The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Growing Influence of Starlight

Count Velmorne slammed the report onto the table, his face twisted with anger as he stared at the captain of his knights.

"Explain this to me."

The captain remained silent, keeping his head lowered.

"The assassination failed?" Velmorne’s voice rose sharply. "How could five elite assassins fail to eliminate a two targets? I was told they were among the best the Assassination Guild had to offer!"

"My lord, we have confirmed that the operation failed, but we have yet to determine exactly what happened inside the D’Averon estate."

"Then find out!"

The captain flinched slightly but remained composed.

"Yes, my lord."

Velmorne paced across the room, his frustration growing with every step.

"Count D’Averon may be a powerful magical swordsman, but five elite assassins were sent after him. Five! Against opponents of that caliber, even his reputation shouldn’t have been enough to save him."

He stopped and turned toward the captain.

"Weren’t they supposed to complete the mission properly? What exactly am I paying them for if they can’t even eliminate one noble?"

"My lord, the Assassination Guild has never failed a contract of this scale according to the records available to us. There may have been an unforeseen—"

"I don’t care about excuses!"

Velmorne’s fist struck the table.

"The result is what matters. D’Averon is alive, and that means the entire operation has failed."

The captain lowered his head further.

"I understand, my lord."

Velmorne stared at him for several seconds before finally turning away.

"Find out what happened that night. I want every detail, from the moment those assassins entered the estate until the moment they disappeared."

"Yes, my lord."

"And Captain..."

The knight stopped at the door.

Velmorne’s voice became colder.

"If there is another party involved, I want their identity discovered before they have the opportunity to interfere again."

The captain nodded.

"Understood."

He left the room, leaving Velmorne alone with the failed report.

The Count stared at the document for a long moment.

Five elite assassins had entered the D’Averon estate.

None had returned.

For the first time, Velmorne began to wonder whether Count D’Averon had been protecting a secret far more dangerous than he had imagined.

Deep beneath one of the guild’s secured facilities, a dimly lit chamber remained unusually quiet as a senior guild official read through the report placed before him, his expression becoming increasingly serious with every line.

"Five elites failed?"

The assassin standing before the desk lowered his head.

"Yes. None of them returned from the D’Averon estate."

The official slowly placed the report on the table.

"That doesn’t make sense."

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers resting against the armrest as he considered the information.

"Count D’Averon is certainly a formidable magical swordsman, but even if he fought at his absolute best, defeating five of our elite assassins simultaneously should be nearly impossible."

The assassin remained silent.

"Tell me what happened."

"We don’t know the exact details. The estate was attacked as planned, and the five entered through the western side without encountering significant resistance. After that, communication was lost."

"Lost?"

"Completely."

The official’s eyes narrowed.

"Did they encounter Count D’Averon?"

"We cannot confirm that."

"Then we have several possibilities."

He stood and walked toward the large map hanging against the wall.

"The first is that D’Averon was far stronger than our intelligence suggested, although I find that unlikely. His abilities have been observed for years, and nothing indicates that he possesses enough strength to eliminate five elites without assistance."

His finger moved across the map before stopping over the D’Averon territory.

"The second possibility is that the estate had additional protection."

"Additional knights?"

"No. Ordinary knights would not explain this."

The official turned around.

"If five elites were overwhelmed quickly enough that none could escape or send a message, then whoever intervened had to possess enough strength to suppress them before they could react."

The assassin finally raised his head.

"Could Count D’Averon have hired another organization?"

"Perhaps."

The official’s expression hardened.

"Which brings us to the third possibility."

He returned to the desk and picked up the report again.

"Someone was waiting for them."

The room fell silent.

"If another organization knew about the contract before our assassins arrived, they could have prepared an ambush inside the estate. That would explain why all five disappeared without leaving enough information for us to determine what happened."

The assassin hesitated.

"There is one more thing."

The official looked up.

"What?"

