Chapter 135: Fragile Trust
The old man fell silent for a long moment, his lips pressed together as though he wanted to speak but could not bring himself to do so.
Then, from behind him, Emy spoke softly, her trembling voice reaching everyone in the room. "Master... you don't have to defend me. I think... I do deserve this kind of punishment for the crime I've committed. Even though I didn't do it intentionally, that doesn't change the fact that I was the one who did it. And if that wasn't enough... what if that wicked woman controls me again? I'd end up hurting someone else in this mansion, wouldn't I? So, it'd be better to just let me be put in a prison."
Albrecht turned his head slightly toward her, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and deep conflict. The dim light from the above reflected in his blue eyes, making them look almost glassy. He stood there without answering her right away, simply looking at her and then at the servants nearby.
Judging by his expression, it was clear that he trusted these people more than anything else in his life, especially when it came to his daughter. The reason he defended Emy wasn't just because of trust, but because something within her situation reminded him of his own story, his own pain, and the memories tied to his beloved wife.
He had once told Kael a little about his past, about how he had become one of the wealthiest merchants in the town. It had never been for greed or reputation. It was all because there was a time when he didn't have enough money to save his wife from her illness.
Back then, when Arienne was still so small, he had been powerless and broke, unable to save the woman he loved most. That helplessness, that regret, had been what drove him to rise so high and earn everything he could. But even then, all the gold in the world couldn't give his daughter her mother back.
Arienne had grown up without her mother's warmth. While her father was struggling to build his wealth, the girl had to live with an emptiness that no amount of comfort could fill.
Kael understood that feeling in his own way. He never had a mother either, nor a family to call his own, so he could imagine how hollow it must have felt for Arienne, growing up in a house filled with everything except what mattered most. Even if she didn't remember her mother clearly, even if her memories were faint, her father had tried to give her everything she could ask for. That much Kael could see.
That was also why Albrecht was trying so hard to protect Emy now. She might have done something terrible, but her actions were not of her own will. She had been controlled, twisted by something beyond her strength to resist. But in Arienne's eyes, Emy was still more than a servant; she was a mother figure, someone who had cared for her in her absence. And Emy herself was pregnant, carrying a child within her. If she were thrown into a prison in this condition, who could say how long she would last, or what would happen to the child?
Albrecht didn't want another life to suffer the same fate that his wife had. It was different, but painfully similar in a way only he could understand. This time, he had the power to stop it, even if it meant forcing himself to forgive what had happened.
Kael could read all of that just by looking at the old man's eyes. There was no anger in them, only quiet sorrow.
Sometimes, Albrecht's gaze shifted toward the wall, where a painting hung... a portrait of a beautiful woman with flowing purple hair and eyes of the same hue, her expression serene but distant. There was something off about it, something slightly uneven, as though the artist had painted her face only from descriptions rather than from seeing her in person.
Kael realized this must have been Albrecht's late wife, drawn only from the fragments of memory that still lingered in his heart. He found himself quietly impressed by the painter's skill, though he didn't truly understand how people could create something so lifelike from mere words.
Then, in a gesture that caught everyone by surprise, Albrecht turned toward Arwyn and bowed slightly. The servants gasped softly at the sight of someone like him... a man of such status... lowering his head before a knight. To most, it didn't make any sense.
But Kael understood immediately.
In a calm but pleading tone, Albrecht spoke, "Lieutenant... please, don't listen to her. I ask you to reconsider just once more. Give her another chance before sending her to prison. I promise... if anything goes wrong with her again, I'll take full responsibility myself."
Arwyn stood in silence for a while. Her expression remained firm and composed, though a trace of thought passed through her eyes. Then she finally exhaled and said quietly, "Alright. I'll let her go this time since you requested it personally, and also because she was the victim in this case. However, she must be watched closely from now on, every hour of the day. I can't assign any of my guards to do it, so it'll have to be done by your own people. That is your choice to make. But I strongly suggest you seek someone more knowledgeable about this kind of condition. I'm sure you can afford it. Now... are you absolutely sure you want to let her go?"
Albrecht stayed silent for a moment longer before finally lifting his head. A soft smile appeared on his face, weary but sincere. "Yes... I'm sure. Thank you very much for hearing me out, Lieutenant. You have my deepest gratitude. I only wish you could join us for dinner tonight, but it seems you're in a hurry, and I wouldn't want to keep you any longer. I'm deeply worried about Arienne myself, but all I can do now is trust you all to bring her back safely."
