Celstia stayed silent.
Norax looked at her quietly, his gaze steady.
"Celstia," he said in a calm, measured voice, "what you're saying just now… is it truly the truth? I never doubted you. But right now, we are in a council meeting, so you need to explain everything clearly."
Celstia swallowed hard.
"Ah… yes, Master," she answered softly, lowering her head. "It is the truth. Everything inside this envelope is real—not only that, but also the name of the person behind all of this and the reason it happened."
The air in the room grew heavy.
Celstia slowly raised her hand and pointed forward.
"The person who sent the assassin," she said clearly, her voice steady despite the pressure, "was him."
Her finger stopped.
She was pointing directly at **Elwood Steeljaw**.
Elwood's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What…? What kind of nonsense is this?!" "How can you blame an innocent person like me? I'm not even a combat-type individual!"
He stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor.
"You're saying *I* sent an assassin after him?"
"For your information, we weren't even in the underworld that day! And we have a perfect alibi for that. Norax Duskgale, if your partner is trying to joke around, I assume you didn't take this meeting seriously at all!"
Garron slammed his hand on the table once more.
"Elwood was right!" "What the hell is she talking about?!" "This is a lie—completely a lie!"
Before Elwood could continue, Celstia spoke again—her voice cold, firm, and unyielding.
"Sir Garron Steeljaw," she said evenly, "please do not accuse anyone of lying when nothing has been confirmed yet. You didn't even witness anything yourself."
Garron turned toward her, rage burning openly in his eyes.
"What did you just say?!"
Elwood clenched his fists.
"You're twisting words," he snapped. "You think you can frame us with nothing but your mouth?"
Norax raised his hand slightly.
"Enough," he said.
His voice was calm—but it carried a sharp edge that cut through the room.
"Celstia hasn't finished speaking yet. And isn't it true that we haven't made any claims without confirmation?"
Silence fell once more.
Norax turned his gaze toward Celstia.
"Continue," he said simply.
Celstia nodded.
"I have proof," she said quietly.
That single sentence made the tension in the room spike.
Celstia continued.
"The first and most questionable point," she said calmly, "is how the assassin knew my master's exact location."
All eyes turned toward her.
"The attack occurred during the opening ceremony," Celstia explained. "At that time, Master Norax was completely alone in his private room."
Elwood frowned deeply.
"Are you implying that we provided information about the opening ceremony?" he said sharply. "For your information, Lady Selindra, many people knew Norax's shop was opening that day. How does that make any sense as an accusation against me?"
Celstia nodded once.
"Yes. Many people knew about the opening."
She paused.
"But the attack did not happen in public."
The room fell silent.
"It happened inside my master's private room," she continued. "A location only a very limited number of people were aware of. And I don't think it would be difficult for Elwood to find out that location."
Selindra's expression sharpened.
Celstia looked around the room.
"Isn't that suspicious? The attack happened, and yet they weren't present that day. Perhaps they hired someone else to attack my master."
Norax remained silent.
Celstia went on.
"When the attack occurred, everyone in the underworld already knew my master was a powerhouse. That means someone of similar level must be behind this."
"So we investigated every assassination order issued within the underworld during that period, considering nobles or other powerhouses."
She shook her head slowly.
"We found nothing—because the assassin was not from the underworld or the kingdom."
The room froze.
Selindra narrowed her eyes.
"So you're saying the assassination occurred, but you found nothing because the attacker was neither from the underworld nor the kingdom?" she asked.
Celstia nodded.
"Yes."
"And there was no official assassination order issued by Sir Elwood," Celstia added. "That part is true."
Elwood stiffened.
"So now you admit it," he said coldly. "You accuse me, and then you deny it? Will your master take responsibility for this?"
Celstia met his gaze without flinching.
"I'm not finished yet. Why don't you keep your mouth shut?"
Her voice remained clear and controlled.
"The assassin who attacked my master was a free assassin—a bounty hunter hired with a high price placed on my master's name."
"Or someone who kills purely for pleasure. That is how free assassins operate."
A ripple of shock spread through the room.
Celstia continued.
"Free assassins do not belong to the kingdom. They do not belong to the underworld either."
"So we can't trace official orders, because those transactions happen verbally, but—"
"They enter through merchant routes."
Elwood slammed his palm on the table.
"That's enough!"
Norax looked at Celstia.
The timing. The location. The assassination method.
Only the two of them knew those details. Not Elwood.
Lady Selindra shifted her gaze toward Elwood.
"Sir Elwood," she said calmly, "I will give you an opportunity to defend yourself. Please speak."
Elwood stiffened.
Before he could say anything, Madam Kyra raised her voice.
"Sir Elwood," she said sharply, "why are you so agitated?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Didn't you say you issued no orders? Then there's no need to panic. Wouldn't it be better for all of us to uncover the real person behind this mess?"
Garron slammed his fist down.
"My brother just wants to shut that lying bitch's mouth!" he roared.
