Karen stared down at the leather ball—no, the human head—at his feet. For a split second, he actually felt an urge to stick his foot out and trap it like a soccer ball, but he held himself back.
He wasn't terrified by the sight before him; he was merely astonished.
Internal struggles within high-ranking clans were often bloody and brutal. He had already prepared himself mentally for that reality, so it wasn't beyond imagination. Still, starting off with such a spectacle left Karen intensely curious about how things would unfold from here.
*You've set the pitch so high—how do you plan to keep singing?*
Ophelia looked down at her brother's head, drew a deep breath, and remained silent.
Her relationship with her three brothers had always been distant. After reaching adulthood, they rarely saw each other except at clan ceremonies. Furthermore, Dante's earlier words had left her somewhat anxious that Karen might misunderstand her intentions.
When they had first arrived in Wien, she had talked with Karen in the carriage about *The Secret Diary of Rogin*. Ordinary people read that book to glimpse the extravagance and absurdity of genuine high society, but to her, it read like documentary realism.
Patriarch Viner stared at his son's head, then turned his gaze to his younger brother.
"Tafman!"
Tafman paid no heed to his brother's fury. Instead, his gaze settled on Karen, as though awaiting Karen's response.
Karen spoke up. "Such a sincere apology leaves me no choice but to accept."
Tafman shook his head. "He said it himself just now: his captain of the guard betrayed him. That proves he likely knew nothing. The four assassins disguised as attendants were laughably weak, and I heard in the report that one even took poison to end his own life. But who hasn't heard of the Church of Order's Awakening Technique?
"Using four mediocre killers and relying on suicide by poison to silence them... how should I put it? Compared to that parasite used to poison the drink, the contrast is far too glaring, wouldn't you say?"
"I share the same view, General."
Tafman pointed at the severed head on the floor. "So someone wanted to kill you, and intentionally framed Dante for it."
"Indeed."
"Then who could that person be?" General Tafman sighed with mock regret. "Ah, what a pity. I already chopped off his head, so there's no way for you to use your Awakening Technique to bring him back and question him again, Karen."
"Tafman!" Patriarch Viner barked his brother's name once more.
"Looking at it this way, the real mastermind almost seems like me, since I was so eager to silence him, right?"
Karen gave no reply.
Tafman chuckled. "But I would never harm my Ophelia. And whoever she fancies, regardless of who he is or what background he comes from, I could never bring myself to harm him."
"Tafman!" This was the third time Patriarch Viner roared his brother's name.
"Brother, if all you know how to do when facing something like this is scream my name at the top of your lungs, you might as well shut your mouth so you don't drown out the grandfather clock when it chimes."
"You..."
"Dante's captain of the guard was once a disciple under Elder Majiao. Elder Majiao has only one daughter, whom he married off to our patriarch, giving birth to the First Prince."
"Tafman, what are you implying?"
"Very few people know Karen's true identity to begin with: me, you, and those few elders. Who would stand to gain the most from Karen's assassination? It seems Ophelia and Karen have grown a bit too close these past few days, and certain people noticed. Certain people know that once Ophelia and Karen end up together, it will signify the continuation of the love story between Ancestor Bernard and Miss Purr. When that happens, Ophelia's succession as the next clan patriarch will be virtually set in stone.
"Furthermore, with Karen's bloodline and legend, he could legitimately participate in governing Dark Moon Island as Ophelia's husband.
"Certain people simply cannot bear to see their only grandson lose the seat of patriarch."
"Tafman, you've already killed Dante! Are you telling me you want to lay hands on another one of my sons..."
"Do you honestly believe his maternal grandfather could arrange such a scheme without him knowing? Your eldest son, Yisi, loves nothing more than running to his grandfather, hugging the old man's knees, and bawling about the injustices he suffers under you. That's hardly a secret; plenty of people know."
"Evidence! Where is the evidence?!"
"Oh, the evidence is..."
Tafman clapped his hands. The sliding door to the adjoining room parted, and a middle-aged guard in full armor and a full beard stepped inside.
"Captain of Prince Dante's Guard pays his respects to the Patriarch, the General, and Her Highness!"
