Two days before the coming of age ceremony took place, the Aethelgard residence looked busier than usual.
The officials moved back and forth, final preparations were made with no room for mistakes.
However, behind all of that, there was something that did not change.
The night remained calm.
Under the bright moonlight, Duke Herold stood in the side courtyard of the palace, briefly discussing the ceremony security preparations with several elite guards. His voice was calm, full of the confidence of someone used to being in control.
From afar, everything looked under control.
But not all eyes in the palace saw things the same way.
From the shadow between the old stone pillars, someone stood without a sound. His presence did not disturb the night, as if he was part of the darkness itself.
Duke Herold was completely unaware of anything. Not a single sign that he was being watched.
