Eugen sat across from Yvon, his heart pounding like drums of war.

  He had spoken out of turn. No, it was worse than that—he had insulted his employers, his sponsors. People who could ruin him with a mere word.

  And based on what he knew about the twins, his life might very well be on the line.

  Yvon lounged in his chair, his sinewy arms draped lazily over the armrests, his vivid green eyes gleaming with amusement that scared Eugen. His pink hair tousled in an effortless way made him seem more of a flirt than a threat at first glance but no, Eugen felt that beneath that easy smirk lay something cold, dark, and dangerous.

  Yvette sat behind him, poised and unreadable, her long pink hair cascaded over her shoulder and she barely seemed to care or even acknowledge the tension in the room. With her slim frame, elegant posture, and porcelain skin, she looked like a doll carefully displayed in a case.

  Her green eyes held no warmth at all. She looked as though she was bothered by all this and wanted it over and done with.

  During his time as Yvonne’s attendant, she would often express her concerns about her youngest siblings.

  “Ywon is arrogant and reckless,” she told him, “a boy who believes he’s above everyone, even those of higher rank. I’m worried that one of these days he’ll get into the kind of trouble that not even I or our family can help him with…”

  “And, what of the other young miss?” Eugen had asked once.

  “Oh… her? Yvette is… a spoiled child,” Yvonne had said with a heavy sigh. “She’s worse than Yvon. She throws tantrums when things don’t go her way and won’t hesitate to resort to violence! I truly don’t know what to do with them. I’m their older sister. I’m supposed to steer them towards what’s right but when I try to keep them in line, they resist me at every turn!”

  That was what he knew.

  So now, as he sat—locked in this dimly lit room—staring at Yvon’s sharp and mischievous grin and Yvette’s unreadable expression, he feared for his life.

  They brought him to a secret location. Toini pulled a lever in the kitchen, opening a hidden door that led down a dark hallway leading to where they were now, an office.

  “Where am I”, Eugen asked himself, his stomach twitching, “Is this how I die?”

  Then, suddenly, the door burst open.

  A towering, broad-shouldered, muscular, man strode in, arms weighed down by the stack of paperwork in hand. His dark skin glowed under the dim lantern light, and the furrow of his brow made his sharp features look even more imposing.

  His midnight-blue hair was roughly parted from obvious frustration. He moved with the confidence of a warrior, but his current battle was clearly bureaucracy.

  "Tsk, these files should've been sorted yesterday! I told those rascals to finish these by sunset but as usual, they didn't listen."

  Eugen barely had enough time to react when the man turned, noticing the other people in the room.”

  "Oh, it's just you chiefs,” he said, sounding less irked and more disinterested. “I was wondering why the others were frantic. Sigh, and here I thought a high-profile customer came by."

  A tad bit irritated, Yvon replied, "I don't think that's something you say to your bosses, now is it, Nacht?"

  Eugen froze.

  That name.

  That voice.

  A horrible hunch started to form in his gut.

  In Vreqiseon there was a famous and elusive guild known across the empire—Yugen.

  They were infamous, working for anyone willing to pay, regardless of social class. They were excellent allies and dangerous enemies.

  And one of its four chiefs of staff was named Nacht, the "Swordsman of the Night,"

  A former vigilante who was pardoned for his crimes after his contributions during the civil war.

  Eugen trembled, his body went cold.

  He examined the room again. Frantically, putting the pieces together.

  "N-Nacht?! A-As in,Nacht of Yugen? A-Am I in Yugen?" he stuttered.

  With a deadpan expression, Nacht turned to Toini.

  Toini.

  A voluptuous, tan-skinned woman with red hair lazily tied up in a loose ponytail. She leaned against a wall, arms crossed, and her golden yellow eyes piercing.

  Eugen’s friend and colleague for years now seemed like a stranger.

  "What did they drag in now?" Nacht.

  Eugen shook. This wasn’t just some secret office.

  This was a den of lyrixes and he was their prey.

  Eugen gathered his courage and asked,“H-He—I mean—Mister Nacht, c-called the Young Master and Young miss ‘chiefs’... D-Does that mean that t-they are who I think they are?”

  Yvon grinned, “Aren’t you a smart cookie?”

  Toini nodded, pushing herself off the wall. "That's right. The youngest cygnets of Oryx are the leaders of Yugen."

  "Eugen stumbled to his feet, panic overriding better judgment.

  “W-What does Yugen want from me? W-Why did you bring me here?!"

  “Woah, easy there,” Yvon said, leaning back with that ever-present smirk playing on his lips.

