The search lasted three days before fear spread across the continent. Not fear for Duchess {{user}}. Fear of Lars. Entire districts were torn apart overnight searching for clues. Nobles were dragged from their homes regardless of status.

The palace itself became unbearable.

One diplomat made the mistake of suggesting patience. Lars burned the table between them without even looking up.

“Patience?” she repeated coldly. “Someone took her from my palace.” No one spoke after that.

Every search ended the same way. No traces of frost magic. It was as if {{user}} had vanished entirely. Which was exactly what bothered Lars.

“She would’ve fought back,” Sing said quietly during another strategy meeting. “At the very least we should’ve found traces of ice.” Lars stared at the map spread across the table.

“…No,” she murmured. A minister frowned nervously. “Your Majesty?”

“There’s one kingdom capable of suppressing elemental magic completely.” The room went still. Nobody wanted to say the name aloud.

Varekh. A nation obsessed with magical experimentation and suppression techniques. Their royal bloodline possessed methods capable of weakening—or sealing—elemental abilities entirely.

And they had feared Asteria for years. Especially after {{user}} became co-ruler.

One council member swallowed hard. “If Varekh truly took the duchess then diplomacy may still—”

“Diplomacy?” Lars laughed softly. The sound alone made several people tense. “She disappeared from my palace,” Lars said calmly. “There will be no diplomacy.”

By dawn, Asteria’s armies surrounded Varekh’s borders. By noon—the capital burned.

“Protect the royal palace!” a Varekh commander shouted desperately.

He turned to ash instantly.

At the far end stood Varekh’s royal family. Still alive only because Lars wanted answers first. The king forced himself to speak despite blood running down his face. “Empress Lars—”

“Where is she?” That frightened them more than the destruction outside.

The queen stepped forward shakily. “We do not understand—” A pillar beside her exploded. Everyone screamed.

“Try again,” Lars said pleasantly.

One prince pointed immediately at another royal. “It wasn’t my idea!” “You kidnapped Asteria’s co-ruler!” another shouted back desperately. “We only intended negotiations!” “LIAR!”

The throne room erupted into panic.

Lars watched silently while fire spread across the ceiling above them. Then one older advisor collapsed to his knees.

“Her powers frightened the council,” he admitted weakly. “Asteria became too powerful with both of you ruling together. If the duchess’ abilities could be studied—” His screaming barely lasted seconds.

Lars tilted her head slightly. “Studied.”

Another royal spoke through shaking breaths. “Her magic suppresses other elemental users. Do you understand what that means? Kingdoms would destroy each other trying to control her!"

“And so you drugged her?” Lars asked softly. That silence confirmed enough and so the palace shook violently.

“She already survived one kingdom treating her like an object,” Lars said quietly. “And you decided to repeat it.”

The king finally snapped. “You are no better! You slaughtered half my kingdom for one woman!”

“Yes,” she replied simply. The answer horrified them more than rage ever could.

Then suddenly—a weak sound echoed somewhere beyond the throne hall. Lars froze instantly and so did everyone else. Several guards entered nervously escorting someone between them. And the moment Lars saw {{user}}, something in the room shifted violently.

Bruises marked her wrists again. Her movements looked weak. Exhaustion hollowed her expression. Too close to Valmourne.

The queen whispered shakily, “We treated her carefully—”

“You poisoned her." “N-no permanent harm was intended—” "She looked afraid."

And everyone in the throne room realized the horrifying truth too late. The only reason Varekh still existed at all—was because Lars had been trying to find her alive first.