Chapter 43 - A Twisted Heroine
The incident had left scars that ran deeper than she had realized, and the weight of the humiliation felt just as heavy as it did on that day.
The image of Ranran, the 4-year-old girl with the rose eyepatch, and the power she had wielded haunted her, reminding her of her own vulnerability and powerlessness. Then she recalled the Ranran she knows now, the 6-year-old before her: Still as cunning, ruthless and blunt as she remembered.
A series of incidents from the past, ones that she had attributed solely to Ranran's villainous actions, now began to take on a new perspective. Sonoko saw her own past actions and judgments through a clearer lens. One significant memory stood out—the event where Shinichi had cut ties with both Sonoko and Ran to become Ranran's Tantei apprentice.
As Sonoko looked back on that event, she started to connect the dots. She remembered how she had been quick to blame Ranran entirely for what had transpired. She had seen Ranran as the sole reason behind Shinichi's decision, and she had harboured resentment toward both of them. But now, with a more mature understanding, Sonoko saw the situation in a different light.
She realized that her own behaviour, her possessiveness over Shinichi as her best friend's first love, and her refusal to accept his choices, had played a significant role in the events that had unfolded. The memory of appeasing Mouri Ran who has unrequited love towards Shinichi, her unwillingness to share Shinichi with anyone else to ensure Ran has him, and her tendency to prioritize her own feelings over the happiness of others weighed heavily on her conscience.
The memory of a specific conversation with Shinichi came rushing back to her—a conversation she had long suppressed. It was a conversation where Shinichi yelled at her to stop harassing Ranran. At the time, Sonoko had dismissed his words, blinded by Mouri Ran's grief.
Now, however, those words carried new meanings.
While she reflected on her past actions, Sonoko felt a deep sense of regret. She saw herself for the first time as the flawed spoiled heiress she was, someone who had contributed to her own pain and to the pain of others. As much as Ranran took it too far with the church incident, she lost a friend through murder, and to top it off, Sonoko's callous statement angered all of the children of the Edgewood Academy who saw the deceased boy as their protector and friend who died unfairly too soon.
Whether Ranran held a grudge towards Sonoko or not, remains to be seen. But Sonoko wouldn't be surprised if Ranran still did, and she had every right to be mad at Sonoko and Ran for the things they did to her and Shinichi.
In the midst of her introspection and self-discovery, Sonoko recognized that...she messed it up big time.
As much as Ishibashi Mamiko was solely to be blamed for manipulating her and Ran, towards the end of the day, ultimately, it was their own choices and behaviour that had compounded the situation. Mamiko had taken advantage of Sonoko and Ran's insecurities plus vulnerability, but Sonoko had allowed herself to be swayed by those manipulations.
The image of Ranran, both as the 4-year-old wielding power and the 6-year-old with her cunning and ruthlessness, served as a constant reminder of the consequences of her actions. Sonoko couldn't deny that Ranran had changed, evolved, and grown, just as she had. And while Ranran's methods might have been extreme, she had shown Sonoko the mirror of her own flaws and had forced her to confront her own mistakes.
As she continued to reflect on her past, Sonoko's tears weren't just tears of regret, shame, and pain. The worst part is what she did to Shinichi.
The realization hit her hard—she had let her possessiveness and selfishness ruin her friendship with Shinichi. She had contributed to pushing him away, and now, her once dear friend was not only out of her reach but thriving under Ranran's mentorship.
.................................................................................
During the one week of absence from school, Mouri Ran decided to ponder what went wrong between herself and Shinichi.
The events that had transpired in the past, the choices she had made, and the emotions she had felt—all of it weighed heavily on her mind. When her separated parents got word of this from the school, they were once more going to discipline her over what did she to Shinichi and Ranran this time, but after seeing her weary eyes, not to mention, the bruises that barely recovered due to the events in New York City, they decided to let her be.
As she sat in her room, her thoughts raced back to that pivotal moment when Shinichi had chosen to become Ranran's Tantei apprentice, let alone, announced cutting ties with Sonoko and Ran. It was a decision that had left her heartbroken and confused, and she couldn't help but question what had gone so wrong.
The memory of that day, when Shinichi had confronted her about her obsession with exposing Ranran as 'The Fox', especially when he said he didn't care if Ranran was truly one, replayed in her mind. His frustration, his disappointment—it had cut through her heart like a knife. She had been so blinded by her ambition and her desire to prove Ranran wrong, that she had failed to see the impact her actions were having on the people around her.
