Chapter 34: kidnapper?
No one's pov
....
"It's not fair auntie grace! I'm his fiance, I should come first!" Lady ivory sobbed on a woman's shoulder.
The woman in question looked in her early thirties. Her blonde hair catching the light just right as her violet eyes gazed boredly at the whining girl seeking comfort from her.
Her name is duchess Grace, ivory's mother's half sister who married a duke from a neighboring kingdom.
"Now, now child, don't waste those precious tears on something so childish... you said it yourself, you're his fiancee and she's just some beast girl...." Grace cooed, tone lacking any real warmth as she tried to console her.
What a pain in my side. I came over since my sister's husband promised me a partnership for a business opportunity and here I am babysitting this spoiled brat. She sighed, clearly irritated by lady ivory's delema.
She gently pushed her away, smiling sweetly as her irritation only grew.
"I'm sorry lady Grace, this news is quite upsetting. But that girl, she acts so chummy with the prince, despite the rumors about him being cold and impregnable. Could she be presumptuous to seduce him...!" Ivory panicked at the thought
"Calm yourself lady ivory, you can't let some random girl influence your judgment like this, it's unbecoming of a future queen...." Grace said flatly, the words hitting Ivory like a punch to the gut.
"Then... what should I do?...." She squealed.
"If a pebble were to get missing from the street would anyone go looking for it?" Grace ask looked directly at her.
Ivory's eyes lit up as she processed her aunt's words.
"You're right! I'll just get rid of the pebble..." She chuckled.
She's like a mini version of my back when I was her age. Desperate enough to get anything she desires, no matter the cost...Grance grinned as the topaz ring on her finger glowed softly.
....
Shiori's pov
A month had past since the twin's birthday, I'd just finished morning drills, deciding to take a warm shower before heading to the library to study more on elven languages.
"Nate said he'd be stopping by today to help me study elven speech..." I striped out of my training clothes, grabbed a towel and headed for my bathroom.
The water was already prepared in advanced. I dipped my fingers into the tub playfully as I felt The warm water against my fingertips.
I tensed up and immediately turned around clutching my towel clad form.
"That was strange, I felt someone's gaze just a second ago. Maybe it's just me being on edge, either way I better wash up quickly..."
Just then a man dressed in all black appeared right behind me.
"Why hello there missy..." The man smiled crudely.
"Who the heck are you?! And how did you get Access to my bathroom?!" I demanded as I took a step back.
"How I got here is unimportant, as for my identity, I'm the man whose going to kidnap you..." He smirks
"Kidnap! On whose orders?!"
"I'm afraid I can't disclose such information, however my client wishes you gone from this residence as well as away from the demon's reach. Their willing to pay a serious deal for the job, who am I to refuse..." He chuckled knowingly
What the actual fvck?!
{Insight activated}
{Name: Cristin haze}
{Lv: 39}
{Rank: intermediate assassin}
{Charm: 30}
Without hesitation I punched the man in the groin. He doubled over and grunted in pain, dropping his weapon.
{Webber activated} he was tied up to a corner, thrashing and trying to break free
"What the hell is this stuff?!" The man yelled.
"Just stay there while I get this sorted" I said as I entered into the corridor.
Who would send a hitman on me?! What did I ever do?!
I walked around but no one seems to be around.
"Where is everyone?!" I yelled
Flashback
"Today's the servants picnic, so it's most likely they'll all be absent today..." Oliver smiled as I rounded up the lesson.
"Ok, I can cook for myself if I get hungry " I nodded
Flashback ends
"Great, just great...." I gritted my teeth
I noticed light coming from a room nearby, curious I ran in that direction.
WHAM!
I fell back, clutching my scalp. I looked up to see Nate standing up confused
"Lady Shiori?" He blinked. His brain tried to process what he was looking at before his face exploded into a deep heavy blush.
I looked down mortified as I released I was still only wearing just a towel.
"What was that noise?" Chris voice carried close by. I was panicking like a traped animal, just then Nate cornered me and pinned me against a wall, shielding my form from the eyes of others.
"Hey pointy ears, have you seen foxy girl anywhere?" Chris asked casually as he stood by the entrance of the corridor.