"The evidence is that this captain is a man whose loyalty lies with the Dark Moon. Though he studied martial arts under Elder Majiao, every ounce of his allegiance belongs to the Dark Moon.
"Because of that, he informed me long ago through letters about the telephone calls and how Elder Majiao planted him as a spy beside the Second Prince. Yesterday, he even came specifically to see me, reporting that Elder Majiao sent word instructing him to assist in assassinating Karen and then pinning the blame on Dante.
"He still has the correspondence and the tokens of trust Elder Majiao gave him. Brother, every bit of evidence you asked for is right here."
"He's your man?" Patriarch Viner asked.
"He belongs to Dark Moon Island," Tafman corrected.
"You knew all along they were going to make a move on Karen?"
"Yes, he reported it to me." Tafman nodded in admission. "Though a slight complication arose. According to his report, they were supposed to strike after the negotiation conference ended, when everyone was unwinding and celebrating. I didn't expect them to move tonight instead."
The captain quickly interjected, "Yes, tonight was an unforeseen circumstance. Because Mr. Karen went to the hot springs tonight, they took the liberty of advancing the operation. The parasite and the goblet were provided by Elder Majiao long ago."
Tafman looked at Karen. "Don't blame me for not warning you in advance. This is family shame, and I wanted to keep it hidden. I wanted you to hold a favorable impression of our Dark Moon Island rather than witness all this filth. My original plan was to eliminate them all before they could lay a finger on you, ensuring you could enjoy your stay in peace."
"I don't blame you, General."
Everything was moving at a dizzying pace. Dante had barely died before clues pointing to the true mastermind surfaced, and now the captain of the guard had stepped forward as a turncoat witness.
Every step of an actual investigation had been entirely skipped. What remained was directness, stripped bare.
"Then why did you kill Dante?!" Patriarch Viner demanded.
"His closest subordinate was someone else's pawn, yet he remained utterly blind to it. The moment trouble arose, he lost his head and started spouting nonsense. Brother, keeping a useless son like that alive is a sheer waste of Dark Moon Island's bread."
"You..."
"Enough. While matters went slightly off course, Karen and Ophelia are safe in the end. What we ought to do now is deliver a satisfactory resolution to Karen.
"Brother,
"Lend me your Patriarch's Token. I need to mobilize your personal guards."
"You want me to hand over the Patriarch's Token, mobilize my personal guards, and then..."
"Yes. And then go execute your eldest son. Thanks to our information lockdown, the news reaching him right now should be that Karen is dead and Dante is being held accountable. He might even be swirling a glass of red wine, sipping and celebrating as we speak.
"Oh,
"Elder Majiao might even be with him, grandfather and grandson toasting their victory together."
"Tafman, don't you think you have entirely ceased to treat me as your elder brother—and as your patriarch?!"
"Brother, do you know that a few months ago, an assassination and mutiny took place within the fleet aimed at me? It was suppressed in time. And do you know why it happened? Because I have consistently and unswervingly backed Ophelia.
"If I didn't treat you as my brother and patriarch, I wouldn't have returned to the island alone. I would have brought my fleet with me.
"When that happened, you could have gone and asked those sailors whether they answered to you, the patriarch, or to me."
"You... you..."
Tafman stepped forward and reached down, plucking the token from Viner's waist. Patriarch Viner instinctively moved to block him.
"Brother, if you keep getting in my way, I'll take a ship back out to sea this very night."
Patriarch Viner froze.
Tafman took the token, then turned to Karen and Ophelia. "The carriage is ready. Let's go together."
Karen did not refuse, because Tafman left him no room to do so. From the moment he entered this parlor until now, the trajectory of events had rested entirely within Tafman's grasp.
The man who commanded Dark Moon Island's military might truly possessed the leverage to run rampant across the island without consequence.
He might not be the clan patriarch, but he was undeniably the most powerful figure on Dark Moon Island.
The carriage rolled forward. Tafman sat across from Karen and Ophelia, who sat side by side.
Midway through the ride, another person was brought aboard. Karen had seen him earlier today standing behind Patriarch Viner—the Third Prince.
The Third Prince looked as though he had just been dragged out of bed, clad only in a nightrobe, his hair a tangled mess.
"Uncle, what... what happened?"
