The Loyal Servant

Unlike the main palace, which was crowded with people, Ruby Palace, the place where Kenneth lived, almost looked uninhabited because only three people lived there. Because of that, things like cleaning the garden or mopping the floor had to be done by Kenneth because they were short of people.

In the past, the condition of Ruby Palace had made Princess Abigail angry because of the injustice her father showed to his children. Kenneth was also a prince but always had to endure misery while living in the palace. Princess Abigail protested loudly to King Ducan. But after Princess Abigail knew why the Ruby Palace had been emptied like that, she could only remain silent.

Emma, Kenneth's mother, was someone who could no longer think clearly after losing the affection of King Ducan. Emma's uncontrollable condition forced the people in the palace to exclude her to cover up her disgrace.

Had Emma not had the extraordinary Kenneth, it was likely that King Ducan would have made an even crueler decision. 

Emma was just a lowly servant of the main palace. Her youthful beauty blinded King Ducan's eyes when he got drunk. As a result of that alluring night, Emma ended up conceiving Kenneth not long after Queen Consort Helena was declared pregnant with her second child.

Terrified, Emma initially wanted to leave and hide the existence of the baby in her womb. Unfortunately, the palace always had numerous eyes and ears. Not long after Emma was pregnant, King Ducan came to her personally and asked her to live in the Jade Palace next to the main palace as a mistress. No one knew what King Ducan had in mind at the time. But when Emma was pregnant with Kenneth, King Ducan paid attention to Emma as if she were his legal wife.

Because of that attention, Emma could not accept when King Ducan abandoned her after she gave birth to Kenneth. Rumors eventually spread that King Ducan paid attention to Emma only because he could not accept the death of his first wife and hated Queen Consort Helena. Everyone who supported Emma turned against her after that. In the end, the poor woman could no longer bear the pressure she received and ended up going insane when Kenneth was only five years old.

Had Kenneth not looked exactly like his father's face, Emma might have been banished from the palace or secretly murdered a long time ago. In the end, giving her the Ruby Palace and a loyal servant was the last favor King Ducan could give Emma for giving birth to Kenneth. Kenneth also knew that he and his mother would most likely die if they were banished from the palace. So, Kenneth never complained, even if his life was difficult when he returned to his palace.

"Your Highness!"

As soon as Kenneth entered Ruby Palace, the prince was greeted by the only servant he had in the place. Uri was an honest man who never complained, even if the situation in Ruby Palace never improved. Uri was the only person Kenneth trusted besides Princess Abigail.

"Are the princes teasing you again, Your Highness? Those brats! When will they learn that karma will come sooner or later if they continue to do bad deeds?!"

Perhaps because Uri was from an ordinary origin, when he was in Ruby Palace, the man could be himself and say whatever was on his mind. And whenever Kenneth heard Uri's rant, the prince would smile faintly and then remind him as usual.

"Even if they're not good people, you can't cuss them out like that. No one here will probably reprimand you for that. However, Uri, I am afraid you will carry over your habit when you visit other palaces."

"However, Your Highness..."

"Is my mother alright?"

Kenneth cut off Uri's protest with his question, and Uri also no longer wanted to continue the previous remark. The man looked at Kenneth with a sad gaze, then gave his report as usual.

"After Mrs. Emma woke up, she insisted on looking beautiful because she believed His Majesty would come to her today. I have tried to persuade her in various ways. Even so, Mrs. Emma insisted on waiting for His Majesty's arrival."

One of the habits that emerged after Emma's abandonment was the delusion that King Ducan would still visit their palace. Every few days, Emma, who was usually silent and staring blankly, would come back to life and dress up as she did when she was young. The woman did not want to acknowledge that she had been forgotten by King Ducan. With her best clothes and appearance, Emma always waited for the man's arrival in her room until morning came again.

Each time she did so, Kenneth had to be prepared to hear her mother's pitiful cries the next morning. Only when the morning came Emma would realize that King Ducan was not coming back. The anger and disappointment she felt would surge at that moment. Even if Kenneth tried to calm his mother down, the woman would only think of Kenneth as King Ducan when he was young.

"I will change my clothes and visit my mother after this. Uri, someone from Princess Abigail's palace will probably come soon. If they come, you can call for me in my mother's room."

"I understand, Your Highness."

Uri knew Kenneth did not like him helping him to bathe or change clothes like the other princes, so he did not argue when Kenneth went to prepare everything by himself. Kenneth went to his room after that. After he changed, the prince knew there were still many things waiting for him in Ruby Palace.