Lord of Deception

A Kingdom in Fear

The capital of the White Throne was supposed to be Kael's now.

The nobles had surrendered. The people had bowed. The throne itself had been claimed.

And yet, fear still gripped the city.

Not fear of Kael—but fear of something else.

At first, it had been just a whisper. A rumor spreading through the streets.

Then the first sighting had been reported.

A knight clad in silver, standing atop the ruined watchtower.

A knight who should have been dead.

Selene's Restless Night

Selene had not slept since the fall of Lucian.

She spent her nights staring at the ceiling, listening to the silence of the castle.

Even now, in the comfort of silk sheets, she felt cold.

Lucian had been everything to her once. A guiding light. A dream of something greater.

But Kael had proven that dreams were illusions.

She had chosen power.

So why did she feel so… hollow?

A sudden chill ran down her spine.

She sat up, heart pounding.

Something was wrong.

A presence—watching her.

Slowly, she turned toward the balcony.

And there, standing in the moonlight—

Lucian.

Her breath hitched.

Armor gleaming silver. A tattered cape drifting in the night breeze.

He stood motionless.

Watching her.

Selene's hands clenched the sheets. "No… That's not possible."

She had seen him die.

She had seen his body burn.

And yet, he was here.

She forced herself to stand, her legs unsteady. "Who are you?"

No response.

Her heart raced. Was this a ghost? A trick?

Or had she made a mistake?

Had Kael made a mistake?

The knight raised a hand—not in threat, but in mourning.

A silent farewell.

Then he was gone.

The cold night air bit into her skin.

Lucian was dead.

Then why did it feel like he had never left?

Kael's Uncertainty

The next morning, Kael stood in his throne room, fingers tapping against the armrest.

The reports had spread too quickly.

People spoke of Lucian's return. Some said his spirit had risen to protect the kingdom. Others believed a new champion had taken his name.

And then there was Selene.

She had not spoken a word all morning.

Kael studied her carefully.

She looked… lost.

"Did you see him?" he finally asked.

Her fingers tensed. "...Yes."

His gaze sharpened. "And?"

"He didn't say anything. He just… watched."

Kael's grip on the throne tightened.

A warning.

He had spent his life manipulating, conquering, bending people to his will.

But something about this felt… different.

Was it an illusion?

Or had he underestimated something?

Kael exhaled through his nose. "It doesn't matter. Whoever this imposter is, I'll crush them like I did Lucian."

Selene didn't respond.

He leaned forward. "Unless you're having doubts."

Her eyes met his.

For the first time, there was no submission. No hesitation.

Only uncertainty.

And Kael did not like that.

The Shadow of War

By nightfall, the rumors had grown into something worse.

Rebellion.

A force was rising in the east, led by a warrior wearing Lucian's insignia.

And this time, it was not just peasants whispering in fear—

It was the nobles.

The same nobles who had once sworn loyalty to Kael.

Kael stood at the top of his fortress, staring at the distant mountains.

The world was shifting too quickly.

He had won, hadn't he?

So why did it feel like his grip on power was already slipping?

For the first time since he had reincarnated in this world—

Kael felt something he had never felt before.

Doubt.

And that, more than anything, was dangerous.

Because in a world ruled by manipulation and power—

The moment you doubt, you begin to lose.

To be continued.....