As Aric strolled down the shadowy halls of the Duke's fortress, a chill ran up his spine.
Then the voice of the System resonated in his mind.
[ Ding! ]
[ System Alert: A New Chance Has Emerged. ]
[ The Road of Domination is Never Free. ]
[ New Ability Unlocked: Sovereign's Embrace ]
[ Effect: Enables the user to exert an uncontrollable control over the people in front of them. The weaker they are, the simpler it is to twist them. The stronger they are… the more difficult. ]
[ Flaw: The more you use it, the more it will be ever more difficult to tell loyalty apart from plain submission. ]
[ Do you accept? ]
Aric's footsteps slowed, his silver eyes glinting.
A power that would allow him to mold others to his command?
Luring. Extremely luring.
But the drawback…
It was that eventually, he wouldn't be able to distinguish who was truly loyal to him—and who was a puppet.
Aric smiled. That was something for the future.
For the moment…
[ Yes. ]
---
The instant he accepted, a bolt of raw, unseen power coursed through him.
For an instant, Aric's breath caught, his muscles knotting. His veins flared—but not with agony.
It was power.
Delicate, ethereal.
As if there was a layer of reality knitting itself above his head.
He curled his fingers.
Something felt different.
And he was about to find out what.
---
---
Aric slipped from the castle after nightfall, stalking silently, decisively.
He discovered Evelyne where he had hoped—within the empty manor house which she used as a haven.
She occupied a candlelit table, lost in thought, scoured over by a battle-planned map.
He simply opened the door.
Evelyne's head jerked up. Her golden eyes narrowed. "You could at least pretend to be polite."
Aric smiled. "And you could pretend to lock your doors."
She blew out sharply through her nose but didn't argue.
As he stepped closer, something changed.
She braced—just a little.
A flicker of uncertainty in her otherwise keen eyes.
So… the power works.
Aric cocked his head to one side. "You're nervous."
Evelyne's jaw tightened. "I don't get nervous."
Aric smiled, coming towards the table, his presence weighing down on her—lightly, subtly.
A test.
Evelyne stood, but Aric caught the way her fingers trembled against the table.
A small tell.
She could sense the tension between them.
".What do you want, Aric?" she asked, her voice smoother now.
He leaned against the table, his eyes never leaving hers. "The Duke wants me to keep an eye on you."
She snorted. "Of course he does."
Aric's smile grew. "But I'm not going to do that."
For the first time, doubt crossed her face.
"Why?" she demanded.
Aric waited, letting the silence build.
Then spoke, his voice gentler, colored.
"Because I want you to succeed."
Evelyne's jaw fell open, but nothing came out.
A reaction.
And Aric could feel—it wasn't so much what he'd said.
It was him.
The pull. The presence.
Her breathing hitched just barely before she managed to force herself away.
".You're playing a very dangerous game, Aric."
Aric's smile widened. "So are you."
She exhaled, her head shaking. "If you're not going to do any snooping, then what's your agenda?"
Aric leaned closer. "To tip the balance."
Evelyne's face clouded. "And how exactly do you intend we do this?"
Aric's grin continued to broaden.
It was time now to make his next move.
---
But just as he was about to open his mouth—
[ Ding! ]
[ System Notification: Warning! ]
[ Sovereign's Embrace has been triggered. Target's will is wavering. ]
[ Additional Effect Available: Submission Triggered. ]
Aric's smile faltered ever so slightly.
What?
He hadn't thought the System would make a move on its own.
Evelyne blinked rapidly, relaxing her expression—as if something had momentarily clouded her mind.
Aric took a small step back, observing intently.
Was this. the weakness?
If he pressed too hard, too fast, he might snap something he didn't intend to.
A dangerous tool.
A double-edged sword.
But for the moment?
It was his to wield.
And the real game was only just beginning.