Fractured

"Don't cry," he whispered, his hand gently cupping my cheek.

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, a tender act that defied the horror unfolding between us. Despite everything, his strength still lingered, even as his life slipped away.

Then, blood began to bubble from his lips. My hand, still clutching the knife, remained buried in his chest. I had stabbed him.

"Why?"…

"Why didn't you stop me?" I gasped, my voice trembling. "You, the strongest… why did you let me?"

He managed a weak smile, a chilling, blood-stained smile that twisted my heart.

"Why?" i rasped, my voice weakening.

"Why would you love someone like me?

'Trapped in the shadows of fate, a side character bound to play her role in a tragedy she never chose.'

"Run," he whispered, his eyes glazing over.

"Run?" I echoed, bewildered. "You want me to survive?

"Kh-khack"...

He coughed, a violent spasm that racked his body.

"Live," he gasped, his voice fading into a whisper.

His lifeblood stained the silken fabric of his shirt. The invincible, the magnificent, was dying—and I, the insignificant pawn, was left to bear the weight of my terrible deed.

"Aaahhh! Nooo...!" I screamed, the remnants of the terrible nightmare still gripping me.

Sniff... sniff...

Tears streamed down my face, my heart heavy with sorrow. I sat up, the night still lingering around me, but I could sense the dawn nearing. Today would be the last day I stayed here.

---

"My lady, is there anything you wish to do today?"

I paused for a moment, considering. Then I nodded.

Serra assisted me in getting dressed, and we made our way outside. The cool morning air greeted us as we stepped out of the mansion and into the expansive garden. The garden was a sight to behold—beautiful, vast, and brimming with all kinds of flowers. As I walked through it, a bittersweet memory of Erana stirred within me. She had loved this place so much.

I walked slowly through the garden, Serra trailing behind me, her presence quiet but steady.

Suddenly, I heard a voice.

I turned toward the sound.

"Master, I want to tell you something."

"Aldric," Tyrian said, smiling softly, "I told you to call me by my name when we're alone."

There he was—Aldric Valen. One of the most handsome and significant characters, a knight whose loyalty to Tyrian was unparalleled. He had loved Tyrian since childhood and had pledged to protect him for life.

Aldric had been born a commoner, but his extraordinary talent with a sword caught the Duke's attention. The Duke bought him, elevating him to a position as Tyrian's knight. The two had been inseparable since childhood. And Aldric had even bullied Erana under Tyrian's orders, all while believing that Tyrian was always right.

"I've liked you since we were children," Aldric admitted, his face flushing with a deep blush.

Tyrian, surprised, raised an eyebrow before smiling. "I like you too, Aldric."

"Then... should we—"

"Should we what?" Tyrian asked, an amused glint in his eyes.

"Should we... date?" Aldric stammered, his face now a full shade of red.

Tyrian leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "I enjoy doing things like that, but not dating."

Aldric trembled with embarrassment, his cheeks burning hotter than before.

Shit. I can't believe I'm witnessing one of the main scenes from the novel. It was a cute moment in the story, but seeing it unfold before my eyes... it felt wrong. Perhaps because I knew both of them too well—especially Tyrian, the snake in the grass.

I glanced at Serra, who had stopped walking and was staring at the scene with a mixture of disgust and disbelief. She said nothing but her expression said it all. "Let's go," she muttered.

As we turned to leave, I stumbled, bumping into a tree, and fell.

Serra reacted swiftly, catching me in her arms. "My lady, are you all right?"

Then, I heard a voice—faint but clear.

"Erana?"

"Hah....."

I sighed, my heart heavy. 'It seems I've fallen into the scenario.'

I turned to face Tyrian fully.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry for disturbing your precious time," I said, the words leaving my mouth almost mechanically.

'What the hell? Why am I apologizing? This isn't even my fault.'

I then glanced at Aldric. His gaze was cold, unfeeling, as he looked at me with a silent judgment. Without thinking, I checked his status screen.

