Chapter 74: Report
A sharp knock broke through the stillness of Raven's room.
His eyes opened instantly. "Who is it?"
"It's me, Selene, my Lord."
"Come in."
An illusory form slipped cleanly through the wooden door, reforming into Selene's silhouette as if the barrier didn't exist.
Raven sat up, spirit calm but eyes sharp. "Report."
"We took care of the rat, my Lord." Her tone held no emotion.
Raven let out a quiet exhale.
Emanuel… even after Stephanie's warnings and Marcellus's pressure, he still chose betrayal.
Zera's voice hummed behind his thoughts.
[Why didn't the Blood Bone spell stop him? It should've killed him the moment he betrayed you.]
'Because it wasn't an absolute command,' Raven replied. 'I only told him not to send information to the Humphery House without my permission. I didn't forbid him from contacting anyone else. And I never prevented him from leaving the mansion. As long as he avoided speaking to someone from Humphery, the spell didn't activate.'
[Loopholes. Far too many.]
'Exactly. I learned two things tonight—'
[Let me hear them.]
'First, restriction spells like Blood Bone aren't absolute. People can betray you without speaking a word or writing anything. Second… this monocle is far from perfect.'
He retrieved it, slipping it back over his eye.
"It gave me hints about Emmanuel's past," he muttered, "but not who he served. Not the true organization. Even he didn't know the people pulling his strings."
[He must've feared something powerful.]
'Enough to risk death,' Raven agreed. 'I need to be far more cautious when recruiting. Trust only after long observation.'
He turned to Selene.
"So. Details. Everything."
Selene nodded. "After the banquet ended, Emanuel started behaving strangely. Meeting people in corners, avoiding eye contact. Around 2 a.m., he slipped out of the mansion."
"Marcellus followed him?"
"Yes. We both did, just in case. He went to RA-02 Police Station… and met someone."
"Who?"
"Inspector Bennett."
Raven's brows drew together.
"He left with a Gladstone bag," Selene continued. "He was headed toward the South Borough. Marcellus intercepted him before he boarded a train."
"And you?" Raven asked.
Selene's expression cooled. "I dove into Bennett's dream. What I found was… significant."
She recounted everything—House Duskbane, the dream mansion, Jared Duskbane's body, the treasury, the Stone Tablet, and the collapse of the dream construct.
When she finished, she produced the tablet, placing it gently on the floor.
Raven knelt beside it. Ancient letters, sharp and broken, glowed faintly under the moonlight.
"I've seen this script…"
He touched the carved symbols.
Runeth's memories stirred.
Zera inhaled sharply.
[Edhen's ancient language… Laka. I never expected to see it here.]
'Could someone from Edhen have crossed over and left this?'
[Or the Holmes line brought remnants from the Elder Plane long ago.]
'Didn't you say they were tied deeply to Runeth?'
[Yes. Holmes Family were Divinity-touched. Their progenitor—child of a god—turned Runeth's soul into a Crown.]
Raven absorbed that quietly.
"What does it say?" he asked.
Zera spoke, translating each line.
…
"Thou may not remember,
but this lone guide has waited for eons.
Once, I stood as the keeper of the Mother's World,
yet I was deceived by the children of divinity
and lost what I swore to protect.
They seized the 'World,'
but it remains beyond their grasp,
shielded by the soul imprint of the Red Angel.
None may unseal it—unless a Divine descends once more.
The Divine Children are cunning;
they hide the 'World' in shadows and deception.
Beware them—
for they march under the sigil
of a lion with a sword in its fangs.
Though I crippled them,
the past finds ways to rise again.
My strength fades,
but hope lies in the one yet to come.
Seek the house marked by the rampant lion.
There, the 'World' remains still—
held by hands too blind to see its truth."
…
Raven stared silently at the tablet as Zera finished.
"So this tablet was translated long ago… and the Duskbane House used it to uncover Holmes secrets?"
[Most likely with the help of linguists.] Zera said. [This stone holds divine-level knowledge. Enough to paint a target on the Holmes Family. Enough to destroy it.]
"Then the Holmes line… were Children of a Divine?" Raven asked.
[Yes. But divine blood weakens over millennia. By the time your ancestors settled here, their power had faded. The demon that destroyed them was no Rank-1 at all… or their blood had grown too thin.]
Raven stored the tablet silently.
He looked back to Selene. "Any updates from Reece?"
"He sent his familiar. He'll return by dawn."
"Good. Keep everything silent. Don't mention Emanuel's death to anyone."
"What about Bennett's corpse?" she asked.
Raven blinked. "…You killed him too?"
"I eliminated loose ends," Selene said without hesitation.
He sighed. "Throw his corpse in the Dream World. Bury it in a layer nobody can access."
"Yes, my Lord."
"And tell Rebecca she's taking Emanuel's duties."
Selene bowed.
"And if anyone asks about Emanuel," Raven continued, "go to the police and file a missing person report. If they resist, find Head Constable Kyler."
"And the press, my Lord?" Selene asked.
Raven's eyes sharpened. "Contact Legacy News and the other press houses. Call them here tomorrow morning. I'll give an official statement."
He leaned back slightly.
"I want them to record everything—even our departure from the city."
He smiled faintly.
A cold, calculated smile.
"Let the entire city talk about Holmes Mansion tomorrow."
"Should I bring Lady Stephanie? She was the last to see Emanuel."
