Kael quietly pushed open the door to his room.
The soft creak echoed in the stillness.
There—sitting on the edge of the bed—was Selene. Her expression was tight with worry, hands clenched in her lap.
Before Kael could say a word, she rose and rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his chest.
"What were you doing there?" she whispered. "Are you hurt?"
Kael gently returned the embrace, his voice calm.
"I'm fine. It had to be done."
They sat together at the table, the candlelight casting long shadows across the room.
After a long pause, Kael finally asked,
"Have you found anyone for the organization?"
Selene gave a small nod.
"One. A man from the War God's Temple. Inner disciple. Promising, but I need more time to look into his past."
Kael nodded, thoughtful.
"Good. And don't bother with the Night Goddess Temple. I've already arranged that."
Selene raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Then Kael leaned forward, his voice lowering with gravity.
"Now tell me… what's been happening in the house?"
Selene nodded, her expression hardening.
"Your father's condition is worsening. The king is sending a Divine Doctor—he's expected to arrive in two days."
Kael raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Two days..."
Selene hesitated, then spoke with finality.
"There's a ninety percent chance your eldest brother will rebel tomorrow."
Kael leaned back, thoughtful, his fingers tapping the table once.
"Yeah… I've thought the same. He's been too careful. Paranoid, even. He's prepared an army—over a hundred Rank 2 magicians—but didn't move even when Father was injured."
He paused.
"But with the Divine Doctor coming... once Father's healed, it'll be too late for him. So tomorrow is his only window."
Selene nodded grimly, the weight of the moment pressing into the quiet between them.
Selene's brows furrowed, her voice low and troubled.
"What is the Duke thinking? Why hasn't he acted? If your brother rebels… how will he survive that?"
Kael didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he gave a faint, mysterious smile, eyes distant.
Selene narrowed her gaze.
"You know something, don't you?"
Kael leaned back slightly, calm and unreadable.
"Just wait. You'll see tomorrow."
She pouted, folding her arms.
"I hate when you do that."
Kael only chuckled under his breath, the flicker of candlelight catching the edge of his smile.
"What about General Morien?"
Selene looked up.
"He went north to the Astanian border, but after your duel with Aerik… he turned back. He's probably arriving today."
Kael's gaze sharpened slightly.
"So, they're all gathering."
She nodded.
"Yes. And it's no secret—General Morien supports Aerik. Everyone knows that."
Her tone dropped, laced with frustration.
"But why? Why is the Duke still silent?"
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice low and certain.
"He's waiting for an excuse."
Selene looked puzzled.
"An excuse?"
Kael didn't look away.
"The Duke can't move against General Morien without a clear reason. Not yet."
She nodded slowly, the weight of it sinking in.
"Right... Until the Duke has a proper cause, he can't act. Morien isn't just a general—he was appointed by the King himself. His role is to keep the Duchy in check... to watch the Duke as much as serve him."
Kael gave a slight nod.
"Exactly. That's why the Duke waits. But tomorrow… that excuse might just come."
Selene's voice was soft, but edged with concern.
"What will you do, Kael?"
Kael chuckled quietly, leaning back in his chair.
"I'll do nothing."
She blinked. "What?"
"Yeah." His smile was calm—too calm.
Selene gave him a deadpan stare, unimpressed.
"You're joking."
He let out a quiet sigh, eyes half-lidded with thought.
"No. I've already done everything that needed doing."
He stood, stretching slightly, then offered her his hand.
"Now… we wait. And the pieces will fall into place on their own."
Selene hesitated, then took his hand. He pulled her gently toward the bed.
The room dimmed into stillness, the quiet stretching between them.
Kael looked over at her, his voice soft but firm.
"Sometimes the best moves are the ones made long before the game even starts."
Selene leaned into him, not fully convinced—but trusting.
***
In the damp, torch-lit expanse of the underground chamber, Veyran stood before a force that should have shaken the Duchy to its core.
One hundred Rank 2 magicians.
Disciplined. Ruthless.
Far beyond the competence of the common ducal guard.
Before them, two figures stepped forward—Veyran's most trusted lieutenants.
One was Cerin, a cold-eyed tactician once exiled from the Royal Academy for forbidden magic theories.
The other, Rael, a former knight-commander stripped of title, loyal to Veyran after the Duke cast him aside.
Veyran looked out over the gathered strength and clenched his jaw.
"Why hasn't my father moved?" he asked, voice low and sharp. "He's seen everything… yet he does nothing."
Silence hung in the chamber. Then Veyran's voice dropped further, taut with suspicion.
"What weapon is he hiding?"
Silence
Suddenly, Cerin broke the silence.
"Perhaps, young master… the Duke has no hidden weapon at all."
Veyran turned to him slowly, a single brow raised.
"What are you suggesting?"
Cerin's voice cut through the tense silence.
"To stop you from rebelling, maybe the Duke was just acting like he didn't care—putting on a mask of indifference. Inside, he's fearful. Afraid of losing control."
He paused, meeting Veyran's eyes steadily.
"So long as you remain unsure, doubting his strength, you won't move."
A sudden clarity dawned on Veyran.
He chuckled softly, a laugh full of dark admiration.
"You're truly brilliant, Cerin. Thank the gods you're on my side."
He turned toward the gathered magicians, voice resolute.
"Then it's settled. We rebel—tomorrow."
Soon, Rael stepped forward, voice booming through the cold stone chamber.
"For honor! For power! For the future Duke—Veyran!"
The army responded, a rising tide of voices swelling in unison.
"For Veyran! For the true heir!"
The chants grew louder, reverberating through the underground halls like thunder.
"Rise up! Seize the throne! The time is now!"
Veyran's chest swelled with pride and certainty.
Tomorrow, he thought, I will be Duke.
###
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! If you enjoyed the chapter, please take a moment to leave a review—it really helps motivate me to keep writing! I'd also love to hear your suggestions or thoughts on how the story could improve or where you'd like to see it go next. Your feedback means a lot!