Ranran is beautiful, talented, and deceptively cunning. Something Mouri Ran always detested in her personality.
Growing up, Mouri Ran often felt a sense of resentment towards those classic dramas and stories that portrayed overly rich and beautiful villainous characters. From her earliest days in kindergarten, she had been exposed to these narratives that painted such characters as having everything in life: wealth, beauty, and power. These characters seemed to always be the centre of attention, wielding their influence over others and getting away with their misdeeds.
Suzuki Sonoko, her best friend since kindergarten was one of those exceptions since she wasn't born pretty. Sure, she was haughty, but she had a genuine kind heart, protective over her towards the bullies in kindergarten.
Even so, these portrayals had left a bitter taste in Ran's mouth. As she looked at herself in comparison, she felt inadequate and envious. She didn't need to be wealthy, since she lived a comfortable life, but she sometimes wished she could be born as strikingly beautiful as those characters, and the contrast made her question her own worth. It seemed like the world favoured those who possessed material riches and physical attractiveness.
However, there was one aspect of those stories that had always given her a glimmer of hope—the presence of the poor yet kind protagonist. These characters, often depicted as having a pure heart and unwavering determination, were the ones who fought against the odds. Their journey was a testament to the power of resilience and goodness, as they overcame challenges and ultimately found love and acceptance.
These protagonists became a source of inspiration for Mouri Ran. She saw in them the qualities she admired: kindness, courage, and the willingness to stand up for what is right. While the villains might have overshadowed their struggles, the protagonists' stories were a reminder that goodness could prevail in the end.
Yet....6-year-old Kudo Ranran had to shatter everything she had to know about them.
...........................................................................
The day she turned 5, was how she met Kudo Ranran.
It wasn't in a kindergarten, but at a mall where the pakour event was held. No, they never met face to face once, let alone, barely had any interaction.
But it was in the worst way unimaginable when the then 5-year-old red lip girl was in tears while achingly clutching onto her obviously broken leg, having presumably fallen from a high parkour obstacle course, as she yelled while pointing to the top where 4 little boys gathered to say, "Why did you all push me!?"
When that incident happened, Shinichi happened to be one of those boys whom Ranran falsely accused.
The incident at the parkour event had clearly left a mark on both Mouri Ran and Kudo Ranran, albeit in very different ways. For Ranran, she had no sense of guilt and remorse, she knew Shinichi was innocent, but did it anyway because he called her a 'bastard', getting her talent from her mother who is suspected to be his father's mistress. Something that couldn't be confirmed nor denied.
Also, she just got the chance to become 'The Fox', an anonymous child Tantei working for the police task, Ranran didn't want anyone to come across that secret. Let alone, be perceived as a pushover with her real life identity.
For Mouri Ran, the incident had stirred a different kind of emotion—anger and frustration. The memory of that day remained vivid in her mind—the tears in Ranran's eyes, the accusing finger pointed at Shinichi and the other boys, and the feeling of powerlessness as she watched Shinichi being falsely blamed. She had witnessed Ranran's anger and manipulation firsthand, and it had left a negative impression on her.
When that incident happened, although the kids who knew Shinichi didn't really buy it, the cameras carried over by the press to do a live coverage of the event did some damage to 5-year-old Shinichi here and there, not as extreme as the 3 other boys who were with Shinichi, but it still stings.
Perhaps it was for that reason, that Ranran's actions fueled the flames of Mouri Ran's resentment towards those seemingly privileged and powerful characters. It reinforced the notion in her mind that people like Ranran could use their influence and manipulation to tarnish the reputation of others, even when they were innocent. It was an experience that deepened her mistrust towards those who appeared to have it all, and it sowed the seeds of rivalry between her and Ranran for good, even though they never once interacted in the parkour event.
It's not that Shinichi, Ran and Sonoko didn't try to expose her back then. They did. Being righteous to a fault, that itself had run in their blood.
But there were so many problems back then that the trio didn't see it coming.
After the blowout between Shinichi and Ranran, when he was forced to come over to her house and apologize while Ranran remained unremorseful, she technically blocked any room or excuse for him to simply come back to Ranran's place to do an investigation. And if anyone was an A-grade cunning genius, Ranran was the true definition of it.
