"Father Sebastian Moore?" Julius whispered, his voice laced with disbelief.
Wasn't he the very person Mister Doman had instructed him to deliver the letter to? Hadn't he said Moore was an acquaintance? Was this some kind of test for his admission? Or something far worse? Doubts swirled in his mind like an encroaching fog.
He steadied himself and spoke, his tone edged with suspicion. "Perhaps you're unaware, but I was the top student at the academy. Are you really testing me now instead of focusing on saving the child's father?"
Before the words had even fully left his lips, Kasper's voice exploded with rage. "How dare you speak so insolently in front of—"
A single raised hand from Father Moore silenced him.
The priest's eyes studied Julius, sharp and weighing, before he sighed. "You certainly have some nerve, child." The word "child" carried a weight of dismissiveness, an afterthought. "I don't care who you are or what you've achieved. Here, your fate is ours to decide. If it weren't for Mister Doman, you wouldn't even have the opportunity to complain about this so-called test. You've insulted the cathedral enough already, yet you still stand because of him. Remember that."
With that, the priest turned on his heel and walked away, his measured steps echoing in the vast chamber.
Julius remained still, his mind replaying Moore's words. "Did he just call me a child? I'm in my twenties!"
But irritation soon gave way to realization. The priest had been deadly serious. If not for Mister Doman's intervention, Julius' plans to join the cathedral would have crumbled before they even began.
A sudden shift in his gaze brought him back to the present. The child—Caleb—still sat on the ground, eyes wide, absorbing every moment with a mixture of awe and trepidation.
A quiet responsibility settled onto Julius' shoulders. He had promised to help. No—the Shadow King had promised to help. But the Shadow King was merely Julius, a man who had inherited an incomplete power.
He exhaled, clearing the doubts clouding his thoughts. Helping the boy wasn't just about fulfilling a promise—it was now directly tied to his own future.
With steady steps, he approached Caleb, extending a hand. "I want to help you. Do you accept?"
Tears welled in Caleb's eyes, though he bit them back. He took Julius' hand, nodding fervently. "Will you really help my father, sir?"
Julius' grip tightened with quiet resolve. "I will do everything in my power to prove his innocence."
He pulled Caleb to his feet.
"Now, I need you to take me to the crime scene and tell me everything on the way."
Caleb wiped his face, determination replacing his earlier despair. "Of course, sir!"
Turning to the side, Caleb bowed to a man standing quietly nearby. "Thank you, Mister Larry. Without you, I wouldn't have found a sorcerer willing to help."
Larry shook his head. "Don't thank me yet. I only hope your father is truly innocent." His eyes flickered toward Julius. "Mister Julius, please… take care of him."
Julius met his gaze, understanding the unspoken plea. "Don't worry. I'll do my best."
He gestured to Caleb. "Let's go."
The boy nodded, and together they made their way toward the cathedral's exit. But as they reached the grand doors, a voice called out.
"Mister Julius, wait."
Julius turned, finding himself face to face with a woman—Shindori.
He inclined his head slightly. "What is it, Lady Shindori?"
Her expression was unreadable as she spoke. "You will have a companion. A member of the cathedral will observe you. But remember—he will not interfere. This task is yours alone."
Julius didn't mind as long as his investigation remained uninterrupted. He gave a slight nod. "That's fine."
Shindori's lips curved faintly. "Good. Your observer will be Mister Kasper."
Julius froze. "What?! That gloomy brute?!"
Shindori chuckled, clearly amused. "Despite his appearance and temper, he's quite reliable. Don't worry, he won't get in your way."
"I hope so…" Julius muttered under his breath.
As they stepped onto the street outside the cathedral, a car was already waiting. Kasper sat in the driver's seat, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"Get in," he said, his voice cold. "We don't have time to waste. The execution is scheduled for two hours from now."
Caleb visibly tensed, his breath hitching. Even Julius felt the weight of urgency press against his chest.
"You're saying I have two hours to uncover the truth?" he murmured to himself.
Shoving aside his anxiety, he placed a reassuring hand on Caleb's shoulder. "Let's go. We have no time to waste. Don't worry—I will uncover the truth."
Caleb swallowed hard, then nodded. "I'm counting on you, sir."
With that, they climbed into the car, and Kasper wasted no time, driving with reckless speed through the city.
Julius barely managed to hold down his nausea, while Caleb looked equally green.
Shaking it off, Julius turned to the boy. "Caleb, I've heard part of the story already, but tell me—how exactly did your father end up in Lady Marla's room?"
He needed to make the conversation feel natural, to steer Caleb toward the key detail—the man who had led his father from the garden.
Caleb hesitated before speaking, recounting how his father had been found in Lady Marla's room, a knife in his hands.
Julius' eyes narrowed as he pressed further. "Did you ever find out who took your father from the garden?"
Caleb's expression darkened, sadness creeping into his voice. "I asked Mister Williams, the head servant, but he said the man I was looking for didn't exist. I even checked the servants of Lady Marla's late fiancé, but none of them matched."