"No, sorry" Nate shrugged. Chris grunted before walking away as i sighed in relief.
My eyes widened as Nate suddenly lifted me up bridal style.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" I stared at him stunned
"Quit squirming, I'm barely holding it together as it is...." He said, his voice sounds dark
Huh? I blinked.
He took me to the closest guest room before carefully placing me down on the bed.
"Thanks " he just threw a blanket over my head.
"Now can you explain why you're walking around practically naked?" He asked massaging his creased eyebrows with his fingertips.
"Well, some creep came into my bathroom saying he was ordered to kidnap me-" I explained, Nate tensed up before suddenly placing both hands on my shoulders.
"Excuse me? Kidnap....." His voice got dark in a way that made the hairs on my back stood up
"Nate, your scaring me..." I blink
"Sorry, about that." He sighed
"Don't be worried, I dealt with him myself before I left the bathroom. Don't let this body fool you, I'm pretty strong..." I assured
"I know" he smiled caressing my hair tenderly. He then stood up and walked out of the room so I could change.
...
Outside the door, Nathaniel's gaze turned into something darker. He went to the bathroom shiori had description and to no surprise the man in black was still there all tied up
"An elf?" The man stared confused
"Hello there, my name is Nathaniel van Milford, and you are going to tell me everything about the client who paid you for the kidnapping of my fiancee..." He said with a dark smile.
Crap, I shouldn't have taken that job... The kidnapper panicked internally.
The kidnapper was taken to the forest outside the place. Artemis tagged along to carry the man.
"Now talk.." Nate ordered.
"I'll never snitch, my client is of high class and paid extra for no disclosure...." The man spat.
Nate nodded to Artemis who twisted the man's arm hard.
"I'm not asking, I'm demanding. You dared try to harm lady shiori,? I'm almost certain you didn't read her profile.." Nate got right in his face.
"If you are executed right now on the spot, your so call client would walk free unpunished, think carefully about your options " Nate grinned as the man's face paled ghost white, staring the the elf prince with horror in his eyes
"Fine...I'll tell you everything...! Just please let me go!" The assassin stared at the ground in defeat
"Good that were finally in the same page" Nate nodded.
...
No one's pov
A few days later
Felix was surprised to see the elf prince in his home. Staring blankly at the portrait hanging on the walls
"Prince Nathaniel, what brings you here?" He asked taking the sit opposite from him.
"I'll cut to the chase, your fiance tried to harm mine and I want to understand what exactly happened to lead to this...." Nate said coldly
"Excuse me?" Felix stared at nate.
"Lady Shiori is my fiancee, however a few weeks ago she was almost kidnapped by a hired assassin. From his testimony it seems that his client was none other than the second daughter of the Hamilton family. Digging further I discovered that she's your fiancee candidate, correct?" Nate explained sharply, his voice cold as steel despite the calm smile on his face
Felix was stunned, he never expected lady shiori to already belong to someone else, much less expected lady ivory to commit such an act.
"I can't believe this..." Felix clenched his fists till they were turning white
"Ill keep in mind that you were completely unaware of lady ivory's intentions, however I'll not allow such insolence exists in my circle, good day..." Nate stood up and walked out the door satisfied.
....
Shiori's pov
"Huh? Felix cancelled his engagement..." I blinked in surprised
"I wouldn't calm it an engagement considering that she was only just a candidate or potential bride is more suiting " Nate said sipping his tea without a care in the world.
He'd stopped by per usual, however this felt different. I was curious about what had happened to that assassin since he was gone when I came back, however I didn't expect the problem to fix itself. I had suspected ivory as the potential client since shes the only person I have beef with. Though I doubt she had the brains to pull something like this off. Someone else is pulling the strings.
"Is something wrong?" Nate asked
"Nope " I smiled munching on a cupcake.
Lady Ivory's POV
It didn't take long for rumors to spread.
At first, it was whispers. Then silence.
Then avoidance.
Now… outright rejection
"I-I don't understand…" Ivory stood in the center of her family estate, trembling as a letter was thrown onto the table in front of her.
Her father didn't even look at her.
"Engagement talks have been permanently terminated," he said flatly. "The prince's household made their stance very clear."
