The Kingmaker System-Chapter 457 - 456. Tell Or Not To Tell (1)

At night, I entrusted Mark with the task of eliminating Owen Glines and disposing of the body. I didn’t need to be present—Mark had his own score to settle, and I trusted him to handle it cleanly.

I had also instructed my informants to ensure that Glines’ family had left the kingdom before I could consider the matter closed from every angle.

Later, I sat alone in my office, the silence humming with finality. A message had just arrived—confirmation that Glines was dead and his family had been officially exiled. I leaned back into the chair, letting a quiet sense of satisfaction settle in my chest. After a moment, I rose and walked over to the leather couch tucked into the corner of the room. Sinking into it, I stretched out and let my eyes flutter shut, the tension finally beginning to ebb.

Thoughts churned behind my closed lids, weaving through everything that still needed to be done. I had advanced the upcoming meeting—originally scheduled to take place at Oasis later this year—to just two days from now. That way, I’d have time to spend at Denril afterward.

"I need a damn vacation," I muttered under my breath.

I didn’t realize when I drifted off, but the instant I felt a presence nearing, my body acted on instinct. My hand shot out and gripped the approaching wrist before it could make contact.

A startled gasp broke through the air.

My eyes blinked open to find a familiar mop of golden hair spilling into view. Wide, amber-gold eyes looked up at me, startled and uncertain. A pale, delicate face framed by soft strands of hair came into focus.

"Ah. It’s you, Sol," I muttered, releasing my grip and sitting up slowly.

"Th-think before you attack," he stammered, rubbing his wrist with a small pout.

"It was pure instinct, Sol. What are you doing here?" I asked, voice still groggy as I yawned.

He averted his gaze, cheeks puffing slightly as if embarrassed.

My gaze drifted to his chest, where I could sense a faint congestion—subtle, but there. The bruises on his wrist, where I had gripped him moments ago, stood out sharply against his pale skin. A pang of guilt stirred in me. I reached out, placing a hand gently atop his head, and began to cast the Healing spell.

His eyes widened as the soft blue shimmer of magic danced across his vision, my mana weaving its way through his body, soothing the curse that gnawed quietly at his heart and vitality.

He must have come looking for me because he could no longer bear the pain. Foolish child. And yet, he never uttered a word—not even when he surely knew I was aware of the curse’s presence and had been healing him in secret, bit by bit, never mentioning it aloud.

I knew time was a critical factor. The longer this dragged on, the more dangerous it became. But Sol already had too much weighing on his small shoulders. I wasn’t going to pressure him with things like "You owe me the truth" or "Tell me so I can help you for someone else’s sake." That wasn’t how I operated. If he chose to trust me, he would tell me. And if not—well, the next time the demon showed itself, I would be there to face it with him... even if it meant walking into battle without a plan.

"I’m sorry for hurting you," I murmured, withdrawing my hand as I stood.

"Come on. I’ll take you back to your room," I added, motioning for him to follow.

He didn’t argue—just quietly fell into step behind me.

Dragons in their human forms usually appeared older than they actually were, their features more refined, mature. But this one... he looked so small. Fragile, almost. He barely reached my knees, and his frame was slender, almost too lean, despite the fact that he could easily devour enough food for three grown men in one sitting.

I could hear the quiet shuffle of his feet behind me as he tried to keep up, his steps quick and uncertain.

I stopped and turned around. He blinked up at me in confusion, just in time for me to bend down and scoop him into my arms.

"Wha–what are you doing?!" he gasped, stiffening slightly in surprise.

"Your little legs would take forever to get us down the hallway," I said casually, holding him securely. "So, I’m going to carry you."

"It’s just at the end of the hallway!" he huffed, pointing indignantly.

I hummed in response, unbothered. "All right then. It’s because you’re really small and light. I wanted to carry you."

He frowned, clearly not convinced, but said nothing more.

We reached his room, and I carried him in, laying him gently onto the bed before tucking the blankets around him. He was already in his pajamas, so I figured he must’ve been asleep when the pain suddenly flared up—or perhaps it had just worsened over time.

I still couldn’t form a life connection with him to sense what he was truly feeling, or how far the curse had progressed. That alone made me uneasy.

With my upcoming departure to Denril, he would be left without regular healing for a while. It might put him in a pinch. I should at least warn him, just in case. Maybe he’d finally let something slip—just a hint, anything at all.

