| Banquet of Royalty Prince & Princesses Alike Part 2

Arc 1 | A Detectives End

Phase 2 | Pursuit of the Seven Wonders

The sound of champagne bottles popping. The room is filled with an endless night of celebration. The dinner party's purpose was not only to gather a series of networks between strong and wealthy households; but to also aid and assist those unfortunate that experienced the abductions and an arise in murder. It was not uncommon for royals to be stripped of their wealth. Their entire legacy was made null and the suffering would be everlasting, for as long as the murderer behind it all remains unchained.

'Luna, I've got a bad feeling about this...that Armand guy whatever makes my intuition go haywire." Tsubasa still sterned from how a man with such a grand charisma would hide in the shadows in a party he himself hosted. Tsubasa wasn't buying this facade.

But it appeared no one else in the ballroom even cared. I mean who would? They got all the delicacies from all five continents. Being absorbed in the moment can let anyone's guard down. But not for Tsubasa. She alone sees what no one else can.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Luna led Tsubasa to a corner of the ballroom where two figures awaited. The first, Milica Medaw, was a woman of striking presence. Her auburn hair cascaded in waves down her back, and her emerald-green gown seemed to mirror the depths of her piercing eyes. Her aura was one of confidence and poise, and as she extended her hand in greeting, Tsubasa could sense her strength of character.

Beside her stood Gaius Bretislaus, a man of regal bearing with an air of quiet authority. His dark hair was neatly combed, and his impeccably tailored suit spoke of refinement and taste. His eyes, however, held a warmth and sincerity that instantly put Tsubasa at ease. As he offered a friendly smile and a courteous nod, she sensed a genuine kindness in him.

"Luna has spoken highly of you," Milica began, her voice as melodious as a songbird's. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the enigmatic 'Detective Tsubasa'."

Gaius's expression mirrored his friend's warmth as he added, "Indeed, Luna has told us quite a bit about your adventures."

Tsubasa appreciated the genuine welcome from Luna's friends and returned the courtesy with a polite nod and a warm smile. "Thank you, Milica, Gaius. It's a pleasure to meet both of you as well."

As the conversation between Luna, Milica, and Gaius continued, Tsubasa found herself momentarily lost in thought. Her mind kept returning to the enigma that was Lord Armand and the unsettling forced body language he portrayed.

Despite the warm company around her, her suspicions regarding Lord Armand remained steadfast. Averting her eyes from the delicacies; he was the only thing on her mind.

Yet, even as she grappled with her concerns, Tsubasa recognized the importance of this moment. Luna had always been a mystery, a friend with a past she had chosen not to reveal.

Tsubasa's desire to understand Luna's life and history was genuine and she knew that her friend's connections could provide valuable insights.

Tsubasa turned her attention back to the conversation, her curiosity driving her to learn more about Luna's world and the people who were a part of it. As Milica, Gaius, and Luna shared stories and laughter, Tsubasa felt a sense of camaraderie and a growing bond with these individuals who had become integral to her friend's life.

Finally letting go a bit, Tsubasa dines in together with the others, as this is the time not to think overly.

However, the serenity of the evening was shattered by a piercing shriek that seemed to cut through the very soul of the room. The guests froze, their conversations abruptly halted, as all heads turned toward the source of the sound. It was a woman, her eyes wide with terror, who had thrown open a pair of intricately decorated doors at the far end of the ballroom.

As the doors swung wide, they revealed a sight that left everyone in stunned silence. The room was bathed in an eerie, greenish glow emanating from an extraordinary statue. The figure, once a man, was now a petrifying sculpture, frozen in a stance of unrelenting terror.

His face contorted in a ghastly scream, and his limbs were outstretched as if he were trying to escape an invisible tormentor. The statue's eyes bore the agony of a thousand nightmares, and its entire form was transformed into an eerie jade hue.

A collective gasp echoed through the hall as the guests beheld the horrifying spectacle before them. The once-merry atmosphere had been replaced by a sense of surreal dread.

Tsubasa's instincts kicked in, and she was the first to react. Her gaze locked onto the statue, her eyes narrowing with laser-like focus.

The realization hit her like a lightning bolt—this was not an ordinary work of art. It was a real person, trapped in the most horrifying of circumstances, encased in jade like a macabre relic of suffering.