Tafman didn't answer. Instead, he handed a sack beside him to the Third Prince. The Third Prince took it, opened it, and instantly let out a shrill scream. Inside rested none other than the severed head of his second brother.
"He was too stupid, so he died."
"Second Brother... is dead..."
Tafman reached out and gently stroked the Third Prince's head, his voice soothing. "Promise me you won't be stupid in the future, alright?"
"I... I won't..."
"Good. We're on our way to find your eldest brother. The road into the Dark Moon's embrace might be too lonely for your second brother by himself. As the eldest, he ought to accompany him."
"Eldest Brother... Eldest Brother..."
"Live your life well. Live by the rules. Your father and I are brothers; I care about him, and I don't want him to end up losing every single son."
"I... I will... Uncle... I will."
Only then did Karen understand: on the way to slaughtering the chicken, Tafman had casually dragged along a monkey to watch.
Soon, they arrived at the First Prince's residence, an opulent mansion.
The royal palace on Dark Moon Island functioned more as an administrative center; practically all nobles and dignitaries maintained their own private estates outside.
Squads of armored warriors swiftly stormed into the gardens, cordoning off the mansion. The estate's guards were immediately alarmed and rushed out to confront them.
Tafman said to a confidant beside him, "Go tell the guards inside that their families are already in our custody. If they don't surrender immediately, we'll send their entire households to reunite upon the Dark Moon tonight."
"Understood, General."
The most direct threats often produced the most decisive results.
Villains in theatrical plays loved threatening people with their families for a reason: under ordinary circumstances, such leverage was devastatingly effective.
Before long, the mansion's guards tossed aside their blades and spears, filing out to surrender.
"Uncle Tafman, have you come to visit? Please, come inside! I managed to get my hands on some fine wine that I was already planning to present to you, Uncle."
The First Prince seemed to ignore the armed standoff entirely as he walked out the front doors on his own initiative.
Tafman stepped down from the carriage.
Ophelia pressed her lips together.
The Third Prince shut his eyes.
Karen poked his head out with genuine fascination, not wanting to miss a single detail.
The First Prince walked toward Tafman.
Tafman walked toward the First Prince.
The moment the distance closed, Tafman reached out, took the sword from a nearby guard's hand, and swung downward!
No greeting, no pleasantries, no debate—just brute, unhesitating execution.
Tafman picked up the First Prince's severed head and tossed it into the carriage like a volleyball.
Karen reached out and caught it. Well then, another heavy, sincere apology.
The First Prince's face still bore the welcoming smile he had offered his uncle.
It wasn't appropriate to hand such an object to Ophelia. Though Karen knew full well she possessed a resilient temperament, he had no desire to subject her to something so drenched in gore.
And so, Karen passed the First Prince's head over to the Third Prince.
"Here."
"Th-thank you..."
His mind paralyzed with shock, the Third Prince actually thanked Karen. Cradling a brother's severed head in each arm, he wanted to weep but couldn't shed a tear, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Tafman, you've gone mad!"
A furious roar erupted from within the villa. An aged figure shattered the second-floor balcony window and leaped down. He had imagined countless scenarios, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought Tafman would chop off his grandson's head without uttering a single word.
As the old man lunged toward Tafman, two terrifying auras abruptly surged from both flanks.
"Majiao, as an elder, you dared to plot treason! Sharing the rank of elder with you is my greatest disgrace!"
"Inciting a mutiny in the fleet for petty personal gain, undermining the very foundation of our Dark Moon Island—Majiao, do you confess your crimes?!"
The sudden appearance of the two elders immediately pinned Majiao down.
Tafman rolled his shoulders, evidently preparing to join the fray. But before stepping in, he turned back toward Karen.
"The final sincere apology will take a little longer."
"There's no need, General. I've already witnessed an abundance of sincerity."
A faint smile touched the corner of Tafman's lips, and he waved his hand.
The driver steered the carriage away, trailed by a contingent of guards to ensure their safety.
Behind them, the fighting within the villa raged on.
Through the carriage's rear window, Karen watched as a suit of dark-red, imposing armor materialized over Tafman. The man vaulted into the sky and descended with ferocious speed, planting a punch that sent Elder Majiao—already floundering against the two elders—crashing violently across the ground.