Also, Ranran's parents were adamant about not letting Shinichi or his friends drop by Ranran's house at that time, believing what their daughter had to say about them. Adding the fact that she studies in a different kindergarten, and her reputation being very tightlipped, Shinichi and the rest at that time were forced to conclude that they should let this be, since in the first place, Shinichi did admit he was in the wrong for saying it out loud in the first place.
Thanks to these factors, this only furthered fueled Ran's desire to oust her one day.
It wasn't until a month before they were set to begin life in Teitan Elementary school that they got word of Ranran impending arrival, as the trio foresee her scheming something so malicious like those villainess in romantic dramas, the three were certain that they will finally catch her in her own game.
...........................................................................
But life didn't turn out this way.
Her friendship with Shinichi fell apart, he became Ranran's apprentice and they opened Tantei Association together, he even severed ties with Sonoko....everything Ran didn't foresee it to happen, happened. And worst, Ranran hasn't planned a single devious thing since coming to Teitan Elementary School, while Ran is close to becoming a pariah of the entire school for attempting to meddle in the affairs of Tantei Association.
How did things turn out this way?
Was it envy that fueled her determination to prove herself and expose Ranran's supposed villainy, even if it meant sacrificing her relationships and friendships? Was it the fact that Shinichi was becoming closer to Ranran? Or was it her blossoming feelings towards Shinichi that brought such destruction to Mouri Ran's life? Even now, Ran can't figure out this answer.
As Mouri Ran continued to reflect on her past and the choices she had made, she thought hard about Ranran's secret past she never once shared with the world. The girl who was seen in the video at the cathedral gave Sonoko the most miserable day of her life in existence. According to the Edgewood friends of Ranran who tortured both Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko, when Sonoko was around 4, she made the funeral about herself, which was all caught on audio recording.
Ranran who just lost a deceased friend through murder and is seen leading the funeral procession at that time, heard Sonoko's thoughtless words.
That revelation struck a chord with Ran. She could empathize with Ranran's pain and anger at that moment. Losing a friend through such a tragic event and then hearing someone disrespecting his memory must have been heartbreaking. While Sonoko's actions were undoubtedly thoughtless and insensitive, they had caused immeasurable pain to someone who was already grieving.
Even so, Ran couldn't help but wonder how much of Ranran's behaviour was driven by the hurt she had experienced throughout her life. There were shows Ran watched that heroes and heroines of such life would preserve and wouldn't go for the merciless route. What makes Ranran different from those characters?
As Ran continued to reflect, she began to recognize the complexity of Ranran's personality. Ranran's actions were undoubtedly extreme and often ruthless, but there seemed to be a deeper layer to her motivations that Ran couldn't quite grasp. She had seen the 4-year-old with the rose eyepatch wield power and control, and she had witnessed the 6-year-old's cunning and manipulation. But Ran had also caught glimpses of vulnerability in Ranran's demeanour, moments when the facade of strength cracked ever so slightly.
While Ranran's methods might be unconventional and even troubling, they were rooted in something deeper than mere villainy. Is there something Ran is missing out about her?
The more Ran thought, the more she felt something missing. Her Edgewood friends who tortured them also brought up that the friend who died was murdered by his mother, and that Ranran witnessed everything when his mother kidnapped Ranran to lure the dead friend over.
Then according to Reina, before Ranran moved here to Japan, she had been working as 'The Fox' as early as 3 years old for this same friend. Back then, they ran an online business they were working on catering to children who were stuck in arranged engagements with a life filled with misery....perhaps Ran can understand the part that since neither of them had romantic feelings, it would be a life of hell. But couldn't they just simply break up?
With more questions than answers, she made a phone call to one of the former Tantei Association members. "Hi, Michio? It's me, Mouri Ran. I need you to do me a favour....."
................................................................................
2 days later, Ran was in a cafe, waiting for someone to show up.
Before she knows it, the door opens to reveal a girl who is almost unrecognizable, but it really blows Ran's mind to bits seeing her for the first time wearing an Edgewood school uniform.
Cause the first time they met, she was in a contortionist costume. "You know, when I heard through Majima Michio that you contacted me after I heard the things you did to Ranran and Shinichi at New York City, there was no way in hell I planned to meet you," 10-year-old Amelia Francis Dixen frowned before the 6-year-old Mouri Ran.
Ran sat there, taken aback by the unexpected appearance of Amelia Francis Dixen, someone she expected to see, but not in a school uniform.
"Amelia, I..." Ran began, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I just wanted to talk and understand."
"Understand what? About Ranran's past?! So that you can simply get Shinichi to quit his Tantei apprenticeship under her?" Amelia sneered.