Her mind raced as she surveyed the room. Lord Armand, the host of the evening and the one who should have been at the forefront of addressing this nightmare, was conspicuously absent. Tsubasa's thoughts raced, suspicions simmering beneath her cool exterior.

"That bastard is hiding something," she muttered under her breath, her determination to uncover the truth unwavering.

Luna and their friends, equally shocked and horrified, followed Tsubasa's lead. They rushed towards the statue, their faces pale with disbelief and concern. Milica and Gaius exchanged glances, their worry mirrored in Luna's eyes.

The ballroom was in disarray, the once-celebratory atmosphere now tainted by the inexplicable horror of the jade statue. Tsubasa and her companions were determined to unravel the mystery behind this grotesque transformation, to free the trapped soul, and to confront the truth that lurked in the shadows of Lord Armand's grand palace.

What Tsubasa was not expecting was a rather drastic action made by Gaius. He made a determined face to Milica. It was like they were communicating with their minds.

They shoved the statue back behind the doors to hide its presence. Though at first, it would seem pointless as there was no erasing that horror from everyone's eyes. The two of them dragged Luna and Tsubasa behind the doors as well.

"Divine Aptitude: Thou Shalt Be Forgotten"

And just like that, a flashy move indeed by Gaius who revealed his Divine Aptitude. A similar principle and application as of a flash on a camera. A large white aurora engulfed the ballroom. The next thing everyone did was resume their actions from before they had even seen the statue.

Tsubasa was genuinely impressed that they had such a convenient ability. Containing distress was the best move they could make on the board. If everyone was driven to madness, it would be hard for Tsubasa to cope.

Lord Armand's speech meant nothing to her, but to these people, it gave them hope and dignity. In Tsubasa's interests, this was the most approachable. "That's quite a cool ability you got there".

Gaius smirked at Tsubasa's remark. A once innocent face now turned into a perverted one. "You know with this ability I can basically touch women and they would never know what happened- OUCH".

Milica's head chopped her dear companion out of annoyance. If it were under different circumstances, everyone would be laughing. But no one in the group could dismiss the fact that a jade stone-hard corpse was in their vicinity.

"Now then how should we handle this situation...it's pretty much on our shoulders now since we're the only ones who know about this statue". Milica made a valid point, a group of teenagers are now responsible for dealing with this unprecedented turn of events laid out by the culprit.

"That Armand guy looks like he knows something about this...something tells me that this may not be the first victim," Tsubasa thought hard between the correlation of Lord Armand's body language and the timing of this statue's reveal.

She deduced that regardless of whether or not he was the culprit or not. Interrogating him was never out of the question. She also deducted that going after one thing after another might lead them into the culprit's traps. "Let's split up".

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

With the horrifying sight of the jade statue still fresh in their minds, the group knew they had to take action swiftly. Tsubasa's analytical mind immediately sprang into action, and she suggested they split into teams of two. One team would go after Lord Armand, while the other would pursue the enigmatic culprit responsible for this macabre transformation.

Tsubasa made an unexpected choice, opting to partner with Gaius for their mission. Milica, Luna's friend with her arresting presence, was taken aback by Tsubasa's direct approach. Luna, on the other hand, appeared somewhat disappointed, her preference clearly leaning toward being paired with Tsubasa instead.

Curiosity piqued, Luna couldn't help but inquire, "Tsu, I'm a bit curious as to why you want to partner with Gaius?"

Tsubasa, always straightforward, offered her rationale, "Well, I do find that his aptitude would be somewhat useful when interrogating Armand. Besides, you're more suited for combat."

Luna's expression shifted, a mixture of understanding and uncertainty in her eyes. She contemplated Tsubasa's choice, voicing her thoughts, "I see... Well, Gaius and Milica are dating, so maybe they wanted to be together at all times when there's a killer on the loose?"

Tsubasa raised a valid point, countering, "We don't know that this statue is dead."

Luna, however, didn't relent, and she moved closer to Tsubasa, their faces nearly touching. But her normally warm and expressive eyes were replaced with a cold, blank stare.

Tsubasa, taken aback, stammered, "W-what is it, Luna?"

Milica, sensing the tension rising, intervened firmly, "That's enough from both of you! I will go with Luna-chan, and Gaius will go with Tsubasa-chan. End of discussion!"

Her decisive words cut through the tension like a knife, and an uneasy silence settled over the group. Both Gaius and Milica seemed to have no objections to this arrangement, and Luna, while adamant, ultimately acquiesced. There was no time to waste; the unknown culprit was on the loose, and they had to act swiftly.

