Morning settled heavily over Orvallis.
The sun had barely lifted its edge above the palace when the Royal Council Hall filled with ministers, advisors, and commanders of the guard. No one looked rested, and no one seemed able to speak in a natural tone. Every face was tense, and even the air carried the echo of what had happened the night before.
At the head of the table sat the king, staring into nothing, shoulders low, eyes tired—the eyes of a man who had carried the entire kingdom on his back through the night.
On his right sat Marvin, opening large leather-bound files, arranging papers with meticulous hands.Gray stood behind him, helping organize the documents, flipping through records with practiced speed.
No one dared to begin… until the First Advisor finally spoke in a subdued voice:
"What happened last night… this council has never seen anything like it."
The Minister of Finance added, his voice trembling slightly:
"Your Majesty… discovering embezzlements of this magnitude, and the involvement of nobles from the highest ranks… if the news spreads outside these walls, the whole kingdom will tremble."
The Minister of Law rubbed his forehead:
"How did Prince Darius manage to deceive everyone for all these years?"
The king remained silent, tapping his fingers on the table—a small, steady sound holding back the eruption of his anger.
Then suddenly, he raised his head and said in a low but sharp tone:
"Marvin… begin."
Marvin rose without hesitation.He opened his first file and presented its contents in a clear, steady voice:
"Your Majesty… honorable ministers…this is the summary of three months of investigation."
He laid down document after document:
– Records of land deals sold far below value, later transferred secretly to agents of Darius.– Sealed correspondence from certain dukes.– Logs of secondary treasuries unknown to Darius's official offices.– Forced contracts and special privileges given to selected nobles.– Agreements in which Darius's men forced families to surrender their estates.
Then he moved to the next point:
"As for the sixteen most influential families… we have direct evidence against only three:the Havenar family… the Montevra family… the Fitzberg family."
Uneasy murmurs filled the table.
Marvin continued:
"As for the others… the evidence isn't conclusive, but all of them conducted suspicious transactions with institutions tied to Prince Darius."
Here, Ken interrupted with a calm voice—but one far sharper than shouting:
"Your Majesty… I strongly suspect all sixteen families are involved to varying degrees.Darius could never have built a network this large alone."
Marvin nodded in agreement, then continued his presentation.
The meeting continued from dawn until noon with no break.
At the same time, Prince Leon's carriage entered the palace after a long journey.
He jumped out, stretching with a loud sigh:
"Haaah… finally back! Oi!"
The head butler hurried toward him:
"Your Highness! Welcome back!"
Leon asked immediately:
"Where's my father?"
The butler bowed slightly:
"In an emergency meeting… since dawn."
Leon raised a brow:
"A meeting? With who?"
The butler:"The ministers… the advisors… and His Highness Prince Ken."
A sarcastic smile curved Leon's mouth:
"Ken? He returns for a few days and now he sits in royal meetings?Tch… move aside."
The butler tried to stop him:
"Your Highness… His Majesty ordered that no one—"
But Leon ignored him and headed straight for the hall.
The doors opened at that exact moment.
Ken stepped out, with Marvin and Gray beside him, tension trailing behind them like a shadow.
Ken offered Leon a brief smile:
"Welcome back… brother Leon."
He said it as though stating a new truth—a truth that his place today was no longer at the back.
Ken didn't wait for a reply and walked on with steady confidence.
Leon remained still, feeling something had changed—something in Ken's stride, his gaze, and the way the ministers treated him.
He entered the hall to find the ministers leaving with lowered heads, distressed, each clutching a file.
He approached the king, who looked exhausted beyond anything Leon had ever seen.
Leon:"Father… is everything alright?"
The King:"You returned early, Leon."
Leon:"We found a shortcut… so I came back sooner."
The king glanced at the pile of documents on the table:
"This day… will not end easily… forgive me, my son. I'm tired."
The king left slowly, leaving Leon alone before the mountain of scrolls.
Leon's eyes fell on a large file titled:
"The Construction of the Crises Series"
He opened it…and his expression shifted with the very first page.
In Ken's Wing…
At that moment, Ken sat near his window while Marvin and Gray exchanged lively conversation behind him.
Marvin:"No one expected this volume of information… I thought the Minister of Finance would faint."
Gray:"His face was paler than the ones we arrested."
Ken stayed silent, staring at the small table before him… thinking deeply.
Then suddenly he said:
"Marvin… do you have a plan for the next step?"
Marvin stroked his chin thoughtfully, then answered in a low voice:
"I'll need an official permit for interrogations… and yes, there is a plan.I believe I can execute it.But I'm not sure it's… rational."
Ken gave him a calm look:
"Which means it's an excellent plan."
Marvin smiled.
Gray chuckled softly.
Ken closed the last file before him and said:
"Let's finish what we started."
And so…as the sun rose higher over Orvallis…
the entire kingdom began a new chapter of revelation…conflict…and collapse...
End of Chapter.