"The guards who survived the attack reported seeing unusual figures after the incident, but their descriptions were inconsistent."

"Unusual figures?"

"Yes. They couldn’t identify their affiliation, weapons, or even their faces clearly. They only remembered that they appeared after the assassins had already entered the mansion."

The official remained silent for several moments.

"Then investigate them."

"Yes."

He placed the report back onto the desk.

"Do not assume that Count D’Averon defeated our elites simply because he was their target. Five of our best assassins disappearing at the same time is not a failure we can dismiss as bad luck."

The assassin bowed.

"Understood."

The official’s gaze remained fixed on the report.

"Until we know what happened that night, no one approaches the D’Averon family again."

His voice became colder.

"Something interfered with our contract."

"And until we identify what that something is, we treat it as a potential threat to the guild itself."

The streets surrounding Starlight were already crowded despite the early hour, with finely dressed nobles, wealthy merchants, and influential guests arriving continuously through the grand entrance of the enormous establishment. Outside, an elegant terrace stretched around a series of marble fountains, with beautifully arranged tables sheltered beneath large ivory-colored umbrellas that kept the bright sunlight from disturbing the guests enjoying their meals.

Some sat comfortably with cups of freshly brewed coffee in their hands, while others sampled delicate cakes, pastries, and sweets served on finely decorated plates. Conversations filled the terrace, occasionally interrupted by the sound of fountains and the quiet footsteps of the maids moving between tables.

The maids of Starlight wore elegant uniforms bearing the company’s insignia, their appearances neat and their manners impeccable as they welcomed arriving customers, guided guests toward available tables, and assisted those already enjoying their meals.

Inside, Starlight was even more impressive.

The enormous building had been divided into several specialized sections, each designed to offer goods that could rarely be found anywhere else in the capital. The main restaurant occupied one of the largest halls, while another section displayed luxurious clothing, jewelry, and high-class accessories. Further inside were galleries dedicated to paintings, sculptures, antiques, magical artifacts, and rare collectibles, followed by areas specializing in magical tools and household items.

There was even an entire section devoted to weapons, armor, equipment, and materials obtained from powerful monsters.

In one of the galleries, a young woman wearing the Starlight maid uniform stood beside a beautifully preserved sculpture while explaining its history to a wealthy customer.

"This piece was recovered from the ruins of an ancient elven settlement. According to the records accompanying it, the sculpture is believed to be more than two hundred years old."

The customer examined it carefully.

"Two hundred years... and you’re certain it’s authentic?"

"Yes, sir. Every piece sold through this section is inspected and authenticated before being displayed."

A short distance away, another attendant was presenting a rare magical artifact to a group of merchants, while elsewhere customers examined expensive fabrics, enchanted household tools, and weapons crafted from monster materials.

The entire establishment seemed to be constantly moving, with customers entering almost as quickly as others left.

"Starlight has become unbelievable," one wealthy merchant remarked while looking around the crowded hall. "It wasn’t long ago that people were still calling it a new business."

His companion smiled.

"Now everyone wants a place here. The food, the clothing, the artifacts... even their ordinary products are far beyond what most shops can offer."

"Ordinary?"

The merchant laughed.

"You haven’t seen their restaurant’s rare menu, have you?"

"I’ve heard rumors."

"They aren’t rumors. Only the wealthiest families and the most influential nobles can afford some of those dishes."

He lowered his voice slightly.

"White Serpent Supreme, Crimson Wyvern steak, Mountain Dragon, Earth Dragon, even Leviathan Shark and other deep-water serpents... Those aren’t ingredients you can simply purchase from an ordinary restaurant."

His companion looked toward the dining hall.

"So that’s why the royal family and the highest-ranking nobles have been visiting?"

"Exactly. Starlight isn’t merely selling luxury anymore."

The merchant smiled as another group of finely dressed customers entered through the main doors.

"It has become the place where the capital’s most powerful people come to spend their money."

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