Newfear

One of the advisors, his tone clearly laced with confusion: "Your Highness… what is inside that manuscript?!"

His voice carried an unmistakable anxiety, but he couldn't stop himself from asking. That moment marked the beginning of the end.

Talia looked at the manuscript in her hands, her eyes widening unconsciously. Then, she looked at them, her heart pounding rapidly, yet her voice remained calm... cold as ice.

Talia: "I don't know… What if we open it together?"

The hall was thick with tension, as if the very walls were holding their breath, waiting for the next words Talia would utter. She stood in the heart of the shattered throne, a place where no king would ever sit again.

In her hands lay the manuscript left behind by the late Duke Lucas Nightover... a mirror reflecting a past stained with betrayal and blood. It was not just old parchment but a direct confession, a document bearing the absolute truth that could not be denied.

The paper was a faded black, its edges burned as if it had come straight from the depths of hell. Dried ink droplets had formed lines that would never fade... words inscribed by a man who knew his death was inevitable but had chosen to leave the truth behind.

Talia took a deep breath, her heartbeat echoing louder than the tense murmurs of the hall. She lifted the page and began to read.

Talia: "To the one who shall bear the burden of truth after me,

I, Lucas Nightover, former Duke of Frostnov, write these lines before death silences me and before this kingdom is swallowed by the darkness of history. What I am about to reveal is not speculation, nor are they mere rumors whispered in the corridors. It is a truth written with the blood of the innocent, the silence of the righteous, and the betrayal of the mighty.

And let it be known to all… that I was not the only one who witnessed the fall of this kingdom. You, Ladies, and Lords, with your own eyes, have led it to this fate."

Some nobles lifted their gazes anxiously, as if they could feel a cold grip tightening around their souls. But Talia did not stop. She continued reading, and with every word, the ground beneath them seemed to crumble.

Talia: "The First Betrayal... Viceroy Gilbert Kaldor. Year 1406.

Betrayal does not always come from outside. More often than not, it grows from within our own castles, from the hearts sworn to loyalty. Viceroy Gilbert Hastings, once the protector of the throne, turned into a poisoned dagger buried in the king's shadow.

He was the man sworn to protect the crown, the right hand of King Ravalon Astorith VIII. But he was nothing more than a venomous blade hidden in the dark. Ten years ago, when King Ravalon sought to pass a law limiting noble power, it was Gilbert who sent secret messages warning them. It was he who orchestrated the assassination of Royal Advisor Sir Edrick Linatras, the only man brave enough to challenge corruption in the court. His blood stained the royal carpet, yet the culprit remained free… until today."

Viceroy Gilbert had nearly stopped breathing, sweat dripping from his brow. There was no escape now.

Talia: "The Second Betrayal... Viscount Valstar Starkov. Year 1412.

When you trust the wolf among the flock, blame only yourself when you realize that blood has always stained its fangs.

Valstar Starkov, the royal advisor to King Irvin XI, and keeper of courtly secrets, was one of the most influential figures in the kingdom. But he was not as loyal as he appeared.

The moment Valstar Starkov's name rang through the hall, Marchioness Atris felt as if an invisible force had struck her ears directly, like a hammer shattering a fragile glass wall within her mind. She forgot to breathe for a moment, as if the very air had ceased to exist around her.

Her eyes, which had been locked onto Talia with sharp focus since the beginning of the reading, froze on the words. But her soul was drowning in an unrelenting storm. It wasn't just shock... it was an internal collapse, an earthquake tearing down every belief she had built throughout her life.

Atris: "This... can't be..."

She stumbled a step backward but quickly steadied herself, as if her body refused to acknowledge the shock that had struck her. She recalled her uncle's gaze... the man she had always seen as a pillar of the family, a man of wisdom and unwavering resolve. A man who, to her, had been a symbol of strength…

And now?... A traitor."

Her voice was barely audible, but she felt its heat burning in her throat as she whispered it.