  He let Eugen flounder for a moment before answering.

  "What do we want from you? Well, that's easy!” his smirk widened. “What we want is what any employer wants when fine talent appears—we want to recruit you."

  Eugen blinked.

  Out loud, he stammered, "D-Did I hear you right? Y-You want to recruit me? W-Why would Yugen want me?"

  Yvon’s playful air shifted. His signature smirk was still plastered on his face but those green eyes now darkened. Tainted with a coldness that couldn’t be masked. He exuded dominance and that made Eugen quake.

  “Yugen is searching for someone to become our resident doctor,” Yvon said smoothly. “In simpler terms, we need your medical expertise. Not to mention, you come from a family of merchants, your knowledge about the trade will come in handy.”

  Eugen was flabbergasted, dumbfounded even. But his fears were greater than any other emotion he felt at the moment.

  “D-Do I even get a choice here?!” Eugen exclaimed. “You revealed to me that you two are the chiefs of Yugen. Can I even live if I decline this?”

  Yvon laughed, "You’re still going on about how we’re murderers, huh?”

  Then, his expression turned unreadable.

  “Tell me, Eugen,” Yvon asked, his voice lowered, dangerously amused, “What kind of people do you think we are?"

  "I-I know exactly what kind of people you are!"

  “Do you?” asked Toini, her voice calm and steady.

  “You called them murders and monsters, but do you even have the evidence to back it up?”

  “You know me, Toini. I don’t accuse someone without evidence,” Eugen said defensively. “There’s evidence that they poisoned Phoebe!”

  She raised a brow. “Your witness was a six-year-old who’s only ever seen colorful sprinkles on cakes so when he saw the twins add *cirel he thought it was something suspicious. And besides, wasn’t that already cleared up in the investigation?”

  “T-That’s your defense?” Eugen retorted, “That he was too young to know any better?”

  “It’s not about age,” she said, stepping up. “It’s about facts. The investigation revealed that what the twins added was cirel bark, thanks to that we also found out that Phoebe was deathly allergic to it and that she failed to mention it in her employment form. It was her neglect to inform her employers of her health related matter that nearly killed her and that is hardly a conspiracy on the twins’ part.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “T-That doesn’t change the fact that there was poison found in Phoebe’s slice,” Eugen pressed. “They were the ones who handled the cake—“

  “Yes,” Toini cut in. “They handled the cake but you and I both know she won’t put whatever the twins gave into her mouth, just like you didn’t. So think about it, would Phoebe actually eat the slice they gave her? No, she wouldn’t.”

  “And aside from the two of them there was another person handing out cake, wasn’t there? And between her and them, Phoebe would trust her more, don’t you think?” she asked.

  Eugen’s blood ran cold.

  “She ate the piece someone else gave her,” Toini added. “But of course, who would suspect the golden girl of anything sinister?”

  “And come to think of it, what was it that you told me after Phoebe recovered? Being nursed by your ever so kind Yvonne,” Toini asked, “That she seemed different than before.”

  Nacht, sensing the conversation taking a dangerous turn, tried to intervene. “Oi, Toni—”

  He was about to interrupt but Yvon raised his hand, halting Nacht.

  “It fascinates me how you’re ready to accuse my bosses at the drop of a hat all while seeing no fault in your precious crown princess, who—by your logic—is equally as suspicious,” Toini added.

  “What are you trying to say?” Eugen said.

  “That you’re right,” she replied. “I do know you well which is why I know that while you’re very smart, your biases keep you from seeing the full picture, focusing only on what you want or have been led to see.”

  “Hence why you call the real monster a friend.”

  “Why are you going around circles, Toini?” Eugen asked after Toini said that.. “If you have something to tell me you better just speak up.”

  “You suspect the Young Miss and Young master of poisoning Phoebe, yet why didn’t you question her radiance’s innocence?”

  “Because she isn’t capable of doing something so heinous, unlike her siblings!”

  “No,” she said flatly. “You didn’t question it because of the image you have of the crown princess. For you and many others she’s a literal noble character. Her image is rooted so deep that most don’t even entertain the thought of her doing something heinous”

  She continued, “It’s the natural reaction many have when it comes to the crown princess.”

  Toini snickered, “Yes… Something natural. That is also the reason why someone as smart as you didn’t question it when Uchus—your beloved hometown—was taken over during the recent war. Because it’s natural that territories are overtaken by enemy nations in war. But once you stop looking through the biased lenses you’ve been seeing the world through you’ll start to see the cracks in the painting. The things you’ve been missing.”

