Crippled by Love
The day after Neshuda left, Hayate didn't just wake up; he was dragged back to consciousness by an explosion of pain.
It was the most devastating reflection the Curse of Reflection had ever delivered. It wasn't a broken bone or a simple fever; it was the raw, emotional agony of Neshuda's absolute abandonment and isolation.
Hayate's body was seized by deep, wracking sobs, but the pain felt internal, located right where his heart should be. He felt the cold, dark void where Neshuda's steady, loyal presence had been—a hollow, physical ache of being completely severed from his Life Anchor.
He lay in bed for two days, unable to move. The palace healers were frantic, finding no fever and no wound. They only saw a young King shivering, whispering Neshuda's name, and occasionally collapsing into uncontrollable, tearless grief. They called it the "King's exhaustion."
Hayate knew the truth. Neshuda's choice—his act of self-sacrificing loyalty—was physically killing him. Neshuda was suffering alone, and that solitary agony was being perfectly mirrored in the King.
When Hayate finally forced himself to sit up, he felt weak, thin, and brittle. His powerful Angelic senses were muted, and his usual kind nature was replaced by a cold, desperate fear.
Qalvetta's Quiet Control
Lord Qalvetta, the smiling viper, moved immediately and flawlessly.
He didn't try to visit Hayate until the King was officially back on his feet. When he did, he entered the chambers with a solemn, respectful air.
"Your Majesty, I am deeply relieved to see you standing," Qalvetta said, bowing low. "The stress of Henudra's treason and the recent acts of sabotage have taken a terrible toll on your pure-hearted soul. The kingdom needs time to heal."
Qalvetta then presented Hayate with a stack of signed decrees.
"I took the liberty of stabilizing the court during your necessary rest. I have appointed new officials to the treasury and the security council. These men are loyal, efficient, and respect the traditions of the nobility."
Hayate felt the reflection of Qalvetta's emotions—a smooth, self-satisfied triumph that made Hayate's stomach clench.
"You acted without my direct command, Lord Qalvetta," Hayate said, his voice weak.
"Only to protect you, Your Majesty," Qalvetta countered, his smile never fading. "The kingdom cannot wait for a King to recover from… romantic illness. I simply ensured the crown remained strong."
Qalvetta's subtle jab—calling the curse-induced collapse a "romantic illness"—was a deliberate cruelty. It reminded Hayate that the court saw his bond with Neshuda as an inappropriate attachment that threatened the kingdom.
The Failure of Charisma
Hayate quickly realized how dependent he had become on Neshuda's strength.
In the next council meeting, Hayate tried to reassert his authority. He spoke about new initiatives to help the fire victims in Hoshimura and the importance of kindness toward the poor.
"I command you to release a portion of the reserve grain immediately," Hayate ordered, trying to summon his charisma.
But the power was gone. Without Neshuda's fiercely loyal presence to anchor it, Hayate's command was just a suggestion.
A nobleman, Lord Yusei (a Qalvetta ally), scoffed openly. "Your Majesty, we have just lost our reserves to arson, and the treasury is depleted by theft. We cannot afford charity for vagrants while the Citadel is vulnerable."
Hayate's eyes flashed with anger. He wanted to shout, to use his Angelic bloodline power to force their obedience, but he felt only a dull, weak echo of his former strength.
He was politically paralyzed. The nobles, led by Qalvetta's efficient, smiling logic, dismissed Hayate's orders with ease.
Qalvetta stood by, quiet and observant, allowing the King to fail. He had successfully rendered Hayate a figurehead, a boy whose sweet disposition was ill-suited for the ruthless job of ruling.
Neshuda's Lonely War
While Hayate suffered in the luxury of the Citadel, Neshuda was deep in the south, fighting a silent, desperate war.
He was a ghost in the vast, shadowed woods of Mori no Kage, living off the land and avoiding all civilization. His master of stealth skills kept him alive, but his soul was raw and exposed.
Neshuda's greatest struggle was the reflection of Hayate's pain.
Every few hours, a sharp, cold wave of profound sadness and betrayal would hit Neshuda, making him stop mid-climb or fall to his knees in the dirt. He felt the King's broken heart, the anguish of being abandoned.
He is suffering because of me, Neshuda thought, gritting his teeth. I broke him to save him.
This reflected pain was a constant reminder of his purpose. He pressed on, tracking Henudra's remaining network—the corrupted officials and false messengers who were still wreaking havoc.
Neshuda's work was brutal. He didn't kill; he disabled and gathered evidence. He caught officials forging documents and seizing property near IRONREACH TEDRA. He delivered the retrieved gold and food back to the suffering farmers in the night, becoming a local legend—The Shadow Hero—but one whose face no one saw.
His pure-hearted loyalty was now a weapon, pointed outward at the traitors, and turned inward on himself, forcing him to endure the crippling reflected pain of his King's isolation.
The Final Betrayal
The crisis reached its peak when Qalvetta, seeing the King's total political defeat, made his move for total control.
Qalvetta published a new decree under the King's seal. It was aimed squarely at Neshuda and the King's reputation:
The decree announced a massive, punishing tax levy on all southern towns loyal to Hayate—including Elderbloom Talbore and Kaidori Town. The decree stated the funds were necessary to "pay for the damages caused by the former Royal Guardian, Neshuda, who is now officially declared a traitor and an enemy of the crown."
The language was cruel, tyrannical, and designed to turn the people against Hayate, while simultaneously justifying Neshuda's exile.
The moment the decree was posted, Hayate felt a catastrophic surge of agony. It was Neshuda's reflection of profound shame, guilt, and the injustice of being declared a traitor. The pain was physical, tearing at Hayate's own body, causing him to collapse onto his desk, his vision swimming.
"He is poisoning the kingdom and blaming Neshuda!" Hayate gasped, struggling against the reflected pain.
He realized Qalvetta was forcing him into an impossible choice: stay in the Citadel and die from the curse's reflection, or watch his kingdom collapse under a tyranny enacted in his name.
Following the Pain
Hayate finally understood the only path forward. He could not fight Qalvetta using law or political strategy; he needed Neshuda's truth and his strength.
Hayate waited until the deep of night. He gathered a simple, dark traveling cloak, a few coins, and the detailed map of the kingdom Neshuda had always relied on.
He looked at the map, tracing the line south—toward Mori no Kage and the troubled towns.
If Neshuda is suffering the pain of isolation and shame... Hayate thought, that pain is my compass.
Hayate had to learn to trust the painful reflections of the curse. The cold, lonely ache in his chest was not just agony; it was Neshuda's constant, loyal presence, guiding him.
He was no longer the King leaving for a secret investigation. He was a heartbroken, physically fragile boy leaving to find his home.
He slipped out through the Citadel stables, moving with a desperate caution. As he rode south, leaving the high walls behind, Hayate felt the curse flare one last time: a wave of Neshuda's fear for the King's safety, instantly followed by an overwhelming surge of fierce, protective resolve.
Hayate clutched his horse's reins, accepting the pain as a gift. He was alone, but he was following the only person who had ever been absolutely real to him.
The Broken Heart King was now a wandering traveler, following the magnetic pull of his Life Anchor into the darkest parts of his kingdom.