The Goddess, the Shrine, and the Hidden Locket

While Vanessa blocked Neferr’s view, Fren turned back toward the painting.

The elf family in the painting still looked harmonious.

Fren raised a hand to measure the size of the painting, then said:

“That’s enough, Vanessa.”

Vanessa immediately lowered her hands.

As soon as Neferr could see again, he looked toward Fren’s face.

Fren wore his usual gentle smile, radiating kindness, while Vanessa’s expression remained stiff like a carved statue.

Neferr asked Vanessa:

“Why did you cover my eyes?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“You know I could cut your wrist right here and you couldn’t complain, right?”

“…….”

Vanessa gave no reply.

Neferr stared at her face intensely, as though trying to bore a hole through it, before he spoke.

“You know… you really know how to stretch your legs depending on the bed you lie in.”

Fren laughed quietly and asked:

“So you’re unhappy with her?”

“No, that’s exactly why I like her!”

Neferr clung to Vanessa and tapped his own head with his finger.

“If you pat me here, I’ll keep this whole thing a secret.”

“…….”

Fren spoke with a faint smile.

“He wants it that much, so go ahead, Vanessa.”

“Yes.”

As Vanessa immediately changed her attitude at Fren’s single word, Neferr’s face fell.

He covered his cheek with his palm and grumbled:

“…Forget it, the mood’s gone.”

“Is that so? Then we’ll just—”

“No, wait, I changed my mind!”

Neferr suddenly grabbed Vanessa’s shoulder as she tried to return to Fren.

A surge of annoyance shot up inside her.

“Why are you so pretty? Huh? I swear I’m about to get angry.”

Keeping her composure around this siren was always difficult.

Vanessa kissed Neferr lightly on the cheek, and even then he wouldn’t stop talking.

“Want to come to my house? Come on, I’ll feed you meat three meals a day.”

‘Please shut up.’

“If you come home with me, I’ll make you so happy!”

Vanessa barely held herself back from screaming, Stop talking nonsense.

How could this man be so shameless?

‘Surely he knows that being dragged to a siren’s house is one of the most painful things that can happen to a human s*ave.’

Still, Vanessa did what she always did—she kept her emotions hidden.

If she showed even a hint of agitation, Fren would question her and she’d have to expose her true thoughts.

She would rather die.

Vanessa followed Fren toward the prayer room with Neferr still clinging to her.

Fren asked as he walked:

“Neferr, how long have you been staying here?”

“About two days?”

“And how long do you plan to stay?”

“A month, maybe.”

“A month in someone else’s house seems a bit excessive.”

“But Lady Sylvia allowed it. She’s so generous. Who else lets you stay as long as you want just because she liked one gift?”

“What about your merchant guild?”

“My assistant will handle it. And I have business here too.”

Neferr lifted his wine glass and downed the rest of the apple wine.

“Aaah, that’s good. I want another glass.”

“That’s your real goal, isn’t it?”

“The apples from your estate have tremendous market value. If I call them Sylvia’s apples, they’ll sell like crazy. And there’s a fun story too, right?”

“You don’t actually believe that nonsense the fanatics made up, do you?”

“I don’t, but idiots do. The story of the three goddesses and the golden apple.”

The story of the three goddesses and the golden apple was the most famous legend made up by Sylvia’s fanatics.

It went like this:

When Sylvia, the most beautiful elf in the world, reached marriageable age, three goddesses visited her.

They asked her to choose the most beautiful among them.

Of course, it wasn’t a free choice—each goddess offered a reward.

One promised power greater than anyone’s.

One promised unmatched wisdom.

The last goddess promised the truest love in the world.

After much thought, Sylvia knelt and offered a golden apple she happened to be holding.

‘Love is what I need most right now, O most beautiful goddess.’

The chosen goddess was delighted and helped Sylvia meet a wonderful husband.

Sylvia built the happiest family in the world—but the happiness didn’t last.

The two rejected goddesses grew resentful and cursed Sylvia’s husband, killing him.

