I knew he was not going to say anything I liked.
But I also felt a pang as I wondered if I would see my father again. That habit of pushing glasses or looking at me over them was something my father did. He knew I hated it, so he would always do it just to irritate me and get a good laugh.
However, I did not have time to be sentimental before the Kingmaker responded.
"You are not that naïve, Catherine. You are a biologist, even if you have not been as successful as you hoped. A scientist such as yourself should understand that there is no such thing as true homogeneity. There is a hierarchy."
The tone was condescending as if he were talking down to a mere child
While I am not a successful scientist, I felt like I was being chastised for not being focused on my goals. After all, I did not pay for my education, and I was probably smart enough. Yet, I chose trivial pursuits.
But I would not let him see my weakness.
I kept a stoic face.
The Kingmaker continued with his lecture.
"If you take the prey and predator model, you will realise that the predator acts for the good of the entire ecosystem. Without the predator, the prey will keep growing exponentially and eventually deplete its source of food."
"Then, all the prey will still die."
The Kingmaker fell silent like he wanted me to digest what he was saying to me.
I wanted to oppose him, but the scientific part of me agreed with him. A basic food chain needed a predator at the top to keep the population of the prey stable. Otherwise, everything else, even the plants, would die out.
Moreover, the food chain demanded that the numbers reduce as they approached the top predator. Even in a food web, there was a hierarchy. And only the elite would stand at the top as the supreme predators.
In other words, someone had to be stepped on for the elite to arise. It was even more accurate to say that countless had to be oppressed before one elite could arise to step on the commoners.
However, I could not accept what he was saying because humans were not a jungle ecosystem.
"Are you saying you are a predator? Are you planning on curbing the population?" I asked rudely. "Because from what I understand, you are trying to do the opposite and force the population, well… the right population, up."
I lifted my hands to make air quotes as I said the word "right".
"I do not think of myself or my companions as predators. Rather, we are people who are trying to restore the world to the original order. But if we must overuse the prey-predator analogy, think of this world as the ecosystem where an invasive species has infiltrated."
I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess. Anyone interested in getting to your level or opposing your beliefs is the invasive species."
The Kingmaker's eyes turned cold like marble. I cannot explain what exactly changed about him. I felt like I was plunged into one of those foolish ice baths that have become so common as part of self-care routines.
(Like, seriously, stop before you get sick!)
Anyway, I was reminded that I was not standing in front of a simple person. This man wielded power and was not a friendly man, or else I would not be in this strange office on an island. The feeling made me shut my mouth.
The Kingmaker seemed satisfied with my frightened response and nodded in approval.
"Regardless of the nature of an invasive species, it causes an imbalance in the ecosystem. If it is a plant, it might be poisonous or simply unsuitable for the prey. The prey's population will reduce, and even the predators will suffer." He explained.
"If it is another type of prey invading the ecosystem, the plants will be reduced, leaving the prey in starvation, with the same results. As for the predator, you know why we cannot have too many of those."
I looked at the Kingmaker, waiting for permission to talk. I hated having to do that, but I could not speak out of turn. I told myself it was for the sake of the truth, but any woman who has been near a dangerous man can tell you about the intuitive fear and need for self-preservation.
So, every woman…
"So, you are implying that you and your companions want to keep the status quo for the sake of the stability of the world. You should understand that not everyone is the predator, and being the prey is not the most pleasant thing in the world." I finally spoke up.
The Kingmaker nodded, returning to his normal fatherly appearance.
"Still, we all have our place in the world, and it is by design," He replied in a kindly voice. "We all need each other to maintain a stable ecosystem. But the invasive species will come every few years to upset that stability, making us doubt the divine design."
My normal personality could not be repressed anymore, especially with the finality in his tone.
"Designed by whom? Who decided that some of us should be at the bottom of the food chain? And we are just supposed to accept it?" I asked, raising my voice.
The Kingmaker did not glare at me this time. "You are not unfamiliar with the religious text, Catherine. Playing dumb does not suit you."
"Do you want me to accept that it is the Great Architect of the Universe who decided that women should be subject to men? Then, I should be just a subject to this GRAND design?" I asked again without caring about his words about me playing dumb.
I was not playing dumb.
"We do not use that title here, but he is the creator whom the people in the temple and the guild worship and serve. Even with the heretic nature of the texts you have been reading after departing from the orthodox, you should know who the creator is."
The Kingmaker continued with an air of confidence that I wished I worked out enough to strangle someone.
"He placed women subject to men, and this is his natural design. It is part of the true nature of creation. He intended for us to take part in creation by producing more heirs to enjoy his great design. Yet, a lot of people have chosen to reject that design because they are stubborn."