EVAN'S POV

　　After having a sleepless night, I realized that Lydia, as a queen, was not completely wrong. Her first priority had always been the kingdom. I couldn't understand how people failed to see that she was the true queen. Determined to make things right, I decided to wait for her outside her bedroom door.

　　After some time, Brandon joined me. He looked as tired as I felt, but there was a shared resolve in his eyes. We both waited in silence, listening to the bustling sounds of the palace around us. The excitement of Lydia's upcoming coronation was palpable. Servants hurried by, carrying decorations and preparing for the grand event. I could sense the happiness and respect that Lydia had rightfully earned with her hard work and perseverance.

　　After a long wait, I started to feel uneasy. Lydia wasn't a late riser. She liked to wake up early to start her day. I exchanged a worried glance with Brandon.

　　"She should have been up by now," I said, voicing the concern we both felt.

　　Brandon nodded, his brow furrowed. "Let's knock. Maybe she overslept, though that's unlike her."

　　I knocked on the door, gently at first, then more firmly when there was no response. "Lydia? It's Evan and Brandon. Are you awake?"

　　Silence.

　　A sense of dread began to creep over me. I tried the door handle, but it was locked. "Lydia, we're coming in," I said, hoping she'd answer.

　　When there was still no response, Brandon and I exchanged another look. Without another word, we forced the door open. The room was empty, the bed neatly made. It looked like it hadn't been slept in at all.

　　Panic started to grip my chest. "Where is she?" I muttered, looking around the room for any sign of her. "This isn't right."

　　Brandon mindlinked the palace guards and servants. "Has anyone seen Lydia this morning?"

　　The responses came back negative. No one had seen her.

　　My heart pounded in my chest as I turned to Brandon. "We need to find her. Now."

　　Brandon nodded, his face set in grim determination. "Let's check the grounds. She has to be somewhere."

　　We raced through the palace, questioning everyone we passed. The servants were equally bewildered, having seen nothing out of the ordinary. My panic grew with every passing second.

　　We burst into the throne room, where Odin was overseeing the final preparations for the coronation. He looked up in surprise at our frantic entrance. "Evan, Brandon, what's going on?"

　　"It's Lydia," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. "She's missing. No one has seen her since last night."

　　Odin's expression hardened. "Are you sure she didn't just go for a walk? She often does that to clear her mind."

　　Brandon shook his head. "Her room looks like it hasn't been slept in. This isn't like her. Something's wrong."

　　Odin's eyes narrowed. "Then we need to find her. She wouldn't just disappear on her coronation day."

　　He issued orders to the guards, sending them to search every corner of the palace and the surrounding grounds. The sense of panic was spreading, the excitement of the morning replaced by a growing fear.

　　I tried to keep my mind focused, but the image of Lydia in some unknown danger kept flashing in my mind. "What if she's been taken?" I voiced my fear to Brandon as we ran through the corridors.

　　"Who would dare?" Brandon replied, though I could see the worry in his eyes. "She's the queen. Anyone who takes her would have the entire kingdom hunting them down."

　　"I don't know," I admitted, frustration and fear gnawing at me. "But we have to find her. We can't lose her."

　　As we searched the palace, a group of nobles approached us, led by Lady Elara. "What's happening? Why is everyone in such a panic?"

　　"It's Lydia," I said quickly. "She's missing."

　　Lady Elara's eyes widened in shock. "Missing? How is that possible?"

　　"We don't know," Brandon replied. "But we're going to find her. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

　　The nobles nodded, their faces pale with worry. They scattered, joining the search.

　　Hours passed, and the palace was in chaos. Every room, every corridor, every garden was searched, but there was no sign of Lydia. My heart sank with every empty space we found. Where could she be?

　　As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the reality of the situation began to set in. Lydia was gone, and we had no idea where she was or who had taken her. The coronation preparations came to a halt, replaced by a desperate search for the queen who had vanished without a trace.

　　I refused to give up hope. Lydia was strong, and she wouldn't go down without a fight. We would find her. We had to.