The music from the ballroom faded behind me as I slipped into the dimly lit corridor. The scent of perfume and candlewax gave way to the musk of dust and stone. My shoes were silent against the marble—just as I intended. Whoever had tried to sabotage the evening was only moments ahead.
The glow of torchlight flickered at the end of the hallway. I caught sight of the shadowy figure ducking through a narrow servants' door. My pulse quickened.
System Notification:
Side Quest Updated — Identify the Saboteur.
Reward: Insight +10, Unlock New Dialogue Option with Lord Cael.
I pushed the door open just enough to peer inside. The kitchen was empty save for one man—thin, unassuming, his back turned as he scrubbed a goblet far too intently. But I knew that posture. He was no servant.
I stepped into the room, my voice low and cold. "Trying to poison the King? Bold… and foolish."
The man froze for only a second before setting down the goblet. When he turned, his eyes glittered with a dangerous mix of arrogance and fear. "You're sharper than they said, Lady Evelyn… but still too meddlesome."
Before I could reply, he bolted through the rear exit. Instinct drove me after him, my skirts catching on the doorway as I chased him into the moonlit gardens.
Branches scraped my arms as I ran. My lungs burned, but I was closing the gap—until a cloaked figure stepped between us, blocking my pursuit.
The hooded stranger's voice was calm and almost familiar. "Stay out of matters that don't concern you… if you value your second life."
The warning sent a chill through me. Then both figures vanished into the night.
Behind me, Lord Cael's voice called from a distance, urgent and taut. "Evelyn! What happened?"
I stood rooted to the spot, my mind racing. Whoever these people were, they weren't just my enemies—they were pieces in a much bigger game. And now… they knew I was playing too.
This was no longer just palace gossip and petty vendettas. Something far darker was moving beneath the surface.