Sister Beckett's death struck fear into the hearts of the people. Many began to doubt that the Ottomans were behind this murder, as they were not followers of Jesus and strictly adhered to Islam, which was beginning to spread throughout Western Europe.
Wartburg, situated in Central Europe, had strict laws against Islam. Proselytizers were beheaded without investigation. People started to grow suspicious of the castle regarding the recent string of murders, but they were too afraid to act. They knew all too well the consequences of standing in Ranavalona’s way. Moreover, they had no clues, no direction to start a formal complaint. While some whispered about protests, the majority stayed silent in fear.
As news of these events spread beyond Wartburg, carried by merchants and travelers, it reached the ears of powerful figures across Western and Northern Europe. Eventually, it made its way to the higher ranks of the European Continent Security Army (ECSA), where Douglas MacArthur served as Supreme Commander. Douglas, who was Frenec Nadaskov’s older brother by eight years, had joined the ECSA at the age of 14. After many battles, he had risen to lead the combined forces of Eastern and Western European counties, castles, and civilian armies across the continent.
Douglas had always kept an eye on Wartburg, aware of its troubling practices—like sending children and prisoners to Wallachia without clear sentences and the brutal executions like beheadings. However, out of respect for his brother, he had never taken legal action against Wartburg. But since Frenec’s death, he began to reopen these cases. His instincts told him something was amiss, even suspecting that Frenec might have been murdered or poisoned.
Ranavalona, ever careful, had covered her tracks. She oversaw all of Frenec’s cremation rites within the castle walls, refusing him the burial with royal formalities and rituals reserved for the elite. His body would not lie among the honored dead of the castle.
Frenec had returned from war heavily wounded. Barely clinging to life, he made it back to Wartburg. Physicians and healers from all over the region were summoned, but the damage to his spine and left leg left him bedridden. A special team of servants was assigned to tend to his every need as his health slowly deteriorated.
Douglas decided it was time to bring Ranavalona’s reign to an end. He was determined to carry out his plan without causing harm to the civilians of Wartburg village or the common people within the castle. He wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and ensure that the fall of the castle would not lead to any clashes between counties, which could potentially spark a war. His goal was for this operation to be done swiftly, simply, and cleanly.
Douglas immediately convened a table conference, calling upon high-ranking officials in food distribution, finance, and the church, including the pope himself, to discuss the plan he had in mind. The matter was delicate, and Douglas knew he would need strong evidence to avoid political conflict.
He assembled a special team, drawing members from each of the councils. Their first mission was to gather sufficient evidence, witnesses, and proof against Ranavalona for the brutal murders that had occurred over the past three years. Additionally, Douglas instructed them to review Wartburg’s old records, focusing particularly on the period when Frenec had left for war and the time before his return.
With a warrant issued under Douglas’s own hand, bearing the official seal of the European Continent Security Army (ECSA), the team set off for Wartburg. The warrant stated clearly:
"This team is hereby dispatched to conduct an inquiry into the legal and ethical issues that have arisen in recent years. This order comes directly from the Supreme Commander of the European Continent Security Army (ECSA). All security personnel and citizens of Wartburg are required to fully cooperate with the investigation. Any form of resistance or obstruction will result in legal action being taken against those responsible."
Ranavalona received the ECSA members with utmost respect, fully aware of the implications of the investigation. She understood that any actions taken against these officials could lead to her downfall and potentially result in her imprisonment. Thus, she ordered her personal and security guards to cooperate fully with the ECSA members and to follow their directives without question.
The team began their investigation with the castle's servants and security guards. ECSA members from various departments explored different areas of the castle, including the food storage, armory, cabinet room, and the gardens surrounding the castle. They had been granted unrestricted access to all areas, both inside and outside of the castle.
Villagers reported multiple cases of girls who had gone missing after being sent to the castle, and they frequently referenced the death of Sister Beckett on Christmas Eve—a tragedy that many found difficult to forget or forgive.
Meanwhile, Douglas dispatched a contingent of soldiers to Wallachia to release innocent individuals who had been imprisoned there without any formal documentation. He allowed those freed to join the ECSA, provided they met the necessary criteria.
Ranavalona sensed that the situation was turning against her. In light of the villagers' complaints, she ordered a thorough search of the castle grounds for the missing girls. The investigation also included probing into the cases related to the Ottomans and the locations where these girls might have been buried.
After hours of digging in various corners of the backyard, they uncovered a secret tunnel leading from her room. Within this hidden area, they discovered a number of bodies. Among them were the remains of the girls and women reported as missing.
Many of the bodies were unidentifiable, while others were in various stages of decomposition. The castle's proximity to the shore had contributed to the state of the remains, as the soil allowed them to linger in this condition.
One thing was evident across all the recovered bodies...
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