Chapter 17: The Flexibility of Justice

Chapter 17:
The Flexibility of Justice

 

“HM…?” Claudia asked.

“It’s nothing.” Yulan’s muttered curse didn’t reach Claudia, or maybe the prince decided to ignore it. Yulan scowled as he thought about what happened the other day—he wished he could just forget. More than that, he wished he could erase the memory from Violette’s mind.

Claudia must have noticed the change in Yulan’s mood, because he suddenly seemed nervous. Despite just wanting to put all this behind him, he couldn’t leave it alone. He had to know if Claudia was really oblivious to what had happened.

“Did you do the right thing that day?” Yulan asked. Did Claudia really think he’d done right when he stepped in to help Maryjune? In a perfect world, it would’ve been an inspirational story…but that was a fairy tale.

Claudia looked even more puzzled at the question. His thoughts were clear on his face—he obviously believed he was right, and it hadn’t even occurred to him to question it until now. Maybe it was purity, or maybe just shortsightedness…maybe he was so used to only seeing the beautiful parts of life that he truly believed the world could be split neatly into good and evil. Claudia would offer protection to anyone he could. That was an uncomplicated truth in his mind—surely it was honorable and praiseworthy, right?

“When you leapt to Maryjune’s defense, were you really doing it for her?” Yulan asked.

“What are you trying to say?” Claudia’s face darkened, but Yulan couldn’t tell if it was from doubt or anger. He clearly still hadn’t grasped the point. Yulan would have to spell it out.

“When you defended her, you also shoved her into the limelight. She’s a beautiful young woman, too new to the aristocracy to have friends or allies, and now she’s grabbed the attention of the prince…every jealous suitor you have will want to take her down.”

“That’s…” said Claudia.

“Normally, the duke bloodline would protect her…but, well, you know how they view the children of mistresses.”

Claudia sucked in a breath, but Yulan spoke first.

“You saved her once, but you also made her position much more dangerous.”

In a fairy tale, Claudia’s actions would’ve been wonderful, but that only worked if you closed the book right after.

“Even if you could go back in time and decide not to intervene, the outcome would still be the same. She’s too new to know how to conduct herself in the face of that sort of opposition,” Yulan continued. Every action has roots in the past and tendrils that worm their way into the future. Maryjune’s future was still up in the air, but judging by what Yulan saw the day before, he doubted she’d be good at handling spite or passive-aggressive barbs. Righteous declarations had their place, but aristocrats were expert backstabbers.

“When you jumped to her defense, you robbed her of a chance to learn to fend for herself in this world. The lives of nobles and commoners are more different than you realize.” As royalty, Claudia constantly thought about his subjects, tried to focus on their needs and fears, the good and the bad. But that wasn’t the same as putting himself in their shoes—he couldn’t fully understand.

“In the short term, you rescued her, but I wonder whether your actions will bring her more pain in the future,” Yulan sighed. He knew Claudia didn’t intend to hurt Maryjune, but he’d caused her hurt, nonetheless. Claudia had done a good deed, but was it right?

 

***

 

The prince bit his lip, speechless. His fist was clenched hard by his side, and an unpleasant creaking sound escaped his throat. He thought vaguely that he should stop before his nails pierced the soft skin of his palms…but the pressure was the only thing stopping awful feelings from swallowing him whole. Yulan’s words had rushed into his mind and swarmed like angry wasps in his stomach. Claudia knew he had to face this feeling, but it already felt like a blade had buried itself in his heart.

Justice was simple and obvious, and it was easy to have faith in it, to use it to guide him. But if what Yulan said was true, justice wasn’t strong, fixed steel; it was as malleable and changeable as a lump of clay. He’d always seen his form of justice as universal, but was that true? Did everyone have a personal form of justice inside them?

That was too much for Claudia. His heart was too rigid to hold such a major contradiction. He didn’t have time to digest a completely different value system.

“Then…what should I do?” Claudia asked.

At the party, should he really have abandoned Maryjune to her merciless persecutors for her own sake? He just couldn’t do that. Even if Yulan was right and Claudia’s actions had spurred even more attacks, he couldn’t turn his back on someone who needed him.

“What should I…” Claudia repeated.

He had to follow his heart. Even if Yulan was right, Claudia had to carry out his justice anyway, even if this risk of failure was greater than he realized. But this conversation hadn’t given him the answer he’d hoped for—instead, it only made the question more confusing. The best way, the right way, was hidden, obscured by a thick haze in his mind.

What should he have done? What should he do from now on?

“Do whatever you want,” said Yulan.