Arwyn gave a small nod, her tone steady. "It's fine. And don't worry too much. We'll do everything we can to find her."
She turned slightly, her gaze brushing over Kael and Seraphina before saying softly, "Shall we."
Both of them nodded, and the three began to walk out of the mansion together.
Behind them, Emy's lips trembled, her eyes glistening with tears she refused to let fall. Instead, she pressed her hands together tightly, interlacing her fingers as she closed her eyes and whispered a silent prayer, her voice almost lost in the still air of the hall.
...After walking out of the gate, under the soft moonlight, the three of them walked quietly toward the north along the stone path where the long shadows of trees stretched across the ground like dark threads.
The air was cool and carried the soft rustle of leaves, and their footsteps echoed softly in the stillness of the night.
After a while, Seraphina turned her head slightly and glanced at Kael with a trace of amusement in her expression, as if she were still thinking about something that had happened earlier. "That was quite the show, Kael," she said in a low voice that carried both curiosity and reproach. "I must admit, the acting you pulled there almost made a fool out of me. The way you performed that villain's act and stabbed her, even for that brief moment, it almost convinced me that you were doing it for real. Then I realised something, in that room we had two healers with us, especially Arwyn, who could have healed any kind of severe wound without much trouble. That made me understand it was part of your plan. I must say, that was a very clever move."
Kael remained silent for a short while, looking ahead at the dim path glimmering under the moonlight, then sighed quietly and said, "Thanks, Captain."
Seraphina's expression softened, though only slightly, and she lifted her gaze to the night sky as if choosing her words carefully. "But still, Kael," she said after a moment, her voice calm but edged with concern, "that was truly a reckless thing to do. You must think about the consequences before taking action next time. When something goes wrong, you will not have the luxury to think afterward. What I mean is, if by any chance you had accidentally harmed the unborn child, then not even the most skilled healer could have saved it. I advise you to be more cautious before doing something so daring again."
Arwyn, who had been silently walking beside them, finally turned her head toward Kael. Her long ponytail swayed gently with her movement as she looked at him thoughtfully.
It was only then that Kael suddenly realised something that had completely slipped his mind until now. Somehow, he had ended up walking between the two women.
The thought itself felt strangely awkward, especially since both of them were not only beautiful but carried that kind of elegance that made it hard for any man to stay calm. Of course, they both maintained a fair distance from him, which made it slightly less uncomfortable, but still, he could not ignore the quiet awareness of their presence beside him.
What made him even more uneasy was that Arwyn occasionally glanced his way with that curious look of hers, as if something about him caught her attention again and again. Was it because of that strange scent coming from his body?
He honestly could not tell.
Then, Arwyn finally spoke, her voice calm and soft. "I agree with the Captain," she said slowly. "You should consider her words seriously, Kael. No one knows what the future might bring, and gambling with someone's life is not something that should ever be taken lightly. But still, I can't deny that I was a little surprised by what I saw back there. You seemed far more vicious and composed than I expected. Though to be fair, that's probably not unusual. You are, after all, an experienced adventurer, no matter your rank or position. And judging by your movements, your aim is quite impressive. If you were not a healer, I believe you could have become a seasoned warrior."
Kael remained silent for a brief moment, his expression unreadable, then forced a smile and said coldly, "I am truly honoured by your praise, Lieutenant Arwyn. I am also glad that you managed to notice such a trait in someone like me."
Arwyn chuckled softly. "No worries."
Then, she stole a side glance toward Seraphina and smiled softly to herself, thinking, "See? That's how you gain a man's attention. You praise him first, make him lower his guard, and then let him notice you naturally. I really don't understand why she always starts by pointing out someone's flaws or lecturing them. That kind of thing never works on men, unless the man happens to enjoy being insulted from time to time. I guess I'll have to teach her a thing or two about this someday. Well then, watch and learn, Seraphina."
At the same time, Seraphina herself seemed lost in thought. Her gaze wandered toward Kael as she suddenly spoke, "By the way, Kael. How exactly did you know that Emy was the one responsible?"
Kael's steps faltered slightly, and for a brief instant, the colour drained from his face. It struck him like a blade that he had completely forgotten about this part. He was supposed to explain everything to her sooner or later, regardless of whether his reasoning made sense or not. But how was he supposed to come up with an answer to that all of a sudden? He had not thought about it even for a moment.