Steel rang instantly.
House Noctis guards stepped forward, hands resting on their swords.
Norax sighed softly.
"Why don't we listen first?" he said calmly. "There's no need to rush things."
Everyone turned toward him.
Norax continued.
"For clarity," he said, "everything that happens here depends on House Noctis's decision."
Selindra's eyes flickered.
The room fell silent again.
Celstia stepped forward and placed the envelope on the table.
"Free assassins work for money," she said calmly. "Some do it for enjoyment. But tasks like this are never handled directly."
She tapped the documents lightly.
"They are hired through merchants capable of paying large sums. The payment moves through layered proxy routes."
Everyone listened closely.
"The money passed through three black channels," Celstia continued. "All of them are routes built and controlled by Red Society, as shown in these transaction records."
Elwood's eyes tightened.
"But here lies the problem," Celstia said evenly. "Free assassins cannot use those channels without permission."
She raised her head.
"So we traced the transactions."
Silence fell.
"The money was sent by Elwood Steeljaw," she said clearly. "It was transferred into Red Society through a fake merchant, and from there, the assassination request was issued—targeting the leader of Blue Crescent."
She pushed the envelope forward.
"Lady Selindra, these are the documents."
Elwood slammed his hand on the table.
"We didn't do anything!" he shouted. "I sent money to Red Society as funding. I knew nothing about assassins!"
Lady Selindra picked up the papers.
Her eyes moved slowly across the pages.
After a long moment, she sighed.
The room sank into heavy silence.
Lady Selindra finished reading the documents.
She closed the file slowly.
"Second powerhouse and third powerhouse," she said calmly, "please stand and come before me."
Chairs moved.
Norax Duskgale and Garron Steeljaw stood and faced each other.
Lady Selindra stepped forward.
"The issue between Blue Crescent and Red Society," she continued, "and the assassination attempt on the youngest—"
"—Norax Duskgale," Selindra said, unfazed, "has now become clear."
Garron clenched his fists.
"Red Society has broken two rules of the peace agreement," Selindra said. "They acted independently and hired an assassin."
Garron's face twisted.
"The victim in this case," Selindra continued, "is Norax Duskgale."
Norax remained silent.
"And to prevent further chaos in the underworld," she said firmly, "House Noctis, in the name of the Empress, declares— compensation must be—"
"I didn't do anything for that kid!" Garron roared.
"Brother, calm down," Elwood said quickly.
Lady Selindra's eyes turned cold.
"Sir Elwood," she said, "you speak on behalf of your brother, correct?"
"Yes," Elwood replied stiffly.
"Then is it acceptable," Selindra asked lightly, "if I throw your brother out of this meeting right now?"
Garron took a step forward.
"What the—"
Steel rang.
House Noctis knights moved instantly, blades stopping inches from Garron's neck.
Garron froze.
Elwood swallowed.
"How about this," Elwood said quickly. "We… give up on Red Society. I don't know how they acted like this."
"If we abandon Red Society, Norax can—"
"Before you continue," Norax said calmly, stepping forward, "I don't agree with that."
Everyone froze.
"I'm not satisfied with just that," Norax continued. "You both still need to take responsibility. So I demand—"
"A proxy war between me and Garron."
Silence crushed the room.
Lady Selindra slowly turned toward him.
"…A proxy war?" she repeated.
"Hahaha—fuck you, kid!" Garron shouted, laughing. "Proxy war? Do you even know how to fight?"
Norax didn't react.
Celstia stood beside him, silent.
Only Garron's rough breathing filled the room.
Elwood narrowed his eyes.
"Brother, wait," Elwood said, raising his hand. He looked at Norax.
"Are you sure you want a proxy war?" Elwood asked calmly. "We can give up Red Society completely. We can hand over everyone—even Talon, the leader of Red Society—as compensation."
The room went quiet again.
Norax tilted his head slightly.
"Sir Elwood," he said, "you're right. That would be good for my people, but…"
Elwood's eyes lit up for a moment.
"That sounds reasonable," Norax continued. "But it's not enough for me."
Elwood's smile stiffened.
"And it's not profitable," Norax added.
He glanced at Madam Kyra.
"You know what kind of person I am, and how I started," Norax said. "Madam Kyra rules the Red Light District."
Madam Kyra's lips curved faintly.
"I rule underworld business and merchants," Norax continued.
Then his gaze shifted to Garron.
"And our uncle Garron," Norax said calmly, "he's just the king of thugs."
Garron's face twisted in rage.
"You little—"
Elwood raised his arm again.
"Brother," he said sharply. "Enough."
Norax's smile was thin.
"A proxy war," he said, "is the fairest solution for both of us. You can ask for something in return as well. Why wouldn't I use this situation?"
"You keep your pride." "I get my profit."
"And the underworld," Norax finished, "returns to normal— and learns who truly controls it."
Celstia lowered her eyes slightly.
Lady Selindra watched Norax closely.
The room fell into heavy silence once more.