The chamber was still heavy with the shock left behind by the fourth volume when Marvin reached into the wooden box and pulled out the fifth one—the thickest, heaviest file he had presented so far.
He opened to the first page and spoke in a low but clear voice:
"During that period… grain prices dropped suddenly.Those who owned large storage facilities lost millions in gold.The Agricultural Committee announced the presence of a dangerous infection."
The Minister of Agriculture muttered anxiously:
"We shut down the storage facilities to protect the people… we had no choice."
Marvin flipped the page slowly, deliberately, then lifted a sealed document:
"But the infection… didn't exist.This is the real report from the inspectors."
The king leaned forward abruptly, anger leaking through his teeth:
"Liars… all of them liars."
Marvin continued:
"Worse still… the order to release funds to repurchase grain was signed forty-eight hours before the crisis was announced."
A murmur of shock swept through the chamber.
The King:"Who signed the order?"
Marvin:"Prince Darius."
The heavy silence twisted into something more like fear—as if the chamber itself felt the betrayal.
Marvin opened to a new page.
"The sixth crisis occurred when the kingdom reportedly lost five major ships in consecutive storms.Trade halted… prices soared… and the people demanded a quick solution."
The Minister of Naval Affairs closed his eyes:
"It was the worst period in the history of the fleet…"
Marvin:"The five ships… were not lost."
The minister snapped his eyes open:
"…What?"
Marvin:"They were sold to the Maritime Path Company.The sale happened days before the losses were announced."
Ken added with a cold, lethal calm:
"They were replaced with old vessels… and then those vessels were deliberately sunk."
The word sunk slammed against the chamber walls like a stone.
Leon—who had been sitting frozen near the corner—suddenly choked.He raised his hand nervously, his voice slightly higher:
"Are you saying the kingdom's ships… were sold?"
Ken:"Yes. Sold."
Leon:"…Holy hell."
Marvin closed the sixth volume, then opened one last file.
"The final crisis appeared—on the surface—like an economic miracle.Prices dropped suddenly.The markets overflowed with goods.And the people said:'Prince Darius has revived the nation.'"
The ministers nodded, remembering that time.
Marvin placed several reports on the table:
"The so-called prosperity targeted specific companies only.Companies tied to noble families who later became Prince Darius's strongest supporters."
Then he pulled out a large map and spread it across the table.
Lines.Circles.Arrows.Connected points.Names repeating in the shadows.
Marvin spoke in a deep voice:
"Every crisis…every contract…every decision…every transaction…leads back to one point."
He pointed to the center of the map—a single name written in dark ink:
Prince Darius
The air itself seemed to choke.
The king rose slowly.His face pale, his eyes glimmering with a contained fury.
"He… deceived me.Deceived the kingdom…and deceived the people."
His voice did not tremble—but something in his tone broke.
***Flashback
The scene flashed back to that fateful day…when Ken stood before the council and spoke clearly:
"The Sixteen Great Houses… I am not convinced any of them are innocent."
Back then, shock swept across every face.Tension.Eyes avoiding his.Hands trembling above the table.
As if Ken had touched an old wound no one dared expose.
***Back to the Present
Marvin:"Now… we have preliminary evidence against only three of the sixteen:The Duchy of Melveflor,Veridian,and Lumin'drem."
The senior minister struck the table lightly:
"Three… and they are pillars of the kingdom."
The Minister of Economy shouted:
"If we expose this now, the royal council will collapse!"
The Naval Advisor:
"And if we don't expose it… the throne will collapse!"
The Judicial Advisor:
"This is the biggest case in the kingdom's history…"
Ken rose from his seat with a terrifying calm.
"We will not wait.We will not protect anyone.We will not allow another silence."
He looked each minister in the eye:
"Security.Justice.The throne.We cannot protect them through silence."
Some ministers trembled under his gaze.
The king sat again, breathing slowly, then asked:
"We must choose now…Do we announce the trials immediately?Or hide this for a while until we tighten our grip?"
And the chamber exploded.
The Minister of Justice yelled:
"If we announce it now, the guilty will flee! Trust will collapse!"
The Minister of Trade:
"And if we hide it, Darius will strike first!"
The senior advisor:
"We need a secret royal court—"
Ken cut him sharply:
"No secrecy."
Everyone froze.
"If we choose secrecy…the people will think we're negotiating with a traitor."
The Finance Advisor pointed at Ken:
"Your Highness, this is reckless!A public trial for Darius could ignite a war among the nobility!"
Gray bared his teeth:
"The war already began… whether you admit it or not."
The Military Advisor:
"If we announce the trial… we may need half the army to protect the capital."
Ken:"Then let the entire army come.Anyone who raises his head in treason…I'll make an example of them."
A minister shouted:
"We're talking about a third of the noble class!"
Ken stared straight at him:
"A third?Then we'll purge the third."
The chamber shook.
The king raised his hand:
"Silence!!"
Everyone stopped.
His voice was absolute:
"Both choices are dangerous…but the worst choice now is retreat."
He turned to Marvin:
"Are the evidences enough?"
Marvin:"Against Prince Darius—conclusive.Against the three duchies—strong.As for the others… we need time."
The king looked toward Ken:
"What will you do if any of them tries to flee?"
Ken replied with a cold smile:
"I'll hunt them… to the last border of the kingdom."
Silence descended.
Then the king stood and declared:
"Then… we will not wait."
Gasps erupted across the chamber.
"Tomorrow… the High Royal Court will announce the opening of the treason investigation.And Darius will be summoned first."
Some ministers protested, slamming the table.But the king finished firmly:
"Let the kingdom burn if it must…I prefer the fire of truthover the darkness of betrayal."
He turned toward the door and added:
"Prepare yourselves.Tomorrow… the war begins."
Ken remained standing, his gaze burning like twin embers.
Marvin approached and whispered:
"We've already begun, Your Highness."
Ken didn't turn as he replied:
"Tonight… is the last quiet night in the kingdom."
And everyone left…..
End of Chapter.