Was It Worth It?

"Say less," said Count Arthur who looked at her carefully with a gentle knowing smile. "You have been going through a lot, Elle. I understand that, I too have lost my family members. They… also died under the hands of other people."

Elle was taken aback and her focus was briefly share to listen to Count Arthur's words. She looked at him, sympathy in her eyes as a fellow person who had lost her family members, "What happened…?"

Count Arthur gave a gaze to Madam Val. The housekeeper who saw the gaze then bowed forward to leave the room, bringing the rest of the maids with them so they could leave now.

Having an emptier place for themselves, Count Arthur started, "Supernatural beings, in the past they aren't as accepted by us humans but that doesn't mean they accept us as well."

Elle knew about it. She had heard how two decades ago, supernaturals and humans fought against each other. Although it is rare these days to see them openly showing their hatred against each other, the hatred for each other sometimes resurface.

"I've heard about it," she responded. "Isn't that is why the church was made?"

"True, the church was made to unify all beings, supernaturals or humans," confirmed Count Arthur. "The church at first are simply those people who worship the saintess, but now they have their organization that protect special rules so the Empire wouldn't crumble."

"But the church was made hundreds of years ago and in one of those rules it's stated that one cannot take the life of other creature under any circumstances."

Count Arthur smiled while looking at Elle's golden eyes, as though he was proud that she had such justice in her heart. He nodded and agreed, "True there is such a rule, but doesn't mean because rules are made, everyone will follow them. I'm sure you understand how easy for humans to kill each other in the slums."

Of course, thought Elle. People kill each other every day and she had seen countless of unnamed bodies lying on the path of slums since she was younger. But she didn't think the people living outside the slum would kill others so openly for the fear of being caught and sentenced to death.

"Are you saying that your family members were killed by supernaturals?" Inquired Elle with a brief of frown between her eyebrows.

Count Arthur looked away from her eyes and stared at the cold floor before nodding his head. "It was my mother, she was killed by a group of werewolves."

Elle felt the stinging pain in her heart, feeling sympathy for her father but at the same time reflecting on how she is also in his position. "Robbers?" She asked with a soft voice.

"No," he shook his head, "There was a man who goes by the name Norman. He condemned my family as they thought the reason for his family's bankruptcy was my parent's fault. Out of anger, hatred, and jealousy, he hired his fellow werewolves to sneak in the darkest of night to take my parent's life. He wanted to kill me too but I managed to survive."

Elle clenched her fist on top of her bedsheet. Her anger was clear in her golden eyes that it almost glisten from the streak of anger, "Why would they… harm other—"

"Humans," sighed Count Arthur, "All creatures in this world, Elle. They will always steal and rob for their own sakes. Nothing is far more selfish than us. That was partly one of the reason why your grandfather disliked the idea of my marriage with your mother. He thought that the poor will resort to anything to be rich, even if it means to kill. He always claim that the poor are disgusting for such behavior but I believe even with the wealthy, there are a lot of them who would kill for their own benefit."

Elle understood that as humans, they will always kill and kill for their own sake, but is one's own happiness worth the misery of others?

She couldn't understand the kind of happiness one will have after robbing it from someone else, thinking of it as selfish and foolish. She hated anyone who would ruin other's life simply for their own happiness.

"I'm sorry I can't offer you any comfort," said Count Arthur, bringing her focus back to him. She blinked and saw the man's face filled with regret even though he hadn't done anything but kindness to her.

Seeing his expression, her heart squeeze.

"But I have a little bit of clue to the reason why the slums was burned," Count Arthur gently placed his rough hand on the top of her fingers, "If you want, after the funeral of your family tomorrow would you like to visit the dungeon with me? We could perhaps find closure to their death."

"Dungeon?" Elle asked with a faint frown.

"It appears that one of the person responsible for the fire is there, of course I will only bring you if you want to meet them," Count Arthur said as though he wanted to give any sort of comfort Elle would need to move on with her life.

Elle had been wanting to know the reason for her family's death. Her eyes were filled with shock and her stomach squeeze in anger and unknown feeling of hatred and ugly despise.

She wanted to have an answer and thought that this was her only chance, "I do," she said hesitant at first and confirmed it again firmer, "I do."

Meanwhile in the other part of the household was Carol. She stepped her pretty pink shoes on the wooden ground, stomping on it hatefully to almost cause a mark inside the floor.

"Get out! GET OUT!!" Her voice echoed through the hallway, chasing out all the servants in her room.

She seethed in anger as she slumped back on the bed, turning away to her mother who looked at her with concern.

Lady Gladys saw Carols' eyes turning red from tears and hugged her daughter to her bosom, "Calm down Carol. Get a hold of yourself! Do you want everyone to see you in such state?"

Carol looked at her mother's eyes with anger, "How could I even care?! Don't you see how all those maids look at me with pity?! They even started calling that little wench 'lady Vernon'! That is my name! That is my right! Father is unfair! He is bewitched by that wench!"

Lady Gladys felt silence. It's not that she doesn't understand her daughter. Hell, she understands Carol's feelings too well that she could feel anger in the back of her head as well.

She didn't want destiny to repeat itself. She didn't want her daughter to fight for Arthur's attention just as she did back when he was still in love with that woman— Elle's mother!!