The celebration stretched on for what felt like hours, beginning with a grand speech from Barbados, the flamboyant owner of the Crystal Crescendo. His booming voice echoed through the grand hall, followed by a series of dazzling opening performances. From backstage, Gia and I listened while making our final preparations.

Nobles, dignitaries, and thousands of spectators had gathered, turning the event into something much larger than a simple concert.

Security at the theater had been tightened to an almost absurd degree. Extra bodyguards, hired specifically for the occasion, stood like statues outside our waiting room.

Yet, despite the precautions, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. Whoever was behind the recent incidents might still try something.

Finally, Gia stepped onstage. I remained behind the curtain, hidden, watching her glide forward as her voice carried the opening note of The Cursed Cantata.

Silence fell over the audience like a spell. Her voice carried the sorrow and pain embedded in the song, a haunting melody of loss and longing that pierced the heart. When the final note faded into stillness, the crowd erupted into applause, rising to their feet in a unanimous standing ovation.

Suddenly, the ceiling of the concert hall shifted, bathed in a deep crimson light. Illusions of roses bloomed above, spinning and twirling in a graceful dance that matched the rhythm of the music. The enchantment was breathtaking.

Gia began her second song, Whispered Vows, a romantic ballad that spoke of two souls bound by eternal promises, clinging to love even in the face of death.

I watched her closely, and scanned the surroundings for any sign of danger. So far, nothing. I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The finale was drawing near. Barbados had returned to the stage, launching into another one of his dramatically long-winded speeches. Gia and I waited backstage once more, letting the calm settle over us.

A loud roar pierced the silence.

It came from further behind us, somewhere deeper in the backstage area. Gorgroth was guarding the only entrance to where we were, preventing anyone from getting close to Gia.

Gia and I exchanged a quick glance. "Don't worry, Gorgroth is doing its job well," I said. "Just focus on your performance."

We waited for a while, and finally, the moment we had been waiting for arrived.

Inside the grand hall, a hush fell over the crowd. It was as if the entire world had paused to witness what was about to unfold. Overhead, the enchanted ceiling shimmered with the illusion of the night sky. An endless canvas of stars twinkling against the dark velvet of space, with the Milky Way stretching across like a painted dream.

Then, the organ began to play.

Its first notes echoed like a sacred whisper, deep and resonant, rising into a melody so hauntingly beautiful that it seemed to tug at the soul. And then, Gia's voice joined in. Clear, powerful, and achingly emotional, as she sang her most beloved song, The Lament of the Fallen Star.

I felt goosebumps crawl across my skin.

No matter how many times I heard her perform, her voice never failed to stop my heart. She truly deserved her title as the opera singer of the century. But it wasn't just her voice. It was everything. Her stage presence. The way she moved. The expression in her eyes. She was a completely different person onstage. Gone was the playful, mischievous girl I had come to know. Standing under the spotlight was a goddess of song, commanding the attention of hundreds with a single breath.

Occasionally, I glanced over my shoulder, keeping a wary eye on the backstage area. It was quiet now. Nothing seemed out of place. Hopefully, that meant things were under control.

As Gia's final note faded into the silence, the hall erupted into thunderous applause. Cheers, whistles, and heartfelt clapping filled the vast room. Flowers rained down from the balconies. Gia bowed gracefully, waving to the audience and offering her final curtsy before the massive red curtain descended, marking the end of her breathtaking performance.

"Rin-Rin! Did you see it? Did you see my performance?!" Gia shouted joyfully as she ran toward me backstage, practically glowing with happiness. Without warning, she threw her arms around me in an exuberant hug.

"Th-thank you," she said breathlessly. "Thanks to you, I was able to give it my all on stage. I didn't have to worry about anything else."

Caught completely off guard, I stammered, "I-it's just part of the job."

Gia pulled back slightly and giggled. "You're so funny sometimes." Her eyes sparkled with genuine affection. "Just a little more to go now. I can't wait for the press conference!"

She smiled. Soft, radiant, and proud.

I pulled out my pocket watch and checked the time. Less than two hours remained before the press conference. We weren't out of the woods yet.

Just a little longer now before the real main event.

***

Gia sat at the center table, flanked by Barbados on her left and Elliot on her right. Several bodyguards stood at strategic positions around them, their eyes scanning the crowd with quiet vigilance. Unusually, a few Royal Guards were also present, a bizarre sight for this kind of event.

I stood just a few steps behind Gia, close enough to intervene if needed, watching her calmly entertain a flurry of questions from persistent reporters.

After answering a particularly long-winded inquiry, Gia raised a hand gracefully, signaling the end of the questioning. "That will be all for now," she said, her voice steady but firm. "I'd like to make a few important announcements."

She took a deep breath, then turned toward Elliot with a smile that, if one looked closely, didn't quite reach her eyes. "First, I want to speak about my manager, Elliot Grey, who has stood by my side since the very beginning of my career."

Elliot beamed proudly, brushing a lock of his chestnut hair back and sitting up straighter, as if ready to receive praise.

"I trusted him deeply," Gia continued, holding up a folder of documents. "In fact, I entrusted all my career-related decisions to him." She opened the folder and carefully laid out its contents on the table. "These are documents proving that El has been stealing from me for quite some time. I've already submitted copies of this evidence to the Royal Guard."

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"What the hell, Gia?!" Elliot's voice exploded across the room. His face twisted with rage and disbelief. He rose from his seat, but I was already there, grabbing his arm before he could do anything reckless. A Royal Guard joined me, and together we restrained him. Elliot continued shouting as he was dragged away, out of the room, his face red and contorted with fury.

The entire room erupted into chaos. No one had seen this coming.

Gia waited patiently, her hands folded neatly on the table. When the noise died down, she spoke again, her tone as composed as ever. "I have another announcement."