'What should I say? What should I say? Think, think, damn it, think!'
No matter how much he tried, nothing came to his mind. His thoughts tangled and scattered until drops of sweat began to form on his forehead.
Seraphina studied him silently for a while, her eyes narrowing slightly, and then she asked again, "So?"
Kael's lips twitched helplessly as a bitter thought crossed his mind, "I'm completely doomed."
Just then, before he could even open his mouth, another voice came from beside him, catching him entirely off guard.
"I was the one who told him," said Arwyn calmly.
Both Kael and Seraphina turned toward her at once, their brows furrowing slightly as Seraphina asked, "You did? So, you already knew. But since when? And how?"
With a surprised look, Kael quickly masked his expression, trying to appear as if nothing had shaken him. But deep inside, his thoughts turned restless and unsteady. "What is she actually thinking? Why is she trying to defend me in this? Come to think of it... she has been taking my side for quite some time now. But what could be her reason for doing that? Why?"
The more he thought about it, the less sense it made, and the more unsettled he felt.
When Seraphina turned to question Arwyn, the latter paused for a brief moment as if to gather her words.
Eventually, she raised her finger and waved it slightly while speaking with an expression that seemed thoughtful and calm. "Well, when you two were searching through the servants' rooms, I was secretly searching outside the mansion instead, around the garden and the backyard. You two didn't seem to find anything unfortunately, but... I did, at that time. It was a small piece of rolled paper, and when I opened it, I found some white powder inside. It looked like the same drug that had been used on Emy. When I looked up, I noticed that there were two separate rooms nearby where four maids slept. But I wasn't sure yet who among them was responsible."
She paused for a moment, lowering her voice slightly as if the next part required caution. "Then I found something else... something that proved one of them was pregnant. I'm sorry, but I can't say it here in front of a man. I even tried to ask them personally, but no one responded, which made me suspicious. After that, I began observing everyone's movements closely... until Kael's interrogation started. When he began asking questions, I noticed that Emy was the one behaving most strangely, so I told him to accuse her. Isn't that right, Kael?"
Kael answered almost instantly, trying not to look as uneasy as he felt. "Yes, that's exactly what happened, Captain."
His tone came out awkward and forced, and his mind immediately began spiraling. "As if someone would be foolish enough to believe this ridiculous story. When did she even go outside to search? When did she get the time to observe everyone's movements? None of this makes sense. Not a single part of it."
Seraphina's gaze shifted between them, studying both of their faces intently. Then she let out a long sigh and pressed her fingers against her temple as if all of this had become exhausting. "So that's how it is, huh? Here I was thinking Kael was some kind of expert detective or something like that. And that's why you've been supporting him all this time... ah, it makes sense now. But why didn't you tell me back then? If you had, I wouldn't have misunderstood everything, you know."
Kael blinked several times, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. 'What the hell is this? How does any of this make sense? And why is Seraphina believing her without even questioning the holes in her story? Is she just taking her word blindly, or is there something I can't see? I thought I was beginning to understand her, even a little. But no... clearly, I was wrong. I've never been this wrong in my life.'
Arwyn gave a small shrug and replied quietly, "I guess."
Seraphina didn't ask anything further. She simply turned away and continued walking forward with an indifferent air, as though none of this mattered enough to demand her attention.
Kael finally let out a slow breath, feeling as though the tension pressing against his chest had loosened just a little. He opened his mouth, about to ask Arwyn why she had done it... why she had suddenly created such a story... but before he could speak, she leaned forward.
Her sudden closeness made him stiffen slightly, her breath brushing near his ear as she whispered, "You've got a little sister, huh? That's a bit of a surprise. Or was that just another lie? Kael Ardent... who exactly are you?"
---
Somewhere far away, surrounded by a dim and uncertain light that seemed to come from nowhere but everywhere, in a wide and quiet room lay a large soft bed.
Upon that bed, a little girl with lavender hair slowly opened her eyelids and sat up, her small body swaying slightly as she tried to understand where she was. Her eyes wandered across the shadowed space, but nothing looked familiar.
After a brief pause, she rubbed her eyes quickly and blinked several times as if trying to wake herself from a dream.
Arienne looked again, her brows furrowing gently as confusion clouded her gaze. She could not recognise this place at all. "Where am I? Why is it so dark here? And why does my head hurt so much?"