Julius inhaled sharply. "Describe him to me again."
Caleb's voice grew tense with frustration. "Dark skin, blue eyes, slicked-back hair."
Julius fell into thought. The key to the mystery was this missing man. But if no one acknowledged his existence, that meant…
The obstacles were piling up.
At last, the car slowed, stopping before the grand estate of Count .
Kasper rolled down the window and barked at the guards. "Open up. We're from the cathedral, investigating the crime."
One of the guards stepped forward. "Wait here. We'll notify the master."
Kasper gave a curt nod.
Moments later, the gates swung open, and they drove into the vast, luxurious estate.
As they stepped out of the car, a sharp voice rang through the courtyard.
"Caleb! What are you doing here?!"
Julius turned, his eyes landing on a woman—Caleb's mother.
Caleb hesitated before speaking. "Mother, I brought a sorcerer. He's going to prove Father's innocence. This is Mister Julius Cross."
His mother's voice trembled with anger and pain. "Caleb, how could you bring strangers here? First, you claim the Shadow King promised to help you, and now you bring a sorcerer? It doesn't matter anymore! Whether he was innocent or not—your father is going to die in two hours!"
Caleb opened his mouth, desperate to reassure her, but Julius spoke first.
"Madam, every minute is precious. If you believe in miracles, then believe in me. I am one of the Shadow King's chosen, and I have been sent to aid you."
Caleb gasped, his breath catching in his throat. "The Shadow King… sent you?"
Julius met his wide-eyed gaze. "Yes. The King has not forgotten his promise."
Caleb's eyes shimmered with awe and renewed hope. "See, Mother? I told you! The Shadow King is real! He sent help!"
His mother hesitated, her eyes searching Julius' face.
Julius himself felt a pang of doubt at his own words, but in the end… this was the only way forward.
Turning to Caleb, he spoke firmly. "Find Mister Williams. I need to see the crime scene."
Before Caleb could move, a voice interrupted.
"No need. I am already here."
"Sir Williams!" Caleb called out loudly before continuing, "Sir Williams, this is Julius Cross, a sorcerer. He came at my request to investigate the crime."
Julius stepped forward, his piercing gaze settling on the older man. "May I examine the crime scene? Time is not on our side—every passing minute could mean the difference between life and death for an innocent man."
Sir Williams let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. "The Count has ordered me to provide you with all necessary assistance. If there is even the slightest chance to prove Caleb's father innocent… then follow me, Sir Julius."
Without another word, Julius followed Sir Williams through the grand estate, ascending a winding staircase that led them to the second floor. The air grew heavier with each step, an almost imperceptible weight pressing against his chest.
Finally, they arrived at Lady Marla's chamber. Williams pushed open the door. "This is where the murder took place."
As Julius stepped inside, the scene before him sent a chill down his spine. The walls were etched with arcane symbols, intricate circles drawn in dried blood, and half-melted candles placed in seemingly deliberate positions. It was unmistakably the remnants of a ritual—one unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
His sharp eyes scanned the room, assessing every detail. At first glance, it appeared as any noble's chamber—lavish furniture, velvet drapes, and golden ornaments. But then, in the far corner, something called to him.
A presence.
A dreadful energy radiated from an unassuming vase perched atop a small table. His fingers twitched as he reached out instinctively—
CRACK!
A jolt of energy surged through his arm, sending a violent shock through his body. Julius staggered back, his breath sharp and uneven.
A low voice spoke from behind him. "It appears to be a cursed artifact."
Julius turned to see Kasper, arms crossed, watching him with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.
"It's an illusionary artifact," Kasper continued as he strode toward the vase. "A relic capable of creating false visions."
"Illusion?" Julius muttered, his mind racing.
Kasper let out a bitter chuckle before exhaling a plume of smoke from his cigarette. "Damn it… I got dragged into this ridiculous game because of you?"
Julius frowned. "Game? What are you talking about?"
Sighing, Kasper ran a hand through his hair. "This is a Grade 4 cursed artifact. To activate it, someone must form a contract with it. Typically, artifacts ranked this high are bound to demonic entities."
Julius stiffened.
"And," Kasper continued, exhaling another breath of smoke, "the contractor is usually within three meters of the artifact."
A heavy silence fell between them. Then, Kasper narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening. "When you touched it, the contract was activated. We're now inside its domain."
Julius felt an unsettling chill creep down his spine.
Kasper clicked his tongue in irritation. "Of all the accursed artifacts in existence, you just had to touch the Bride's Dwelling?" His gaze bore into Julius with evident frustration.
Then, his expression turned grim.
"Now," he said slowly, "we have no choice but to play with it."
Julius's breath hitched. "P-Play…?" His voice wavered.
Kasper's lips curled into a sharp, knowing smirk.
"Yes," he said.
"Let's hope you survive the game."