"so let's imagine...."
Again with the imagination... I thought, but I didn't interrupt.
"A party of nobles is going on. And In that party, a low ranking noble says something to a high ranking one. And it offends him, the high noble."
"And then ?"
I can kind of already see where this one is exactly going.
"Then, the next day, the low rank noble is found dead. And i very much doubt that I have to explain how he died."
"And the question ?"
"Same as before. Who's the sinner ?"
"So it's either the High noble or the low noble or the assassin ?"
"Correct! You have learned your lesson!"
True, If it was The me from Ten minutes ago, he would definitely blame the High Noble. He was the one who signed the death warrant, After all.
"The assassin is out of the question, since he is just a tool for the deed. You can't blame the sword for the cut it made."
"A tool huh... Yeah right, a tool." She said in a low voice. "What about the others then ?"
"It all depends on what he, the low noble, said to upset the high noble. If the low ranking noble threatened the High noble with his family or something else that high noble considers to be extremely precious or sacred, then, I would say... It was very much 'justified'."
She looked at me in silence for a few seconds.
"You know, We are currently talking about a living human life here, Ty. Is a threat, just words, really worth a life ?"
"Morally ? Not at all. Ideally ? Absolutely not. But personally ? Yes, it very much is."
She looks at me with dead eyes as if she is looking at something ... unfamiliar ?
"Sign... I don't know who taught you those things but I don't remember doing such. But..." She said with an exhausted Sign. "It's not such a bad thing to have, exactly. No. It can be considered to be a good thing to have."
I continued my lecture on my own philosophy "different people value different things in their life. If the situation, that I said is right, then the High noble simply cared more about his family than the life of a mere stranger, a rude low rank Noble."
After looking at her expression, i continued "maybe, for him an insult to his family's honor was worth more than a human's life."
"What would you do ?" She asked.
"Hmm ?" I looked at her just to confirm what she said.
This type of question is not something a mother is supposed to ask her kid son, after all, right ?.
Mother shifted her posture. She crossed her one elegant leg over the other, rested her elbow on her knee, and propped her chin on her hand. She leaned towards me, into my space, her eyes boring into mine, refusing to let me look away.
She Continued her statement and asked, not backing off from her question "what would you do in such a situation ? Would you make the same call as the High noble ? Would you trade a life for a word ? Tyler ?"
I stayed silent for a few seconds, thinking what might be a suitable answer before answering her unexpected question.
Honestly, I know the answer to her question, Very well. I might be indecisive at times but when it comes important matter like these, Few are as Decisive as me.
But despite knowing the answer, knowing very well what i might have done in that situation, I can't give her a straight answer with a straight face.
Perhaps it's because of Nick's experiences with his mother but giving the real answer... It feels like, it will leave a bad taste at my mouth.
I can't just say 'I will murder anyone who dares to Slander my Family' with a straight face, right ?
"I told you, right ? It's a matter of value. A matter of priority order." I answered in a round-about way.
She eyes looked at mine, as if to find any trace of falsehood.
"fufu... I see, I see." Mother whispered. She broke the tension with a soft, melodic chuckle, hiding her mouth behind her hand like a true noble lady.
I did not exactly give her a clean answer but I guess, She understood my meaning, at least. And most of all, she seems satisfied with my answer.
And after that, we continued spending our time together, filling it with both meaningful and meaningless chit-chat, banter and bickering. Which continued throughout the rest of our return journey.
By the time the carriage rolled through the Arbutus Palace gates, I was already exhausted as hell. And Once we returned to the palace, I went straight to my room to rest.
After all, I have to keep myself fully recharged.
Tonight, I have to attend, what every single introvert in every single world in every universe, who hates people and crowd, hate, Very much. a room full of people, crowds, and fake smiles. A party of New Year Celebration.
Huu.. It's really not easy to be a prince.
At night,
We stood in the second-floor hallway of the Central Palace's Great Hall—a space so much decorated and Luxurious that it felt like we were in some kind of a jeweler's box.
Getting used to these are not easy.
Mother, the other Queens, and the Princes and princess stood in a rigid, silent line behind the King. I adjusted the cuffs of my royal attire. It was heavy, embroidered with silver thread that seemed to catch the light even in the shadows.
And again i was forced to realise, just how much i hate catchy outfits.
A butler approached, his footsteps muffled by the thick crimson carpet. He bowed so low his forehead nearly touched his knees.
"Your Majesty! It is time."
"Hmm" The King gave a short, sharp nod and looked behind, at us.
The king turned and began to walk toward the massive double doors leading to the Minstrels' Gallery. This was the balcony that overlooked the entire Nave—the heart of the party hall.
A senior butler stood by the doors, his hand already on the gold-plated handle.
The king gave him a final nod and he nodded back in response.
He swung opened the door and in a magically amplified voice, he announced our or rather, His arrival.
"The sole Sun of Our Great Regulus Nation, the true ruler of all humans, My king, our Emperor, Your Monarch, His Majesty Gilbert Roi Regulus has graced us with his presence."
The king crossed the border of the door and stood near the Balustrade, his hands resting on The decorative railing or carved wooden barrier.
He looked down at the first floor, at the nave area, where almost all nobles of the entire nation along with their families were present. He was looking down on them.
That very moment all chit chat and whispering sound stopped. The entire hall went silent due to the arrival of only one single man.