Not long after, she heard something cold but clear... the slow, rhythmic sound of footsteps echoing somewhere in the distance. It was hard to tell where they were coming from, so she turned her head left and right, searching, but the sound seemed to move everywhere at once.
Then, through that dim light, a faint silhouette appeared, forming quietly out of the shadows.
Arienne's skin tingled and her heart gave a small jump as she stumbled backward on the bed, her hands clutching the sheets tightly.
"A... a ghost? I was abducted by a ghost," she whispered under her breath, her eyes wide as saucers.
The silhouette shifted, and before she could even blink twice, the figure appeared right in front of her, seated across from the bed as though she had always been there.
Now Arienne could see that it was not a ghost but a woman wearing a long gown that almost glimmered in the dimness. Her face was hidden beneath the shadow of the gown's veil, leaving only her lips visible... soft, dark, and oddly mesmerizing.
Those lips moved slightly as she spoke in a calm voice, "I'm no ghost, young lady."
Hearing that, Arienne let out a soft sigh of relief, realizing that the woman could talk. She remembered from her books that monsters could not talk, which meant this strange lady must be human. Still, her unease did not fade entirely. She tilted her head slightly, her small voice trembling as she asked, "W-who are you, then?"
The woman's lips curved into a cold smile. "I'm Queen."
Arienne blinked a few times and tilted her head again, this time with a more serious look, "Are you perhaps acquainted with Mister?"
The woman raised her chin a little, her voice calm and slow, "Mister, you say? You mean Kael. Yes, you can say that I am."
Hearing that name, Arienne exhaled softly through her nose as though she had finally found something familiar to hold onto. "Oh, that's good then. So, where am I? Did Mister bring me here for my training?"
The woman smiled again, but this time her smile was deeper, quieter, and somehow unsettling. "No. I'm the one who brought you here. I've abducted you."
Arienne's eyes widened slowly, the color draining from her face as her lips parted slightly. "W-why, miss?"
The woman straightened her back a little and turned her head slightly as if searching for the right words before speaking again. "I need you."
Arienne stared blankly for a moment, unable to understand what she meant, and then spoke again, her tone more hesitant, "W-what do you mean, miss?"
Before she could even move away, the woman reached forward and took her little hands into her own.
Arienne gasped softly as she realized how fast that movement had been... faster than anything she had ever seen, even faster than Mister's girlfriend. Her body stiffened completely as fear quietly crawled up her spine.
The woman tilted her head slightly once more, her lips curling coldly, "I mean exactly what I said. I need your help, young lady. I desperately need your help."
Arienne, caught off guard, tried to give a small smile even though she felt uneasy. "B-but why do you need me?"
The woman's voice lowered slightly, her tone carrying something almost tender but deeply chilling, "To destroy this kingdom."
Arienne blinked several times. Those words sounded too strange, too unreal, especially coming from an adult. She was just a little girl who could barely understand magic, much less destruction. How could someone like her destroy an entire kingdom? For a moment she wondered if the woman was simply joking or trying to play a trick on her. Perhaps Mister was behind this somehow, watching her reaction.
The woman must have noticed her silence because her lips parted again, and she asked softly, "Are you willing to help me, young lady?"
Arienne still did not understand what this woman truly meant. Her mind was too young to grasp the weight behind those words.
Before she could answer, the strange woman leaned closer and pressed her lips gently against Arienne's forehead.
Arienne's eyes widened at the sudden touch, and within that single moment, something flashed in her mind... a memory she never had before, or perhaps one that had been buried too deep to remember.
A woman's face.
Warm hands.
The soft hum of a lullaby.
Her mother.
Her head began to spin and her stomach ached as everything around her turned distant.
Her small body swayed and she began to lose consciousness, her eyelids slowly closing.
...The woman caught her before she could fall and held her carefully in her arms. A few small tears rolled down Arienne's cheeks as the woman gently stroked her hair and whispered softly, "There, there, don't cry... you've got a new mother now, one who will never leave you."
Lifting her face slightly, the woman's dark lips curved upward into a quiet, satisfied smile. "Little child... welcome to my..."
She hugged the little girl closer, and the dimness behind her began to shift.
In the blink of an eye, countless pairs of eyes emerged from the darkness, all fixed upon her, reflecting her midnight silhouette.
The Queen smiled, her voice low and filled with an eerie sweetness as she murmured softly.
"...Chains of Love."
---
(Chapter Ended)
To be continued...