The Kind of Evil

Chapter 628: Caring.

‎Aris looked at the black qipao dress she wore, wearing something that felt nothing like a second skin was a new experience. She found it interesting to wear, especially with the high slit that prevented her from losing her mobility.

‎Rasmus and Rullein walked out of the forest after they had their private conversation. Aris eyes immediately fixated on Rasmus, but when he gave her a shake of his head, she shot a sharp and cold gaze toward Rullein. Rullein avoided her gaze, and she knew that she was being selfish and knew that Aris was really displeased by her decision.

‎"Oh, that looks good on you," Serena said as she looked at Aris from top to bottom. "I think I would prefer this one over that one," she said as she looked down at the white hanfu dress she wore. "Ana really knows how to make us look good, isn’t she?" She smiled at the beautiful dress she wore.

‎"Yes, I like it," Aris answered, but her gaze was like a hawk staring at its prey toward Rullein.

‎Serena could see the tension between those two, and it was the first time she saw Aris shown such emotion. She looked at the guilt in Rullein’s eyes, and she was the most transparent compared to everyone in the group. She didn’t know what happened, but she knew one important thing, and that was the bond that everyone had.

‎"Rullein, Ana also has a dress for you. Do you want to try it?" Serena asked with a soft smile.

‎"Sure," Rullein nodded.

‎When Serena and Rullein walked toward the carriage, they didn’t expect that Aris would follow them. Serena looked over her shoulder and saw Aris’ eyes never leaving Rullein. The way Rullein walked was stiff as if she forgot how to walk. Rasmus could only watch and found it funny because it looked like an older sister who was about to scold her younger sister for being stubborn and irrational.

"Okay, what this is all about?" Serena said as she stopped and turned around to look at Aris and then glanced at Rullein. She crossed her arms and waited for either of them to speak of what was going on. She never saw herself as the oldest even though she was, more than anyone since she was Lilith, the first human woman that God created, long before Neva existed, long before Earth was suitable for humans to live in.

Aris didn’t hesitate to tell Serena everything because to her, Serena was beyond human and she gave birth to countless demons that despised her existence in return. Serena was the one who cared for everyone in the group no matter who they were as if she was trying to become a mother figure that had been denied for as long as she had lived.

Serena understood the situation and she didn’t choose any side to comfort because showing favorability toward those two would only make things worse. The only option was to defuse the issue by standing on the same side as the person in the matter, Rasmus.

"You two need to understand something about Rasmus," Serena said as she looked at both of them and held their hands tightly. "No matter what you said, if Rasmus didn’t want to do it, he wouldn’t do it. Neither of you made a decision for him, never. Whether he listened to Aris’ warning or Rullein’s reasoning, those didn’t matter. He will choose what he wants to choose," she pointed out and squeezed their hands. "If you want to blame Rullein for being ignorant, you should look at yourself first. When you made that decision to Rasmus that you wouldn’t let Aristoria take control over your life, then what are you now? You’re neither yourself nor Aristoria. I also made a deal with Satan for the peace treaty behind Rasmus’ back. He never ever, dictates what you do, and he always respect those decision of yours," she added and looked at both of them with a gentle smile on her face.

Aris and Rullein looked at Serena for a moment before they looked at each other, realizing that neither were wrong or right about each other. Aris sighed as she nodded with understanding while Rullein still felt guilty for choosing to keep the bond she had with Rasmus.

"We only have each other, that’s what Rasmus said. We all care for each other, but don’t force each other’s views toward others. Mutual respect and mutual understanding, right?" Serena showed a small grin at them with her eyes closed.

"I’m sorry, Aris. I don’t know if I can sever my bond with Rasmus. He’s the reason why I can restraint my nature, he’s the pillar that keeps me safe and those around me," Rullein pointed out her reason.

"I know, and I just wanted you two to be safe, nothing more," Aris responded as she nodded with understanding.

"Now!" Serena removed her hands from those two and then clapped her hands in excitement. "Let me help Rullein choose her dress, come on," she wrapped her arm around Rullein’s and dragged her to the carriage.

Aris watched those two for a few seconds before she turned around and went to check on Rasmus. She knew that he wouldn’t mind this outcome, and he wouldn’t even bother to think about it since there was no solution to it.

"Did you scold her?" Rasmus asked when he saw Aris approaching him.

"No, Serena stopped me before I could scold Rullein," Aris shook her head with a bit of a smile on her face. "I realized that I have no right to be mad at her," she pointed out and stood beside Rasmus as she looked down at her dress and realized how much she loved it.

"I’m glad that you did, it shows how much you care for everyone," Rasmus said as he looked at the way Aris admired the dress she wore.

"Does that mean you don’t care about us since you never mad at us?" Aris raised her brows as she looked at Rasmus.

"You have been using my words against me lately, Aris," Rasmus smirked as he looked at the sky with a lazy gaze. "If that’s the case, then tell me what you think. Do I care or do I not care about you or the other?" He asked.

Aris crossed her arms and stared at Rasmus’ face with a serious expression, the only thing that she still couldn’t read even after years of walking by his side.

"It feels like you don’t. You’re giving us freedom and respect for our decisions because you’ve gained a lot of help from all of us. You did that because you owed us for helping you this whole time, or at least that’s how I see it," Aris answered with a straight face. "But, if that’s the case, you’re being ungrateful because we helped you and yet you have done nothing for us because our freedom isn’t yours to grant," she pointed out. "Maybe you care about us, and that’s why you respect our decision. But that’s not caring, but by respecting our decision, you chose to endanger yourself in this matter. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t let Rullein free, you would force her to sever the bond," she added.

"It’s complicated and contradicting, isn’t it? The only person that truly knows if someone cares about others is no one. Even themsleves can interpret it as care when in truth it’s just an excuse," Rasmus responded with a smile on his face. "You’re not wrong when you said I owed you all, but that has nothing to do if I care about you or not," he pointed out under his breath.

"So? Do you care about us or not?" Aris asked.

"Who knows. It’s better for you not to know because if I say I am, you’ll immediately think that something I do in the future will be seen as me caring about you. It’s not a bad thing, but it has a possibility that you’ll be blinded by it," Rasmus said as he stared blankly at the ground.

"Can’t you just make it simple? Sometimes you always make it complicated which is unusual for someone like you," Aris asked with her brows furrowed.

"Well, do you care about me? If you do, then you shouldn’t stop yourself from telling Rullein to sever the bond. If you care for me and Rullein, are you going to tell her to sever the bond or are you going to let her be because you know that she has a solid reason as to why she doesn’t want to? If you let her be, then I could also say you don’t care about me," Rasmus asked back with a smile on his face.

Aris opened her mouth but immediately shut it again.

"I see... well, Anastasha has prepared an outfit for you to wear to make you look like someone from around here," Aris said before she walked away toward the carriage. "Sorry that I asked," she looked over her shoulder at Rasmus.

I’m sorry that I can’t give you an answer," Rasmus responded sincerely.

Aris put a bitter smile and then went to check on Rullein and Serena.