.·:¨¨ ≈☆≈ ¨¨:·.Chapter 10 — Clues in the Shadow.·:¨¨ ≈☆≈ ¨¨:·.

The first light of morning was barely filtering through the palace windows, painting the corridors with golden and grayish tones. Marlene walked carefully, her mind replaying every detail of the intruder, every suspicious gesture, and every shadow that had crossed her path the previous night. The Kira system meowed softly from her shoulder, as if sharing the tension of the moment.

[Kira: Quest progress: 90%. Affinity with Dante +1. Affinity with Max +1. Intruder’s clue secured.]

“Your Highness, I’ve reviewed the parchment and last night’s notes,” Marlene said upon arriving at the private room where Dante was waiting. “There are details that caught my attention. It seems the intruder wasn’t just observing us, but knew some of the palace’s routines and accesses that shouldn’t be public.”

Dante frowned, moving closer to observe in more detail.

“This confirms what I suspected. The threat is internal, and we can’t afford any margin for error. Have you noticed any pattern?”

Marlene pointed to certain symbols that were repeated at different points in the palace and matched the intruder’s notes.

“Here, Your Highness. Each mark seems to indicate places where the intruder passes, almost as if he has an internal map of the palace.”

[Kira: New intruder clue detected. Reward: Intelligence +2.]

Dante nodded, his intense gaze fixed on her.

“Well thought out, Miss Volkov. Your attention to detail is… valuable. Let’s keep this between us; no one else can know this information.”

Max then appeared, his stride firm, and his clear eyes shone with a mix of concern and determination.

“I have secured the main accesses, but we need more information to predict his next move.”

Marlene took a deep breath, aware that every second counted.

“We can split up, but we must act with coordination. Your Highness, we can devise a plan to cover the most critical corridors and…” she hesitated for an instant, measuring her words, “keep the intruder at bay.”

Dante tilted his head slightly, lost in thought.

“Then we will do it this way. You will continue to track the clues, Max will provide the force, and I will use my influence to manipulate those who might be involved. But we need a more direct strategy to catch him.”

[Kira: New strategic option unlocked. Option 1: “Continue investigating clues alone” → Reward: Intelligence +2. Option 2: “Coordinate search with Dante and Max” → Reward: Affinity +1 with both.]

Marlene paused for a moment, reflecting. The option to act alone was safer for keeping secrets but risky in terms of effectiveness. Coordinating with Dante and Max meant shared trust and the possibility of increasing her affinity with both, but also a greater risk of exposure.

“I will choose coordination,” she said finally. “We need to act fast and together, before the intruder becomes more audacious.”

[Kira: Main quest progress: 95%. Affinity with Dante +1. Affinity with Max +1.]

During the morning, Marlene, Dante, and Max moved silently through the corridors. Every shadow seemed like a warning, every closed door a potential obstacle. The three communicated in whispers, planning each step and analyzing every detail that could give the intruder away.

“There,” Max whispered, pointing to a side corridor. “I saw a strange movement behind that curtain last night. It could be a secret entrance.”

Dante approached, nodding:

“Perfect. Marlene, check the old palace blueprints. We must confirm if there’s a hidden passage that matches that point.”

Marlene unrolled the parchment containing the old blueprints. Her fingers traced every line, every room, until she found something.

“Here, Your Highness. A secret passage that connects this corridor to the library. It could be the route the intruder has been using.”

[Kira: Side quest: Discover the intruder’s route. Reward: Intelligence +2. Quest progress: 100%.]

“Excellent,” Dante said, with a slight nod. “Max, cover the entrance. Marlene, follow me. We’re going to verify.”

The passage was dark and dusty, and every step echoed like a drum in the quiet of dawn. The tension increased with every instant, and Marlene felt the adrenaline keeping her alert.

Suddenly, a subtle noise behind a bookshelf made them stop. Dante raised his hand, and Max advanced cautiously, his sword barely visible in the light entering through the windows.

“Who’s there?” Dante said in a firm voice.

A hooded figure moved quickly, but Max was faster: he blocked the exit and forced him to retreat. Marlene held her breath, watching as the intruder was finally trapped between them.

“Well done, Max,” Dante said. “This doesn’t end here, but it’s an important step forward.”

Marlene smiled slightly, feeling the weight of the tension lighten for a moment.

[Kira: Main quest progress: 100%. Affinity with Dante +1. Affinity with Max +1. Intruder partially revealed. New decisions unlocked.]

As the sunlight began to enter through the palace windows, Marlene understood that every action, every choice, brought her closer to dominating her destiny in this novel. The intruder was still there, hidden, watching, and the real challenge was just beginning.

                                                                                                                      ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥to be continued˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