BOOOOOOOOM!!!!

The blast wave hurled everyone off their feet. Roaring flames and thick smoke swallowed the room. Shattered windows and doors sprayed glass shards and stones everywhere. The ceiling’s chandelier crashed down, shaking the floor—thankfully missing all.

Ellen had vanished.

“—Cough! Cough!”

Liliana and Nia were first to rise. Farthest from the blast, they’d barely hit the ground before scrambling up. Frantically scanning the haze, they searched for the others.

“What… what just happened?! Where is everyone?! Come out… please… don’t scare me…”

“Still alive…”

York crawled out from behind a stone wall jutting from the floor—a precious defensive scroll he’d saved. Without it, he’d never have survived with just minor injuries; he’d been closest to the explosion after Lux and Ellen.

“I’m… unharmed too.”

Nerlis emerged from behind a pillar—the quickest to react, she’d ducked behind the sturdiest cover the moment danger struck.

Chloe stood up from rubble and dust, her ice shield intact. But… the sight was grim.

“I… I… my magic… killed… Lux? No… no way… impossible…”

“Chloe, stay calm… it’s not your fault…” York gasped, his own mind reeling. “Right… calm down! Everyone! First… find Lux. Where’s Lux?!”

York sprinted toward the inner doorway—nearly stumbling out of the hall before his instincts stopped him. What if Ellen was lying in wait outside? Besides, there *was* no “inner door” anymore. The wall between the hall and mansion interior had collapsed into smoldering debris. The temporary barrier had absorbed part of the blast, but the remaining force had still wrought devastation.

“Lux… Lux… please… don’t be…”

Digging through rubble, York shoved aside a slab. Beneath it lay a hand—long fingers, an old scar across the thumb. Unmistakably Lux’s.

“LUX!”

*Whoosh!*

York seized the wrist and yanked.

“Ugh!”

He toppled backward, nearly cracking his skull on stone.

He hadn’t pulled out an injured Lux.

Just a hand. A left hand.

The forearm ended in a charred stump.

“No… no no no… NO!!! CHLOE!!!”

“Huh? Wha—?”

“Clear this rubble! NOW!”

“Y-yes! Stand back—*Frostwind, born of glacial streams, sweep—*”

A biting gale erupted from Chloe, grazing York’s arm and blasting the debris away.

Beneath lay charred remains.

Blackened chunks—organs and bones, barely recognizable after fire and crushing weight.

Lux’s remains.

Vaporized at point-blank range. Only his left hand stayed intact.

Meanwhile—

“She’s… gone too…”

Nerlis approached, cradling a headless girl’s body. Scorch marks marred the skin, but nothing compared to the gaping wound where her heart had been torn out.

Molly’s corpse.

Less than a minute—mere seconds—and both Lux and Molly were dead.

Ellen was the killer.

“How… could this happen…”

York collapsed to his knees. This wasn’t right. They’d chosen the safest plan. How could two still die? They’d thought if Ellen or Chloe was guilty, the other would hold them back. Who could’ve guessed Ellen’s power was so overwhelming… or that she’d prepared an escape?

“I… killed… Lux… my own brother… I… *sob*… *wail*…”

Chloe’s eyes had lost all luster. Though blameless, the truth remained: she’d slain her blood kin. Lux dead by her hand. Molly by Ellen’s. And the murderer was her sister—the one she’d trusted for years. Unbearable.

Beside her, Nia stared blankly at the corpses, lost in shock. And Liliana—

“No… no… why did this happen… it’s not my fault…”

“Huh? Sis, what are you—” Nia snapped out of his daze, frowning.

“—Ah! I didn’t mean—”

Liliana choked on her words, but—

“WHAT DID YOU SAY?!”

York lunged up, all composure gone. He stormed over, grabbing Liliana by the collar and hoisting her off the ground.

“Pain…”

“What did you just say?!”

“I… nothing…”

“Don’t lie! I heard it too! ‘It’s not my fault’? What does that MEAN?!”

“No! I was just… shocked! I said something stupid…”

“Stop hiding! You knew something all along, didn’t you?!”

“*Ghk*… *sob*…”

Enraged, York shook her violently. The tightened collar choked her breath into whimpers.

“Talk! NOW! Father’s dead! Anhans’s dead! Lux is dead! Molly’s dead! If you’re hiding even a shred of useful info—”

“—YORK!”

*Grab!*

Slender, porcelain hands clamped onto York’s wrist. Delicate fingers pried his grip loose. Liliana gasped, coughing as she crumpled to the floor.

Both stared at the intruder.

“Nerlis…”

“Bug Girl…”

“Please… calm down. Both of you.”

The usually quiet girl stood firm, forcing courage into her voice to stop siblings tearing each other apart.

York’s face flushed with shame. Liliana’s expression turned unreadable.

—

*“Please… calm down. Both of you.”*

I carefully performed the “reserved girl trying to mediate” act, choosing words to halt this pointless fight.

“York, you’re the only one who can hold us together now. Please… steady yourself first.”

“…………… Yeah. I… lost my head.”

York rubbed his neck awkwardly, stepping back from Liliana.

“And Liliana… everyone’s shaken. Let’s gather our thoughts, okay?”

“…”

Liliana’s gaze grew heavier, but she nodded silently and retreated.

Good. Temporary peace. Now to steer things right. York was our pillar—if he broke, we all fell. Understandable, after losing family and friends.

I rarely cried. My emotions ran shallow, letting me adapt fast.

“…Sorry, Nerlis. I snapped. But I just… can’t…”

“I know, York…” I forced tears to well up. “It’s terrifying. So sudden. But… we know the killer now. Ellen’s hiding somewhere in the mansion. We must act.”

“Right…”

York shook his head hard, as if flinging away grief. To rebound this fast after such loss—he truly was remarkable.

*(But Nerlis… she…)*

York murmured under his breath, glancing at Liliana.

*(Liliana’s hiding something. But pushing her now could backfire.)*

*(Agreed. Plan first. Watch her closely.)*

—

Eyes half on Liliana, they pieced together the clues.

Then spotted the flaw.

“This doesn’t add up…” York frowned, stroking his chin.

“If Ellen wanted the Great Secret Treasure, why so many pointless moves?”

“She took the long way.”

“First: Night one. No guards, no servants. Everyone’s dishes sat in the kitchen before dinner. She could’ve poisoned all the food and ended us in one stroke.”

“But she didn’t. Why avoid poison?”

“Maybe she couldn’t… Second: If no poison, why not kill us all while we slept?”

“Alarms on every room door. And Father had Shadow Attendants guarding him.”

“But she *did* move at night. Killed Father and the Shadow Attendants silently. If she could do that, why spare the rest of us?”

“Exactly. She could’ve carved out three hearts on night one, taken the Treasure, and made it look like a noble family massacre…”

Silence. Knowing Ellen was guilty made past events feel wrong. No good explanation surfaced.

Then—

“…Hey, Liliana. Come here a moment?”

York softened his expression, beckoning. Liliana flinched.

“I… I…”

“I believe you know something. Please. Even a hint. Did you suspect Ellen? Was she threatening you? Or… another reason you couldn’t speak?”

“I… but… I really…”

Just then—

“Uh… York… Chloe… everyone? What… what’s going on…?”

A voice cut through the haze.

*Crunch. Crunch.* Boots grinding over rubble.

Someone who should never have returned appeared.

Ellen Zelah staggered into the half-destroyed hall. Sweat beaded on her brow. Her face twisted in pain, as if she might vomit any second.

“What… happened… ugh! My head… splitting…”