Chapter 182 Chess Game

Chapter 182 Chess Game

"You make a good point."

Ashfall strode over to Erwin with unhurried steps, his pure blue eyes boring into him. "But why should I believe you're not a spy Leo planted?"

"Simple."

Erwin paused, his voice carrying undisguised coldness. "That lunatic Leo only sees me as a tool to use against Louis. He thinks throwing me a little support means I'll be grateful? Laughable!"

"I've endured for twenty-five years for one reason—to regain control of the Valois family. Whether I rely on Leo or The Evernight Order makes no difference to me. I'll work with whoever can give me what I want."

"And right now…"

Erwin looked at Ashfall, his expression utterly sincere. "I know perfectly well that only The Evernight Order can truly give me everything I want. Someone like Leo will eventually discard me like a used pawn. Rather than wait for him to betray me, I'd rather proactively choose a more powerful backer."

Erwin's words rang with complete sincerity.

More importantly, his logic perfectly matched the mindset of an ambitious power-seeker.

A flash of satisfaction crossed Ashfall's pure blue eyes.

"Interesting."

A knowing smile curved Ashfall's lips. "Looks like you really are a smart man."

"No! Impossible!"

Louis's voice began to tremble as he unconsciously backed away. "Ashfall! You can't trust him! This has to be Leo's scheme! It has to be!"

No... please, no...

Louis screamed inwardly, but he knew it was too late.

He could tell—Ashfall was convinced.

This arrogant Templar Knight was seriously considering Erwin's proposal.

Yet Ashfall merely shot him a cold glance.

That look—like viewing worthless trash, or perhaps an annoying fly.

"Louis."

Ashfall spoke slowly, his voice cold as a blade. "Your usefulness has come to an end."

"What?"

Louis hadn't processed what was happening.

The next second—

Ashfall's figure vanished from where he stood, moving at speeds far beyond human limits.

By the time Louis registered it, Ashfall's slender hand had already pierced through his chest, five fingers like the sharpest blades, tearing through flesh with ease.

Louis's eyes went wide, blood flooding from his mouth.

He looked down in disbelief at the horrifying wound in his chest, blood gushing out like a fountain.

"Why..."

Louis used his last strength to force out a resentful question.

Ashfall simply withdrew his hand expressionlessly, pulling a pristine white handkerchief embroidered with The Evernight Order's emblem from his pocket, elegantly wiping away the blood still dripping from his fingers.

"You're asking me why?"

Ashfall looked down at the dying Louis from above, his voice carrying ultimate indifference and even a hint of mockery. "Because you've outlived your usefulness. What good is a waste who can't even control his own family?"

"Besides..."

"The Evernight Order knew nothing about the massacre at the Valois Manor all those years ago from the start."

"All of that—you orchestrated it yourself. You conspired with the Black Dragon Society on your own to usurp power. The Evernight Order only took over management of the Valois family afterward. We're innocent."

"You understand what I'm saying?"

These words were Ashfall's way of pinning everything on Louis. How could The Evernight Order not have known back then?

But by the time Louis heard these words, he no longer had the strength to refute them.

Blood continuously spilled from the corners of his mouth, pooling into a glaring puddle on the carpet.

Ashfall turned around, looking at Erwin and Pierre, that lofty, arrogant smile returning to his face. "Now, Louis is dead. All the blame dies with him."

"Erwin Valois, from today forward, you are the new head of the Valois family. The Evernight Order will support you from the shadows, help you consolidate your position, and eliminate all obstacles."

"In exchange, you will continue cooperating with all of The Evernight Order's arrangements. Understood?"

"Understood."

Watching Louis die at his own master's hands, Erwin sneered inwardly, though outwardly he maintained an appropriately flattered and anxious demeanor.

The lofty Templar Knight had no idea that what he thought was bloodlessly securing a premium chess piece was actually swallowing poison-laced bait from Reaper's hand.

From today on, the Valois family would be The Evernight Order's cash cow on the surface, but in the shadows, it would become Leo's intelligence network for probing The Evernight Order's core secrets!

"Good."

Ashfall nodded with satisfaction, a flash of approval in his pure blue eyes. "Now, take your old steward and leave. Remember, our cooperation must never be known to anyone. Especially... Leo."

"Rest assured."

Erwin said respectfully, his voice carrying a hint of cold amusement. "To outsiders, Leo and I are just using each other. He helps me reclaim the family headship; I provide him intelligence. Nothing more. Once I've consolidated my position, I'll naturally find an opportunity to cut ties with him completely."

"Smart."

Ashfall waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away some insignificant servant. "Go. Remember to say Louis's death was suicide out of guilt. Better for everyone that way."

"Yes."

Erwin and Pierre slowly retreated from the sitting room, their footsteps fading through the empty hall.

When the heavy oak door closed again, Ashfall's smile vanished.

The side door to the sitting room suddenly swung open.

A tall figure in a black trench coat, cigar burning between his lips, walked in with measured steps.

The cigar's orange glow flickered in the dim light, smoke curling slowly upward.

It was Leo.

Ashfall spun around sharply, a flash of surprise in his eyes, though he quickly recovered that arrogant expression.

He even adjusted his pure white suit collar, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Reaper, you got here pretty fast."

Ashfall stood with his hands in his pockets, a knowing smile on his lips, his tone full of victor's superiority. "Unfortunately for you, your scheme didn't work."

Leo glanced at Louis's unseeing corpse on the carpet, a trace of something like regret crossing his face.

"Shame."

He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his voice low. "Real shame. I went through all that trouble pushing Erwin to the forefront, planning to use him to expose you Evernight Order rats hiding in the sewers under France's spotlight."

Leo looked coldly at Ashfall. "Didn't expect you to move so fast. With Louis dead, that thread's cut."

Seeing Leo's "frustrated" appearance, the sense of superiority in Ashfall's chest swelled to its peak.

"Expose The Evernight Order? Leo, you're too arrogant and too naive."

Ashfall stood with hands in pockets, his lips curling with undisguised mockery. "You think The Evernight Order cares about one measly Valois family?"

"Even without Louis, without the Valois family, we have hundreds, thousands of replacements ready to activate across this continent!"

"As for that exile called Erwin—in my eyes, he's completely worthless!"

These words seemed to demonstrate The Evernight Order's deep resources, but actually concealed Ashfall's self-satisfied "brilliant calculation."

He deliberately belittled the Valois family in front of Leo, and especially worked to completely distance The Evernight Order from Erwin.

His goal was to thoroughly "whitewash" Erwin—who had just sworn loyalty to him—in Leo's mind.

Ashfall arrogantly believed that as long as he made Leo think Erwin had been ruthlessly rejected by The Evernight Order, Leo would continue treating Erwin as a puppet for dealing with Valois family remnants.

This way, Erwin—this perfect hidden piece—could flawlessly lurk under Reaper's nose, continuously feeding intelligence to The Evernight Order.

Thinking of how he'd bloodlessly outmaneuvered this Europe-renowned Reaper, the smugness in Ashfall's pure blue eyes practically overflowed.

Yet he had no idea that his current self-satisfied superiority was all within Leo's precise psychological profile.

Leo understood these types who fancied themselves gods all too well.

The deadliest weapon against the arrogant wasn't force—it was letting their arrogance guide them to slip the noose around their own necks.

"Since the Valois family thread is cut..."

Leo returned the cigar to his lips, a murderous intent reigniting in his deep eyes. "Then using the head of a distinguished Evernight Order Templar Knight as tribute seems like decent compensation. Killing you means tonight wasn't a complete waste."

However, Ashfall merely smiled contemptuously.