The news of Shiro Arcadia's death hit the halls of Arcadia's inner sanctum with the weight of a falling empire. Two of the most important figures in Shiro's life—Selene, his right-hand woman and commander of the Arcadia conjurers, and Hank, his loyal butler—reacted in stark contrast, reflecting their unique bonds with him.
Selene stood in the training yard after her battle, where she often drilled the First Line of Arcadia conjurers. As word of Shiro's death reached her, a strange stillness came over the yard. The conjurers, sensing their leader's internal turmoil, remained silent, weapons held at the ready but unused.
Selene's grip on her sword tightened, and a sharp exhale escaped her lips. For a moment, she said nothing, staring off into the distance, the weight of the news sinking in.
"Shiro... dead?" she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible.
Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but outwardly, she remained calm—cold, even. Selene had trained herself for years to show no vulnerability, no weakness. As Shiro's right-hand woman, she had to be the one to shoulder the burdens he could not. And now, she had to shoulder the loss of the man she had followed so loyally.
She turned to her team, her expression hardening. "We don't have time for mourning. We move forward," she commanded. "Arcadia doesn't fall because of one death. Even Shiro's."
Her conjurers were taken aback. They had all looked up to Shiro, many of them believing him to be invincible. And yet, here was Selene, unshaken—or so it appeared. But beneath the surface, Selene was wrestling with emotions she hadn't felt in years: sorrow, anger, and a deep sense of betrayal by fate.
In private, she allowed herself a brief moment of vulnerability. Inside her quarters, Selene sat in silence, her mind replaying the countless missions she had carried out for Shiro. He had been more than just a leader; he had been the one person she believed in without question. Now, without him, she felt adrift. For all her strength, she couldn't help but feel a deep void.
This wasn't supposed to happen, she thought, clenching her fists. Shiro wasn't supposed to die.
But if anyone else saw her in this state, they wouldn't recognize the cold, calculated commander. By the next morning, Selene was back to leading with an iron fist, determined to keep Arcadia's conjurers ready for whatever came next.
Hank's Reaction
Meanwhile, back at Shiro's mansion, After Hank, Who had just finished helping Ruman , received the news in a much more personal way. Unlike Selene, Hank's bond with Shiro wasn't one forged in battle, but rather in years of quiet servitude and companionship. He had seen Shiro grow from a young, ambitious man into the leader of an empire. And now, that empire was without its king.
Hank stood in the grand hall of the mansion, staring at a portrait of Shiro that hung above the fireplace. His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted his glasses. It wasn't often that Hank was caught off guard, but this was one of those rare moments. The old butler's face, usually composed and serene, was now etched with grief.
"Master Shiro..." Hank whispered, his voice barely breaking the silence of the room.
He had seen death many times in his years of service to the Arcadia family, but never had it felt this personal. Shiro was more than just a master to him; he was like a son. A son who had achieved greatness but had also walked a path filled with danger at every turn. Hank had always known that one day Shiro's choices might lead to his demise, but he never thought that day would come so soon.
Hank took a deep breath and straightened his posture. Despite his grief, he knew what had to be done. He had been Shiro's closest confidant, and now, it was his duty to ensure that everything Shiro had built didn't fall apart in his absence.
Walking down the long corridors of the mansion, Hank began issuing orders to the staff. "Ensure that all of Master Shiro's affairs are kept in order. We will not allow the Arcadia name to fade into chaos."
Unlike Selene, Hank allowed himself the space to grieve, but he did so quietly, in the privacy of his own quarters. He sat at Shiro's desk, the same one where Shiro had made countless decisions that shaped the future of the Arcadia empire. The memories of conversations, plans, and late-night strategy meetings flooded his mind.
"This house feels empty without you," Hank muttered, staring out the window at the vast Arcadian estate. "But I will uphold your legacy, as I always have."
Hank's grief didn't cloud his judgment, however. He knew that with Shiro gone, the shadow council would take control, and there would be dangerous power plays in the days to come. But Hank wasn't just a butler—he was the keeper of Arcadia's deepest secrets. He knew things even the shadow council didn't, and if necessary, he would use that knowledge to protect what Shiro had built.
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The Fallout
As the days passed, the different reactions to Shiro's death became more apparent. Selene focused on maintaining order, pushing her soldiers to new limits in preparation for the inevitable conflicts to come. She would not allow Arcadia to fall, even without Shiro at the helm.
Hank, meanwhile, worked behind the scenes, making sure that the house of Arcadia continued to run smoothly. He contacted allies, reassured business partners, and maintained the public face of the Arcadia industry.
But deep down, both of them knew that without Shiro, the future was uncertain. Ronen's disappearance only added to the tension. The shadow council was now in control, and their motives were far more dangerous than anything Shiro had ever pursued. The question wasn't just how Arcadia would survive, but who would rise to fill the power vacuum left by Shiro's death.
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The chapter ends with Selene training alone, her mind sharpening her resolve, while Hank, back in the mansion, prepares for the storm brewing in the shadows of the empire.