The room fell completely silent, as if the tension had reached its peak.

"Today was my final performance," she said. "I'll be taking an indefinite break."

The crowd erupted once again, this time louder and more frenzied. Reporters shouted over one another, their hands raised high, demanding explanations.

"Hey! Show some respect and calm down!" I barked at them, but my voice was drowned out by the chaos, until I called for Gorgroth.

With a heavy thud and a deep, menacing growl, Gorgroth appeared behind me. The monstrous guardian's presence was enough to silence the entire room in seconds.

Gia stood once more, her expression softening as she looked over the crowd. "I have one final announcement. And this one is the most important of all." Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes glistened with emotion. "These past few days, I've faced more than just betrayal. I've survived multiple attempts on my life. And the only reason I'm still standing here... is because of my bodyguard, Rin-Rin."

Gia drew a deep breath and went on, "and the main culprit... is right here."

She turned her head to one figure in the room. A familiar one.

***

"Gia… I know who's behind this," I said, locking eyes with her, voice low and serious.

The air was still thick with tension after the ambush. We'd barely survived, managing to bring down the masked intruder by a hair's breadth.

We were in my room now, room 303.

"Stay here. Don't let anyone in. Anyone," I said. "I'll speak to the authorities. The hotel must've contacted them after the attack."

Gia blinked. "Wait, can you at least explain before you go?"

I pulled a small, cloth-wrapped object from my pouch, unfolded it, and held it to the light.

"This is the final piece of the puzzle. The last bit of evidence I needed."

Gia leaned in. "I... don't get it. What's the connection?"

"I'll explain everything. Step by step."

"It started with the threatening letter. At first, it seemed connected to everything. The severed rat head and the masked intruder, but it's not. At least not directly."

Gia's eyes widened. "How can you be so sure?"

"The letter was exploited by the real culprit to mask their intent. Someone close to you."

Her face paled as realization began to dawn.

"One by one, your bodyguards vanished or suffered strange accidents. Too bizarre to be coincidences."

Gia tensed.

"I looked into each case. All of them were carried out by the same assassin, the one we just defeated. With his Phase skill and paralytic ability, he was the perfect silent killer. The deaths looked like accidents to outsiders."

I paused, letting the weight of it sink in.

"Same method. No evidence. Which means…" I met her gaze. "He wasn't working alone. He had inside help, someone who knew your security routines."

Gia clutched her dress. "But… he never reached me?"

"Exactly," I nodded. "You were always surrounded by bodyguards."

"And Agnar Terelin, your former 24/7 bodyguard, is the natural counter to the assassin."

There was a pause before Gia gasped, hand to mouth.

"Wait, so it's… Elliot?"

I shook my head slowly. "No," I said quietly. "I'm afraid… it wasn't him."

She blinked. "Then who?"

I hesitated before answering. The name felt heavy on my tongue.

"Vivian," I said at last.

The air in the room seemed to shift. Gia stared at me, stunned.

"No... that's not possible," she whispered. "Vivi? She's been with me longer than anyone!"

She stood, shaking. "You said whoever did this had a motive. What possible reason would she have?"

Her eyes were glassy now.

"I know it's hard to believe. But it's the truth."

She looked away, lips quivering.

"Alright. I'll listen… but I hope you're wrong."

"Then let's talk about the chandelier," I continued.

"I checked the support beams. The metal was cleanly cut, exactly like the wounds Gorgroth got from the assassin's Lethal Precision."

Her eyes narrowed. "What about the rat head package?"

"At first, I thought it was the assassin. But something didn't add up. Vivian was with us the whole time. No chance to communicate with the assassin."

I smiled faintly. "Remember what happened?"

Gia tilted her head, thinking. "We were walking together. Me, you, Vivian, Elliot, and Barbados. Vivian opened the door… not long after, we heard her scream."

"Exactly," I said, snapping my fingers. "She screamed just as the rest of us were talking. Pretending to discover the package that she herself had planted."

Gia looked stunned.

"And the threat letter inside," I added, "Too neat. It didn't match the earlier ones from the deranged fan."

"Wait," Gia said, frowning. "When would she have prepared it? And why?"

"It was premeditated. The rat was dried out, clearly old. It was Vivian's backup plan. A distraction."

"A distraction?"

"To separate us."

Gia's breath caught.

"Didn't you find it strange?" I went on. "Vivian requested three separate rooms. And asked for the one next to yours to remain vacant. Said it was for your 'peace and privacy.'"

"So that's why you stayed in my room?"

I nodded. "I suspected something, but didn't have proof yet."

She fell quiet, piecing things together. Then her eyes snapped back to mine.

"Wait… that's why you showed me the Jasper Ring earlier?"

"Exactly," I said grimly. "It was in the assassin's pouch. Vivian herself was the one who told me she kept your Jasper Ring for safekeeping."

I held the polished ring up.

"She used it," I continued, "to communicate with the assassin."

Gia blinked. "Wait… are you saying she gave my Jasper Ring to him?"

"Yes. That's how he always found you. He was being guided."

I watched her face shift from shock to betrayal.

"And remember," I continued, "after the fight, what was the first thing Vivian asked?"

"She asked… if the intruder had been killed…"

"Exactly." I nodded. "Not if you were okay. She wanted to know if her assassin was dead."

Gia's face turned pale.

"Then she went straight to the body and searched it."

"You… you're right," Gia whispered, almost to herself.

"But I beat her to it. I found the ring in his pouch before she could retrieve it."

I flipped the ring in the air and caught it.

Gia stared at it, whispering, "I can't believe it… Vivian… she was always there for me."

"She played the long game," I said gently. "That's what made her dangerous."

"But… what was her motive?"

I took a breath and looked her in the eye.

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