Turning back, Karen instinctively sat up straighter.
Had he... just lived through a coup on Dark Moon Island?
You couldn't say the coup looked like child's play, because every essential component was present: conspiracy, bloodshed, family ties, and fratricide. It checked every box. The only thing that felt jarring was how fast it was, and how smoothly it proceeded.
Events that normally would have unfolded over ten days had reached their conclusion in a single night. Skipping all the buildup left an unmistakable sense of unreality.
The carriage stopped midway. The Third Prince was helped down by his own guards. As he stepped out, he remained in a daze, still cradling his two brothers' heads against his chest.
The carriage resumed its journey, heading toward the Bernard Hotel.
Ophelia's body went limp, leaning directly against Karen's shoulder. She said nothing.
Karen could only offer comforting words: "It's alright. A good night's sleep will help."
Ophelia nodded.
In a single night, two of her three brothers were dead, and the third had been frightened out of his wits. She truly had no rivals left.
From Ophelia's perspective, her uncle Tafman was genuinely devoted to his niece. His only flaw was that he butchered his nephews without batting an eye.
Upon reaching the hotel entrance, the carriage ground to a halt.
Karen prepared to step down, but as soon as he stood, Ophelia wrapped her arms around his.
Left with no alternative, Karen sat back down, letting her lean against him.
After a long while, Ophelia sat up straight.
"I'm heading back into the hotel now," Karen said.
"Mm."
Once Karen exited the carriage and prepared to walk inside, Ophelia called out, "Karen."
"Yes? Is there something else?"
"I'm sorry. Please don't hold it against them."
"I won't."
Karen turned and continued into the hotel.
*Ophelia, have you also guessed who was truly behind the poison?*
***
Inside the parlor,
Patriarch Viner was trimming his nails, carefully shaping them with a file.
The door slid open, and Tafman walked in.
"Brother, it's all settled."
Viner blew the shavings from his fingernails. "Sit."
Tafman sat down, poured two cups of tea, and pushed one across to Viner.
"Sigh. Two sons dead of illness in a single night. I really am an unfortunate middle-aged man."
"You have plenty of bastards anyway. It doesn't matter."
"Bastards are bastards. Those with succession rights were only those four.
"Still, using two sons as the price to clean out the Council of Elders will make the upcoming reforms considerably easier. Dealing with those old fossils in the council all these years was pure agony—especially that grandfather of my two sons. Old bastard thought marrying his daughter to me would let him control me.
"Well, things will be far quieter from now on.
"Heh, come back more often in the future. That way, their fear that you might snap again will only make them back me more firmly. Heh."
"Understood. I will."
"Tafman, do you know what kind of parasite that was?
"They were bred and nurtured by Philias himself all those years ago.
"Later, after that incident occurred, the brood he raised absorbed Philias's hatred toward our Dark Moon Island, transforming into curse worms.
"These parasites are actually harmless to anyone else, because their terrifying corruption only targets those carrying the Dark Moon bloodline. Anyone possessing the bloodline of the Dark Moon clan who has this parasite invade their body has virtually no chance of survival.
"Philias declared back then that his hatred was concentrated within those creatures. Unless a true god descended, the Dark Moon bloodline would inevitably perish to those curse worms.
"Fortunately, Ancestor Bernard anticipated Philias's vengeance and eradicated them in time, sealing away the remaining eggs so they would never leak out.
"We foresaw everything, yet never imagined Majiao would resort to a creature that represents a forbidden taboo to our Dark Moon clan. He was truly insane, and he deserved to die.
"Weren't we always doubtful about Karen's identity? A descendant of Ancestor Bernard and Lady Purr—everything seemed far too convenient.
"Looking back now, that parasite originally offered an opportunity to test Karen's true bloodline. It was just that the cost of failure was too high for us to accept, so we could never have actually carried it out.
"If he was genuine, he would have died; only if he wasn't would he survive. Ah."
"Yet Karen didn't drink it; Ophelia did. So if you were given another chance, Brother, would you want to test him again?"
"I wouldn't dare."
"Why?"
"Because Ophelia wasn't corrupted."
Chapter 267