The music ended, and the guests dispersed.
The Wilson Family's ball ended early.
After all, a ball that had turned into a murder scene was no place to linger.
The Wilson Patriarch stood on the second-floor balcony, watching the evening's guests leave one by one, his gaze dark.
Beside him, the Wilson Family's old butler followed his gaze to the back of Black, the last guest to leave.
"Patriarch, are you really letting him go?"
"What? Do you think shielding a man who killed someone in public at a Wilson Family event will damage the family's reputation?"
The old butler hurriedly bowed and shook his head.
"No, Patriarch. Everyone has seen how tirelessly you've worked for the Wilson Family. I'm sure you had your reasons."
"Ah. In the end, you understand me best."
The Wilson Patriarch sighed.
"You may not know this, but before Black killed that man in public, he watched me in secret. The look in his eyes..."
The Wilson Patriarch shuddered.
He felt as though the Death God had brushed past him.
The old butler's expression changed sharply.
"Patriarch, you mean... Black didn't attack Augustus because Augustus, as an illegitimate son, provoked him? He did it... he did it deliberately to see how you would respond?"
The Wilson Patriarch nodded firmly.
"Exactly! Otherwise, given Black's position now, if he truly wanted to deal with an illegitimate son, he could have done it long ago. Why choose the Wilson Family's ball? Why kill him in public and give such a laughable excuse that no one would believe?"
"Black's move had to mean something!"
A flicker of fear crossed the old butler's eyes, and even his voice trembled.
"Of course. Black is a ruthless man who found traitors using only a few documents. How could someone like that act