Positioned on the other side of the party doors, a grand hallway stretched out before them, connecting to two other passageways. It was clear that the statue man had passed through one of the two hallways before his transformation. The group understood the challenge of choosing the right path. Still, they remained resolute, their experiences and previous adventures molding them into a capable team.

Tsubasa broke the silence by directing their course, "Gaius and I will go left."

Milica nodded in agreement, stating, "Then Luna and I will go right."

Before Milica could guide Luna down their chosen path, Luna unexpectedly leaned in close to Tsubasa's face and placed a brief peck on her cheek. The action was swift and left Tsubasa blushing, her mind reeling from the unexpected display of affection.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

In the adjacent hallway, Tsubasa and Gaius began their pursuit of answers. Tension hung in the air as they discussed the strange events they had witnessed.

"Did Lord Armand seem...off to you, Gaius?" Tsubasa queried.

Gaius considered for a moment before responding, "Well, not really. It didn't seem like anything he said was a lie."

Tsubasa pressed further, her sharp mind dissecting every detail, "What about his body language? Did you notice he was sweating profusely in a cool ballroom?"

Gaius offered a plausible explanation, "Maybe he had a lot of running around doing errands? It's pretty typical if someone is hosting a party full of nobles."

Tsubasa's suspicions remained, and she pondered, "Or he was like that because he was trying to hide something?"

Gaius acknowledged the possibility, "That's another way of thinking of it... but it doesn't seem too unbelievable. This isn't the first time he hosted a party like this and it ended well..."

Tsubasa's curiosity piqued, and she probed further, "You mean this has happened before?"

Gaius nodded, revealing a piece of unsettling history. "Well, I wasn't there, but last time Lord Armand was involved as the secretary of the last dinner party hosted elsewhere.

An accident happened when green statues started appearing. At first, people thought it was a new decoration trend by some artists. But soon, it became a recurring trend. And the way they were posed, it was too sinister to think of it as 'art.' Nobles were able to identify some of the statues' identities. It wasn't all too pleasant..."

Tsubasa's eyes widened as she connected the dots, her mind racing. "But Lord Armand was involved, yes?"

Gaius confirmed her suspicions, "He was there, but his boss was suspected as the culprit and was executed. Since then, there have been no incidents like this... until now."

As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, Tsubasa and Gaius exchanged knowing glances. The truth was becoming clearer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Luna and Milica ventured down their respective hallways, each step taking them deeper into the heart of Lord Armand's grand palace. Luna's thoughts were still weighed down by her earlier conversation with Tsubasa.

She couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of disappointment, an unspoken desire for Tsubasa to understand her feelings better. Milica, her friend, and confidante, noticed Luna's subdued demeanor and offered a reassuring comment.

"It's natural to feel that way, Luna," Milica said with a gentle smile. "Gaius and I have our moments too, but we always work through them."

Luna nodded, appreciating Milica's understanding. She knew that Tsubasa had her own reasons for the choices she made, even if they weren't immediately clear. Luna shrugged off her doubts, focusing on the task at hand. Their mission was to find the culprit and put an end to the horrifying transformations.

As they walked further down the dimly lit corridor, the tension in the air was palpable. They knew they were closing in on something, but the unknown was an unsettling companion. Suddenly, their torchlight revealed a statue at the end of the hallway.

It was the figure of a young man, his features captured in a nightmarish expression of terror. His brown hair and well-defined physique hinted at a life of privilege, but the agony etched onto his face was a stark contrast to his handsome exterior.

Luna and Milica recognized him instantly. It was Sulman Shirkuh, a high-value noble known for his charm and charisma, a man who had no shortage of admirers among the women of the court. Milica remarked that she wasn't particularly fond of him, but both she and Luna agreed that no one deserved to be imprisoned in stone, their lives and identities stripped away.

Just as they were contemplating their next move, the sound of approaching footsteps reached their ears. They turned, their torchlight flickering, and saw a man, his features twisted in a silent scream, much like Sulman's expression. He was already in the process of turning into stone, his body rapidly becoming rigid and lifeless.

"Please help me," the man managed to gasp in a voice choked with desperation.

But before Luna and Milica could respond, the transformation completed its dreadful course, leaving the man forever imprisoned in stone. The hallway echoed with an eerie silence, broken only by their own racing heartbeats.