Talk About the Devil

Right as I had been passing the corner, I saw my dearest ex-fiance, Edward, who solemnly stood in front of the hallway as if awaiting my arrival. He had his arms crossed, with one foot leaning against the wall. He glanced at me, then flung his head away in disgust.

"I've waited longer than I expected, I was worried you wouldn't come," he voiced out.

Agnes stopped moving. Her attention was also caught by the sight of this unexpected man. Her eyes were filled with confusion and apprehension, but all was overshadowed by the great hatred—though it may have been that she always looked that way.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know we had an appointment," I said, and then grabbed my dress by the hems and curtsied.

The Prince approached me. "There's something I'd like to know," he said, "how did you manage to return?"

I cracked my neck and licked my lips. "Let's make it give and take then. Coincidentally, I myself have some questions as well." I ran my hand through my hair, revealing my face still refined by make-up. "To answer your question, by using what God has provided me, I guess?" I pointed at my head and smiled a smile that reached my eyes. "More importantly, I want to know—"

"I don't want any excuses, I want to know what evil trick you used to deceive everyone into thinking you are a respectable lady." He brushed my hands aside and came even closer, disrupting my personal space. "I want to know how you dared to enter this world again, with all the sin you carry?"

". . . That's not how an equal exchange works."

"I, Edward, will always support what is just, but I think you owe me an explanation for all the things you have done." The prince stared down at me, placing emphasis on every syllable, as if he feared I would not understand. "I will decide on whether or not I answer your questions, after you have answered all of mine."

"Is that so? Then why don't you tell me what it is that I have done wrong?"

Edward clicked his tongue and glared at me with unbridled abhorrence. His contempt for me was obvious. "You, what right do you have to be an Archduke? If you ask me, there's nothing noteworthy about you. Have you already forgotten? Do you need me to remind you of all the wrongdoings you have committed?"

So this was the man I had come close to marrying? I thought he was supposed to be kindhearted; though I suppose I could not evaluate a prince based on my own values. "Isn't that just what you believe? I don't recall you ever asking for my opinion, no?"

He scoffed. "If I cannot trust my own sister, then who else can be her pillar of support? I don't know about your values, but I believe family to be of most importance," he continued, "let's put yourself in my shoes—Would you trust the superficial girl who shows no human compassion, or your own kin that has been with you since birth?"

I clicked my tongue and said, "So your own judgement is all based on prejudice?" The more he continued, the more annoyed I got. It was hard to pinpoint the exact feeling, it was like a rash that I couldn't scratch. Unknowingly, I squinted my eyes and my lips contorted into a grin. "You gave up on me because of that? Did you ever wonder about my intentions? Did you ever seek what I thought? All this time, did you ever consider that maybe I wasn't the person you believed me to be?"

He stopped me from continuing by holding out his hand. There was no emotion in his eyes as he said, "Enough, I told you, I won't answer your questions. No matter what you say and what temptations you lay before me, my convictions will not waver." His tone remained calm; he ended the topic, like it was never one worth talking about—No, in his eyes, that may really be so. For what Agnes trusted to be fair and right, Edward had never believed in, thus there was no reason to discuss what had already been answered a long time ago.

Anguish stabbed into my heart, or rather, it may not have been me that felt this emotion, but the one I was sharing this body with. I slowly breathed in through my nose exhaled from my mouth, like a deflated balloon. I repeated this calming motion and regulated my warring thoughts, steadily. "I have no further questions," I told him, and turned around. I did not engage further, because the issue suddenly appeared pointless to me. I did not engage, because it appeared there remained something in his attitude, a color of willful ignorance towards my plight, enough to paint all the walls this mansion carried.

"Hold on, I wasn't done talking yet," he commanded me and stopped me from walking. "You can't just leave like that. The least I ask is for you to show some decency and basic respect."

I glanced over my shoulder. "What subject remains to be discussed?"

"Do you plan to continue interfering with my life? Do you know how much I have suffered due to your actions?" Edward held his head. "For the past few years, without doubt, I know you the best. I know all of your sides; Though you may trick my father, it won't work on me. So, what are you planning?"

"It already has nothing more to do with you." I waved my hand and turned around.

"Wait." He reached out and grabbed my arm. "Will you also attend the meeting of the Archdukes?"

The night-sky brought silence to the hall. It displayed a heavy contrast to only an hour earlier, when many nobles came to enjoy the merry atmosphere of the rarely held festival. Now, it was more like a heavy courtroom, with a knife cutting through the noise, entering a dimension only for the two of us.

"So what if I am? What's it to you?"

"It has everything to do with me! It's because I made the mistake of letting you go that you are now able to make a mess like this." His head shook in disapproval. "Just accept your fate, won't you? Father will find out sooner or later anyway, so it's better now for you to plead your guilt and accept lighter punishment, than to drag this out, don't you think?" He looked at me with pity, like some all-accepting deity, reigning judgement on a lowly being like myself. His face, at that moment, reminded of the King a little.

"Hoh. Are you saying my sins are yours to bear?" I laughed out. "Will you die for them like another person I know? How gracious, I recommend Crucifixion."

