…”
“Second, humans cannot be perfectly divided into good and evil. Every human has both good and evil within them. It’s just a matter of which one they pursue more or which one they cannot suppress. So, even though you may see Duke Dright as ‘evil’, you must not forget that there is also ‘good’ in him.”
Ruth continued, lifting his index and middle finger in turn, and slightly curved his eyes as if to indicate that his intention in saying this was not to scold me, but to comfort me.
Listening to his words, I gently bit and then released my lower lip. Standing in front of Ruth, who delved into realms I hadn’t fully grasped in an instant, made me feel somewhat diminished.
The moment I barely managed to relax my shoulders that were about to hunch, Ruth raised his pinky finger for the last time.
“Lastly, third, the lady is also human. This means, your balance can tilt at any time, your perspective can twist at any time, and your thoughts can also grow at any time. Isn’t it that human beings are inherently fickle?”
“That’s… right.”
“So, what I want to say is this. The feelings you are experiencing right now are very natural, and they are not wrong but just different from before.”
The feelings I am experiencing right now are very natural, and they are not wrong but just different from before.
I repeated what Ruth had said and laughed without being able to cry. That was it. The reason I felt strange, the reason I felt anxious, the reason I felt relieved, it was all because of this. The inner change.
But regarding someone else, I might not have thought so, but it was about the young Duke Dright… Was the inner change I felt upon hearing his situation truly worth it?
As I was feeling dejected with this sudden realization and doubt, Ruth completely emptied his teacup and then asked in a moist voice.
“Miss. May I ask you just one thing? Do you think the young Duke Dright is entirely innocent?”
“No. That’s not it. He’s a heinous criminal who will be remembered through the ages for only targeting the weak.”
“Do you think that the reason Duke Dright became what he is, is entirely his fault for being evil?”
“…No. He just became evil to survive. It was the situations around him that trampled on the goodness within him.”
“Then, in conclusion, what kind of person do you think Duke Dright is, in your opinion?”
“Pitiable and human. At the same time, he is a weak person who pursued evil simply for such reasons, different from others.”
As he sincerely answered questions whose aims were unclear, a crescent-shaped smile appeared on Ruth’s lips.
“Right. That’s all we need. You don’t have to worry anymore, miss.”
Ah.
Really, at the moment Ruth’s words, filled with intangible certainty, put a period to it, my mind cleared as though it became a blank piece of paper. All the wandering thoughts in my head were washed away. Then, it felt as though the world had changed, like it had been drenched in a heavy downpour.
As I stayed in that state, Ruth suddenly checked his body clock and started speaking.
“Ah. Is this the end of our conversation?”
“Yes. But, have I taken up too much of your time?”
“Not at all, but it’s getting close to the time I’m supposed to meet Duke Dright. I think it’s time we got up.”
“Understood. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me so readily despite my sudden visit, Your Majesty.”
“Not at all. By the way, soon I will send you a custom-made dress that you will wear at the birthday party of the Duchess of Abyss. This time, really take a good rest, understand?”
“Yes, I will.”
“Good, then.”
Hearing my voice more animated than before, Ruth let out a hearty laugh and stood up. Then, he slowly walked to the door of the office and firmly grasped the doorknob.
“Let’s meet again next time. Take care.”
***
Following Ruth’s advice, I took a few days off to fully rest. During this time, a dress from Ruth arrived. The dress featured a design resembling the night sky, with a mix of navy and purple in an off-shoulder style. Its hem moved like waves whenever I moved, and the color faded to a lighter shade towards the bottom. The hem was further embellished with diamond pieces that strongly caught the eye.
Additionally, inside the gift box with the dress, there were matching navy shoes, a small headpiece made of diamonds, and earrings. Whether Ruth chose them himself or not, it was clear they were the work of someone with a keen sense of aesthetics.
“So beautiful…”
“It’s incredibly pretty!”
While admiring the dress, Isabella and I burst into admiration at the same time and shared a moment of laughter. Having dealt with troubling matters recently, I felt exceptionally light-hearted and joyful.
After taking a closer look at the dress in detail, I put it back in the box and instructed Isabella to place it in the dress room. Then, I gently sat down in an armchair, propped my chin, and observed the world that seemed to have newly sprouted leaves.
In my mind, the rapidly flowing time reminded me that the trial of Duke Dright was already approaching tomorrow.
