The Imperial Palace of Augustus had returned to its usual rhythm.
It had been only one day since Nihil Mora returned from the Academy after completing his Soul Weapon.
Yet the palace already felt different.
Nihil was no longer the twelve-year-old prodigy who had first entered the Academy.
He was now eighteen years old.
The rumors surrounding him had grown alongside him.
His name was known throughout Elysara.
His Soul Grimoire, EXISTENCE, contained knowledge that scholars could only dream of understanding.
His artifact, Nihil’s Heart, had changed the world’s understanding of Life Energy.
His artificially created race, the Zhilkai, had introduced another mystery into the world.
And his Soul Weapon—
DEUS EXCIDIUM.
That weapon alone had caused countless rumors.
Some called Nihil a genius.
Others called him a monster.
But inside the Imperial Palace, Nihil was still simply Aurelius Augusta’s son.
And on this particular afternoon, he was doing something far less extraordinary.
He was playing chess.
THE CHESSBOARD
A private room inside the palace had been prepared for Aurelius and Nihil.
A large wooden chessboard rested on a table between them.
Aurelius sat on one side.
Nihil sat opposite him.
Several pieces had already been removed from the board.
Aurelius stared at the remaining pieces.
His expression was serious.
Nihil, meanwhile, looked completely relaxed.
Aurelius finally moved his queen.
AURELIUS:
“Your move.”
Nihil looked at the board.
He studied it for several seconds.
Then he moved one of his pieces.
NIHIL:
“Check.”
Aurelius immediately frowned.
He leaned closer.
AURELIUS:
“Already?”
Nihil smiled.
NIHIL:
“You left an opening.”
Aurelius looked at the board again.
AURELIUS:
“An opening?”
NIHIL:
“Your attention was focused on attacking my right side.”
He pointed toward the pieces.
NIHIL:
“So you neglected the center.”
Aurelius slowly leaned back.
AURELIUS:
“You’re getting better.”
Nihil smiled.
NIHIL:
“I’ve had a good teacher.”
Aurelius raised an eyebrow.
AURELIUS:
“Are you complimenting me?”
NIHIL:
“I’m stating a fact.”
Aurelius laughed.
AURELIUS:
“You’re still impossible to read.”
Nihil looked at the chessboard.
NIHIL:
“That’s the point.”
Aurelius moved his king.
AURELIUS:
“Chess is useful for more than entertainment.”
Nihil nodded.
NIHIL:
“I know.”
AURELIUS:
“It teaches you something important.”
Nihil waited.
AURELIUS:
“Never assume the piece attacking you is the real threat.”
Nihil’s eyes narrowed slightly.
NIHIL:
“You’re talking about politics.”
Aurelius smiled.
AURELIUS:
“Of course.”
He moved another piece.
AURELIUS:
“Politics is simply chess played with people instead of pieces.”
Nihil considered his father’s words.
NIHIL:
“Then the most dangerous player is the one who doesn’t need to move.”
Aurelius paused.
Then he smiled.
AURELIUS:
“Exactly.”
Before the game could continue, the door opened.
A familiar woman entered.
It was Ilyra Augusta, Nihil’s stepmother.
She looked toward the chessboard and smiled.
ILYRA:
“Are you two still playing?”
Aurelius glanced at her.
AURELIUS:
“He’s winning.”
Ilyra looked surprised.
ILYRA:
“Again?”
Nihil smiled.
NIHIL:
“Father is improving.”
Aurelius immediately looked offended.
AURELIUS:
“Improving?”
Ilyra laughed.
She walked toward them and pulled out a chair beside Nihil.
ILYRA:
“Move over.”
Nihil shifted slightly.
Ilyra sat beside him and studied the board.
After a few seconds, she pointed toward one of his pieces.
ILYRA:
“You should move this.”
Nihil looked at her.
NIHIL:
“Why?”
ILYRA:
“Your king.”
She pointed toward it.
ILYRA:
“He’s too exposed.” This story is hosted at g.com.
Nihil examined the position.
ILYRA:
“You’ve been focusing on controlling the board.”
She smiled.
ILYRA:
“But sometimes the most important thing isn’t controlling everything.”
She moved one of Nihil’s pieces.
ILYRA:
“Sometimes you protect the king first.”
Nihil looked at the new position.
A small smile appeared on his face.
NIHIL:
“That’s a good strategy.”
ILYRA:
“Of course it is.”
Aurelius laughed.
AURELIUS:
“Don’t let her fool you.
She only says that because she doesn’t want you losing.”
Ilyra turned toward him.
ILYRA:
“And you don’t?”
Aurelius immediately became silent.
Nihil laughed quietly.
For several minutes, the three remained together.
It was an ordinary family moment.
Something Nihil rarely allowed himself to enjoy for too long.
Then—
The door opened once more.
This time, Lilyana Augusta entered.
Nihil’s biological mother held a sealed letter in her hand.
She looked toward the chessboard.
LILIYANA:
“Am I interrupting?”
