Episode 4 — The Thorn Remembers

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Screams shattered the ballroom.

Nobles stumbled backward in terror while blood spread slowly across the white marble floor beneath the dead imperial guard. Women clutched their gowns in panic, servants trembled violently, and several aristocrats immediately demanded to leave the palace.

But nobody was allowed to move.

Not anymore.

Because carved across the guard’s throat in dripping crimson letters were the words:

THE THORN REMEMBERS.

The atmosphere inside De Rosa Palace changed instantly.

This was no longer a simple murder.

This was a message.

Rodderic stared silently at the corpse while the silver dagger remained clenched tightly within his hand. His expression revealed nothing, yet the coldness radiating from him seemed enough to freeze the ballroom itself.

“Seal every entrance,” he ordered.

Guards rushed immediately.

“No servant, noble, or knight leaves the palace without my permission.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Panic spread further.

Several nobles protested at once.

“You cannot imprison us here!”

“This is outrageous!”

“We are loyal to Roseria!”

Rodderic slowly lifted his silver eyes toward them.

Silence fell immediately.

No shouting.

No threats.

Just one look.

And suddenly nobody wished to speak anymore.

Meanwhile, near the center of the ballroom, Aurelian crouched beside the dead guard calmly.

Too calmly.

His gloved fingers brushed against the black rose shoved between the corpse’s lips before he slowly removed it.

The petals were wet with blood.

Fresh.

“Interesting,” he murmured quietly.

Rodderic approached him.

“What now?”

Aurelian studied the rose carefully.

“This flower wasn’t placed here long ago.”

His green eyes narrowed slightly.

“The killer remained inside the ballroom after the lights vanished.”

Whispers spread instantly.

Someone among them was a murderer.

Several nobles instinctively stepped away from each other.

Fear poisoned the room beautifully.

Rodderic’s voice turned dangerously cold.

“Search everyone.”

Gasps echoed immediately.

Even nobles?

Especially nobles.

The guards hesitated only briefly before obeying.

One by one, aristocrats were searched while terrified servants cried quietly near the walls.

Meanwhile, Evelisse stood frozen beside one of the marble pillars, visibly shaken by the corpse lying only meters away.

Rodderic noticed instantly.

Without hesitation, he stepped toward her.

“You shouldn’t look at it.”

His voice softened slightly.

Rare.

Gentle.

Evelisse looked up at him, pale and frightened.

“I’ve never seen someone die before…”

For a brief moment, the terrifying crown prince disappeared.

Only Rodderic remained.

He carefully removed his black royal coat before draping it around her shoulders.

“You’ll be escorted back to your chambers soon.”

Nearby noblewomen exchanged emotional glances instantly.

How caring.

How devoted.

Even Aurelian glanced toward them briefly.

Expressionless.

Then—

his gaze lingered upon Rodderic’s hand adjusting the coat around Evelisse carefully.

Something unreadable darkened within his eyes.

Gone immediately.

“You treat her delicately,” Aurelian remarked calmly.

Rodderic didn’t look at him.

“She frightens easily.”

“How noble of you.”

The sarcasm beneath Aurelian’s voice was almost invisible.

Almost.

Rodderic finally turned toward him.

“You seem irritated tonight.”

Aurelian smiled faintly.

“And you seem distracted.”

The tension returned instantly.

Sharp.

Invisible.

Dangerous.

Before either prince could continue—

another voice interrupted.

“Your Highness!”

A palace knight hurried toward Rodderic before kneeling quickly.

“We found something near the northern corridor.”

Rodderic’s eyes sharpened.

“What?”

“A hidden passage.”

Silence crashed over the ballroom.

Even Aurelian looked mildly surprised now.

De Rosa Palace was ancient.

Built centuries before either empire existed in its current form. Countless rumors surrounded hidden tunnels beneath its foundations.

But most historians believed them myths.

Until tonight.

Rodderic immediately spoke.

“Show me.”

Several nobles visibly panicked.

“You can’t leave us here!”

“What if the killer remains among us?!”

“He does,” Aurelian said lazily.

The ballroom froze again.

Aurelian slowly rose to his feet before brushing invisible dust from his gloves.

“The killer hasn’t escaped the palace.”

His eyes drifted calmly across the frightened crowd.

“He’s watching us right now.”

A noblewoman nearly fainted.

Meanwhile—

hidden near the ballroom entrance—

Zephyr silently watched everything unfold.

Too silently.

His exhausted face revealed little emotion now, yet his gaze repeatedly drifted toward the black rose in Aurelian’s hand.

Then—

toward the hidden corridor knight.

Fear again.

Not ordinary fear.

Recognition.

As though he knew something terrible.

Aurelian noticed.

Of course he noticed.

The Velmorian prince slowly approached him once more.

“You become nervous whenever the Black Thorn appears.”

Zephyr stiffened immediately.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You’re still lying.”

Rodderic glanced toward them again.

Watching carefully.

Because something about the fisherman felt wrong.

Not dangerous.

But connected.

As though fate itself had dragged him into this palace for a reason.

Meanwhile—

high above the ballroom—

someone stood hidden behind the palace ventilation arches.

Watching silently.

A figure cloaked entirely in black.

Their face concealed.

A silver thorn emblem glimmered faintly against their glove.

And beneath the mask—

they smiled.

Because everything was unfolding exactly as planned.

Back within the ballroom, Rodderic finally turned toward the guards.

“Bring torches.”

Minutes later—

the crown prince, several knights, Aurelian, and a few royal investigators stood before the newly discovered hidden corridor concealed behind ancient velvet curtains.

Cold air drifted from within the darkness.

Rotten.

Ancient.

Wrong.

The corridor descended beneath the palace through narrow stone stairs untouched for decades.

Cobwebs lined the walls.

Dust coated the floor.

Yet—

fresh footprints remained visible.

Someone had used this passage recently.

Rodderic immediately noticed the direction.

Toward the underground catacombs.