Chapter 31 Kingdom that Runs on Silence

Liora stepped out of the grand throne room with her usual poise—back straight, steps measured, hands folded neatly before her. Her smile, polite and delicate, rested just beneath her closed eyes like always. To anyone watching, she was the picture of serenity, the kingdom’s composed diplomat who never cracked, never faltered.

But inside her head, a storm raged.

"This fool of a king has completely lost it. Three centuries of rule have rotted whatever reason he once had. I might be the most brilliant diplomat this kingdom’s ever seen, but even I can’t keep patching up the messes his delusions create. That magi stone elixir he uses to stay alive rots his mind."

She walked with grace, yet her thoughts screamed.

"If not for me, this kingdom would’ve crumbled a dozen times over. It’s me who rewrites his threats into policy. Me who smooths over the fires he lights. Me who keeps friendly relationships with other kingdoms. Me who makes the corpses disappear, the lies believable, the world think this man is still some divine miracle rather than a decaying tyrant who clings to life like a parasite! If I hadn’t been the one to sweep up after his blunders, the people would have revolted long since.
And now? War, because his pride couldn’t handle letting poor live free—because he needs cursed magi stone to keep his ancient heart beating. Stupid war! All of this because Aura is not of a royal blood, just a girl from orphanage. What a damn fool."

Liora’s fingers curled into a fist, trembling with the weight of it all.

"I’m trapped—pressed like a shard of metal caught between an anvil and hammer. All these fools around me just keep on beating me and beating! If I don’t die on some distant battlefield, this anxiety will kill me first.
And now, to top it all off, I have to watch out for Rein. If he ever learns the truth, I won’t survive it. I’ve seen what he’s capable of."

Her thoughts quickened, panic rising beneath the surface.

"There’s no escaping him. If only Aura had accepted—or even asked me to reconsider the king’s peace offer—then maybe I’d have a chance to walk out of this alive.
Gods, when I was chosen seventeen years ago to be the kingdom’s diplomat, I never signed up for this.
And to make it worse, that idiot king just made me Rein’s fiancé on a whim—never once asking me. I have my own life, my own love. Damn that fool."

She turned a corner, nodding absently to a pair of servants who bowed in passing.

"If only he had let me to dictate the terms, Aura would’ve accepted. She was still open, still foolishly hopeful in people’s goodness. We could’ve ended this. But no—he couldn’t handle the idea of peace unless it came with chains and tribute. His pride was too loud. And now Rein... Rein, who doesn’t know the truth. Rein, who looked at her with those furious eyes and would rip me to shreds if he ever found out."

Her lips stayed curled in their soft, diplomatic shape.

"The boy who would burn this kingdom to ash if he knew what really happened to her. If he knew what we let happen. What I let happen."

She stopped in a quiet hallway, alone save for two guards stationed at the far end. Her face remained blank. But her breath hitched.

"I already gave up my life for this kingdom. For that old madman. For his illusions. For this endless war. I'm already in love with someone, you stupid king. But that was never even a question, was it? Just another sacrifice, expected. Just another thing I don’t get to have!"

The pressure finally cracked. Her fist slammed into the wall beside her, a low boom echoing through the corridor. Stone exploded. A chunk of the wall burst inward, leaving a gaping hole and spiderweb cracks racing in every direction. The guards stationed at the end of the hall convulsed in shock—they had never seen her lose control, never heard a hint of anger or frustration. She had always worn that perfect poker face, unbreakable and gentle.

Her voice was low, dangerous, as she strode past them without looking back.

“You saw nothing. Got that? Nothing. Now, fix the damn wall—and get back to your duties.”

The guards remained frozen, eyes wide and mouths agape, as she disappeared down the corridor, leaving them reeling in stunned silence.

---------

The sound of her footsteps had long faded, but the two guards still sat on the cold marble floor, eyes fixed on the shattered wall.

“Holy goose! Did she just—” the younger one began, wide-eyed, still staring at the web of cracks.

“Shut it,” the older one snapped, already moving toward the damage, fingers weaving as glowing runes sparked into existence. 

“You didn’t see anything. And you didn’t hear anything either.”

“But—she punched a stone wall. With her bare hand. She’s a diplomat, not a—”

“I said, shut it, kid!” 

The older man’s voice was harsh this time, his eyes narrowing as he knelt to focus his spell.

 “You want to end up like Geras? Or Rynn? They asked questions too. Always poking around where they shouldn't.”

The younger guard hesitated, lowering his voice to a whisper, “You mean… the ones before me, who got transferred and went missing on border patrol?”

“They didn’t go missing,” the old man said flatly, his tone cold, “They disappeared. And you know what the official story said? ‘Demon ambush.’ Always is. Convenient, isn’t it?”

The younger guard swallowed hard, glancing down the corridor where Liora had vanished.

 “You’re saying… it wasn’t demons?”

“I’m saying this kingdom runs on silence. The kind that keeps your tongue behind your teeth if you want to keep waking up in your own bed.”

 He pressed his palm to the wall. Magic surged outward, slowly mending the damage, sealing the cracks with shimmering gold threadwork.

“We protect the castle, the royals, and the realm. That’s the job. But you want to stay breathing long enough to retire? Then stop asking questions when people more important than you lose their temper. Not another word, got it? And don't even think about telling anyone what you saw here, in this town even walls have ears, so you better be careful what you say.”

The younger one said nothing after that, only nodding and helping with the restoration spell. His hands trembled slightly, but he kept his eyes on the stone and his mouth tightly shut.

The magic glow faded as the wall finally sealed, smooth and seamless once more. The older guard leaned back with a tired grunt, brushing dust off his gauntlets.

“You’re still thinking about it, aren’t you, kid?” 

“Geras… was he really one of those who went missing?”

“Yeah. I was there that night. We’d just gotten off duty. Went to that little bar near the east tower—you know, the one where the drinks taste like piss but it’s cheap and no one asks questions. Geras got up to take a leak. Never came back.”