Grieving over his early death, Sylvia vowed she would raise their son perfectly.

The two goddesses tried to take her son as well, but Sylvia was faster.

She offered golden apples every day, begging for forgiveness for her foolishness.

Eventually, the goddesses softened and granted her son power and wisdom.

Thus he became the best artist of the southern continent and the youngest elder in history.

No one knew who started this ridiculous story, but the fact that anyone believed it was unbelievable.

Still, Sylvia’s fanatics believed it completely.

Neferr popped open another apple wine bottle—stolen from a passing s*ave—and asked playfully:

“Isn’t it a fun story?”

Fren shrugged while walking ahead.

“Not really. It sounds like they’re saying I rose to this position without hard work thanks to those two goddesses.”

“I see why that would bother you.”

“But I understand why people believe it. Mother truly loves someone with all her heart. Without divine help, could love like that exist?”

“That’s true. Sylvia’s devotion is famous. Her husband died, she’s perfectly healthy, and yet she lives alone? I could never do that.”

“Neferr.”

“Hm?”

Neferr gulped down wine straight from the bottle and looked at Fren.

Fren still stood facing away from them at the door to the prayer room.

“Could you allow us some privacy to enjoy a quiet moment between mother and son?”

“Of course!”

Neferr grabbed Vanessa’s clothes playfully.

“Let’s go, Vanessa.”

“Vanessa stays.”

“Noooo~ don’t do this~”

“…….”

A drunk siren was even more exhausting than usual.

Fren finally had to physically pry them apart.

“I’ll wait out here, so come out quickly!”

“You don’t have to wait. Please just leave.”

“Nnnnooooo~”

Neferr started whining again.

Fren pressed his palm to his aching ear and opened the prayer room door.

—Ssssshhhhh.

The sound of falling water echoed instantly.

Vanessa checked that the door was fully closed, then turned around.

Beneath the transparent glass floor, clear water rippled gently.

Colorful fish swam lazily beneath their feet.

At the very back were statues of three goddesses, and from the jar held by the middle goddess, underground water continuously poured out.

Fren’s mother, Sylvia, knelt before them, praying.

Though she must have sensed their presence, she made no movement.

Clothed in a long black veil that dragged along the floor, she continued praying endlessly.

As always, Fren approached her first.

“Mother, I’m here.”

Sylvia still said nothing.

She was deliberately ignoring him under the excuse of praying.

Fren stepped closer.

He let out a breath that was almost a laugh.

“Mother, even if this place is restricted, isn’t this too much?”

“O gods who created this world. Please watch over my first and last love. Grant him eternal rest.”

“For someone who was once cautious, you’re strange now. Have you lost your judgment? Why do you grow bolder every day?”

“Do not deny my love. Do not reject my devotion. If you still cannot forgive me, then punish me instead and please—”

“Mother.”

Fren reached out and grabbed her wrist mercilessly.

Her two hands, which had been clasped together, fell apart.

A heavy locket with golden apple engravings slipped to the ground.

Sylvia quickly bent forward to snatch it, but Fren was faster.

“Give that back—!”

“Your voice is too loud.”

“Give it to me!”

Sylvia shouted sharply and lunged at him, but he didn’t budge.

With his free hand he easily pushed her back and opened the locket.

He let out a bitter, mocking laugh.

Sylvia, guilty as she was, no longer tried to grab it.

She only bit her lip.

Fren snapped the locket shut and said:

“Don’t wear this anymore.”

“…….”

“What if someone sees? I’m confiscating it for now.”

Fren tossed the locket to Vanessa.

Sylvia gasped and looked at her in alarm.

Vanessa quickly caught it with both hands.

“I’ll return it when we leave.”

“W-wait! No! That is—!”

“Finish what you were doing and come out. Let’s go, Vanessa.”

“Yes, Sir Fren.”

“Oh, and you can open it.”

Vanessa already suspected the contents, but she still obeyed.

Inside was a bundle of hair—white strands mixed with several black ones.