The air within House Silver Star 's estate was heavy with tension. Though the halls remained quiet, filled only with the soft flicker of candlelight, Lucian knew better. Silence did not mean the absence of danger—it meant the calm before the storm.
Somewhere within noble society, someone had begun working against him.
He had received the warning.
He had heard the whispers.
And now, he was preparing to pull them into the light.
---
### Tracking the Shadows
The message had been carefully crafted—no insignia, no clear origin, only veiled words meant to signal awareness.
Lucian had examined every stroke of ink, every possible interpretation of the writing, and with his All-Seeing Eyes, he detected the subtle magical imprint woven into the parchment.
An encoded trace.
A clue left behind by someone smart enough to conceal their identity—but not skilled enough to erase all evidence.
He activated his magic, allowing the faint echoes of energy to reveal the thread leading back to its source.
And within moments, he knew.
The opposition was not from a single noble faction.
It was a hidden council—a secretive force operating beneath noble politics, comprised of those who sought to control the unseen.
They were watching him. Studying him.
And worse—they were beginning to act against him.
---
### A Dangerous Revelation
Lyra had grown restless.
She had watched Lucian absorb the warning without visible concern, but now, she could feel the shift—the way his mind turned with quiet precision, crafting the next step in a game no one else knew the rules to.
"You found them, didn't you?" she murmured.
Lucian leaned against his study's window, observing the moonlit city beyond his estate. "Not fully," he admitted. "But I've identified their reach."
Lyra exhaled sharply. "A secret council? That changes everything."
"It does," he agreed.
Because now, he was no longer fighting against individual nobles.
He was fighting against an organization skilled in the art of deception.
---
### The Next Move: A Calculated Trap
Lucian had two options.
1. Direct Confrontation – He could expose the council publicly, forcing them into noble conflict before they were prepared.
2. Subtle Entrapment – He could infiltrate their ranks from within, feeding them false information, manipulating their decisions, ensuring their collapse on his terms.
The second option was far more effective.
And soon, even the hidden rulers would unknowingly begin playing directly into his web.
Because control was not just about knowledge—it was about ensuring that no one else truly possessed it.
---
### A Future of Unseen War
The game had shifted.
Lucian was no longer fighting for influence—he was defending the empire he had built before anyone could tear it down.
And as noble society continued watching, waiting, suspecting—he prepared his next move.
Because true rulers did not simply fight wars.
They ensured the war was won before the first battle even began.