Night of Shadows and Blood

As the grand banquet came to an end and nobles retired to their chambers, a silent figure moved through the darkness.

Strider, now back in his quarters, sat calmly on the wooden chair near the window, gazing at the moonlit sky.

Then, without a sound, a shadow peeled itself away from him—his specter clone, created with his unique abilities.

The clone had one purpose tonight:

eliminate those who harbored ill intent toward Silvia.

He wanted to spend the remaining ten days peacefully but someone had to target his little sister.

Now he will give them a gift.

Strider knew that assassinations of noble representatives would cause an uproar, but that was exactly what he wanted.

He needed chaos, a disturbance grand enough that the Maxwell Duchy would have no choice but to release the remaining noble representatives.

However, he couldn't be seen as a suspect.

For that, he needed an alibi.

His target? Vivian Ainsworth—Edward Maxwell's cousin and the representative of the Ainsworth Marquis Family.

While his clone waited in the shadows, Strider made his way toward the Ainsworth residence, where Vivian resided for the duration of the investigation.

He sent a formal message requesting a private discussion about Edward's death.

Given her status and involvement in the matter, Vivian couldn't refuse.

The two walked along a quiet, moonlit path in the estate's garden.

The faint fragrance of nocturnal flowers filled the air, but Vivian's mind was elsewhere.

"You wished to discuss my cousin's death, yet you're speaking of unrelated matters. What exactly are you trying to do, Strider Cromwell?"

Vivian finally said, her sharp gaze locking onto him.

Strider smirked, his expression relaxed.

"You're quite impatient. I simply wanted to establish a better understanding between us before discussing such a grim topic."

Vivian narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced, but she sighed and decided to humor him for now.

While they walked and conversed, his clone moved in the shadows, eliminating threats one by one.

Hidden from sight, Strider's clone executed each marked noble representative—those who had openly or secretly spoken about harming Silvia.

Four Count Representatives fell silently in their chambers, their throats slit before they could even react.

Eight Baron Representatives met the same fate, their bodies vanishing into the darkness before their guards could notice anything amiss.

No screams. No disturbances.

Only silent deaths under the cover of the night.

By the time Strider and Vivian concluded their conversation, all twelve targets were already dead.

At dawn, a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the Maxwell Estate.

The body of a Count Representative was found first—his lifeless corpse lying on his bed, eyes frozen in horror.

Then, another.

And another.

Panic spread like wildfire as more bodies were discovered across the noble residences.

The nobles who had been forced to stay due to the investigation now feared for their lives.

Whispers filled the halls:

"Someone is hunting us!"

"We are being targeted one by one!"

"We must leave this cursed place before more die!"

By mid-morning, representatives from the remaining noble families gathered before Duke Maxwell, their faces pale and voices filled with anger and fear.

"Duke Maxwell, we cannot stay here any longer! More than ten noble representatives have been slain in a single night!"

one of the remaining Counts declared.

"If we remain, who knows who will be next?" a Baron's representative added.

"We demand to leave immediately!"

Duke Maxwell's expression was stormy. He wanted to continue the investigation, but even he knew that this situation had spiraled beyond his control.

A Duke could ignore one or two noble deaths under his watch, but more than ten?

If he refused to let them leave, it could spark conflicts between noble families and even damage his standing in the empire.

After a long silence, Duke Maxwell finally sighed and reluctantly agreed.

"You are all free to leave the duchy."

The moment the words left his mouth, the remaining noble representatives wasted no time preparing their carriages to leave.

Throughout the morning, Vivian Ainsworth remained silent as the chaos unfolded.

She had spent the night walking with Strider Cromwell and knew for a fact that he wasn't involved in the massacre.

She had been skeptical of him before, but now, all suspicions regarding Edward's assassination faded from her mind.

"He was with me all night. There's no way he was involved."

"And the mere cromwell barony can't hire someone of that calibre who can move silently without leaving any traces"

For now, she would set aside her doubts about the Cromwell heir.

Christopher Maxwell, the newly appointed heir to the Maxwell Duchy, sat in his private chamber, his expression dark and sour.

The assassinations had occurred right after his banquet.

This was supposed to be his moment of triumph, a time for him to solidify connections with the noble families, yet now—

All those connections were shattered.

And worse—

He was being forced to provide an explanation.

The pressure from the Stoneheart Royal Family and other noble houses would only increase.

Clenching his fists, Christopher gritted his teeth in frustration.

Whoever had done this had ruined his first step as Duke.

As the noble representatives departed from the Maxwell Duchy, Strider sat inside the Cromwell carriage with Silvia, watching the grand estate fade into the distance.

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk played on his lips.

He had woven a perfect web of deception.

The nobles who sought to harm Silvia had been eliminated.

The investigation had been forced to end prematurely.

Vivian Ainsworth had unknowingly provided him an alibi.

And Christopher Maxwell?

He now had a problem that would haunt him for a long time.

As they traveled back to the Cromwell Barony, Silvia, sitting beside him, cast a suspicious gaze his way.

"Brother, why are you smirking?" she asked.

Strider chuckled softly, his voice calm and amused. "Oh, it's nothing, dear sister."

Silvia narrowed her eyes slightly but eventually shook her head.

She was just relieved to be leaving the political mess behind.

Little did she know—

The true mastermind behind the chaos sat right beside her, smiling in satisfaction.