"Ah, I almost forgot," I said casually. "I’ll be out of town starting three days from now. I won’t be back for about two weeks."

His eyes widened, and he abruptly sat up.

"What?!"

"Yeah," I replied as I stepped back, watching his reaction closely.

"It’ll just be you and Kai here, along with the others. Try not to stir up any trouble. And if anything happens—like last time—don’t try to deal with it alone. Ask for help. Kai’s, or anyone else’s. Got it?"

He looked down, his fingers curling tightly around the bedsheets.

"I’ll get going then. Good night, Sol." I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, I felt a small tug at my coat.

Glancing back, I saw his little hand clutching the fabric. He gasped as soon as he realized what he was doing, quickly pulling his hand back and turning his head away.

I let out a quiet sigh and dragged a chair close to the bed, lowering myself into it. He peeked at me as I crossed my legs and folded my arms.

"I’ll stay until you fall asleep," I said simply.

"...You don’t need to."

Even as he mumbled that, he lay back down without protest, letting me pull the blanket up to his chin. He watched me for a few silent seconds before closing his eyes.

But he didn’t fall asleep right away. I could still hear it—the faint quickness in his breath, the restless rhythm of his heartbeat. He was awake, even if he was trying to hide it. Gradually, his body began to relax, and his breathing deepened into the steady cadence of sleep.

I sat there, watching him, wondering.

This little boy and I—we were both playing a quiet game of withholding. A standoff in silence. He wouldn’t speak, and I wouldn’t push. But I couldn’t help but wonder... what was so difficult for him to say?

"I don’t know why you’re trying to hide it from me, Sol," I murmured quietly, more to the shadows than to him. "But I can’t do anything unless you tell me what the problem is... and until then, you’ll keep suffering alone."

My eyes softened as I looked at his sleeping face.

"It’s all right to let go of that burden, you know. It’s okay to rely on someone else—even just for a little while. You already come to me to ease the pain. If you could just trust me enough to tell me the rest... I’ll do everything I can to help you be free of it."

After leaving Sol’s room, I made my way over to Kai’s quarters to check on him. He was already fast asleep, his breathing soft and steady. Nox was curled up on the pillow near his head, a peaceful ball of black fluff, barely stirring.

I had told him earlier that I would be leaving for Denril again, this time for work. A part of me wanted to take him with me—not for company, but to show him that the place which once held so many painful memories had changed. That it wasn’t the same dark corner of his past anymore. That it could be something better now.

But that wasn’t a decision I could make for him. Not yet.

I knelt by the bed and gently brushed my hand over his head. His lips curved into a faint smile in his sleep, and the sight stirred something warm in me. I couldn’t help but smile back.

"Good night, Kai," I whispered, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his forehead.

Then, quietly, I rose and made my way back to my room.

It was fine to stay here—there wasn’t anything I could do back at Aurelius mansion for now. As I entered my room, I was instantly met with the telltale aura of an intruder. The open window gave away his entry point, but instead of reacting, I simply sighed and unhooked my coat, hanging it up neatly.

I heard his heavy footsteps stomp toward me.

"Master, what’s the relationship between Prince Eric and Miss Reina?" Davian asked, stopping just behind me.

I chose to ignore him and moved toward the wardrobe, intent on grabbing something more comfortable.

"Master!" he pressed again, trailing behind me like an overly persistent puppy.

"What do you think?" I asked, pulling out a soft black silk shirt and matching pajama bottoms. (And for those who might ask—I’d designed them myself, borrowing inspiration from modern clothing for comfort and convenience.)

"I don’t know... Is he really close to her? Is it because he’s friends with her brother? Close enough to touch her... and to have her embroidered handkerchief..." he began muttering, his voice low and brooding.

I was sorely tempted to tell him: Oi, you’re sounding like a creepy stalker.

"They’ve been friends since childhood, Your Highness," I replied plainly.

"Well, even I and Miss Reina are childhood friends!" he countered, puffing up a little.

I paused and turned to look at him. "Are you jealous?"

"Yes, I am!" he declared, loud and firm, making me blink.

Why was he so straightforward?

His amethyst eyes were clouded with tension and unmistakable jealousy. He stared at me with a clenched jaw, determined.

"What do you want then?" I asked.

"I... want to be close to her too," he admitted, quieter this time, but no less sincere.

I stared at him for a moment, thoughts swirling.

Should I give him proper advice?

... Or should I take this opportunity to sabotage it right here?

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