Duke Xirgo sat across from Countess Nightfallen at the grand banquet table, his posture refined and calculated. Xavier had invited Seraphina's mother, Sarah Nightfallen, to his private estate to discuss political matters and negotiate a potential alliance between their houses.
Sarah Nightfallen was the spitting image of her daughter—albeit with a distinctly mature aura and a gentle, motherly charm. With gorgeous, flowing raven hair framing her breathtaking features, smooth fair skin, and innocent yet strikingly sharp golden eyes, she was a woman whose ethereal beauty could effortlessly swoon almost any man. Her outfit—a sleek, black long-sleeved evening gown that tailored her figure flawlessly, glossy black heels, a golden designer handbag, and the crest lapel pin of House Nightfallen pinned over her left chest—only accentuated her regal elegance further.
"Countess, it is a genuine honour to finally meet you in person," Xavier said with charming politeness, offering her a flawless, graceful smile. "To sit across from one of the legendary former Prosecutors is a matter of immense privilege for a man in my position."
"You flatter me far too much, Duke Xirgo," Sarah replied calmly, maintaining an impeccably poised, unreadable smile. "I suggest we dispense with the grand pleasantries and get straight to the point. I always appreciate it when individuals state their true intentions directly, rather than trying to butter me up with artificial praise."
"Haha!" Xavier let out a lighthearted laugh at her blunt response. "I assure you, Countess, I was merely offering the deep appreciation and respect your lineage and accomplishments deserve."
"A reigning Duke offering such humble appreciation to a mere Countess sounds rather abnormal, does it not, Duke Xirgo?" Sarah tilted her head slightly, her soft voice carrying a sharp, analytical edge. "It almost gives the impression that you are somewhat... desperate for an outcome. Am I mistaken?"
"To suggest such a thing would be near blasphemous of me, Countess," Xavier maintained his smooth, unbothered politeness without missing a beat. "While it is true that I hold a higher noble ranking than you, I readily admit I am a relative amateur when navigating the complex political tides of the Empire. You are widely regarded as one of the most brilliant political minds in the entire Riversong Empire. I am simply addressing you in accordance with your true competence and formidable authority."
"Hmm..." Sarah looked thoughtful for a beat, casually resting her chin against her delicate fingers.
"Duke Xirgo, as I previously mentioned, you would do well to state your true intentions directly. You requested this audience under the premise of discussing an alliance, but does that not strike you as somewhat absurd? You recently dismantled Marchioness Altresh in both a gruelling political war and a bloody territorial dispute. Your meteoric rise to the rank of Duke has been remarkably swift and ruthless. Do you truly expect me to believe that a man of your ambition invited me here solely to discuss a standard political alliance?"
Sarah kept her serene, composed smile, though her innocent golden eyes narrowed into sharp, deadly points that dissected Xavier's body language.
Xavier remained silent for a few long moments, studying Countess Nightfallen with a look of deeply impressed intrigue.
"I must tip my hat to you, Countess Nightfallen," He finally spoke, his voice dripping with smooth, unshakeable politeness. "I admit, I did not invite you merely to negotiate trade routes or political treaties. There is a far more personal matter I wish to discuss with you..."
"You see, I happened to encounter your daughter recently at the establishment I acquired near the R.S. Advanced Academy," Xavier said, his voice softening into a quiet, almost reverent cadence. "Throughout my life, I have met countless individuals across society... yet I have never encountered anyone quite as remarkably innocent and pure as she is. It is as if the heavens took extra care in her creation, crafting her with every imaginable grace..."
"So, what you are essentially declaring is that you wish to request my daughter's hand in marriage."
Sarah let out a soft, elegant sigh, cutting right through his poetic sentiment. Xavier's cheeks flushed with a faint, rare hint of colour at the Countess's directness, tacitly confirming her assessment.
"Listen to me carefully, Duke Xirgo," Sarah said softly, her golden eyes holding a firm, unyielding clarity. "My daughter has already given her heart to someone else. Even if I were to entertain your proposal and arrange a marriage between you two, she would never find happiness by your side."
"It is Amon Von Crown, is it not?" Xavier replied, swiftly reassembling his composed, Duke-like demeanour, though his voice carried an underlying chill. "He is the one your daughter harbours feelings for."
"Just thinking about that bastard getting to spend time in her presence makes my stomach turn…" Xavier thought bitterly, his heart twisting with a venomous resentment.
"From your words, it seems you have already crossed paths with him," Sarah replied, a gentle, almost enigmatic smile gracing her lips. "I have yet to meet the boy in person, but from everything I have gathered, he is nothing short of extraordinary. Scoring first place in the entrance examinations of R.S. Advanced Academy and effortlessly maintaining his top rank across every single exam since... that alone is a remarkable feat."
