He paced back and forth. He was frustated. "I ignored them after their failure to kill Lucius."

    He put his hand on his chin. "I also let them handle their mess because of the problems in my own family, but how could this be possible?"

    Kaltrik stopped pacing and slammed his fist against the wall. "The Garrans were a count family! They weren''t some weak, low-level nobodies. How could they be destroyed so easily?"@@@@

    He attempted to put it all together. "First, our family''s Evolist Hub is destroyed."

    He then looked at the news again. "And now this. It''s not a coincidence. It can''t be."

    Kaltrik touched his chin again. "There''s someone... no, some group, operating in the shadows. Someone powerful enough to wipe out an entire Count family without leaving a trace."

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    He clenched his fist. "Damn it! "How can things get so out of control?"

    He began pacing again. "If they could take down the Garrans, then they''re a threat. And if they''ve already moved against us indirectly, it won''t be long before they come for us outright."

    He looked outside and sneered. "Whoever you are, you''ve made a mistake. Coming after me or my family will cost you dearly."

    Kaltrik stopped abruptly, jabbing a finger at the projection as if it could respond. "I''ll find out who''s behind this. I''ll tear apart every shadow. No one can defeat the great Duke Kryndal family—no one."

    He was now going to the main family again. This time he needed to report it to the head of family.

    Whoever this mysterious force was, they had made an enemy of Kryndal—and he intended to make them regret it.

    ---

    He looked at his ministers and generals. "If these attacks continue, we risk losing not just our resources but the very stability of this empire. We cannot allow this to go unchallenged."

    Cedrik slammed his fists against his chest in salute. "Your orders, Your Majesty?"

    The king''s gaze swept over the room. "Strengthen the defenses of every city, town, and outpost. No one enters or leaves without scrutiny."

    He turned to the minister. "Dispatch scouts to monitor for signs of similar outbreaks. I want reports from every corner of this empire."

    He turned to Cedrik. "General, assemble a task force. Start searching for this group immediately. If they have the power to destroy a count family and one of our largest Evolist hubs, they won''t stop there."

    Cedrik bowed deeply. "It will be done, Your Majesty. This threat will be eliminated."

    Astorius''s attention shifted back to Anselm. "And you, Minister. Find out everything you can about this plague. Its source, its nature, and whether it can spread further. If someone is using it as a weapon, I want a countermeasure ready."

    Anselm wiped his sweat and nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. Our best scholars and alchemists will begin work immediately."

    Astorius leaned forward. "Remember this. We are not dealing with mere rebels. This group has the resources and cunning to strike at the very heart of our empire. I want them hunted, exposed, and annihilated."

    The room filled with the sound of armor clanking as the council and generals bowed in unison.

    Astorius sat back on his throne and drummed his fingers against the armrest. "The Empire will not be made to bleed. Find them. Kill them. And remind the world that we are unyielding."

    ---

    The Royal Family and the Duke Kryndal''s family had already taken action, though the two incidents seemed unrelated.

    Yet, both were orchestrated by the same individual—someone who now smiled to himself, contemplating his next move, unconcerned by the chaos he had unleashed.