Night once again shrouded Rahlhelion, the wind carrying a chill as it swept past the stone lion statues outside the royal palace. Since their intimacy in the Fountain Pavilion, Evelynn and Lucian had each sorted through the clues at hand: the poisoned arrows of Eastridge bandits, the undercurrents at the Northern Outpost, the hair-raising ordeal at JInshu Workshop's opera house—yet the hidden hand behind it all remained elusive. Today, they decided to delve deeper into the true mastermind behind Kalman.
At dawn, in the royal secret council chamber, Evelynn spread a confidential note obtained from Kalman's deputy across the desk. Lothar and Karina stood on either side, while Mei Xia and Lucian guarded the door. The note's handwriting was hasty, but it repeatedly mentioned a "Fonsville" and carried the words: "Shadow of the south city's ancient well, summoned by moonlight." Evelynn's brows furrowed. "Fonsville... He was once a Church envoy, rumored to move in secrecy, specializing in bribing and plotting chaos. 'Shadow of the ancient well' likely refers to the sacrificial ruins in the capital's Old Well District. We must investigate there tonight."
At night, the Old Well District of the capital was eerily quiet and gloomy. Abandoned ancient wells scattered among moss-covered stones, hidden among broken walls and ruins. Evelynn and Lucian disguised themselves as common nobles, their thin velvet cloaks concealing the Holy Light emblems. They sneaked into the alley with Mei Xia, Karina, and Lothar. Mei Xia whispered, "Your Highness, there are ancient sacrificial passages beneath the well district, said to lead directly to an altar."
Evelynn nodded slightly, drawing her short sword. "This mission aims to track down 'Fonsville' and uncover his ties to the Church or old nobles. Leave no loose ends." With that, she stepped into the silent well district, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls like probes into the netherworld.
Following an old well covered in withered vines, they discovered faint stone steps below. Karina lit a torch, its light revealing slippery, ancient steps faintly carved with broken sacrificial symbols. Lothar carefully held the torch as they descended. Reaching the bottom, a narrow tunnel appeared, its damp air reeking of mold and dust.
At the tunnel entrance, a candle flame flickered. Evelynn stood forward with her sword, signaling everyone to stay alert. "The enemy may have set an ambush," she whispered.
When they had advanced a dozen paces in formation, Lothar suddenly changed tone, pulling two of them into a side niche. Lithe figures dashed from the depths of the tunnel, several daggers slashing cold light in the shadows, but Karina and Mei Xia deftly intercepted them. Evelynn and Lucian charged out side by side, their long swords and battle knives clashing like thunder, driving back several black-clad assassins in an instant.
The fallen torchlight revealed a bust statue at the tunnel's end: a clergyman in a church robe, his face blurred, yet the carving revealed the chin features of "Fonsville." Evelynn's heart jolted. "He's set up an altar here to summon spirits."
Following the statue's direction, they entered a side hall where a dimly lit altar was laid out, incense ashes scattered, and several masked figures sitting around it, jointly reciting an unknown incantation. On the central table, a skull wrapped in black cloth was stained red with blood and tears. Evelynn raised her sword, calling out loudly: "Dare you show your face!"
The incantation stopped abruptly. A tall, thin figure walked slowly from several feet away in the hall, his black robe fluttering, his face half-covered by a mask—it was Fonsville himself. As he put away his spellbook and strode forward, his voice was hoarse yet forceful. "Your Majesty, though your intentions are hard to fathom, you after all have nowhere to hide. Tonight's setup is merely the beginning. To suppress the truth, those who enter the game must taste poison themselves to know fear."
Evelynn sneered. "Even if you incite undercurrents, how can you escape my blade? You and Kalman will be taken before the throne together, so all ministers in the capital can witness the supreme penalty for betrayal!" She signaled Karina and Lothar to step forward and arrest him.
Lucian, meanwhile, went straight to the altar and slowly removed Fonsville's mask, revealing his frenzied eyes twisted in a sinister smile. Royal secret guards had already arrived upon hearing the commotion, and the council chamber quickly became a place of judgment.
After the affair, Evelynn and Lucian returned to the Fountain Pavilion side by side. The chaotic world had turned to dust, but the palace lanterns remained warm. Lucian wrapped her tightly in a plain velvet shawl, whispering, "Your sword has cut through the undercurrents and all my worries."
Leaning into his embrace, Evelynn smiled wearily. "No matter how many shadows arise, they will eventually disperse because of the light. Tonight, let me sleep in your arms, free from thoughts of politics and plots."
Lucian knelt, gently guiding her to a stone bench. His lips touched her neck as he murmured, "Beyond the majesty of the Snow Flame Queen, tonight there is only the deepest tenderness shared between you and me." He untied her red-gold belt, brushed his fingers over the silver Holy Light emblem on her ,and tenderly kissed away the remaining dust and bloodstains on the emblem.
Evelynn allowed him to slip beneath the silk, her skin shimmering with a faint red glow in the moonlight and candlelight. She pulled him into her arms, her fingers around his neck, breathing softly, "There are no other eyes here. Only the blending of our heartbeats is the true holy light and royal blood."
The two embraced in the quiet of the Fountain Pavilion, the sound of the spring and the night together witnessing the balance they found between political intrigue and desire, as well as Rahlhelion's return to light in their hands after countless undercurrent attacks.