She paused, taking a delicate sip of water before continuing in her smooth, melodious voice.
"Furthermore, his network is terrifyingly impressive. He maintains close connections with Finance Minister Velzoyr Nova, the Director of the Magic Research Department, Twilight Silverstone Khalia, and even the Head of the Information and Entertainment Guild, Sunday Starling. On top of that, he is a wildly successful businessman in his own right, has placed first in numerous O.K.Es, and rumours abound that he holds the prestigious status of a Prosecutor."
Sarah tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes gleaming with a subtle, sharp amusement as she locked gaze with Xavier. "If those rumours are indeed true... isn't that simply wonderful, Duke Xirgo? You have found yourself facing truly formidable competition. And from what I know of your character, you are a man who thoroughly enjoys a competitive challenge, are you not?"
Duke Xirgo stared at the Countess in heavy, calculating silence. Even with his elevated status as a Duke and his own list of remarkable accomplishments, Amon Von Crown was consistently a step ahead. He was the son of the fearsome Grand Duchess Crown and had achieved first place in numerous O.K.Es.
The Ordinary Knowledge Examinations were a ruthless trial reserved exclusively for the most elite of the elite scholars across the Empire; securing first place even once meant one's intellect and foresight were officially recognised as that of a generation-defining visionary. And Amon Von Crown had comfortably swept first place across multiple of them.
"What you are essentially saying, Countess..." Duke Xirgo finally spoke, forcing a flawless, polite smile onto his face to mask the cold fury swelling in his chest, "...is that Amon Von Crown is a visionary who does not belong to this era. I must admit, he sounds like a fascinating piece of competition."
"I know, right?" Sarah chuckled softly at the Duke's remark, her tone light and airy. She pulled her sleek smartphone from her handbag, unlocked the screen, and let out a dramatic, delicate gasp.
"Goodness! It appears there has been an emergency back at my estate! I am afraid I must take my leave, Duke Xirgo."
"It is quite alright, Countess," Xavier replied smoothly, rising from his seat with impeccably trained nobility as Sarah stood as well. "We can easily continue our alliance discussions at a later date."
"I look forward to it," Sarah offered a polished, graceful nod before turning on her heel, her glossy heels clicking elegantly against the marble floor as she exited the grand dining hall, leaving Xavier alone with his darkening thoughts.
. . .
"Was it all really necessary, Jeanne?" Sarah sighed, reaching for her cup of hot coffee.
Jeanne Nova, who sat comfortably across from Sarah, let out an amused chuckle. "It was entirely necessary, Countess. It was all to protect Seraphina from Duke Xirgo's grasp."
"I don't understand why you are so edgy about the Duke," Sarah remarked, taking a calm sip of her coffee. "Sure, he has wiped out a bunch of your cult members and dismantled Marchioness Altresh, but you never struck me as the type of girl to care about such affairs."
"Duke Xirgo only wants Seraphina because of her surface-level beauty and lineage. He doesn't love her as Amon does. Someone as deeply materialistic as he is could never make Seraphina happy. As Seraphina's mother, you surely realise that, right?" Jeanne asked, fixing Sarah with a serene, unbothered smile.
"How can you guarantee that Amon isn't cut from the same cloth?" Sarah questioned, setting her coffee cup back down on the saucer. "What if everything you have seen of him is simply an elaborate, well-rehearsed act?"
Jeanne audibly laughed at Sarah's question, sending a look of genuine confusion across the Countess's face.
"You really are as endearing and naive as Seraphina, Countess," Jeanne said, her tone brimming with amusement. "You see, Amon genuinely wanted to murder Duke Xirgo on the spot the moment the Duke dared to praise Seraphina in front of him."
Sarah's expression melted into genuine surprise, her eyebrows arching high.
"Yes, it was out of jealousy, and because he saw right through Duke Xirgo's true nature," Jeanne elaborated, leaning back with a thoroughly satisfied smirk. "I could tell simply by reading his body language. He masked it exceptionally well—enough to fool the Duke completely—but I saw right through it. When I questioned Amon about him later, he pointed out that the Duke will stop at nothing to claim what he desires. Someone as thoroughly materialistic as Xirgo would go so far as to betray the entire Empire if it meant securing his prize. And right now, the prize he craves most is Seraphina."
"Aren't you two exaggerating the Duke's true nature just a bit?" Sarah asked, giving Jeanne a sceptical look. "I recognise that he is materialistic and ambitious, but labelling him a traitor to the Empire? Isn't that taking things a step too far?"
"Duke Xirgo framed both Marchioness Altresh and my cult as being directly affiliated with the Aimus," Jeanne added, her tone dropping into a cold, deliberate cadence. "He even miraculously 'discovered' evidence confirming those treasonous claims."