She turned to her uncle, who stood rigidly, his eyes narrowing as though trying to read invisible lines. His face bore no denial, no anger... only an unsettling stillness. At that moment, Atris realized something terrifying…

He was not shocked. He was not outraged. He was not even attempting to defend himself.

She searched his face for any trace of innocence, or even a fabricated expression of disbelief... but there was nothing. Nothing but utter silence.

Something heavy sank inside her chest, something deeper than anger, heavier than sorrow. It wasn't just treason against the kingdom. It wasn't merely a conspiracy. It was the collapse of the image of the man who had been part of her life.

The gazes of the nobles around her watched, some staring expectantly, as if she were an actress on stage, awaited to perform a predetermined role. But no… This couldn't be real.

Her hand trembled as she clutched her garments, then slowly raised her eyes toward Talia, who stood unwavering in the center of the storm, as if she had always known this day would come.

Atris felt the urge to say something… anything… but she couldn't.

For the first time in her life, she was utterly speechless.

Talia: "In the second year of King Irvin Luscarth's reign, Viscount Valstar Starkov secretly met with a delegation from the Kingdom of Evalyn, our kingdom's eternal rival, and struck a deal with them. He promised to open the southern passage for their hidden guards disguised as merchants in exchange for military support in the event of internal war. But what Valstar did not know was that the Evalynians never intended to support anyone. They wanted chaos. And chaos has come, just as they desired."

Viscount Valstar turned to Talia with wide eyes, then toward the guards, raising his hand in protest.

Valstar: "Lies and slander! Where is your proof?"

But Talia ignored him and continued.

Talia: "The Third Betrayal... Duchess Ronissa Blackmirth.

When values are sold in the marketplace of interests, hunger becomes not just an ache in the stomach, but a wound in the very soul of humanity.

In the second year of King Irvin Luscarth's reign. the royal court had to make a decision regarding the famine that ravaged many provinces, most notably Arkith and the outskirts of Savirus. It was not an easy choice, but a solution existed; the royal treasury was full, and there was enough gold to save thousands. But Duchess Ronissa Blackmirth had already struck a deal with war profiteers, selling the kingdom's grain stockpiles to the eastern provinces at twice the price and depriving her own people of food. And on those cold nights, while children starved to death, the duchess sipped her wine in her grand palace, speaking of the ethics of leadership."

Ronissa suddenly stood up, as if the ground had shaken beneath her feet. Her eyes blazed with wild fury, and her face turned pale like the moon on a dark night.

Ronissa: "What!? How dare you?!!"

she shouted, her voice cutting through the air like a sword.

Outraged murmurs erupted in the hall as Duchess Ronissa took a step back, her face drained of color.

Talia: "The Fourth Betrayal... Draco Nevarine. Year 1413.

Draco's treachery… was like a deep pit, carefully concealed, waiting for the moment of revelation. And when it finally surfaced, it dragged everyone down into the abyss of his bloody schemes.

Count Draco was one of the most powerful nobles in the Kingdom of Arcadia. Born into a family with vast influence in the southwest near the borders of the Naifors Kingdom, he was known for his sharp intellect and a solid reputation among the nobility. He strengthened ties with the kingdom's great powers and oversaw many crucial towns, making him a key figure in the royal economy.

But behind his calm demeanor and moderate policies, Draco concealed bold personal ambitions... a desire to seize the throne or, at the very least, gain enough power to dominate internal politics. Over the years, he began forging secret deals with arms dealers and warlords from the Kingdom of Naifors. He knew that the neighboring kingdom, which was in a state of internal division, was eager to obtain military intelligence to target Arcadia.

His Crime... In the year 1413, the kingdom was at a delicate stage, as King Irvin began increasing his vigilance against external threats. Draco, who had a strong relationship with a commander in the Naiforsian army, secretly sent him reports about Arcadia's military movements, training locations, and even transferred military maps and royal strategies.

