"Oh? What do you mean?"
Crown Prince Leomord asked, his benevolent smile vanishing instantly. His expression turned solemn, and the air around him grew heavy with royal authority. He took a step down from the podium, signaling his intent to treat this matter with the utmost seriousness.
Cassandra seized the moment.
Standing before the hushed capital, she detailed the events of the evening with cold, clinical precision. She described the ambush, the lethal intent of the attackers, kidnapping, and so on.
To support her claims, she produced a set of resonance crystals.
She activated them, and the amplified audio echoed across the silent plaza.
The crowd gasped as they recognized the voices.
It was Ronald and Trum, high-ranking members of the Fenni Family — the very family standing on stage holding the Fourth Place award.
The final nail in the coffin came from the assassin himself.
Mill, having regained consciousness and realizing the hopelessness of his situation, broke down completely. Facing the terrifying pressure of the Crown Prince and the icy glare of the Merchant Queen, he slammed his forehead against the stone pavement.
He confessed everything, pointing a shaking finger directly at the Fenni delegation. He screamed Trum von Fenni’s name as his employer, begging for mercy and forgiveness from both the Royal Family and Cassandra between frantic sobs.
The plaza erupted into chaos.
Thousands of eyes shifted from the weeping assassin to the Fenni Family representatives, who stood frozen on the stage, their faces draining of all color.
"Guards!"
Crown Prince Leomord raised his hand, his voice thundering with righteous fury. The Royal Guards stationed around the stage immediately stepped forward, their halberds lowered toward the trembling Fenni representatives.
"Seize these traitors immediately. To dare attempt an assassination on a fellow merchant during the sacred Spring Festival... this is an insult to the Empire itself!"
"Please wait, Your Highness."
Cassandra’s voice cut through the tension once more.
The Prince paused, his hand suspended in mid-air. He looked down at her with a questioning gaze.
"I am not done yet."
Cassandra reached into her dimensional storage again. This time, she didn’t produce a crystal, but a thick stack of documents stamped with the official seal of the Commerce Guild — documents she had spent months secretly compiling, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"The assassination was merely the final desperate act," Cassandra announced, stepping closer to the stage. She handed the stack to the Royal Attendant, who rushed to present it to the Prince. "These documents contain proof of the Fenni Family’s involvement in illegal smuggling of aura-inhibiting drugs and tax evasion on a massive scale."
She paused, her eyes flickering briefly toward the VIP booth on the far right.
"Furthermore... the financial trails indicate that they did not act alone. There is a connection, a stream of funding and orders, linking them to another major power in this plaza."
She didn’t name the Nedici Family out loud. She didn’t have to since the documents spoke for themselves.
Leomord flipped through the pages, his brow furrowing.
He saw the numbers. He saw the signatures. And he saw the undeniable link pointing toward the Nedici coffers.
However, as a seasoned ruler, he knew he couldn’t topple the Empire’s number one merchant family on the spot without a formal trial. Although the Imperial Family was the top force of the Empire, they couldn’t and wouldn’t fight with the Nedici Family. In fact, they were even close allies behind the doors.
’...Sigh.’
Leomord closed the file with a sharp snap.
"I see."
He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.
"This evidence is substantial. I will personally ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted. Everyone involved, no matter how high their station, will be held accountable for their crimes."
He turned to his guards.
"Arrest Trum and Ronald Fenni, along with the assassin. Take them to the Royal Dungeon."
"No! Please! Your Highness!"
"It wasn’t us! We didn’t know!"
The remaining members of the Fenni family fell to their knees. The patriarch, an old man shaking like a leaf, bowed his head so low it touched the wood of the stage.
"Lady Cassandra! We apologize! We had no idea those two were plotting such vileness! Please, forgive our ignorance!"
They pleaded desperately, trying to salvage whatever was left of their reputation.
Leomord waved his hand dismissively.
The guards dragged the screaming culprits away, while the rest of the Fenni delegation scrambled off the stage, fleeing the scrutiny of the crowd.
Silence returned to the plaza.
The Crown Prince took a deep breath. He composed himself, turning back to the thousands of citizens watching with bated breath.
"Citizens," Leomord spoke, his voice warm and reassuring. "Let this be a reminder. Ardentis is a land of laws and fair trade. Shadows may try to dim our light, but justice will always prevail."
He turned to Cassandra.
He picked up the silver trophy — a beautiful, intricate crown made of white gold and sapphires, symbolizing the Second Patron.
"Cassandra Von Virellia. You have faced malice with courage. You have upheld the dignity of this festival."
He stepped down and placed the silver crown in her hands.
"Congratulations."
Cassandra looked at the heavy, cold metal in her palms.
It was the second-place award. It was not the prize she had originally aimed for.
But feeling the weight of it, and hearing the thunderous applause beginning to rise from the crowd, she lifted her head.
She turned to face the sea of people. She turned to face the Nedici booth, where the curtain remained drawn.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she said, her voice amplified by the magic of the stage.
"However, let me make one thing clear."
She raised the silver crown high above her head.
"I do not see this as a consolation. I only see it as a stepping stone."
Her eyes blazed with an icy fire.
"I will not give up. Today, I stand as the Second Patron. But mark my words... I will return. And when I do, I will take the crown!"
She clenched her hand around the trophy.
"I will become the Queen of Commerce!"
"WOOOOOOAAAAH!"
The crowd erupted. The cheer was deafening, shaking the very banners of the plaza. They loved a survivor. They loved a challenger.
Cassandra stood amidst the adoration, a small, genuine smile finally touching her lips beneath her mask.
She closed her eyes for a brief second, ignoring the noise, the Prince, and her rivals.
Her hand drifted to her chest, feeling the warmth of the contract seal hidden beneath her dress.
’Thank you, Amaniel.’
She whispered the name in her heart, sending a prayer to the cold wind.
’Wherever you are... please be safe.’