CHAPTER 31: DANGEROUS SITUATION (1)

"You’ve discovered who sabotaged my daughter’s summoning ritual?"

But to that question, Lord Siamelumis did not answer right away.

Instead, she turned to Emilia.

"Emilia, would you mind waiting with Mimi while I discuss this with your parents? This matter is very serious... but I’m sorry, you are not yet ready to hear it, due to its sensitivity."

"Ah—of course." Emilia nodded quickly.

"Then, would you step back a little? To the far edge of this platform?"

"Yes, Lord Siamelumis."

And with that, Emilia obeyed. She carried Mimi in her arms and walked to one corner.

Lord Siamelumis spread her wings wide. In an instant, a radiant barrier of light descended, sealing off the space around her, Draco, and Ariana. The shimmering veil blocked all sight and sound from escaping.

Now, outside, Emilia pressed her lips together, glancing down at Mimi. The little Noctifelis tilted her head, her whiskers twitching, and pawed at the glowing barrier as if trying to peek through.

Meanwhile, within the barrier, Lord Siamelumis finally spoke.

"Unfortunately... even I could not uncover the culprit."

"What? Are you... serious?" Draco staggered back, his voice shaking with disbelief.

Because if even Siamelumis did not know, then it could only mean one thing: The one who had sabotaged the summoning... was no ordinary foe. They must have been a master of sorcery—powerful enough, cunning enough, to slip past even the constant gaze of a Guardian Deity.

Apparently, every summoning ritual within the Silvervein Clan was under her supervision. To bypass that... was certainly no small feat to pull off.

So then...

Who could it be?

"Do you think... we have a betrayer within our clan?" Ariana muttered, her face clouded with worry.

"As much as I despise that idea... it seems the most likely possibility," Draco growled, his brows furrowed.

And that meant only one thing.

The Five Elders of the Silvervein Clan—the highest authority beneath the Clan Head and the Guardian Deity herself—were the most suspicious.

First, because they had all been present during the summoning.

Second, because each of them was an expert in magic—powerful enough to tamper with the ritual and still slip past Lord Siamelumis’s watchful eyes.

And lastly... because they all had motives.

Draco knew very well that many within the Clan still did not truly support his position. A man without Silvervein blood daring to sit upon the Clan Head’s seat? Wasn’t that blasphemy in their eyes? He was, after all, the very first ’outsider’ in the entire history of the Silverveins to rise to such a place. And that, naturally, left a bitter taste behind.

So, by targeting Emilia, they could strike where it hurt most—wounding Draco’s heart, perhaps even shaking his resolve as leader.

Or perhaps their aim was Emilia herself. The girl was already being called the Silvervein genius child. If she were removed, their own heirs would face far less competition in the struggle for the highest position in the future.

Yes... such clan politics were not only possible, but very likely.

But the question was... out of the five Elders, who could it be?

The First Elder, Arcanis, and the Third Elder, Lady Drusilla, were the two most vocal, constantly challenging Draco, as if locked in an endless war of words and wills. Everyone could see their hostility. It was no secret.

As for the other three...

Outwardly, their speech was always gentle, their manners refined, their smiles polite. Yet behind those honeyed words, their real thoughts were hidden in shadow. The calm, agreeable front they wore only made it harder to guess at their true ambitions.

And that, in truth, made them the most dangerous of all.

However—

"There’s one more person you missed, Draco," Lord Siamelumis suddenly said, cutting in.

"Huh? One more... person?" Draco muttered, confused.

"Yes. That person. The one most capable in the entire Chamber. Deep down, you already suspected it, Draco... you just did not wish to consider it."

Draco froze. His mind raced. He wanted to deny it, but the moment those words sank in, a terrible thought surfaced—one he had tried to push away all this time.

His eyes widened.

"Wait... you mean... Elmandir?!" he blurted, his voice trembling with disbelief.

A heavy silence fell. Even the light within the barrier seemed to dim.

Lord Siamelumis’s expression hardened, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Exactly."