Cracks That Cannot Be Mended

“Mother has… been kidnapped?”

The messenger slammed his forehead hard against the floor.

Considering that royal messengers were chosen from reputable noble youths, it was an extremely drastic action.

The messenger shouted desperately.

“I am truly ashamed!

We will risk our lives to find Lady Silvia, so please keep this matter secret!”

“…Alright, please step outside for a moment.”

“Yes!

Of course you wouldn’t want to keep it secret!

But… huh?!”

Fren pressed his forehead and asked again.

“Please give me a moment to collect myself.”

“Ah, yes!

Of course, that’s only natural!”

The messenger cautiously checked Fren’s expression.

‘What?

He’s calmer than I expected?’

At that moment, Fren, who had risen from his seat, clutched his head and staggered.

“My mother was kidnapped…

What on earth is this—”

“Lord Fren!”

“I’m sorry!

I’ll step out immediately!”

The messenger hurried toward the door.

Once they were alone again, Fren, who had been leaning against Bernessa, let out a sigh and sat down.

“I knew something would happen…

But kidnapping, of all things.”

Fren tapped his thigh lightly with his finger.

Bernessa carefully sat on it and spoke.

“It feels like a trap.

Princess Daphne is bold, but she’s not reckless.”

“Well, when an elf like Princess Daphne loses her head once, no one can stop her.”

“There’s also the possibility that she’s using Lady Silvia as a hostage to keep you in check.”

“That’s right.

Even if the princess claims she’s uninterested in royal affairs, she’d still rather side with her family than me.

But using that woman as a hostage…”

Fren grimaced deeply and roughly kneaded Bernessa’s cheeks.

“It doesn’t suit her at all.

They could even be staging it together.”

“Lady Silvia might have intentionally allowed herself to be taken hostage.

To further worsen public opinion against the royal family.

If people learn that someone as beloved as Princess Daphne committed such an act, everyone would be disappointed.”

“If that were the case, the rumor would’ve already spread everywhere.

Judging by how desperately the messenger begged for secrecy, it seems only a very small number of royals know about it…”

“Then there’s a real chance she was actually kidnapped?”

“…….”

Fren frowned, but unlike before, he didn’t immediately deny it.

Silvia had long been obsessed with memories of Niobe, but recently her condition had grown far worse.

Fortunately, she had only shown her instability in front of Fren and Bernessa so far.

But if things had worsened beyond that…

Just imagining it gave him a headache.

Fren, who had planned to exploit Silvia down to the marrow, pulled Bernessa’s cheeks outward.

“We have to rescue her, right?”

“Yes.”

“What a pain….”

After letting out a deep sigh, Fren released Bernessa.

The two of them went down to the reception room.

The messenger, who had been pacing anxiously without even sitting down, grew even more distressed upon seeing Fren.

Leaning against Bernessa, Fren looked pale enough to collapse at any moment.

With a trembling voice, Fren asked—

“…Where was Princess Daphne last seen?”

A single tear slid down his pale cheek.

At the sight that pierced the heart just by looking at it, the messenger bit his lip and bowed his head.

“This time, even if it’s Her Highness, I cannot forgive her.”

Wiping away his tears, Fren declared—

“She will definitely pay the price for kidnapping my mother.”

“Y-yes, of course she must!”

Sweating coldly from anxiety, the messenger hurriedly continued.

“Even His Majesty, who secretly cherished Princess Daphne, was greatly disappointed by this incident.

His Majesty promised that he would spare no support until Lady Silvia is rescued safely.

He also said he would impose severe punishment on the princess after she is apprehended.”

In the end, it meant that even if punishment was to be given, they would handle it, so Fren should stay out of it.

Princess Electra must have shed tears before the king again, begging him.

The bond between the princesses was notoriously strong.

Seeing through the king’s intentions in an instant, Fren stared at the messenger.

Feeling inexplicably pricked by that gaze, the messenger hurried to speak again.

“For now, how about coming with me to the royal palace to meet His Majesty in person?

His Majesty also said he wishes to apologize directly to Elder Fren and discuss this matter with you.”

Fren nodded immediately.

“Alright.

Let’s do that.”

“…Yes!

Then we’ll depart at once!”

The messenger turned toward the door, then hesitated.

Fren asked gently, as if nothing were wrong.

“What is it?”

“…Elder.”

The messenger knelt on the floor again, just as before.

“As I said earlier, please keep this matter a secret.”

“For the sake of Princess Daphne, who kidnapped my mother?”

“I cannot deny that in good conscience.