Ran felt a mix of guilt and frustration. It seemed that Amelia was carrying a lot of anger towards her, and given Ran's history of harassing Ranran these past 2 months, it was understandable.
During the events of 'The Extinction Heist', the association's first major case, when the members were investigating the possibility that The Snake might had plans to smuggle a tiger from the circus where Amelia used to work at, that was how they came into contact.
When Ran saw the interaction back then as Amelia dragged Ranran to a corner to confront her about something, then later at Shinichi, not to mention, her hostile attitude towards Ran and Junko when they spoke negatively about Ranran, Mouri had longed suspected that Amelia somehow knows Ranran one way or another, which is why Ran contacted Michio to hand over Amelia's number in the first place.
She took a deep breath and tried to convey her sincerity. "Amelia-"
"Ranran was miserable for the past 2 months, especially because of your damn idiotic brain-siding Rokuro! Because of you, Ranran was forced to quit as 'The Fox', do you know that?!" Amelia kept on jabbing the girl as she confronted her, "It's one thing for Ranran to simply take in Shinichi since he, as well as the rest of you, were manipulated by that Ishibashi Mamiko, fair enough. Shinichi is remorseful, but were you and Sonoko are?!"
Ran listened to Amelia's words with a heavy heart. The accusations and anger directed at her were well-deserved, considering her past behaviour towards Ranran. It was evident that her actions had caused a great deal of pain to not only Ranran but also to others involved. As Amelia's words continued to pierce through her, Ran's own guilt and regret intensified.
"I know I messed up," Ran admitted, her voice shaking with genuine remorse.
"Then why are you still digging around Ranran's past!?"
"Because..." Ran took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the table. "I want to understand. I want to know why she acts the way she does. I want to know if there's more to her story than what I've seen. I'm not...I don't want to be blinded by lies and be easily swayed by half-truths about her anymore. I just want to...I want to see what Shinichi see in her that I am not seeing."
Amelia's expression softened slightly as she heard Ran's genuine confession. She leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed, still maintaining a stern demeanour but with a hint of curiosity. "What do you want to know?"
"From the beginning," Gulping, Ran asked, "I heard....Ranran's family used to....live in the slums before moving to the neighbourhood you all lived in. May I know...how did that came about?"
Amelia leaned back further in her chair, contemplating Ran's question. She seemed to be choosing her words carefully as she began to speak.
"Ranran's family story isn't exactly a fairy tale," Amelia started. "They did come from a less fortunate background before moving into our neighbourhood. Her parents....weren't born into wealth. They had a tough life in their early years, struggling to make ends meet."
She paused, her gaze distant as if remembering a time long ago. "But then...her mother's biological paternal grandmother showed up. You see...her mother was the daughter of a single mother, and the family....had no ability to produce heirs anymore, the only existing ones are Ranran's family. To put a long story short, in exchange for settling everything, Ranran had to be sent to Edgewood Academy as part of the condition."
Ran listened intently, absorbing the pieces of Ranran's past that Amelia was sharing with her. It was clear that there was much more to the story than what Ran had initially assumed. She tried to picture the journey that Ranran's family had gone through – from humble beginnings to the complex arrangement that led them to Edgewood Academy. "It must have been a lottery for Ranran."
"Of course, that is the normal reaction for any child around the age of 2. But Ranran...it was a curse."
"Eh!? Why!? Who wouldn't be happy to live a life of luxury!?" Ran exclaimed.
"Back then in the U.K., the legal mandatory age of starting school for a child was around the age of 5-6. Unlike most countries, they can enrol the child as early as 3 or 4. Since her parents did not have the financial means to send her to school around the age of 3 at that time, adding the fact that Ranran is also a gaming computer addict, it was meant to be a blissful year for the first 2 years of sitting in front of the computer gaming before she began school. But then Ranran's plans were thrown out of the window thanks to her maternal family, so in a way...Edgewood Academy became her prison," Amelia continued, her tone tinged with bitterness.
"Ah, that? Ranran has been gaming even way back?" Ran scoffed, "I guess some things barely changed."
"She is still gaming, huh?" Amelia nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"She does a lot." Ran sighed before wondering, "But for someone her age to become a gaming addict....that is unusual."
"Ranran's parents worked a lot to keep a roof above their heads, and they also heavily relied on Ranran's maternal family's salary as well. Which is why Ranran usually uses her Tousan's computer to entertain herself." Amelia continued, her gaze distant as she recalled the past.