Her breath hitched.
"That can't be—! It was just a misunderstanding! I only—"
"You hired an assassin," her mother interrupted sharply. That shut her up instantly. The room went ice cold.
Her mother's voice dropped lower. "Do you understand what you've done? You didn't just insult a noble… you targeted someone under the protection of a crown prince."
Ivory's lips trembled.
"I didn't mean— I just wanted—"
"To 'get rid of a pebble'?" her father finished.
Silence.
Then shame.
For the first time, the words Grace had fed her didn't feel clever anymore.
They felt… heavy.
Too heavy.
..............
Elsewhere, Duchess Grace sat alone in a carriage, watching the passing scenery with calm eyes.
A servant spoke carefully. "My lady… the situation with Lady Ivory has escalated."
"Yes," Grace replied lightly. "I heard."
"…Do you intend to intervene?"
Grace chuckled softly.
"No need."
She adjusted her glove, the gemstone on her finger catching light again.
"Children must learn that desire has consequences."
The servant hesitated. "And the elven prince's retaliation?"
That finally made her smile widen slightly.
"Oh, that's the interesting part."
She tilted her head.
"He didn't retaliate like a prince."
A pause.
"He retaliated like someone protecting something he actually cares about."
Her violet eyes narrowed slightly.
"…That girl is becoming more of a problem than expected."
A few days later.
I was eating breakfast peacefully.
Keyword: peacefully.
Which meant something was obviously wrong.
Because peace in this world lasts about as long as a broken promise. Nate sat across from me, casually flipping through documents like he didn't just psychologically dismantle a political scandal last week.
I squinted at him.
"…You've been in a good mood lately."
"I always am," he replied.
"That's a lie."
He smiled slightly.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair.
"Okay, what actually happened? Because I feel like I'm missing 80% of my own plot again."
Nate paused, Just for a second. Then he placed a sealed document on the table.
"I found the client."
That got my attention immediately. I leaned forward.
"…And?"
His eyes flickered briefly.
"It wasn't Ivory alone."
Silence.
"…Knew it," I muttered.
Nate continued.
"The funding, coordination, and access came from a third party."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Third party like… noble third party? Or 'we're all going to die later' third party?"
He tapped the document once.
"The Duchess Grace."
I froze.
"…The bored blonde lady with resting judgmental face?"
"Yes."
I stared at him.
Then blinked.
"…So let me get this straight."
I counted on my fingers.
"One: I get kidnapped in my bathroom."
"Two: I kick a grown assassin in the balls and trap him with magic string."
"Three: I almost walk into a political assassination plot…"
I pointed at myself.
"…And FOUR: this was orchestrated by someone who looks like she drinks t
ea while emotionally ruining teenagers?"
Nate hummed.
"That is an accurate summary."
I leaned back slowly.
"…I need a nap."
Nate's POV —
Shiori looked annoyed. Not afraid, Not shaken. Just… tired.
That was always the part that fascinated him.
Most people broke under pressure. On the other hand She simply… adapted around it.
He watched her take another bite of cake like international conspiracies were just background noise.
"…You're not surprised," he said quietly.
She shrugged.
"I assumed I had at least one secret enemy. It's kind of mandatory in stories like this."
"…Stories?"
She pointed at him
"You, sir, are literally a walking 'overprotective male lead with unresolved emotional damage.' I stopped questioning things a while ago."
He stared at her.
Then… laughed softly.
"I suppose I deserved that."
But his gaze lingered a second too long.
Because he had already decided something.
Grace would not get a second move.
Not against her.
.............. ..
In a dimly lit room, Duchess Grace examined a report carefully. Shiori's name sat neatly on the page.
Her smile faded slightly.
"…She survived an assassination attempt," she murmured.
Another page.
"Escaped unguarded."
Another.
"And is currently under prince Nathaniel's personal attention."
Silence.
Then she exhaled slowly.
"How troublesome."
She leaned back.
But instead of frustration—
Amusement returned.
"I see…"
A soft laugh escaped her.
"So the prince has finally found something worth protecting."
Her fingers tapped the armrest lightly.
"Let's see how far that protection extends… before it becomes obsession."