Chapter 45: The Shadows Begin to Move
The night was colder than usual.
A thin layer of mist blanketed the Everhart estate, curling around the ancient stone walls like ghostly fingers.
Leonhardt stood at the edge of the training grounds, his breath slow and measured, his fiery red eyes gazing into the darkness.
He wasn't alone.
Someone was watching.
Again.
The same presence he had sensed on the night of the assassination attempt.
Unseen. Untraceable.
But there.
Waiting.
Testing.
Leonhardt's grip tightened around the dagger hidden in his sleeve.
His father and the Everhart knights had purged the Serpent's Fang, but that had been a distraction.
The real enemy—the real mastermind—was still lurking in the shadows.
And Leonhardt was going to find them.
A Silent Hunt
He moved without a sound, slipping through the estate's hidden corridors.
The Everhart mansion was vast, filled with countless passageways unknown to most.
But Leonhardt knew them all.
He had spent years memorizing the estate's layout, learning which hallways creaked, which doors were never locked, and which windows provided the best escape routes.
Even now, as he maneuvered through the estate, no guards noticed his absence.
His father thought he was asleep.
His mother believed he was resting.
But Leonhardt never rested.
Not when there was something—someone—out there that could pose a threat to him.
His path led him to the outskirts of the estate, where the Everhart lands met the dense imperial forest.
And then—
He felt it.
A flicker of movement.
A disturbance in the stillness.
His instincts screamed.
Leonhardt pivoted sharply, his dagger flashing as he struck—
Only to meet nothing but empty air.
The figure had already vanished.
His brows furrowed.
Not an ordinary assassin. Not an ordinary spy.
Whoever they were—they were fast. Too fast.
But Leonhardt was patient.
If they wanted to test him, then he would let them.
For now.
The Grand Duke's Warning
The next morning, Leonhardt stood before his father in the grand hall of the Everhart estate.
Aldric Everhart sat on the throne-like chair at the head of the room, his crimson gaze locked onto his son.
"You left the estate last night." His voice was cold, unreadable.
Leonhardt did not flinch. "I was investigating something."
Aldric's fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair. "Something?"
Leonhardt met his father's gaze directly. "Someone has been watching me."
A brief silence filled the hall.
Then, Aldric exhaled slowly.
"I know."
Leonhardt's eyes narrowed.
His father knew?
Aldric leaned forward slightly. "The Serpent's Fang was a distraction. The real players in this game have yet to reveal themselves."
Leonhardt remained silent.
Aldric continued, his voice low. "But do not act recklessly, Leonhardt. Even a predator can become prey if it overreaches."
Leonhardt did not look away. "I am not prey."
Aldric smirked. "No. But you are still young."
A moment of tense silence passed between father and son.
Then, Aldric stood.
"Prepare yourself," he said. "We will be returning to the Imperial Palace soon."
Leonhardt's expression did not change, but inwardly, he was already planning.
The Imperial Arc was far from over.
And the real threats were only just beginning to reveal themselves.
The Imperial Shadows
Meanwhile, deep within the Imperial City, beneath the marble halls of the palace, a secret meeting was taking place.
Cloaked figures sat in a dimly lit chamber, their faces obscured by shadows.
At the center of the table stood a tall man with sharp, hawk-like eyes. His voice was calm, but his words carried deadly intent.
"The Everhart heir is dangerous."
A murmur spread through the room.
One of the cloaked figures chuckled. "A ten-year-old child? Dangerous?"
The leader's expression did not change. "Do not underestimate him. He is not an ordinary child."
Another figure leaned forward. "Then what do you propose?"
The leader's gaze darkened.
"We watch. We wait. And when the time is right—"
A slow, predatory smile spread across his lips.
"We strike."