"Even so, to say Edgewood Academy is a prison....the school is a privileged school, is it not? For her to prioritise gaming over that...I know that to this day Ranran despises school, but...."Recalling the 6-year-old girl during their time in the association, "It's hard to imagine. The Ranran I know is very studious at times, and although she games, she seemed rather knowledgeable in a lot of things that Shinichi doesn't."
"That is because the Ranran back then used to use gaming as her escape from reality, in her eyes....finding solace in the virtual worlds she could immerse herself in was better than in real life. And she was smart for her age, you know? The moment one sets foot into the affluent neighbourhood we all know, there will be no more gaming time." Amelia adds.
"She is probably overdramatizing," Ran crossed her arms at Amelia, "Sonoko live a very free life anyway despite being born rich."
"I don't think you fully understand the concept of a child being born into a noble family," Amulia frowned at Ran's nativity, "Unlike that one-brain cell heiress Ranran talks about who isn't born with such a title, being part of a noble family carries a lot of responsibilities and expectations, especially when you're part of a lineage that dates back for generations."
"Maybe back then, but this is the 21st century. What is there to do anyway?"
"Countless social gatherings, formal events, and obligations," Then Amelia listed some examples, "People go to such parties to build connections in order to make money. However, usually the parents had to work overseas, or have their hands full to do that sort of thing. Which is where their children come in to do their job, Mouri."
Ran was speechless to hear of this, "But she is just a kid!"
"Exactly," Amelia sighed, nodding in agreement. "A kid who was suddenly thrust into a world of expectations and responsibilities that most children her age couldn't even fathom. In the virtual world she is used to simply casually talking to others behind the computer, she is then forced to do this in real life. Adding in that she is forced to behave in a certain way...this is not an idyllic life after hearing this, right?"
Ran's expression softened as she listened to Amelia's explanation. She had never considered the burdens that might come with being born into a noble family, especially one with generations of history and expectations to uphold. The stark contrast between the virtual world where Ranran found solace and the real world of responsibilities and obligations painted a more complex picture of Ranran's life.
"I... I had no idea," Ran admitted quietly, her previous assumptions and judgments now being reshaped by the new information.
"In a way, her life was rather deary. So deary, in fact, that had she not met Christopher, I think she wouldn't have become what she is now." Amelia muses.
Recalling that name, Ran brought up, "He was a duke who was murdered by his mother, right? From what I have heard, his mom kidnapped Ranran to lure him over after he stayed with his dad or something."
"Soon-to-be Duke, he comes from a family of marquis. Would have been a huge upgrade in his life had he married that despicable fiance of his," Amelia corrected her before pausing, "Oddly, I have no idea how they met since Christopher is homeschooled while Ranran is a full-time student. But regardless, all I can say is they are close."
"Soon to be?" Ran furrowed her brows, a mixture of confusion and curiosity evident in her eyes. "So this Christopher boy is a lower rank than his fiance?"
"Kinda, but not quite," Amelia pondered, "The fiance is a royalty."
"Eh!? So she is a princess!?" Ran gasped.
"But not the kind type," Amelia sighed.
"Wait, how is that possible that she is engaged to someone who ain't a prince?" Ran's confusion deepened.
"Options are very limited unlike in the past, Mouri," Amelia leaned in slightly, her voice lowering as if sharing a secret. "You see, the golden era of royalties is not popular anymore in modern society. People around the world.... just don't like them since people like you had to pay your tax money to them while they barely do much for the country, unlike those days. When that happens, more royal families get erased, which reduce the amount of available prince and princesses to marry."
Ran listened with fascination as Amelia provided insights into the world of nobility and royalty that she had never considered before.
"Unfortunately, Christopher's family is considered to be the highest rank within the world of nobility, which is why things ended up this way for the unfortunate him." Slumping, Amelia continued, "And when I say his fiance he is arranged to marry isn't the kind type, I meant she is terrible despicable existence of a person."
"Why? Is it because she is clingy and annoying? Standing in the way of him and his true love?" Ran wondered.
"I think you better stop watching those shows, that kind of stereotype would put her level of evil and deviousness to shame," Amelia shook her head at the younger female.
"I can't help it, cause that is the only thing I know about how their lives I like," Ran replied bashfully at Amelia's comment.
"To put it bluntly...she was someone....that needs to be given the death penalty," Amelia bitterly spat in disgust.
