Chapter 12 – The Shattered Light
Steam curled lazily through the bathroom, clouding the mirror as Elestia stared at her reflection.
Her mind, however, was far from the room.
He's so handsome and gentle... I mean, Kiel is handsome too, but... I never felt this kind of flutter with him. His red hair, those strange brown eyes—ugh!
Elestia's cheeks burned. She covered her face with both hands.
"Ahhh! What's wrong with me?!"
"Babe? Are you okay in there?" Kiel's voice came from behind the door, laced with concern. "If you're done, come out soon. You don't want to catch a cold, right?"
That familiar voice snapped her back to reality. Her hands dropped, and she stared at her body reflected in the fogged mirror — the faint scars, the healed burns, the remnants of past battles.
Her lips curved into a sad smile.
'I shouldn't dream too much… It's good enough that Kiel accepts me the way I am. I'm a scarred woman, not someone who deserves gentleness.'
She wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out of the bathroom.
Kiel was waiting near the bed, his brows furrowed the moment he saw her.
"As I thought… you really caught a cold."
Elestia smiled faintly and walked toward her wardrobe. "Let's cuddle, Kiel. Hug me tightly."
He froze — caught off guard. Her back looked so small, so fragile in that moment that something inside him cracked.
'Why did I ever doubt her?' he thought bitterly. She looks so weak right now… so tired.
Without another word, he embraced her tightly from behind. She didn't say anything either — just leaned into his warmth like it was the only thing holding her together.
That night, Elestia couldn't sleep. She kept waking, her breaths shallow, heart racing.
Sometime before dawn, Kiel stirred. The cold beside him made him open his eyes. "Elestia?"
He rose groggily, only to find her sitting by the window, trembling, her body bathed in moonlight.
"I-I'm s-sorry…" The words escaped her lips again and again, choked by silent tears.
Kiel rushed forward and knelt beside her, wrapping her in his arms. "Shh… it's okay. It's okay."
But the guilt gnawed at him. I failed her. I was the one obsessed with her… yet I was the first to doubt her.
Elestia's eyes were vacant — as if her soul wasn't there. Trapped in her own nightmare.
He held her until she fell asleep again.
That same nightmare — her old comrades dying because of her — clawed at her mind. Their faces smiled even as they perished, calling her Master to the very end. She could still smell the blood, hear the fire, and taste the guilt.
When morning came, she acted as if nothing had happened.
"You don't have to force yourself," Kiel said softly. "You can rest today."
She shook her head, smiling faintly. "I can manage."
"You look pale."
"I'll be fine," she insisted, walking away.
Kiel watched her leave — that same small back, fading into the hall — and his heart ached.
That evening, duty called him to the royal palace. The King of Fiena had personally invited him to dinner, and as a visiting prince, he couldn't refuse.
On his way there, he met Lucia by chance.
"Oh, Prince Kiel!" Lucia waved cheerfully. "You're heading to the palace too? Let's go together!"
He hesitated but nodded. "Of course."
At that moment, somewhere in the city square, Rania tugged on Elestia's sleeve. "Lady Elestia… isn't that Prince Kiel and Lucia?"
Elestia followed her gaze — and froze.
Kiel was smiling. Really smiling. Lucia laughed beside him, her golden hair shimmering in the sunlight.
Elestia's chest tightened painfully.
"I… I could never make him smile like that…"
Rania bit her lip, regretting her words immediately. "Lady—"
But Elestia turned away, voice barely above a whisper. "Let's go."
Her heart screamed with every step she took.
He looks happier with her. Maybe this is how it should've been from the start… I was never meant to stay here. I should disappear.
Weeks passed. Elestia stopped coming home. Kiel tried to make time for her, but every time he returned, she was gone — or asleep in another room.
"I don't want to return to an empty home anymore…" Kiel murmured bitterly one night, signing his final report.
"Prince Kiel!" Lucia's bright voice cut through the silence. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"
He hesitated — then smiled faintly. "Sure."
It wasn't Elestia's warmth, but at least it was something.
At the same time, Elestia returned from a mission — alone. The goblin scouting had turned into chaos after a bandit ambush and an evolved ogre's appearance. She was battered, exhausted, her leg wounded and bleeding. The healing potion had barely worked.
When she staggered into the city gates, she ran straight into a familiar group — Kiel, Lucia, Felix, and Carmila.
"Elestia?" Lucia called, eyes widening.
Elestia didn't answer. Her gaze flicked toward Kiel — just for a second — before she turned to walk past them.
"Are you alright?" Lucia pressed.
Silence.
"Saintess Lucia is asking you, Sister," Carmila said sharply, smiling sweetly but with venom laced in every word.
"Fuck off."
The words sliced the air.
"Impudent!" Prince Felix shot up, glaring.
Before the situation exploded, two figures rushed in — Diego and Clara.
"Lady Elestia! Thank goodness we found you!" Clara cried, half-angry, half-relieved. "We told you to stay put! What are you doing here?!"
"Shut it. I'm off," Elestia muttered — and collapsed.
Diego caught her just in time, his hands staining with her blood.
"Lady Elestia?!" Clara tore her cloak off to cover her, but when she lifted the hem of Elestia's uniform, she froze. Her expression darkened.
She turned toward Carmila, her tone cold and sharp.
"Please refrain from using your title to force someone, Lady Carmila. I wonder — do you even deserve to be called a Saintess when you can't tell someone's half-dead right before your eyes?"
Her gaze flicked to Kiel. "And Prince Kiel… I'm disappointed in you."
Then she bowed stiffly and left with Diego, carrying Elestia in her arms.
Kiel stood there, stunned — his mouth dry, heart twisting in guilt.
"I… I'm sorry. I need to go to her," he finally managed, disappearing down the corridor.
Carmila's fists clenched tightly, her expression twisting with fury.
Not only had her plan failed — she'd humiliated herself in front of everyone.
As Kiel vanished from sight, her thoughts turned cold.
So you want to play that way, Elestia? Fine. Then let's see who breaks first.