Shards of the Broken Heart

In a luxurious room decorated with many paintings, tapestries and frescos, a buff middle-aged male was lying on a fluffy bed with a woman in his arms. Both were drenched in sweat, and the sheets were wrinkled and sticky with fluids. Clearly indicating the intense love-making between the two.

The woman was also up in her age, but her smooth skin and dazzling beauty defied the natural perception others had towards her age. She nuzzled up into the chest and had a smile of satisfaction. She tilted her head and peered into the face of her lover only to find him a pensive expression. His brows were furrowed in consternation, and his lips scrunched.

The woman circled her finger on his chest to draw his attention and purred a little playfully.

“What happened, my love? Even I cannot distract you from your worries. Perhaps my charm has decreased over these years. Maybe some young flesh could help you feel rejuvenated. I could ask one of the new maids to war---Ahn!”

Her words were cut midway as a pinch on her nipple elicited a sultry moan from her lips. The man dipped and kissed her lips. After a small kiss, he bit them and separated from the punctured lips.

“I still haven’t eaten you fully. How can those maids compare to this delicious cuisine in front of me? There are many more years to savour you completely?”

His gaze, which had turned hot and heavy from the moan and kiss, became cold and stern within a moment. The solemn expression covered his face once again. He looked towards the mural on the ceiling, depicting a large group of harmonious people having a feast, and uttered.

“The witch hunts are increasing day by day. The clergies are being controlled by the powerful and used to spread discontentment. With the social unrest, the rate of crimes is increasing. Can’t I really do anything and just watch the commoners to be misled and suffer?”

There was a trace of helplessness and despondency in his firm voice that he could not hide no matter what. The woman tightened her hold on the man to pull him out of his depressing thoughts.

“Lucius, you have to stay strong. My brother has infiltrated the upper ranks of the clergy, and it would not take long for him to find proof of the corruption. Then we can take this as evidence to the Emperor and punish the puppeteers hiding in the dark.”

“If my Alessa says so, then I will believe in you. Now, let’s go for another round.”

The man started kissing her and then flipped the woman, making her lie on her stomach. And then another round of love-making started.

“Ohh~ You insatiable beast. Ahn!”

They continued their passionate union for many hours, unaware of the plans hatched in the darkness, not far away from their residence.

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In a large chapel, stood the statue of a beautiful maiden wielding a great sword. The sculpture was very detailed, beautifying the heroism and valour of the maiden. The sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows and fell on the statue, increasing the holiness of the maiden.

There were a total of 5 people standing around the statue. They were wearing different outfits corresponding to their positions in various offices.

One was wearing a white armour, with an insignia of two red greatswords swords clashing each other etched on his breastplate. He kneeled on one foot in front of the plump man in the group, wearing white clergy robes with golden linings at the fringes, and greeted him.

“My master, how can I be of service to you today?”

“Raise yourself. Tell me, how is the war faring with the Syalnic Kingdom?”

The plump man asked authoritatively. Though his appearance may not be fit for a warrior, the intimidating pressure exuded by him depicted his long tenure of being in a position of high status.

The man in armour stood straight but still lowered his eyes while responding.

“Master, the war is soon coming to an end. With the ferociousness and ingenuity of the War Goddess, our army has breached the inner citadel and captured the King of Syalnia. Now, using the captive King, she is cleaning up the remnant forces of the kingdom.”

“With this military merit, another medal would don her uniform. And there is a slight chance that the Emperor could bestow her the title of Duke. Then the house Vance will become a bigger thorn in our side.”

A tall person wearing fashionable aristocratic clothes and a monocle resting on his eyes interjected with gritted teeth.

“Lord Dennis, you shouldn’t get so frustrated on such things. We clearly know your clan feud with the House of Vance and have prepared a good show for them.”

The plump guy tried to quell the surging hatred from Lord Dennis and then indicated towards the remaining two people in the room.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Defence will generate the evidence of fraud and mismanagement by the house Vance. This evidence will indicate the insubordination of the House of Vance towards the Emperor.

Afterwards, even if they are able to refute the claims and give some counter-proofs to prove their sincerity and loyalty, there will be a breach of trust the Emperor has towards the house of Vance.”

Lord Dennis listened to the schemes, and his breathing quickened with each syllable uttered by the clergy. He was imagining the look that his damned enemy Lucius Vance would have when his family lost the Emperor’s favour.

“But it still will not make them lose the power. And with the war merits by Lucius’s sister Ifrid, the War Goddess, they will regain the Emperor’s favour. What about that, Archbishop Levant?”

Giving some thought to the plan, Lord Dennis found a loophole. But the plump clergy, Archbishop Levant, didn’t get despondent at the revelation but instead laughed with the fat rolling along with his laughter.

“Hahahaha. You don’t have to worry about that. I have prepared for this a long time, and now it is time to get the benefits. And that damned Lucius will suffer a blow that he could never have thought before. Just you wait and see. Instead of getting a medal of honour for their merit, the whole House of Vance is going to burn in the flames of purgatory.”

With the laughter of the flabby clergy resounding throughout the chapel, the other robed men also joined in the raucous mirth on the thought of the downfall of their common enemy: the House of Vance.

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The mature beauty Alessa was walking slowly through the garden. Her steps were light and without any sound. It was a moonless night with only the slight rustling sound due to the gentle breeze breaking the silence.

She reached a massive tree at the end of the garden and sat on a nearby bench. She looked up at the dark sky and the countless sparking stars. She sat on the bench for quite a few minutes before a black shadow zipped past through the boundary and seated himself on the same bench beside Alessa.

He pushed a small envelope towards Alessa. Alsessa had a conflicted emotion on her face for some time before she took the envelope. She gazed in the direction of the room in which she had spent quite many hours today with her husband.

“So when is it?”

“The day Ifrid Vance returns.”

Alessa didn’t ask any more and started walking in the direction of her chambers.

The black shadow looked in her direction for quite some time. Though her steps were steady and light, her back was hunched, for she was carrying a great burden and had conflicting emotions.

The black shadow shook his head before leaving the premises of the estate.