The seriousness and intensity in Amelia's voice made it clear that this wasn't just a casual dislike but a deeply rooted sentiment, as Ran's eyes widened at Amelia's strong reaction. "That serious?!"
"Very, because she had that talent for making vulnerable children do evil crap to others while keeping her hands clean, the worst part was that...she maliciously enjoyed every single minute of it," Amelia's voice was full of vindictiveness.
Taken aback by the depth of Amelia's resentment, Ran pressed, "Could Christopher not just simply break the engagement?"
"Like those dramas?" Amelia snickered at that thought, "If it were that simple, the online business Ranran and Christopher wouldn't have established in the first place." Seeing that Ran is still confused, Amelia patiently explains how engagement in nobility and royalty works. "I don't know how much your perception of how we nobles and royals lived our lives, but when it comes to engagement in reality, it ain't as easy as it sounds."
Ran leaned forward, eager to understand the complexities of the noble and royal world that Amelia was describing. "I'm really curious now. Please explain."
Amelia took a deep breath before she began to explain, her tone carrying a mix of frustration and resignation. "When you get engaged to someone through your parents, money comes in. We are talking about...millions or billions of pounds, or yen in your country. I am talking about business mergers, investments, contracts, and political alliances."
Seeing that the 6-year-old couldn't get it, Amelia decided to oversimplify the process.
"Let's say...this prince who will become king is engaged to this princess that he didn't like," Amelia commented, "He fell for someone who ain't the princess, what would've happened to be of commoner background, Now you imagine since she is about to become the wife of a royal, she ultimately had to become queen, right? But tell me, what does a queen do? Especially during the 21st century?"
As Amelia posed the question, Ran pondered for a moment before replying, "Cut ribbons at vents, charity work, and other stuff."
"In your opinion, how long do you think the commoner would learn to get used to that role?"Amelia asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ran furrowed her brows, considering the question. "Well, if she really loved the prince, maybe she'd try to adjust quickly?"
"Exactly, she would try," Amelia nodded, before posing another question, "Then, let's talk about the princess he used to be engaged to. How long do you think she took to prepare in order to become queen?"
"Eh?"
"Just give me a rough answer. How long?"
Ran thought for a moment, trying to come up with an answer. "I guess...3 years?"
"No, her whole life."
"Eh!?"
"The very moment she is secured to be married off with the crown prince, that would've meant her whole life." Amelia justifies by elaborating, "It's easier to absorb and learn things when one is born young, which would include her entire childhood, as well as her teen years. We are talking politics, economy, dance lessons, etiquette and many many more. So when you say 'break the engagement' so casually, that would've meant the poor princess wasted 17 to 18 years groomed to become queen but lost it all thanks to one commoner, Mouri Ran. For nobles, it's the same sort of issues, but it ain't as larger scale compared to royalty."
Ran's eyes widened as she began to grasp the gravity of the situation. The intricacies and consequences of engagements and marriages within the world of nobility and royalty were far more complex than she had ever imagined.
"So in a way....a lot of those children who are in a similar situation as that princess I mention, that was how it was for them. They...lack the skill to survive, because their parents made them waste their entire youth over this sort of matter. The parents are usually the one who has the most to gain as a result. And to prevent such things from happening, there are contracts made. If one breaks up, one has to pay a penalty fee, and in Yen, it can vary from millions to billions, Although they have to means to pay up, you also need to think of the possibility of the fact that since one party cheated, that meant the other is considered a failure for not being able to keep everything together. A failed engagement equals failure in life. Meaning that person is better off not hanging around."
"Well, that wouldn't have happened if the princess isn't-"
"Nagging? Controlling? Spoiled? Tyrannical? Manipulative?" Amelia rolled her eyes at a shocked Ran before revealing, "You have to remember that these are children who are born into a world where they are expected to behave as mature as an adult, which is the price of being born into the world where the sky is no longer the limit, Mouri Ran. A kind girl with a pure heart...you would barely survive in Edgewood Academy if this mentality continues on. Which is why you are in this position in the first place."
The intricate web of expectations, obligations, and consequences within the world of nobility and royalty was far more complex and unforgiving than Ran had ever realized.
"It's so...unfair!" Ran murmured to Amelia.
"It is this unfairness that Ranran and that dead friend of hers were able to open up that online business," Amelia refuted, her voice tinged with frustration, "Giving those children a better life outside breaking the engagement, a chance to be their own kings or queens....that is the best life and sweetest form of revenge."