Jeanne leaned in across the table, fixing Sarah with an unnervingly confident gaze. "Now tell me something, Countess. Do you honestly believe a woman as cunning as a Marchioness would be intellectually challenged enough to stash evidence incriminating herself as a traitor right inside her own private estate?"
Sarah was completely baffled by Jeanne's words and reasoning. "So... what you are implying... is that Duke Xirgo actively colluded with the Aimus just to frame Marchioness Altresh and your cult...?"
"Yes," Jeanne nodded, leaning back into her chair with unshakeable confidence. "And do you know what the most fascinating part about all of this is? Amon reached the same conclusion. He deduced the entire conspiracy simply by analysing the news of Marchioness Altresh's fall, cross-referenced with Duke Xirgo's psychological profile and personality."
"Huh...?" Sarah was even more baffled now, her composure slipping entirely. "How is something like that even possible...?"
"Pure intuition and brilliant deduction," Jeanne answered, her lips curving into a playful, enigmatic smile. "And I can say that with absolute certainty because I accomplished the same feat myself—though, for the record, I figured it out slightly before he did."
"Well, you weren't the only one, Jeanne."
A smooth, unbothered voice drifted across the spacious guest hall. As Sarah and Jeanne turned toward the sound, they found a young man around Jeanne's age standing casually in the doorway.
He was fairly tall with a lean, athletic physique and fair skin. Neat, spiky dark blonde hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, framing a handsome face accented by sharp, brownish-yellow eyes. His choice of attire completely shattered any illusion of aristocratic solemnity: a plain grey oversized T-shirt, a pair of black-and-white checkered pyjama pants that pooled slightly over his ankles, and a pair of casual grey Crocs completing the ensemble.
"What are you doing here, Thoumeax?" Jeanne asked, her eyebrows arching in mild curiosity.
"The Countess requested an audience with me regarding a few sensitive matters," Ross replied coolly, walking over to the table and pulling out a chair to sit opposite them. "Besides, stop addressing me by my family name all the time, Jeanne. It's getting kind of annoying."
"I feel compelled to remind you of your noble lineage constantly because what in the world is that outfit?" Jeanne tilted her head, maintaining a calm smile, though a subtle twitch of annoyance rippled through her voice.
"I honestly couldn't care less," Ross shrugged, flashing a confident grin. "So, Countess, what was it you wanted to discuss with me?" He turned his attention toward Sarah.
"Well, I wanted to ask if you could keep a watchful eye on Seraphina," Sarah replied with a soft, warm smile, her tone adopting a gentle, protective cadence.
"In other words, you want me to quietly investigate Duke Xirgo and his recent moves," Ross deduced instantly, offering a slow nod. "Consider it done."
"You really don't need to plunge headfirst into this and complicate things, Ross," Jeanne sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "I am already running a covert investigation of my own. If the Chief of the Crime Investigation Bureau gets officially tangled up in this, the fallout afterwards is going to be a nuisance to deal with."
"I've already mapped out half the investigation before even stepping foot into this room—purely in my head, of course," Ross replied smoothly, fixing Jeanne with an amused gaze. "Marchioness Altresh was a major pillar of power among the high nobility, much of which was built on old alliances. But my point still stands: it is absurd for someone of her stature to suddenly flip sides, betray the Empire, and collaborate with the Aimus—especially when she was deeply intertwined with your inner circle."
"Wait... you are already fully aware of Jeanne's occult society?" Sarah blinked, looking between the two teenagers in astonishment.
"Naturally," Ross grinned back at Sarah. "I'm her classmate. Between the way she carries herself, that distinct, unmistakable aura of command, and the natural body language of someone born to lead armies... it was far too refined to write off as mere inherited traits from Grand Duchess Nova. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together and figure out she's the mastermind behind the Donzequel Occult Society."
"He would never have figured it out on his own if it hadn't been for Amon," Jeanne replied, a distinct note of playful irritation tinting her voice as she crossed her arms. "When he first confronted me with that theory, I was fully prepared to completely dismantle his half-assed deduction piece by piece... right before Amon casually intervened and spilt the actual truth to him."
Ross offered a bright, completely unapologetic grin, comfortably leaning back in his chair with his hands resting behind his head. "Hey, facts are facts, Jeanne. Assistance or not, I ultimately arrived at the correct conclusion, which is all that matters."
"He only did it to ensure I didn't become an accidental target of the 'Greatest Detective To Have Ever Lived' and wind up getting sandwiched between his endless interrogations and Duke Xirgo's political crosshairs," Jeanne muttered, rolling her eyes at Ross's unbothered smugness.
Sarah watched the lively banter between the two brilliant teenagers with a soft, deeply amused smile. It was fascinating to witness firsthand how tightly knit, fiercely intelligent, and deceptively dangerous Amon's circle of associates truly was.