I stood up from the chair and looked directly at Sylvia.
"There are three things you need to consider," I said, "to understand what Marla meant by 'doom.'"
Sylvia's posture straightened. She didn't interrupt, just gave me a quiet nod.
I started pacing, letting my thoughts unfold naturally.
"First. Griffin Vale. The duchy is practically the beating heart of Valthryon's economy."
"They monopolize trade between nations. And with that level of control, do you think they haven't already thought of the plan I proposed to you in the garden?"
Sylvia's brows knit together, but she didn't speak.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they've already developed something better. They might have ten… no, fifteen finance ministers whose intellect rivals Gaveric's. Which means, your question back then… about why I trusted you not to sell the plan to them…"
I stopped walking and looked her in the eye.
"They wouldn't need it from a third party."
Sylvia nodded slowly. "Because they've already run the numbers. Tested every angle."
"Exactly. My proposal is nothing new to them. If you or anyone else, walked in and offered it, they'd smile and throw it on a pile of rejected pitches."
Clara blinked. "Wait… if they already knew, why wasn't it implemented?"
I turned to her.
"That's the second thing," I said. "The one that really messed with me for days. Because Griffin Vale has the brains, the infrastructure, and the money. If the plan's good—and it is—then why didn't they go through with it?"
Sylvia's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"You found a flaw?" she asked.
"I tried. Repeatedly. I reworked the plan from every angle. Risks? Sure. But profits outweigh them by a landslide. And Griffin Vale has the tools to manage those risks."
Clara's voice dropped. "Then... Is there another reason?
I looked between them.
"Intent."
Sylvia froze. "They're waiting."
"Not just waiting," I said. "They're watching. Calculating. Trying to position themselves as sole beneficiaries. In other words… they're eyeing a full-blown monopoly, something far larger than the trade routes they already control."
Sylvia frowned. "But if that's the case…"
I nodded. "Then anyone who tries to approach them with the plan, especially someone from a vulnerable duchy wouldn't be treated like a partner. They'd be bled dry. Used.
I took a step closer to Sylvia, now ready for the final part.
"The third thing… is Leon Duchy."
Her face remained composed, but I noticed the slight clench of her jaw.
"Your duchy is vulnerable right now, because of all the Political tension. Viscount Orion, your father, sought backing from mine. The engagement between us, as you know, was a calculated move. One I assume he hoped would secure Duke Everard's support."
Sylvia glanced away for just a moment. "Yes. That was the intent."
"But," I continued, "that only made things more complicated. Griffin Vale heard about the Falcon Duke's backing and assumed Orion would become the next Duke of Leon."
Sylvia's voice lowered. "That was why my father had good connections with the Griffinvale duchy's nobility."
"Yes, they approached lord Orion and offered their support, but with a price," I said. "Not an engagement this time. A pact. An economic agreement that would give Griffin Vale sweeping control over Elvian kingdoms's products and trade through Leon, no envoys, and no exclusives. Total monopoly."
Clara tilted her head. "That's an absurd deal, from any standard…"
"And Lord Orion knew it," I said. "That's why he didn't give them an answer. He stalled."
Sylvia slowly nodded. "Because he knew accepting would destroy us in the long run."
"But Griffin Vale wasn't going to wait forever," I said. "So they turned to Orion's elder brother, someone who probably agreed to the pact without hesitation."
Clara looked baffled.
Sylvia remained still, her expression unreadable.
I exhaled. "Your father has consulted mine multiple times since then. But the talks didn't go anywhere. Until now."
Sylvia's voice was barely a whisper. "My father told me… His Grace himself called for him."
"For the first time," I said, "His Grace Lord Everard reached out directly. Because this isn't just about Leon anymore. If Griffin Vale gets its claws into your duchy, the balance across the continent shifts. And not in our favor."
I leaned forward slightly.
"So no," I said, locking eyes with her. "There's no chance you or your father would sell the plan to Griffin Vale."
Sylvia blinked. "Because you trust us?"
I gave a short, dry laugh. "No. Because you're not in a position to."
She didn't respond right away. Her mouth parted slightly, as if caught off guard by the bluntness. But she didn't look offended. Just thoughtful.
"I see," she finally said, voice quiet but steady. "Then… the reason you were so confident back in the garden…"
"Wasn't blind trust," I finished. "It was deduction."
Clara leaned in, brows furrowed.
"I still don't see it… what does any of this have to do with Marla or Ashen? That 'doom' she mentioned, how is it connected?"
I sighed, resting my hand on the back of my chair before turning to face her.
"Good question."
I took a breath, watching both Clara and Sylvia. The latter hadn't moved an inch, but her eyes, focused, steady, made it clear she was piecing everything together.
"Now that Griffin Vale has officially started supporting Draziel—Lord Orion's half-brother—they have to do more than just throw their name behind him."