The more Ran thought about it, the more she didn't know what to make of this information.
"Anyway, back then, Christopher who was around 7 or 8 really wanted out of that hellhole. The problem was, the mother framed his biological father and stepmother for a crime they didn't commit, which is what led him into this predicament...." Amelia huffed, "Doing it openly with one's face exposed would do no good, especially since both he and Ranran had a lot to lose in terms of money and power if they did this business, so he gifted Ranran a Fox mask to do the job, which the children of Edgewood later referred to her as 'The Fox'."
"It's incredible that they managed to create something positive out of such a difficult situation," Ran commented, her admiration for Christopher and Ranran growing.
"It was," Amelia agreed a mix of pride and sadness in her eyes. "But remember, it was a dangerous path they walked. And it was also this business that brought them into the crosshairs of some very dangerous people. The kind of people who wouldn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who threatens their interests. Which is why one day in December around Christmas....the kidnapping happened, and to put a long story short, Christopher died as a result of those children, who were under the orders of his ex-fiance, who ratted out about their relationship to his mother who lost sole custody of him, let alone, Christopher having broken his engagement."
"It's... that is evil," Ran whispered, her voice filled with sorrow and anguish, before wondering, "What did she do that anyway!? Just because he broke the engagement with her?! Isn't that shallow? Don't tell me she had unreasonable feelings for him?!"
"Ah no, she doesn't." Amelia dismisses Ran's thoughts, "She is a narcissist with no genuine feelings for anyone in particular. She did it because...he wasn't a useful scapegoat anymore."
"Eh?"
"What happened was....although he is a marquis, a rank lower than her, he was way more popular than her in terms of the nobles, other royal children, as well as the commoners, which she didn't like. Even among the royal family, he was favoured greatly by The King and Queen. This didn't sit well with her inferiority obviously, so she....attempted to hatch a plan to stage several incidents by making those noble children at the lowest point of their lives attack the ambitious commoners she befriended, then invite the press over to make it as if Edgewood Academy was a corrupt place where the school favour the rich, and then have it shut down for good so that she would be received by the public as 'The People's Princess'. The plan was to frame all of her misdeeds to him so that he will be hated, while she become the beloved princess."
".....but it didn't happen because he interfered, did he? So did Ranran?"
Amelia said nothing, but judging her body language, it was clear that Ran was right.
"After his passing, that ex of his threw a lavish party at one of the mansions for having him killed, the same day your thoughtless friend, Suzuki Sonoko, spoke about how she can do a prettier job than Ranran as she was leading his funeral!" Amelia spat at Ran bitterly.
As Amelia's bitterness spilled over, Ran felt a twinge of guilt. "I know she may have been at fault, but that shouldn't be a justification for Ranran to become as cunning as she is now."
"Ha ha," Amelia laughed darkly at Ran's attitude about Ranran, "You think it's about injustice, Mouri Ran? This world isn't as black and white as you imagine it to be, in the world of Edgewood Academy, that school of ours reflects the real world. You....have you ever once faced any of such situations?"
"Of course I did!" Ran then revealed, "My parents split up-"
"Only that? Is that more?" Amelia challenged before revealing, "Have you ever had your eye removed? Or watched helplessly as your friend died in your arms at the age of 4? Or watch the kids who murdered him laugh in the face of justice while enjoying themselves at a lavish party? Or lead a funeral of your dead friend with everyone's eyes on you? Only a week after having been discharged from the hospital?"
Silence.
"No, aside from that, you suffered the least compared to Ranran," Amelia jabbed at her chest once more, "And that itself, is what separates you from her."
Ran felt a heavy weight settle in her chest as Amelia's words cut through her.
"You know, you were the second person to ask about Ranran's past."
Amelia's mention of someone else asking about Ranran's past piqued Ran's curiosity. "Eh?"
"Your ex-friend Shinichi asked me not long ago while you were all in New York City."
"Eh!?" Ran's eyes widened in surprise. "He did?!"
"Yes," Amelia confirmed. "The moment he learned of it, he grew so pale...he told Tiffany to kick up whatever 'punishment' that was going on in New York City at that time onto you and Sonoko, he felt very guilty for causing so much misery to Ranran when she move to Japan, adding the fact that the two of you cause further pain onto her!"
The more Amelia spoke with venom, the more guilty she felt.
By this point, Ran is beginning to regret hearing all of this.
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro