Conspiracy?

"What if I told you that Miriam never worked in this castle and that she was actually an assassin hired by one of your most 'loyal' employees to kill my daughter?" Victor said, staring unblinkingly into the duke's eyes and then at Steegar.

Victor's accusation sounded like a bomb to everyone in the throne room, and the guards began whispering among themselves.

Ardann, standing next to Victor, looked at Steegar with wide eyes.

For his part, the councillor obviously wasn't going to listen to that and keep quiet. However, he didn't get as worked up as before, nor did he show indignation, but he started to laugh and then laughed out loud. Then he looked at Victor and said:

"You're crazy, hunter. You're creating conspiracy theories to try and justify a very serious crime you committed in this town. Why would anyone in this castle want to kill your daughter? She's a Rank-S hunter, trying to kill her would be like fighting against the most powerful independent organization in this world. The Hunters' Association would not pass over the death of a Rank-S."

"That's right, and it's the same thing I thought at first. Only someone very insane could even imagine something like this, someone with a gigantic ego who probably knew how to overlook all this, even if the Hunters' Association itself started investigating. At first, Duke Olyno, I confess that you were my main suspect," declared Victor. "However, before I killed the professional assassin, I had a conversation with her. Since she wasn't attached to anything but money, she told me some interesting things, which I think you'll like to know, Steegar."

At that moment, Councillor Steegar finally understood what was about to happen, but he didn't seem to fear any of it.

"What? Are you trying to say that I'm the one who sent a supposed professional assassin after Wanda Stillwind?" He asked with a mocking smile as he spread his arms. "Do you realize how absurd that sounds?" Steegar started laughing again.

The guards looked at each other and started laughing too, but Duke Olyno remained serious, as did Victor.

"There's no point in using irony right now, Steegar. It doesn't suit old men like us to use it in this kind of situation." Victor said.

Olyno looked Victor up and down, took a deep breath and said to Victor:

"Do you realize what you're accusing Steegar of, Victor? Do you really think I'm going to listen to the unfounded accusations of a man who escaped from prison, broke into my house and is practically pointing an arrow at the head of the person I trust the most? Steegar is more than an advisor to me, he's family, just like all the soldiers in this castle. Guards, please take this man away from here and throw him somewhere that not even his daughter can find him." He said and turned his face away.

Steegar smiled confidently. However, when Ardann and the sub-lieutenant lifted Victor, the old hunter raised his head and questioned:

"Would he still be part of your family if he became an obstacle between you and the crown of the Athina Kingdom?"

"Wait." Olyno ordered the guards and his eyes looked at Victor with interest. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean, Duke Olyno, is that if you don't even try to listen to the rest of what I have to say, there will come a time when you will regret having trusted that man standing on your right."

With the room's attention now completely focused on Victor and his accusatory words, a tense silence ensued. The gazes of those present oscillated between Victor, Steegar and Duke Olyno, who seemed to be carefully pondering every word spoken by the hunter.

Victor, despite being held back by the guards, showed no sign of weakness. His eyes shone and his voice was firm as he continued: 

"Duke Olyno, I understand that there must be doubts in your mind, but as the ruler of a great city, you must think clearly. There is much more to this story than you are considering. Steegar may be your 'family', but to what extent does he really serve you and protect the interests of this kingdom?"

"Sir..." Steegar tried to approach, but the duke held up a hand to stop him.

Olyno frowned and put a hand in front of his mouth, as if thinking. After some time thinking, he decided that it was better to listen to what the intruder had to say than to regret it in the future.

"Go on, Victor. But choose your words wisely. Frivolous accusations have serious consequences in this town, as you can imagine."

Victor sighed, collecting his thoughts before continuing. "When I confronted Miriam, the assassin who was supposed to have killed my daughter, she didn't hesitate to reveal who hired her. That person was Steegar, as I said earlier."

The murmurs began to spread again among those present, and Steegar tried to remain calm, but while he had his head down his eyes radiated anger and he was grinding his teeth.

"Yes, I get that part. But why would my loyal advisor want his daughter to die? The death of a Rank-S hunter in our city would drive away business and many hunters. Without hunters, there would be more monsters, and with more monsters, the neighborhood would turn into chaos. It's not commercially viable in any way and you expect me to believe that Steegar would do so much damage to our town for no particular reason?"

Victor wasn't swayed by Olyno's disbelief. "But there is a reason and it doesn't fit in with the economic, social or political interests of the city. A few months ago, my daughter was sent by her guild to investigate a baron in Kílkis City, and there she discovered the baron's involvement in a human trafficking scheme. However, the baron wasn't the head of the scheme, he was just buying sex slaves. So Wanda started investigating the whole trafficking chain from Kílkis, until a clue led her to Kozáni, the city of trade in the north, rather ironic, isn't it?"

Victor paused for a moment, allowing his words to spread around the room and settle in the minds of everyone present.