[Love 0%] [Hatred 0%] [Jealousy 0%] [Lust 0%]

What? No feelings toward me? Yet you had no hesitation tormenting Erana when she was just a child...

Tyrian's voice cut through the air like a whip, each word dripping with disdain. "You're disgusting. A worthless pest, not even fit to step foot in this house."

He sneered, continuing his verbal assault. "I told you to stay hidden, silent, like a ghost. But because of you, Lina is dead. And because of you, my father had me locked away in the dungeon."

"You're nothing but a wretched misfortune, a curse that infects everything you touch."

"Leave. Get out of my sight. You don't belong here."

I stared at him without flinching, my face an empty mask. His words, though venomous, no longer had the power to break me. I had heard them a thousand times in my past life, each one more painful than the last.

In the past, I would have cowered before him, trembling, tears falling from my eyes. But not anymore. I was no longer that weak girl.

I bowed my head in silence, my voice quiet but steady.

"I'm sorry for being a burden to you. I'll do as you wish, Young Lord."

'Sure. I'll bend to your every demand, apologize a thousand times, because it's all I can do now.'

Tyrian flinched, his pride pricked by my formality. If it had been Erana, she would have never called him "Young Lord." She always called him her "brother."

You think, what could a girl like me possibly do? Where could I even go? No matter how many times you ordered Erana to leave, she never listened. She never left. She never gave up, not even for you.

Tyrian glanced at Aldric with contempt. "Take her to her room. I can't stand the sight of her," he ordered, his words bitter as poison.

He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving me with nothing but the weight of his cruelty.

I glanced at his status screen once more: [Hate 70%].

---

I looked at Serra, her expression twisted with anger, as if she could tear this family apart with a single thought.

I grasped her hand, gently shaking my head to calm her. She met my eyes and smiled, her serene expression a subtle reassurance.

Aldric's voice was calm but distant as he spoke, "Let's go, my lady."

I met his gaze briefly, then replied, "You don't have to waste your time on me, Sir Aldric Valen. You're free to go."

With a quiet nod, I turned and walked away, my hand held gently by Serra, her presence a silent support.

Aldric watched us, his expression unreadable. A thought lingered in his mind. Sir Aldric Valen?

He couldn't help but recall a time when Erana used to call him simply "Aldric," her smile warm and sincere, a stark contrast to the coldness now hanging in the air. That memory, once so vivid, felt distant now, as if lost in time.

And I realized something new—once a day, I could say a single line without the system's order restraining me. A sliver of freedom amidst this rigid existence.

---

Where Erana used to live was far from the main estate, nestled in a quiet corner of the grounds. She would often wander, finding solace in the garden's vast expanse of greenery. It was during one of those walks that she first saw him—a boy, barely older than herself, practicing swordsmanship in the shadowed edges of the garden, near the forest's edge.

Her childlike wonder had sparked. So cool, she thought, mesmerized by the way he moved, his blade cutting cleanly through the air. He reminded her of her father, a man she admired deeply. She watched quietly, not daring to move, but the boy's instincts were sharp. Sensing her gaze, he turned suddenly, his sword flashing as he rushed toward her, pointing its edge to her neck.

Erana froze, fear locking her limbs. She flinched back, her small frame trembling, and her wide eyes met his fierce ones. He paused, lowering the blade when he realized it was only a young girl, harmless and unassuming.

After that day, the boy began visiting the garden more frequently, though at first, it seemed unintentional. He would pass by, lingering near where she played, until their encounters became less hesitant. Slowly, those chance meetings turned into shared moments—brief exchanges of laughter and games that neither had expected.

For a time, it felt as though an unlikely friendship was forming, fragile yet real. But everything changed the day he learned the truth: she was the girl whose very existence had caused harm to his young master. That revelation shattered whatever bond they had built, turning his kindness into cold indifference and eventually, cruelty.