The Sinister Advisor
The fragile peace Hayate and Neshuda had built shattered immediately the next morning. It was time for Hayate, the new King, to face the royal council.
The council meeting was a disaster waiting to happen. Hayate was young, gentle, and already plagued by rumors of bringing a stray into the palace.
The most powerful man on the council was Lord Henudra. He was not related to the royal family, but he had been the late King's chief advisor and was brilliant, cunning, and cold. He was dressed in deep violet robes, and his eyes seemed to miss nothing.
Lord Henudra was the first to speak, his voice smooth and commanding.
"Your Majesty," Henudra began, bowing deeply, but with a hint of challenge in his eyes. "The people and the nobles are deeply concerned about the swiftness of your accession. More pressing, they are worried about the security risks to the crown."
Henudra paused for dramatic effect. "Specifically, the untrained, nameless person you have brought into the Citadel."
Hayate felt a flash of anger, but he kept his voice steady. "You mean my personal Guardian, Neshuda?"
Henudra smiled—a cold, polite expression that didn't reach his eyes. "Yes. We are concerned, Your Majesty. His origins are unknown. His loyalty is untested. And, dare I say, he lacks the nobility required to stand so close to the Angelic bloodline."
Hayate looked at Neshuda, who was standing perfectly still behind his throne, silent but radiating dangerous tension. Neshuda didn't react to the insult, but Hayate felt a familiar, burning heat in his chest—Neshuda's simmering anger.
"Neshuda passed the Guardian Trial with exceptional skill," Hayate defended, his pure-hearted loyalty shining. "And his loyalty is to me alone. That is what the kingdom needs now."
Henudra merely raised an elegant eyebrow. "Loyalty is cheap, Your Majesty. Blood is forever."
The Seed of Doubt
The meeting was a tense battle, but Hayate successfully pushed through a few minor decrees. When it was over, Henudra approached Hayate.
"Your Majesty," Henudra said, his voice dropping to a confidential whisper. "I only worry because I care. You are prone to sudden collapses. The physicians call it a curse, a reflection of your Angelic bloodline."
Hayate went cold. He didn't know how Henudra knew the details, but his blood ran fast.
"You should choose a Guardian who protects himself, rather than one who puts you in danger," Henudra finished, giving Neshuda a long, contemptuous look before sweeping away.
Hayate felt deeply unsettled. He knew Henudra was trying to sow discord, but the words echoed in his heart: Neshuda's injuries are a direct threat to the kingdom's stability.
That night, Hayate was restless. Neshuda, sensing his King's emotional turmoil, stood silently in the corner of the royal chambers.
"He knows about the curse," Hayate murmured, staring at the ceiling. "Henudra knows, Neshuda. He already knows our weakness."
"Then we will be stronger," Neshuda replied, his voice low and firm. "We will hide it. If I do not suffer, you do not suffer."
"That's the problem, Neshuda," Hayate said, sitting up. "You are always suffering. You hide your pain too well. And I feel it anyway."
Neshuda didn't argue. He walked over to the King and knelt beside the bed. It was a gesture of respect, not servitude.
"Hayate," Neshuda said, using the casual name softly. "I will be careful. But please, don't let that snake Henudra get inside your head. He is the one who is truly dangerous."
Hayate placed a comforting hand on Neshuda's shoulder. In Neshuda's intense, loyal eyes, Hayate found the strength to push back against the fear.
The Succession Crisis
The situation grew worse when an important delegation from a neighboring territory arrived. The meeting was crucial for trade, but the delegates were deliberately arrogant, hoping to exploit the young King's lack of experience.
Henudra used the opportunity to undermine Hayate further.
"The trade agreements are complicated, Your Majesty," Henudra announced publicly, his voice dripping with false concern. "Perhaps we should let the council decide, as you are still recovering from your 'recent exhaustion.'"
The delegates smirked. Hayate felt his face heat up, feeling the humiliating slap of the insult. He needed to prove his worth.
Hayate, leaning on his charisma, managed to navigate the negotiations carefully, pushing back against Henudra's influence.
The moment Hayate successfully negotiated a tricky clause, he felt a sudden, sharp pressure in his skull. It wasn't pain, but a deep, throbbing frustration. He immediately looked at Neshuda.
Neshuda was staring intently at Henudra, his hands clenched into fists, his whole body tense with suppressed rage. Neshuda's furious at Henudra's disrespect, Hayate realized. And I feel every bit of his suppressed anger.
Hayate took a deep breath, trying to control the reflected emotion. He needed to end the meeting before Neshuda's barely contained rage overwhelmed him.
The Secret Library?
The pressure of the crown and the constant threat of the curse forced Hayate to seek answers. He remembered his father mentioning ancient texts about the Angelic bloodline.
That night, Hayate and Neshuda snuck into the Citadel's forbidden library—a dusty, massive room filled with scrolls that hadn't been touched in centuries.
"We shouldn't be here you know..." Neshuda whispered, his guard instinct screaming at the violation of rules.
"I need to know why this curse exists," Hayate insisted, frantically flipping through heavy, crumbling texts.
They finally found a scroll titled: The Angel's Bond: Reflection and Necessity.
Hayate carefully unrolled the scroll. The ancient text detailed that the Curse of Reflection wasn't a flaw; it was a necessary power. It tied the King's soul to a "Life Anchor," someone with pure, unshakeable loyalty. The purpose was to ensure the King would never be alone, feeling the pain and strength of his most loyal retainer.
However, the text also warned: "If the Anchor suffers undue pain—physical or emotional—the King shall pay the price. If the bond is broken by doubt, the King shall collapse, and the Kingdom shall fall into darkness."
Hayate felt a cold dread wash over him. The curse wasn't just about pain; it was about stability. Neshuda wasn't just his guardian; Neshuda was his entire kingdom's anchor.
"Neshuda," Hayate whispered, his voice trembling. "If you suffer too much, the kingdom falls."
Neshuda looked down at the scroll, then at Hayate's frightened face. He understood the terrifying weight of his new role. He wasn't just protecting a King; he was protecting the stability of the entire world.
The bond was deeper, and the stakes were higher than they ever imagined.