Imperial Secret Interrogation Room, three days after the Arkeim supply route explosion
Clouds covered the capital's sky. Deep beneath the palace, the secret interrogation room was made of cold, damp obsidian stone.
Lord Greivahn sat on an iron chair, hands bound with magic chains. Across from him was Ashtar Lebrian—calm face, sharp eyes.
Ashtar sat down and opened a notebook.
"Mister Greivahn. You signed the document that sent three escort mages to burn alive. Why?"
Greivahn answered calmly,
"Because I'm tired of being the protector who's always sacrificed... for stupid princes who can't even read basic war tactics."
Ashtar narrowed his eyes.
"That answer doesn't help. I know that route wasn't in the original plan. Someone added it. Your hand wrote it. But not your mind."
Greivahn gave a crooked smile.
"You're smart, detective. But not smart enough to see the web that traps this entire palace."
Ashtar frowned.
"Moriarty. He gave you a letter. Promised you eternal honor... in return for betrayal."
Greivahn smiled.
"Betrayal? You call this betrayal? Those I protected... they betrayed me first. What I do now... is for Aldia's future."
Ashtar went quiet. His eyes were measuring—wondering if Greivahn could still be useful, or if he had gone mad.
Ashtar: "What is Moriarty's goal? Why Arkeim Fortress?"
Greivahn, softly:
"It's not the fortress that matters... but the tunnel beneath it. An old one. Used during Emperor Edmure's western campaign. Forgotten now. But he knows. Moriarty knows everything that's been forgotten."
Ashtar wrote quickly.
"Ancient tunnel... it could be a secret supply route. Or worse—a path for smuggling artifacts."
Greivahn chuckled.
"He doesn't care about money, Lebrian. He wants something deeper. He wants this world to look into the abyss... and fall, because it can't face the mirror of truth."
Ashtar stood and touched the magic chains.
"I'll bring this to the military court. But if you still have a name... a clue... give it now."
Greivahn stared blankly.
"Princess Valeria. She's not just a puppet. She's the light. Moriarty wants to place new light over the ruins. And he... has already chosen her."
Ashtar wrote one more note.
"New light?"
---
Underground Strategy Room, Ars Moriendi
Moriarty sat in the center of a magical circle. In front of him was a map of the Empire and artifacts from the Astral Tower.
Leonhardt, Rion, and Lysa stood waiting for orders.
Leonhardt finally spoke:
"Greivahn's been captured. Should we silence him, sir?"
Moriarty shook his head slowly.
"No. Let him talk. Every word from his mouth... only makes our shadow stronger."
Lysa casually raised a hand.
"What's next? The Empire's hunting us now. Even Ashtar is close to finding out about Valeria."
Moriarty smiled faintly.
"That's exactly what we want. I want them to see Valeria... as their last light."
Rion, who had been quiet, finally asked:
"And after that?"
Moriarty gripped his silver staff, still smiling.
"We vanish from the surface. Let chaos spread without our touch. When all has fallen... Valeria will take the throne. And we... will rule from below."
---
Princess Valeria's Residence
Valeria sat on her balcony, staring at a restless city. She didn't know that her bodyguard, Sereth, was secretly part of Ars Moriendi.
Valeria:
"Sereth... I feel like a storm is coming. But everyone just closes their windows and says, 'It won't rain.'"
Sereth served her tea with a gentle smile.
"Sometimes, Your Highness, rain doesn't fall to make things wet... but to clean them."
Valeria looked troubled.
"I'm scared. The war with Barforia continues. If this chaos keeps growing... I don't know who to trust."
Sereth nodded.
"If all choices are bad... maybe it's time to make a new one."
---
Secret Military Court
Greivahn was brought into the trial. Many nobles watched. Ashtar sat as the investigating witness.
General Velgorn read the charges:
"Lord Greivahn, you redirected the supply route without approval. Why?"
Greivahn answered calmly:
"Because the military is already controlled by a darker conspiracy than you can imagine."
General Velgorn frowned.
"You have no proof."
The nobles started whispering.
Ashtar raised his hand.
"Wait. Let him speak."
Greivahn laughed.
"I saw it. The letter. The 'M' mark. Moriarty is not just a killer. He's a revolutionary. And you all... are crumbling ruins waiting to burn."
The courtroom broke into chaos. Outside, people protested. Some held signs saying "We Trust the Shadow."
