Mr Vandinel asked them all to take a seat as they all came back from his speech. Hal could see the anxiety on all their faces, except Albert, who seemed quite happy with what had just happened.
He got up and bowed down to the detective, who looked up attentively
"Dear acting ruler, please permit me to serve my Lady one last time before the selection fully kicks off into high gear"
The humble butler spoke with respect and grace towards the detective, who nodded in agreement as Albert excused himself and quickly left the scene
Mr Vandinel waited for him to leave before bringing his attention back to the members of the Silver Sword
"Why, Albert, though, you could have selected any other person from our company, and besides, you once said that you don't trust Albert, what changed?"
Hal couldn't control how commanding his voice sounded, but he was not going to let such trivial things stop him from knowing what he wanted. ed
"It's all part of my gamble to bring down the cult"
His voice was serious as he leaned back on his sofa with the arrival of servants who quickly served them tea and left
"Gamble, you really haven't changed in ten years, have you, Vandinel?"
Hal was surprised to hear someone speak so casually to Mr Vandinel, but he could never mistake the owner of such a voice as he turned and saw Lady Roxanne, who carefully took a sip of her tea before throwing a strange gaze at the detective, who merely shrugged.
"Can't say the same for you, Roxanne, you've changed a lot since you left your family"
'Now his tone changes to a more casual one. Was he waiting for her to talk to him first?
Mr Vnadinel was really a hard person to read. He kept too many secrets, but was on a chase to find more.
The look on Lady Roxanne's face also shifted as it became colder at the mention of her family. Come to think of it, Hal bearly knew anybody's family background.
Apart from the fact that Lyrrah claims to be the rightful heir to the throne, and that Tai's dad was a low-ranking noble, he did not know particularly that much about the people he was working with
His mind was quickly pulled from his thoughts as he heard Mr Vandinel continue his briefing.
"Before I can tell you anything, you have to know I won't be telling you everything, only the things you need to know at the current moment, like what we have found out so far"
Mr Vandinel took out a small notebook from the pocket of his coat, which had a brown cover that was generally bland for the most part.
Lady Roxanne opened the notebook and read from it as the detective offered commentary.
"So far, we have been able to deduce that the disappearances are orchestrated by the blue moon cult, who have fully integrated themselves into the lives of the noble class. We also found out that they use a catalyst to carry out their kidnappings, but the catalyst can't be moved until the end of the selection and that this will be the last selection"
Lady Roxanne's eyes moved from left to right at a high pace as she read all the notes that the detective had made so far. She smiled as she placed the notebook back onto the table.
"These are really nice discoveries, Vandinel, but how are they supposed to help us solve this case, and while you hold all the nobles captive?"
Vandinel let out a sigh as he crossed his fingers while still holding his cane in the middle.
"This is because with these clues, I was able to deduce how this harvest of theirs works, and it all ties up to the blue moon. According to my deductions, the catalysts were already placed, long before the selection started"
"Why would you think that, detective?"
Hal was curious to find out the detective's thoughts as his mind started to cook up its own theories.
"I believe you have a theory of your own, and as my apprentice, I expect nothing less"
Hal revised his theory a little more with the help of his marks, and he was quite sure that what he was about to say would make sense.
"Because it's less suspicious, if the catalyst arrived during the selection, it would be either to figure out, so they must place the catalyst at different times before the selection even starts"
Mr Vandinel clapped for Hal with a smile on his face
"Yes, that's accurate, my predecessors have been chasing these cultists for generations if and they were all great detectives who would have picked up on that. They may be mad men, but these cultists are smart and cunning, but there is still a loophole hole"
"That the catalyst can't be moved once it is placed right"
Tai spoke in a calm demeanour with his legs crossed as if trying to mimic the way scholars always conducted themselves in discussion. Either way, Mr Vandinel nodded, agreeing with his claim, as another question came flying from Tai
"But if the catalyst is placed before the succession, then what was the deal with the attack on the Harleyclover Mansion?"
"I'm glad you asked, as I said, it all ties back to the blue moon. Remember what we heard when we attended that cult meeting and the words that Helen told you?"
Hal stroked his chin as realisation caused a glint in his eyes
"Wait, they needed to offer a sacrifice to the moon, and according to Helen, all the people who have gone missing are not dead but are being stored, could it be?"
"Yes, they needed another catalyst that would harvest the duke's soul instead of storing it. It also gives me a brief explanation of how the catalyst works, the chef had to offer himself to the king, and we were also asked to offer ourselves to join, so maybe the catalysts bypass that"
The puzzle was slowly solving itself in Hal's mind as suddenly it all came together.
"The blue moon, maybe it does the same thing as the catalyst, but on a grander scale, but it harvests instead of stores, so the blue moon must be slowly harvesting from the only one not being protected by the catalyst"
Mr Vandinel nodded
"I came up with the same conclusion, the curse had very similar symptoms to soul exhaustion, and that could be the most valid use of the blue moon, which is why I came up with this gamble, an unexpected move from their opponent"
Joset folded her index finger and touched it touch her lower lip
"This truly explains the gamble. I think I understand it now"
There was a sense of understanding in almost all the members present as the detective now spoke in a calmer tone
"Deprive them of their power through the nobles, squeeze them into a tight corner with no suitable escape and then introduce a tiny hole in the structure. And like air, you will know exactly where the puncture is. Find the puncture, solve the problem. You will be the only ones allowed access out of the palace. We'll use it to carry out investigations. They will not escape my grasp this time"
The plan was sound, he had denied them access to any authority through the nobility and since the catalyst we not in the palace as well, there was no way for them to carry out the harvest and if their suspicions a boy Albert are right, he would be there only way to smuggle the catalyst in plus with access to the mansion they can investigate and possibly find these catalyst"
Hal could not control the smile that appeared on his lips, but then he felt his heart ache as a thought came to mind.
"But then again, we may be the ones being played"