But this is also for Lady Silvia’s sake.

She could be dragged into a scandal for no reason.”

“And those who follow Lady Silvia might riot.”

Bernessa was worshiped as a god by only one elf, Artua.

But Silvia was revered by countless people.

Knowing that nothing was more dangerous than fanatics, Fren couldn’t help but find the messenger’s words absurd.

‘Who is worrying about whom right now….’

At that moment, the messenger slammed his forehead into the floor even harder than before.

Blood gushed from the split skin on his forehead, yet he spoke without caring.

“…Elder, I will now speak at the risk of my life.

Even if you intend to kill me, please do so after I finish speaking.

You are a generous man, so I believe you will allow me at least that.”

“I promise.

Go on, then.”

The moment Fren granted permission, the messenger spoke.

“They worship Lady Silvia because she possesses both beauty and chastity.”

‘That bastard.’

Bernessa gasped silently in shock and checked Fren’s expression.

In this situation, bringing up chastity had an obvious implication.

Fren simply looked down at him.

It meant continue.

“Even now, the two of you are together.

Of course, Princess Daphne would never force herself on Lady Silvia.

But do you think others would see it that way?”

“…….”

“Lady Silvia was once suspected of losing her chastity in the past.

Of course, after losing her husband, she was free to love anyone.

But she went so far as to gouge out one of her own eyes to swear an oath.

That there was only one being in her heart, and that she would live her entire life remembering only that person.”

There truly was only one being.

The problem was that it wasn’t her husband.

“With that oath, Lady Silvia instantly became a living legend.

In an age overflowing with one-night encounters and adultery, Lady Silvia is virtually the only light.

I’ve also heard that the benefits gained from that reputation are considerable.”

“…Is that all you wanted to say?”

“It’s an open secret that Princess Daphne harbors unrequited love for Lady Silvia.”

This was practically the king’s warning that he would not die alone.

The messenger held his breath and waited for the misfortune to befall him.

But even after a long time, nothing happened.

He cautiously lifted his head.

Fren’s expression was cold enough to freeze his insides just by looking at it.

But that was all.

‘I was expecting at least crippling, if not being buried alive.’

Maybe he would actually return with all his limbs intact.

The messenger’s heart began to race faster.

Fren collapsed weakly into a chair.

After covering his face with both hands for a long while, he muttered—

“…You are truly cruel.”

“I apologize.”

With his face still covered, Fren spoke.

“Please leave.

Right now.”

“…….”

“Once I calm down, I’ll come to the palace to see His Majesty.

So go back first.”

Though he had been dismissed, the messenger hesitated.

Fren spoke again.

“It won’t take long.

Just go back for now.”

The messenger had no choice but to leave.

His heart was still pounding violently.

The face that had been armed with sorrow and politeness twisted with rage the moment he stepped outside.

‘And he just endures that?

Is that even possible?

I heard they were extremely close!’

The messenger ground his teeth hard.

He had deliberately chosen words meant to make Fren lose his reason, yet he was leaving unscathed.

It was the worst possible outcome.

‘His Majesty said he would use my death as an excuse to ask for leniency for the princess…!’

He had no face left to see the princess.

The messenger irritably mounted his horse.

He needed to return to the palace immediately and devise another plan.

Thinking that, he urged the horse to go faster.

‘I’ll protect Her Highness no matter what!’

Still, Fren’s overly passive reaction bothered him.

Perhaps Fren and Silvia were not as close as the public believed.

It might be a stretch, but right now he needed to scrape together every possible weakness between them.

This absolutely had to be reported to His Majesty.

As the messenger reached a street near the palace, he urged the horse once more—only to notice a carriage passing in front of him.

Just as he tried to slow down—

A small stone flew from somewhere and grazed the horse’s mane.

—Hiiiiiing!

Startled, the horse reared up, flailing its forelegs in the air.

The messenger’s eyes widened.

He could feel the gazes of the elves chatting on both sides turn toward him.

He screamed in desperation.

“No, I still have to protect the princess—!”

But the messenger never finished his sentence.

His head twisted at an unnatural angle as he fell to the ground.

His neck had snapped, killing him instantly.

The elves murmured as they gathered around the body.

“Looks like the horse got startled because it almost hit the carriage.”

“Seriously, he should’ve ridden more slowly.

How can you go that fast in such a crowded place?”

One cannot fall into an obvious trap.

Bernessa, who had been hiding among the elves, vanished without a trace.

And behind her, the ‘human’ who had been watching Bernessa also slipped away into the alleyways.