Clara tilted her head. "Like strengthen his chances?"
"Exactly," I said. "Backing someone isn't enough. They need to make sure he stands out, while simultaneously removing every other viable candidate."
Sylvia's voice was soft. "And that includes my father."
I nodded. "Right now, Lord Orion's biggest strength isn't political cunning or military power. It's the Falcon Duchy. My father."
Clara blinked. "So… to weaken Lord Orion…"
"They need to isolate him."
Sylvia's eyes widend, clara's followed. Seems like they figured it out..That's 'S-' and 'A+' int stats for you..
"That's where Ashen comes in."
Sylvia's expression finally shifted—just a flicker, but her eyes narrowed sharply.
"They're… working together?"
"Griffin Vale and Ashen have one thing in common," I said. "They both see Falcon as a threat."
"They struck a deal. Draziel gets political support. Ashen gets funding, and more importantly, opportunities to act freely under the chaos."
Clara turned towards Sylvia. "And their plan is..."
I turned back toward them.
"To make Orion feel vulnerable. Alone. If the strongest assassin organization in the continent sets its sights on your father's lands, burns a few convoys, spreads terror, assassinates minor nobles...what do you think the message becomes?"
Sylvia with a calm tone opened her mouth. "That Lord Orion lead them to their deaths."
I nodded. "And if that fear spreads far enough… Orion may be pressured to step down from the succession race."
Sylvia looked at the ceiling. "That would leave Draziel with no opposition."
"Exactly."
I let that sink in before continuing.
"Now, Marla. She's not high enough in Ashen's ranks to know the whole thing. But she knows something is in motion. She's heard whispers. Maybe caught bits of conversation. She mentioned the word 'doom' because she knows Ashen's working to destabilize Orion's territory."
Sylvia exhaled slowly.
Clara shook her head slightly, looking genuinely unsettled.
"This… is insane. How deep does this web even go?"
I gave her a dry smile.
"Deep enough that we're standing in it." As I sat on the chair, my inspect Skill acted up.
I glanced toward the entrance of the interrogation chamber, resting my elbow on the chair's armrest.
"Should I start introducing you every time you enter a room now, Sebastian?"
Clara and Sylvia immediately turned toward the entry, only to find nothing.
Then came a voice from behind them.
"Forgive me, Young Master. I didn't intend to disturb the conversation."
Both of them spun around, startled. Sebastian stood there calmly, facing me. Not even a hint of his approach had been sensed—not by Sylvia, not even by Clara, and of course not by me.
Clara silently stepped behind me, reassuming her place without a word, her presence poised and composed. She didn't show it, but I could tell she was surprised by Sebastian's skill in stealth.
Sylvia, on the other hand, wore a faint trace of surprise on her otherwise composed face.
Her sharp eyes flicked between Sebastian and the empty air he'd appeared from.
She wouldn't figure it out. No one could.
"Don't tell me you've taken a liking to eavesdropping on conversations you already heard during my father's discussion with Viscount Orion?" I asked, my tone just dry enough to be petty.
Sebastian, of course, didn't miss a beat. He offered a slight bow.
"Eavesdropping wasn't my intent, young lord. I merely refrained from interrupting."
Then, as if realizing his lack of courtesy, he turned to Sylvia and inclined his head politely.
"My apologies, Lady Sylvia."
Sylvia blinked, caught off guard again, then nodded gently in acknowledgment, regaining her grace.
Still, I didn't miss the momentary twitch in her brow. Her thoughts were easy to read: How did Hugo sense him before we did?
Good luck figuring that one out.
Sebastian remained still, like a shadow molded into human form.
I couldn't help but let my gaze wander for a moment. Phantom Cloak, his innate skill.
An 'S'-tier ability. A monstrous technique that masks the user's presence by suppressing perception itself. Not sound. Not scent. Not sight.
You could stare straight at the user and never really notice them. It's a kind of psychological skill; it messes with the target's focus, rendering them passive to the stillness of the user's mana.
And with Sebastian's absurd mana mastery, which is well over eighty percent, it was like trying to catch mist in your hands.
I leaned forward slightly. "The report I requested?"
Sebastian nodded and stepped forward and handed over a thin folder, immaculate and no creases, of course.
Inside were precise details. Types of questions. Trigger conditions. The answers to which would activate the bugs Ashen loved to use—those tiny Licharus bugs they planted near the heart.
Ask the wrong question, and boom...no more spy. Just a room painted red and no intel to show for it.
"I've confirmed these through prior records. These are the most commonly used keywords that cause internal detonation," Sebastian explained calmly.
I nodded, flipping through the contents.
"Good. We'll need to walk carefully around these. I'd rather not watch our only lead explode mid-sentence."
Sylvia crossed her arms, thoughtful.
Clara remained behind me, quiet, her gaze lowered respectfully.
Everything was falling into place. One step at a time.