But the peak of his betrayal came when he decided to take part in a secret assassination plot against King Irvin. He contacted a hired killer from Naifors to eliminate the king during a royal event. The plan involved poisoning the royal meal... an idea he had drawn from past defeats in previous wars against Naiforsian forces. The food was laced with poison, and according to his agreement with the assassin, the king was meant to ingest the poison during the grand banquet at the palace.

The Critical Moment... Draco believed the time had come to reap the rewards of his betrayal. One evening, as King Irvin prepared to attend a court feast, all eyes were on the lavish tables meticulously arranged by Draco, surrounded by generals and members of the royal council.

But what he did not know was that another betrayal had been set up against him. A palace servant had discovered his ties to Naifors and decided to inform me. When I learned of it, I did not rush to arrest him immediately. I knew the time was not yet right to strike the final blow. I decided to let him believe he had deceived everyone until his betrayal became undeniably evident, letting him fall into the trap of his own arrogance and the illusion of security. I needed to gather more evidence, and I wanted to show him that no one could manipulate the kingdom's fate in such a way without facing the consequences."

The hall was silent. The attendees were in a state of shock, exchanging questioning glances. No one had expected that a high-ranking nobleman, known for his good reputation, would betray the kingdom in such a manner. Everyone knew that Draco had always sought more power, but none had imagined he would go as far as assassinating his own king.

But what truly struck terror into their hearts was the sudden shift... the speed at which the blind trust they had long granted to those in power turned into a consuming, deadly suspicion that eroded what little sense of security remained. It was as if the very room had become filled with an invisible fever, spreading from glances to souls. No one dared to look at their neighbor with trust anymore; every face became suspect, every smile laced with fear. Unspoken questions haunted their minds: "Who's next?" The silent voice was the loudest of all, as the people in the hall began to see betrayal lurking in every corner, in every whisper, in every look.

The Fifth Betrayal: Viscount Cassius Morlan and Viscountess Ilara Kilatris.

When a man is stripped of his right to speak, he will speak behind your back… And when he is deprived of his right to influence, he will find someone else willing to listen.

When their names were uttered, Viscount Cassius Morlan's expression froze, but his narrowed eyes gleamed with a sharpness akin to a hidden dagger in the dark. He slowly ran his hand over the collar of his robe, as if preparing to say something, but remained silent, knowing that any word he spoke might become an arrow in his chest.

As for Viscountess Ilara Kilatris, her lips trembled for a moment before she regained her cold mask. She stared at Talia with a calm gaze, yet her fingers clenched tightly around the edge of her dress, as if trying to steady herself while the air in the hall grew heavier, thick with anticipation and accusation.

During the reign of King Irvin XI. both Cassius Morlan and Ilara Kilatris were ambitious nobles who sought to change Arcadia's ruling system. However, their foreign ideas were not welcomed by the court members, leading to their marginalization and the suppression of their opinions, pushing them to seek refuge elsewhere.

The two secretly traveled to the Kingdom of Naifors, where they were not treated as outcasts but as enlightened minds worthy of respect. It did not take long before they managed to infiltrate the royal council there, gaining the recognition they had lacked in their homeland. But their loyalty did not come for free; they became spies for Naifors, using their deep knowledge of Arcadia's secrets to benefit the enemy.

They revealed military battalion movements, allowing the Naiforsian army to avoid Arcadian ambushes.

They leaked details of military leader meetings, leading to the assassination of some commanders and the sabotage of defensive strategies that could have turned the tide of war.

They disclosed supply and weapon storage locations, enabling the Naiforsian army to execute precise raids that drained the kingdom's resources.

By 1415, the damage they had inflicted upon Arcadia had reached an unforgivable level. Their betrayal was not uncovered until some secret documents fell into the hands of a loyal spy within the Arcadian court."

The silence in the hall was as heavy as a storm's prelude. At that moment, all eyes turned to Viscount Cassius and Viscountess Ilara, making them the undeniable center of attention. Both stood in silence, their gazes reflecting a mix of defiance and unease. But despite the evident tension in their movements, there was something strange in their eyes… something that suggested they were merely waiting... for the moment when reality would finally collide with them.