After the curfew was lifted, the palace was flooded with guests contaminating the crime scene and curiously snooping around, as just like the Royal Guard Captain Marcus feared, once the curfew was lifted, all the clues related to the crime were potentially lost.
The worse natured noble guests, began venting and scolding Royal Guards for having to face such inconvenience and demanded explanations, while the curious one's began probing for answers, trying to figure out what just went down.
Very soon, news about the Royal Counselor's brutal murder and the escape of the killer who was presumed to be Ben Faulkner spread within the noble circles, causing unnecessary fear to spread amongst nobles.
"So not even the Royal Palace is safe anymore? Just where can we run for safety if the Emperor's own home isn't safe?"
"20 years later, if Ben Faulkner can still waltz in and out of this palace with ease, then did we even learn from our mistakes at all?"
"This has to be an inside job, someone within the Royal Guards has to be helping him sneak in and escape, because there is no way someone can pull this off undetected otherwise"
Discussions like these broke out amongst nobility, bringing great shame to Julien, who did not show his face in public throughout the day, citing 'Security Issues' as the official reason for his absence.
The Kings of other races did not miss this opportunity to take shots at the imperial security as they proudly boasted about how no-one could have infiltrated their places and how this cast a shadow of doubt over the competence of humans to lead the alliance of races within the Unity Empire.
Overall, it wasn't a pleasant day within the castle walls at all, costing the players who wanted to use this time to socialize and build important connections to suffer a major loss.
*********
( Meanwhile Leo )
After the curfew was lifted, Leo began leisurely wandering the palace walls with his hands behind his back, as he enjoyed the scenery while also thinking about his future simultaneously.
He was looking for a prominent merchant or some other guest involved in trade that he could make acquaintances with, as while he understood how to play the persona of the number one player 'TheBoss', his future role as the merchant Leo Skyshard gave him anxiety.
He wasn't a genius businessman, nor was he a sly talker.
While playing the role of 'TheBoss' came naturally to him, as he was inherently narcissistic and arrogant. He wasn't someone with a glib tongue that could help secure favorable business deals and hence he actively searched for a merchant to tie up with in this royal setting, as he needed at least some base to begin his future project with.
"Hey, Jin Mu-" suddenly a voice said from behind him, as Leo turned to see that it was a smiling Lin Mu standing behind him.
"Ohhh Lin-" he said with a smile under his mask, as his virtual sister excitedly walked up to him.
Although she said nothing, for the fear of being overheard by some Royal Guard, the excitement in her eyes was a story and a half in itself, as Lin Mu seemed to be beyond elated.
"Walk with me-" Leo said, realizing that they needed to move to a more secure place, as Lin Mu began to happily skip her legs and walk beside Leo, as the two went to obscure corners of the palace where nobody was looking over them.
Once, they felt secure that nobody was looking over them, Lin Mu finally spoke in a hushed voice "They have decided to let the matter go for now, so I'm free-" she said with a smile on her face, as Leo shook his head.
"I made it back to my room safely too. Somehow, so I guess your plan worked in the end" Leo said, as Lin Mu gave him a bear hug, not being able to contain her happiness.
"Thank you-, I thought all men were lecherous scum, but I guess you're different.
I'm so thankful that you saved me from pimping myself out, as I would never be the same, had I followed through with it.
Now, the royal family has even offered me a deal, where in return for my silence regarding the matter of the Royal Counselor visiting me at night, they will help save the Mu Clan.
Apparently they have already dispatched the Virex Corps for the same….. so in the end it seems like everything has worked out for the best" Lin Mu said, as Leo felt very relieved to hear this.
He felt happy to know that the threat of arrest no longer loomed over him as had Lin Mu gotten arrested for the incident, his own safety from charges would be compromised, as her testimony could directly implicate him in the crime.
Thankfully, such a grim reality did not come to pass and Lin Mu even managed to secure the safety of the Mu Clan in return for her silence, which was what she wanted in the first place.
"Jin…. I know this may sound abrupt, but I think I want to marry you-" Lin Mu said, out of the blue, as she looked directly into Leo's eyes.
"What? Bruh, we are siblings, siblings-" Leo said, sounding disgusted as he pushed Lin Mu a few centimeters away from him, refusing her hug.
"No we are not! We are only siblings in name…. You are from the branch family and I'm from the main family. We will not find a common ancestor even if we go back six generations" Lin Mu said angrily, as she seemed angry at Leo for pushing her away.
"No! No! No! No! No!" Leo said, shaking his head violently as an image of Amanda flashed in his head.
"There's already someone I love…. And I won't betray her-" Leo said, as Lin Mu puffed her cheeks in protest.
"Is she prettier than me? Or is she some high noble? I'm the direct descendant of the Mu Patriarch, marrying me can make you the next Patriarch.
Also I'm very strong and talented just like you….. we're the perfect match" Lin Mu said, trying to make her case, however, Leo was having none of it.
"Look Lin … Firstly yes, the girl I love is prettier than you, and I'm not interested in you like that, so drop this topic" Leo said, as Lin Mu felt more annoyed than saddened at this rejection.
In her head, she had already decided to make Leo her husband and was prepared to convert his rejection into acceptance no matter how long it took.
The intense moments that she had spent with him murdering the counselor had given her clarity that Leo was indeed her ideal husband.
He cared for her when no-one else did, and was ready to fight against the world for her, which was the only quality that mattered to her.
Of Course the fact that he had a killer body and excellent skills also helped, however, they were secondary for her.
"Humph, you will accept me one day-" she said, as Leo sighed deeply.
"Alright, forget about that for now and tell me if you know any good merchants here, I need to develop a trade link as a favor for a friend" Leo said, as he desperately tried to change the topic, however, he did not expect Lin Mu to actually have a good lead.
"You're looking for a merchant to form a connection with? What for exactly?" She asked, as Leo raised his eyebrows under his mask and began to explain his situation to her.
"I have a close friend that I owe a favor to. He has a small capital of a few thousand gold coins to start a business, but doesn't understand the first thing about business.
So I'm hoping to secure a lead for him.
If there are products that are only available in one corner of the empire and can be purchased for cheap there, but are selling for high price in the capital, then I need insights into such products so that I can pass them on to him" Leo said, as Lin Mu listened to the nature of his request and smiled.
"I know the formula for many of the night guilds' secret poisons. If my dear Jin wants them, then I can pass them on to you, so that you can pass them on to your friend, who can then manufacture and sell them to any apothecary stores" Lin Mu said, as she gave Leo an invaluable business idea.
" Oh?.... That's interesting" Leo thought, as he realized that he could also mass produce the potions that Ben taught him to brew and the smoke bombs, which can then be sold to the masses.
"Yes, also the man you're looking for is the White Tiger groups merchant leader, Shane Emerald, he runs the largest apothecary chain in the Unity Empire, so partnering up with him will give your friends business a flying start.
If I'm not wrong, I saw him at the Gala yesterday night, so there is a good chance he's still around here somewhere" Lin Mu said, as Leo beamed brightly listening to her words.
"Thank you so much Lin, I'll go find Shane now" Leo said, walking away happily, as he began looking for Shane Emerald.
Watching him move in such high spirits, Lin Mu felt satisfied internally, as for her, the happiness of her to be husband was the only goal in her life now, apart from the destruction of the Night Guild.