Raven nodded slowly. "Once Bennett is reported missing as well, the police may try to twist the story—or pin blame on us. So find out who's on duty at the station. Notify the local magistrate about Emanuel's disappearance. If necessary, file a self-report in my name."
"Yes, my Lord." Selene bowed.
"One more thing," Raven added. "Send a formal complaint to the magistrate: Crest Merchandise is illegally occupying Holmes Territory. That complaint ensures they can't interfere with our expedition without consequences."
Selene inclined her head. "As you command."
She slipped out of the room like a fading shadow.
Raven reached into his inventory, pulling out a small amulet—its core pulsating faintly—then opened his notebook. With a swift flourish, he activated Words of Eternity, recording notes that shimmered briefly before sinking into the page.
"This mission will change her destiny…" he muttered. Then he prepared for the morning.
…
Dawn settled into the city.
At exactly 8:00 a.m., Raven left his chamber dressed in a black suit, his hair immaculate, steps calm yet authoritative.
Downstairs, the main hall buzzed with quiet tension.
Jacob. Quincy. Selene. Marcellus.
All waited near the staircase.
Past them, at the mansion's entrance—reporters.
Two cameramen already had their equipment pointed at the door, breath steaming in the cold air.
Jacob stepped forward. In his dark gray coat and polished boots, he looked every bit the officer he once was. "They've been here for an hour, my Lord. Asking why they were summoned."
Raven's eyes swept over the journalists. Pens hovered. Cameras blinked red. They were ready to tear apart or immortalize his words.
He stepped onto the marble floor, letting silence settle before he spoke.
"Good morning, everyone," he said, voice steady. "You must be wondering why I called you."
A veteran reporter lifted his hat slightly. "Mr. Holmes, rumors say you plan to reclaim Azmar Town. Is this why we were summoned? Are you recruiting more mercenaries?"
A younger journalist leaned forward eagerly. "Sources say Lady Anastasia Ravenshield visited you. What's your connection to the Mystic Cauldron Manager? Is she backing your expedition?"
A third voice cut through—sharp, female, meticulous.
"Mr. Holmes," she said, eyes narrowing. "Humphery House is spreading word that your butler is missing—and accusing you of killing him. Is it true?"
Raven glanced at the badge on her coat.
Legacy News.
Of course.
She looked barely in her twenties—curly mahogany hair, chestnut eyes, soft round face. Yet her gaze was sharper than any blade in the room.
Raven adjusted his monocle and activated Status Sight.
Florence Collins.
Shadow Element Affinity: High.
Profession: Investigative Reporter (Legacy News).
Legacy News really sent one of their best…
He smiled faintly.
"I'll answer your questions one by one," he said.
He turned to the veteran reporter first.
"Yes. I do plan to reclaim Azmar Town. But let me ask you something: are you aware that a group claiming to be archaeologists has been staying there for more than a decade?"
The reporter faltered. "…No."
Raven shifted his gaze to Florence. "And you?"
Florence nodded. "Crest Merchandise sponsors a private archaeological team there. They claim Count Spade approved their survey."
Raven's smile faded into cold steel.
"According to Imperial Constitutional Law, Azmar Town—and the land ten kilometers around it—belongs solely to Holmes House. Not even Count Spade has authority there. So tell me… isn't Crest Merchandise acting like they own the place? Why hasn't anyone questioned that?"
Silence swept across the hall.
Not one journalist dared interrupt.
Raven continued, voice firm.
"I invited you here because I want you to witness the reclamation of my land with your own eyes. The Holmes House hasn't died. Not yet."
He allowed the words to settle before adding:
"As for Emanuel—he was sent to contact Inspector Bennett to file a case against Crest Merchandise. When he didn't return after two hours, one of my scouts tracked him."
He glanced at the crowd.
"Emanuel vanished after meeting Inspector Bennett. And Inspector Bennett himself… is now missing."
Gasps erupted.
Pens scratched furiously.
Cameras clicked.
"So," the veteran journalist whispered, "are you saying Crest Merchandise is killing anyone who tries to help you?"
Florence stepped closer. "How do you know Bennett is missing? Did you send men after him?"
"I'm saying," Raven replied coolly, "that someone is targeting me—and anyone assisting me in reclaiming Azmar. Investigate it yourselves. You'll find the truth."
Reporters shouted more questions, but Raven answered only what he wanted. He controlled the narrative effortlessly.
Finally, he turned to Selene. "Where are the guests?"
"Lady Anastasia and Young Master Daley left early this morning," she said.
Raven's brow lifted. "Left the city?"
"No, my Lord. They went to visit Count Andres. He invited them last night."
"Hm."
He scanned the room—and noticed the absence of several familiar faces.
"Where are the others, Jacob?"
"Felicity and Leona went to Albert Street to fetch Reece, my Lord."
"You've reached Expert rank now," Raven said, taking a seat near the hearth. "No need to call me 'my Lord' constantly."
Marcellus stepped forward. "Expert or not, none of us would've advanced without your potions. We owe you."
Selene nodded. "Sir Marcellus speaks truth. Without you, we'd still be stuck at Radiant."
Raven chuckled lightly—right before the main door opened.
Reece entered, flanked by Felicity and Leona.
Behind them walked a tall, olive-skinned man with a chevron mustache. Blue eyes. Rugged, seasoned face. Someone who carried battle in every step.
A familiar presence.
Raven's smile formed instantly.
Franco.
The man bowed deeply. The others followed suit.