The prince's eyebrows shot up. "Die? What nonsense are you spouting? I think you have something confused here." He crossed his two index-fingers forming an 'x'. "In your eyes it may be that you are overcoming me, but the truth of the matter is that you are only a challenge my Sister and I need to overcome to grow stronger and more noble."

"His majesty really lives a sorrowful life, having someone like you as their child," I said. "It is like you embody everything he is against. If only you thought for a little. . . no, actually, never mind. As expected, there's no use talking anymore."

"What do you possibly know about my father?" He caught me by my shoulder and yanked me toward him. His eyes were blazing and his grip turned a tad stronger. "You are just a spoiled brat that's been pampered. Your marriage was a blessing from your family, yet you shirked your duty as a woman. You should be ashamed of yourself!" He gnashed his teeth in a display of resentment.

"Hᴏᴡ ᴅᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ!" Agnes screamed, faster than my thoughts were allowed to revolve. She, who had always been silently listening while following my tricks, had for once, interrupted my words.

"That's news to me," I said calmly.

At the same time, the floating Agnes reached out for the prince's neck, but her hands only went through, not even leaving a single mark of her presence other than causing him a slight shiver. "Yᴏᴜ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ" she said in a voice so filled with malice, it almost sounded like she hissed. "Dᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ I ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ? Wʜᴀᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴇ? Wʜᴀᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ᴡɪʟʟ? Sᴀᴄʀɪғɪᴄɪɴɢ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇs ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ—sᴛᴏᴘ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴊᴇsᴛᴇʀ!" Still, no matter what she said, her voice would never reach Edward.

The man continued, unbridled by the vengeful spirit of his old fiancee. "What a bunch of nonsense. You are from a proud nobility, and despite reaping all its benefits, you refuse when duty calls; An insult to everything the household has invested in you."

"Wʜᴀᴛ ʙᴇɴᴇғɪᴛs? Mʏ ᴄᴏᴜsɪɴs ʙᴜʟʟʏɪɴɢ? Tʜᴇ sᴄᴀʀs ʟᴇғᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sᴘɪᴛᴇ? Sʜᴀʟʟ I ʙᴇ ɢʀᴀᴛᴇғᴜʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴍɪʀᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀs ɴᴀᴍᴇ? Dᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋғᴜʟ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇss ᴍʏ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ?" Her voice turned rough from yelling. Her face of scorn emitted a rare pained flicker, but it was swept away by the many waves of hate. "Wʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ʙᴜɴᴄʜ ᴏғ ɴᴏɴsᴇɴsᴇ," she said aloud. Her arms fell down and she looked at the sky. At last, she could not help but chuckle lightly—the sound almost non-existent.

"Look, I don't know what exactly you want from me, nor do I have a right to judge who is correct," I shook my head and lamented. "Knowing 'me', I'm sure my behavior was not without faults. I suppose it is your freedom to believe what you want." I laughed. "However, remember this," I slapped his hands away and stared at him with cold eyes—a shudder far greater than from Agnes' ghostly touch ran through him, "do not intrude on my own freedom."

The prince shrank back with his shoulders tucked in. A light sense of shock overwhelmed him, but he swiftly recomposed himself. He straightened his clothes and closed his eyes. A rare silence entered the conversation. "I'm beginning to understand why you deem this conversation pointless."

I laughed. "Oh? Seems like you can do it if you actually try."

He ignored my taunting. "Will you stay alone from now on or are you going to involve others in your reckless dealings?"

"Will you leave when I tell you?"

He paused before replying. "That depends on the answer."

"Hmm." I scrutinized him—to see what he was up to—but he remained silent, only waiting for an answer. "This question, I wonder what the right answer would be?"

He still showed no reaction. His eyes stayed unwavering, a total opposite to his previous state.

I sighed. "Fine then, I will answer seriously for once. It doesn't matter how many companions you collect. In the face of a great trial, true courage only shows when you are alone—anything else is meaningless." I gestured at my head. "You can remember that; And you can also tell this to the girl hiding around the corner." I nudged my head at the silent hallway.

I saw genuine surprise reflected on his face. He narrowed his eyes into two slits, and in a cautious tone he asked me, "How did you realize?"

"You came to talk to me without having any intention of holding a conversation. Clearly, you do not want to be here—yet you are. Given my meager understanding of you, this conversation should have ended long before our skirmish. For someone as good-natured as you, it would not be kind to fight a lady, after all, even if the lady in question was me. Thus, I can only believe there is another lady who is currently in much more need of kindness than me." I paused and waited for him to refute me. Nothing came. "I've said it once before, I'm rather skilled at reading the hidden intentions of people in conversation."

"So you too have learned one or two things since you've been gone." He sighed and then turned around. "It's fine to come out."

Peeking around the corner was the head of a black-haired girl with gentle blue eyes. Most notable, would be the collar around her neck and a flushed face. Both her hands remained on the wall and she seemed frightened to even take a step forward.

With a smile, I waved at her. "Oh dear, talk about the devil indeed~"