The Aces.
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**DUKE'S OFFICE**
Selentia, the young duchess of the Flowell family, sat at her desk, a mountain of paperwork sprawled out before her. Her once vibrant eyes were now dulled with exhaustion, framed by dark circles that hinted at sleepless nights. Two pens lay ready on the table, alongside five romance novels she had been reading to distract herself from the never-ending duties of running the dukedom.
"I can't believe I have to finish all this in just three days!" she muttered, rubbing her temples.
Her thoughts drifted to her parents, who had once carried these burdens. With a wistful sigh, she imagined them with angelic wings, whispering, "It's all up to you now. Take care, bye! We love you, Elen!"
As the clock struck 3:00 PM, Selentia's face looked ghostly pale. The maid lit a fire to ward off the cold of the Lavastian Empire. A newspaper slipped from the table, revealing a note: "The Emperor of the Sevalos Empire has ordered a search for the Dark Killer who ravaged the capital. A reward of 100 million gold awaits anyone who finds the culprit!"
Selentia's eyes flashed with fury as she tore the note to shreds and tossed it into the fire.
"Are you kidding me?! Did I destroy the capital?" she fumed, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Memories from three weeks ago began to flood her mind, distorted and fragmented.
**Selentia's Flashback:**
"Go ahead then, burn the capital and kill the people! We'll catch you and hang your head at the city gates," the crown prince Evren had sneered in her memory.
But her recollection was different.
"What are you doing?! You're going to kill us all!" she had screamed at him.
"Evren, you bastard, I can kill you myself!" she had thought, her anger seething.
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**Sevalos Empire Palace**
**Evren's POV:**
Evren scratched his ear, feeling an inexplicable itch. "Why are my ears so itchy?" he grumbled.
He sat at his desk, a mountain of files in front of him, scribbling furiously.
Knock, knock.
"Your Imperial Highness, the crown prince, it's me, Apocoline," a voice called from outside.
Apocoline Akel Westerns, the Marquis's second son, entered. With brown hair and piercing purple eyes, Apocoline had been the crown prince's assistant since they were ten. Known for his cold demeanor, they were dubbed "The Cold-Blooded Duo."
"Come in," Evren said.
Apocoline bowed and handed over some documents. "What brings you here, Akel?"
"I apologize, your highness. There's still no reply from the Dark Killer. Despite the emperor's orders, no one has managed to uncover their identity."
Evren sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ah, is that so? You can rest now. You've been working tirelessly for three weeks, and it shows."
'It's because you always order me to find this Dark Killer, every morning until midnight!' Apocoline thought angrily but held his tongue.
"I think I'll ask father to let the Lion Aces, Dragon Aces, and Tiger Aces join the search."
'The Lion Aces, Dragon Aces, Tiger Aces... They are the strongest forces in the Cevallos Empire and the neighboring realms.'
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**Flowell Residence – Four Hours Later**
Selentia sat in the glass garden, dining alone, surrounded by an array of desserts. She reached for a bell and rang it.
"You called, Milady?" a maid inquired, appearing at her side.
Selentia flinched, noticing a bloodstain on the maid's uniform. She glared coldly. 'Haah, Shana's maid clothes...'
Selentia leaned closer, her eyes icy. "Please clean this all up."
"Yes—"
"And inform the servants they can eat the desserts. I have no appetite."
"Yes, Lady," the maid responded, bowing as Selentia walked past her.
'Tsk, how bothersome,' Selentia thought, her irritation simmering.
Inside, she called for Vivian, the head maid. "Vivian, prepare my bath."
"Yes, Lady. We will prepare it immediately."
"And that maid—did you not notice she's an assassin? She killed my precious Shana. How dare she."
A rustling noise came from a nearby bush, but Selentia paid no mind. She knew who it was.
"Zike, come out and capture that girl posing as a maid. See if she's immune to poison."
"Ah, fine. This is so bothersome. Why does this always happen?" Zike complained, stepping out from the shadows.
"The assassin underestimated the people of Flowell residence. Such dumb people," Selentia muttered.
The assassin collapsed, poisoned by the desserts she had tasted. Selentia had anticipated her move.
"Vivian, inform the servants to act innocent and enjoy the desserts. Some rats are trying to infiltrate our home."
"You can defend yourselves, right?" Selentia's smirk revealed her darker side.
"Yes, Milady," the servants replied, their expressions shifting to match Selentia's villainous demeanor.
Trained by Selentia for two years, these servants were far from ordinary. The duchess and duke's original staff had been given a vacation or allowed to retire, leaving behind a loyal, formidable team.
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Selentia's world was filled with intrigue, danger, and unexpected allies. Her position as duchess required not just strength, but a cunning mind and a heart steeled against betrayal. And she was ready for whatever came next.
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