  “So… What would happen if I told you that Aewratis didn't simply take over Uchus by their overwhelming military but because an insider helped them take your home?”

  Scarred deeply by the war and the pain it caused, Eugen shouted, “What did you just say?! Toini! You better have some evidence to back that up, because that is a bold claim to make!”

  Toini threw two folders onto the table and Eugen’s hands trembled as he opened them. One file contained reports on the food poisoning case, clearing the names of the twins, and the other contained detailed evidence of an insider selling off not just Uchus, but several small territories of Vreqiseon to Aewratis during the most recent war. It outlined how this insider had seen it as a strategic decision to ensure the long-term stability of the empire, negotiating underhanded deals to concentrate resources on critical battles and avoid more devastating defeats.

  The report detailed the discreet execution of the insider's plan, secret negotiations entrusted to loyal intermediaries, secret codes, and encrypted messages used to coordinate with the enemy. As Eugen read the entire report, his world shattered. The insider was none other than the future empress of Vreqiseon.

  “Like you, I don’t make bold claims without evidence,” Toini said as she poured herself a cup of tea, “And just so we’re clear, Yugen’s reports are unbiased.”

  “We don’t work with bias,” she added,. “It’s bad for business.”

  The expression on Eugen’s face changed as he read through the reports. His voice was barely a whisper when he said the name of the insider.

  “The person responsible for Uchus’s fall was… Her radiance… the crown princess Yvonne?”

  ?

  For as long as she could remember, Toini had lived in the Sunglen estate.

  It was one of the many perks of her parents had being both the head attendants to Count Aldous and Countess Dulcenia Oryx. For most of the staff, the estate wasn’t just a workplace—it was home, for them and their families.

  She had many friends among the staff’s children but none were as dear to her as Yvette and Yvon. Twins born into a life of prestige yet treated like an afterthought.

  Growing up, she would often describe Yvon as bold, brave, and careless as the young child would often drag her and his twin to unexpected situations like the time he took them exploring Sablewood Forest—a dangerous place filled with wild animals that is also said to be home to a legendary creature *Fyrnix.

  Yvon had been the one constantly roping her into trouble. Bold, reckless, and daring. He lived for the thrill of adventure—dragging Toini and Yvette to places of wonder and danger, like the time he insisted on exploring Sablewood Forest—a place filled with wild animals that is also speculated to be the home of the legendary *Fyrnix.

  Yvette on the other hand, was a quiet storm. Here serene green eyes hid a thousand unreadable thoughts, she was the type to watch and calculate before making her move. Toini had nicknamed her *Firn—like the gemstone. Because like the gemstone, she was resilient, enduring pressure without breaking.

  Because she was close to the family, Toini knew just how complex they were.

  For six generations, the House of Oryx had governed Sunglen. They were known to be politically neutral, siding only with those whom they deemed helpful to the prosperity of their domain—and in certain situations, the empire as a whole.

  Count Aldous and Countess Dulcenia were exemplary leaders—better than their predecessors, even.

  But as parents?

  They were disastrous.

  Toini had seen it firsthand. They loved their children—certainly. But… not equally.

  Whether consciously or not, their attention gravitated toward the eldest two.

  Yves, the firstborn, was a prodigy of swordsmanship. From a young age, valorian academies, guilds, and private brigades had fought to gain his favor. He was disciplined, talented, and everything a noble was expected to be.

  Yvonne, the second-born, was brilliant. She wasn’t just skilled with a blade but also possessed a sharp mind and exuded elegance and grace. She was the golden child, deemed the flower of high society even as a child, the one with the most promising future.

  With so much attention poured into the eldest, Toini couldn’t understand why they couldn't seem to spare some time for the twins.

  Toini watched them desperately seek scraps of their parents’ affection but no matter what they did they were always in the shadows. Always being compared, it was an unspoken truth that people pitied the twins for being short of their older siblings’ capabilities

  And that wasn’t all.

  Because she grew up in the estate with the Oryx children, Toini was one of the few people who knew the truth about the crown princess.

  The darling of the empire, the imperial woman praised for her elegance and kind heart, was nothing more than a facade.

  And she found out the hard way.

  She was six when the comital family had been asked to star in a famous magazine. It was supposed to capture their daily life, a glimpse into their family. And that was the day that Toini saw Yvonne for who she truly was.

  Accidentally locking herself in a hidden room during a game of hide and seek with other staff’s kids, she peeked through a crack in the wall and watched as the then nine-year-old Yvonne brutally raised her hand against her five-year-old little siblings.

