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Chapter 595  A Battle of Deception (1)

The Minister, Theron, paced anxiously in his office, awaiting updates from the guards. He had been restless ever since the masked assailants had attacked Reaper and Bella.

Thankfully, no harm came to the mercenaries, and they even managed to keep one of the assailants alive. The man could provide valuable information about the culprits and offered a glimmer of hope for the Orions to redeem themselves.

Unbeknownst to Theron, the glimmer of hope had long since been erased from existence right under their noses.

The heavy wooden door creaked open, and two guards stepped inside, their expressions grave.

Theron\'s eyes narrowed as he met their gaze. "Report," he demanded, his voice laced with urgency.

"The prisoner... we found him dead in the morning, sir."

"What?"

The guards who had been tasked with keeping watch over the prisoner stood before Theron, their heads bowed in remorse. One of them, a seasoned veteran named Captain Alden, spoke up with a heavy heart.

"Minister Theron, we did everything in our power to keep the prisoner secure. But someone managed to slip past our defences and poison him."

Theron froze, his heart sinking. The weight of the situation bore down on him, threatening to crush his resolve.

The prisoner had been their only lead, their only chance to catch those responsible for the attack on Reaper and Bella. And now, that opportunity had slipped through their fingers, shattered by an unknown hand.

Fury surged within Theron, burning through his veins. His fists clenched at his sides, and his voice boomed with rage and frustration.

"How could this happen, Alden? I put you in charge of this damned operation for a reason!"

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, staring at Alden. Their voices were barely above a whisper, but they immediately quieted down as the captain began speaking.

"Minister, I had assigned my most trusted men to guard the prisoner. They reported no signs of foul play until it was too late. The poison was swift and undetectable-"

Theron slammed his hand against his desk, his eyes blazing with intensity. "This is an utter failure of our security measures! We cannot allow such negligence to happen within the walls of the Orion Empire over and over!"

Captain Alden lowered his gaze, his voice filled with regret. "I can assure you, Minister, that we will thoroughly investigate this matter. We will find out who was responsible for the prisoner\'s death and bring them to justice."

Theron took a deep breath, attempting to calm the raging storm within him. He knew that now was not the time for anger alone. He had to channel his fury into action to ensure the Empire remained safe from those who sought to destabilise it.

"Carry out your investigation swiftly," he commanded, his voice steady. "Leave no stone unturned. We must find the ones responsible for this act of sabotage and make them pay for their crimes."

"Yes, sir!" Alden saluted as he left the chamber by himself.

Theron sank into his chair, his mind racing. The prisoner\'s loss severely affected their investigation, but he couldn\'t afford to dwell on it. He had to keep moving forward, adapt and find alternative paths to uncover the truth.

"There\'s more to it than I had initially assumed..." he whispered while the guards kept staring at him.

Theron then got up and paced back and forth, his mind racing. He was a man of action, not one to be deterred by setbacks. He knew that time was of the essence, that the culprits responsible for the attack on Reaper and Bella were growing bolder with each passing day.

"It seems I have underestimated our adversaries," Theron muttered, his voice tinged with disappointment. "We must redouble our efforts to uncover the truth. The Emperor trusted us with the safety of Reaper and Bella, and we cannot fail him."

"May I add something, sir?" One of the guards hesitated before speaking, his voice tentative. "Minister, could it be possible that the families are behind this?

They might see Reaper and Bella\'s newfound status as a threat to their positions and think eliminating them like this was the best choice?"

Theron paused, considering the guard\'s words. The thought had crossed his mind before, the notion that the noble families might have orchestrated these attacks.

The rise of a mercenary duo to the ranks of royalty was a bitter pill to swallow for many, and the allure of power could drive some to desperate measures.

As Theron pondered over the guard\'s words, he realised something. The attack on Reaper and Bella and the poisoning of the prisoner could all be a part of a larger plan, one that threatened the foundations of the Orion Empire.

"You may be onto something," Theron said, his tone thoughtful. "The families might indeed have a motive to rid themselves of Reaper and Bella. They could be using their influence to manipulate events from behind the scenes."

The guards nodded in agreement, relieved that the Minister had acknowledged their theory. Theron continued, his voice filled with determination.

"We cannot afford to let these attacks go unanswered. I want every lead pursued, every stone unturned.

Increase the security measures around Reaper and Bella, and gather a team to thoroughly investigate the noble families. We need to uncover any potential connections or motives they may have."

The guards nodded, their resolve renewed. They had failed in their duty to protect the prisoner, but they were determined to rectify their mistakes. With a final salute, they turned and exited the office, leaving Theron to grapple with the weight of his responsibilities.

Theron took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenges ahead. He knew that their task would be challenging and that the road to uncovering the truth would be filled with obstacles and deception.

But Theron was resolute. He would not rest until those responsible for the attacks on Reaper and Bella were brought to justice. Whether it was the noble families or a deeper conspiracy at play, he was determined to unearth the truth and protect the Empire from the looming threat.