---
Ars Moriendi's Underground Base
Moriarty looked at a half-finished metal statue: Princess Valeria with a glowing crown.
Leonhardt approached.
"We've started spreading the story that Valeria is the true heir—descended from Emperor Eldin, before the current royal line."
"Good. Let rumors spread faster than swords."
Rion:
"And once the people believe...?"
Moriarty turned, eyes sharp.
"We push them to choose. And if they can't... we help them destroy it all. The shadow is spreading... and one more spark will burn everything left standing."
Moriarty sent out thousands of magical crows, carrying flyers.
---
That night, the capital of Eldia exploded in chaos.
In the dead of night, angry citizens flooded the streets. They burned imperial flags and shouted a name they were never supposed to say:
"MORIARTY! MORIARTY FOR THE PEOPLE!"
The palace was surrounded—not by foreign armies, but by the fury of its own people.
Screams, cries, and war drums echoed from the poorest slums to the heart of power.
In the palace hall, nobles panicked.
"This is madness!" shouted Marquis Hestern.
"The people have gone insane over a shadowy criminal!"
"Not just the people," said Count Zirel.
"Western troops ignored our orders yesterday. They said, 'We only obey those who protect the people.' What does that even mean?!"
Greivahn stood calmly in a corner, watching them like scared children.
"This isn't chaos. This... is judgment. And all of you have been weighed—and found lacking."
"Traitor!" one noble yelled.
"Oh really?" Greivahn smirked.
"Then who was the first to sign an illegal trade deal with Barforia? You?"
The noble froze.
"How did he know...?"
Count Zirel raised an eyebrow.
"Is that true?"
The nobles began arguing.
---
Palace Dungeon
Altair clenched his teeth.
"This is a trap! I never met anyone from Barforia!"
A cloaked intruder came to kill him.
"Traitors like you will never understand our pain!"
"GUARDS!!!" Altair shouted.
The assassin swung his blade—but suddenly, Ashtar appeared and blocked it with magic.
The attacker fled.
Ashtar:
"Are you okay, Prince Altair?"
Altair:
"Where have you been!? I was nearly killed!"
Ashtar:
"For now, we need to find somewhere safe."
---
Elsewhere in the palace, Prince Revan escaped an assassination attempt.
A servant—actually a killer—almost slit his throat with a magic knife.
Revan jumped out his window, panting.
"Who wants me dead? Altair? No... this is deeper than just a royal rivalry."
A signal spell exploded in the sky.
Before they reached him—
BOOM!
An explosion rocked another part of the palace.
It wasn't the people. It came from outside.
"Who are you, Moriarty? And why does this all feel like... a game?"
---
That same night, the Emperor hid deep underground—without his advisors, without his princes.
From the shadows, a palace guard tried to kill him.
The sword almost touched his throat—but elite guards stopped it in time.
The Emperor collapsed, shaking.
"I can't trust anyone anymore... even these palace walls betray me."
Ashtar arrived minutes later, pale-faced.
"We've lost control, Your Majesty. Every trail leads back... to James Moriarty."
The Emperor screamed in fear:
"Do anything! Protect me with your lives!"
Ashtar looked disappointed at the Emperor's fear.
---
On the border, Barforia's army moved.
"Aldia is in chaos," said General Vorn.
"We can take the Southern District easily."
"All troops, move out!"
But before they could go far, they found all their scout posts burned.
On the ground was a symbol:
A thorned rose with the letter "M".
"He won't even let us steal from his enemy," whispered a Barforian officer.
---
In the city, covered in fire, one soft voice rose.
"Enough... all of this... enough."
Princess Valeria stood on the palace tower balcony, with no guards, wearing a plain white dress.
"People of Eldia... listen to me. I know you're angry. I know you suffer. But if we fight each other, only the shadow wins."
The crowd grew quiet. Even children, women, and soldiers stopped.
Valeria looked at them.
"I won't promise to fix everything in a day. But I swear... I will stand with you. Not above. Not behind. But among you. Together."
---
In Ars Moriendi's secret room, Moriarty watched a magical illusion of Valeria's speech.
Leonhardt stood behind him.
"She's amazing, sir. The people love her."
Moriarty smirked.
"That's why she's perfect. A light... to hide how deep the shadows go."
Rion rushed in.
"Final report: the two princes now suspect each other, three army bases declared neutrality, and... several attacks on the royal family—except Valeria."
Moriarty laughed quietly.
"Good. This game of chess... has now reached the center of a burning ocean."
---