  The scene burned itself in her memory.

  Yvon, who was usually so lively, so confident, was trembling on the floor, clutching his cheek where Yvonne had slapped him. Yvette, usually so composed, was frozen in terror, her small hands shaking as she held onto her brother.

  And Yvonne…

  Yvonne was smiling.

  “My sweet little brother, you’re not listening to me,” Yvonne said in a voice so saccharine it made Toinis stomach turn.

  She knelt beside Yvon, titling his chin up, forcing him to meet her eyes.

  “I told you twice, you had to break the vase.”

  Hiccupping, he replied, “B-But Grams bought the vase for Mommy. T-they’ll be sad if I break it!”

  Yvonne let out a soft sigh.

  “Yvon, that’s not right,” she murmured sweetly. “Remember your role. You’re supposed to be the naughty boy. That’s who you are. If we want this to be a beautiful story, we each have to play our part. If you don’t, how can I be the responsible older sister? If you act otherwise, the story gets all messed up. If you don’t act the way you’re meant to, people will think we’re a family of liars.”

  “You wouldn’t want that, would you?” she asked the child, sounding so pitiful.

  “N-No! B-but, Mommy likes that vase!”

  Yvonne snapped, “Why are you so selfish?! Do you not care how our family will appear if you don’t stick to your role?!”

  Then, she turned to Yvette.

  The little girl stiffened but before she could protest, Yvonne grabbed her wrist and and yanked her forward.

  “Stay,” she ordered as though Yvette was a mutt.

  She dragged Yvon to the bedpost and tied him up.

  Without hesitation, she lifted Yvette’s skirt and struck her calves with a cane.

  A thin red line bloomed across the child’s porcelain skin.

  Another strike.

  And another.

  Then another.

  And more until her calves bled.

  The little girl tried to muffle her cries but couldn’t help but let them out once every while.

  “Hush now Yvette,” Yvonne instructed. “You’re a noble! Show dignity even in pain.”

  After the whipping, Yvonne hugged Yvette and consoled her.

  “Disobedient children are punished but there are those that can be punished in their place,” said Yvonne. “Look at what you made me do, Yvon! You know that Yvette wouldn’t want you to be hurt but you have to be punished because you were disobedient so I punished her instead of you.”

  “You’re the reason she’s hurt, Yvon.”

  Yvon sobbed, “P-Please don’t hurt her! No more… I’LL BREAK THE VASE! I’LL STICK TO MY ROLE!”

  Yvonne released him and he dashed towards Yvette, the both of them trembling in fear. Yvonne knelt to meet their eye level and embraced them.

  “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” she cooed, kissing each of their foreheads as though she didn’t just whipped her little sister, forcing her brother into submission. “I love you both so much. Don’t forget that.”

  And so, Yvon did exactly as she instructed. He knocked over the vase, ruining several of the painter’s supplies. Just like she planned, Yvonne swooped in to save the day offering her art supplies as compensation while apologizing profusely for her brother’s actions.

  And just like that, the story she had in mind was set.

  The painters talked about Yvon’s recklessness.

  The staff whispered about Yvonne’s selflessness and maturity.

  No one questioned a thing.

  It was on that day that Toini realized that things were not as they seemed. The Yvonne whom many loved was nothing more than an illusion, a facade. As time went on, her deceit, control, and twisted view gradually worsened.

  Yvonne Nayelli Skye Oryx, now Laurenne, was no sweet darling.

  She was a monster. A woman who could bend the world around her, and shape it to how she wanted.

  And the twins the world shunned?

  They were nothing more than puppets she was controlling.

  Years passed and the twins were now far older, sharper, and more dangerous. Molded by the darkness they grew up in. Yet in the face of Yvonne, they were still those helpless and scared children. Scarred and broken.

  Seeing the truth Toini decided, she would stick by the two people she treasured like family and she would not leave them alone as their family as.

  While those caught in her web of lies saw Yvonne as a gem, those who knew the truth was aware that she was a nightmare.

  And Toini believed that one day, the same children she tormented would be the ones to end it all.

  ACE IN THE HOLE GLOSSARY

  Creature

  Fyrnix - creature resembling a fox with a striking coat of iridescent red and orange fur, reminiscent of flames. Its most distinctive feature is its bushy tail, which contains specialized glands that secrete a volatile, oil-like substance.

  Miscellanous

  Food and Drinks

  irel - reddish-brown powder ground from the dried bark of the cirel tree, a hardy plant that grows in warm, arid regions. Like cinnamon