Nihil looked up.
NIHIL:
“No, Mother.”
Lilyana smiled.
She walked toward him.
LILIYANA:
“Good.”
She held out the letter.
LILIYANA:
“A letter for you, son.”
Nihil took it.
He immediately noticed the seal.
It wasn’t the Imperial seal of Augustus.
The symbol belonged to another house.
Nihil examined it carefully.
NIHIL:
“Who is it from?”
Lilyana smiled slightly.
LILIYANA:
“You have an invitation.”
Nihil looked at the envelope.
NIHIL:
“An invitation?”
LILIYANA:
“Yes.”
Nihil turned the letter over.
NIHIL:
“For what?”
Lilyana answered calmly.
LILIYANA:
“A ball.”
Aurelius stopped moving the chess pieces.
Ilyra’s expression changed slightly.
Nihil noticed both reactions.
He looked back at his mother.
NIHIL:
“From whom?”
Lilyana’s expression became more serious.
LILIYANA:
“House Erebus.”
Silence filled the room.
Nihil looked down at the seal again.
NIHIL:
“House Erebus…”
Aurelius nodded.
AURELIUS:
“They finally sent one.”
Nihil looked toward his father.
NIHIL:
“You expected it?”
AURELIUS:
“After your return from the Academy?”
He smiled faintly.
AURELIUS:
“I expected it sooner or later.”
Ilyra crossed her arms.
ILYRA:
“House Erebus doesn’t invite people casually.”
Nihil broke the seal.
He opened the letter.
His eyes moved across the formal invitation.
A grand ball.
A gathering of noble families.
An invitation extended to the heir and representative of Augustus.
Nihil read it silently.
Then he folded the letter.
NIHIL:
“I’ll go.”
Lilyana immediately looked at him.
LILIYANA:
“Are you sure?”
NIHIL:
“Yes.”
LILIYANA:
“You don’t have to.”
Nihil looked at his mother.
LILIYANA:
“If you don’t want to attend, you can refuse.”
Nihil smiled.
NIHIL:
“I know.”
LILIYANA:
“Then why go?”
Nihil looked toward the window.
Beyond it stood the enormous Imperial Palace and the capital of Augustus.
NIHIL:
“Because I’m curious.”
Aurelius smiled.
AURELIUS:
“About the ball?”
NIHIL:
He looked at the invitation.
NIHIL:
“About House Erebus.”
Ilyra nodded.
ILYRA:
“Then perhaps you should know what you’re walking into.”
Nihil turned toward her.
Ilyra continued.
ILYRA:
“House Erebus is the strongest noble family in the Demon Realm.”
Nihil listened.
ILYRA:
“They have influence over countless demon families, territories, armies, and political factions.”
Aurelius added:
AURELIUS:
“Just as House Augustus stands among the strongest powers of the human kingdoms, House Erebus stands at the top of the Demon Realm.”
Nihil nodded slowly.
NIHIL:
“So this isn’t simply a party.”
AURELIUS:
“Nothing involving House Erebus is ever simply a party.”
Lilyana sat beside Nihil.
Her voice became softer.
LILIYANA:
“That’s why I wanted to make sure you understood something.”
Nihil looked at her.
LILIYANA:
“You don’t have to prove anything to them.”
Nihil smiled.
NIHIL:
“I wasn’t planning to.”
LILIYANA:
“Good.”
She gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
LILIYANA:
“Then go because you want to.”
Nihil nodded.
NIHIL:
“I will.”
Aurelius looked at his son.
AURELIUS:
“There’s another reason this invitation matters.”
Nihil raised an eyebrow.
NIHIL:
“What?”
Aurelius looked toward the seal.
AURELIUS:
“House Erebus and House Augustus have spent generations watching each other.”
He paused.
AURELIUS:
“Sometimes as rivals.”
ILYRA:
“Sometimes as enemies.”
Lilyana continued.
LILIYANA:
“And sometimes as potential allies.”
Nihil became silent.
The words interested him.
NIHIL:
“An alliance?”
Aurelius nodded.
AURELIUS:
“Perhaps.”
Nihil’s expression remained calm.
But his eyes became more focused.
NIHIL:
“Then I’ll attend.”
Aurelius smiled.
AURELIUS:
“Good.”
Nihil returned his attention to the chessboard.
NIHIL:
“But before we discuss politics…”
He moved one of his pieces.
NIHIL:
“We still have a game to finish.”
Aurelius stared at the board.
Then his expression changed.
AURELIUS:
“…You planned this?”
Nihil smiled.
NIHIL:
“Perhaps.”
Ilyra laughed.
ILYRA:
“He’s already thinking three moves ahead.”
Lilyana shook her head affectionately.
LILIYANA:
“That’s my son.”
Nihil looked at the chessboard.
The pieces stood across the battlefield.
Kings.
Queens.
Bishops.
Knights.
Rooks.
Pawns.
Every piece had its purpose.
Every move had consequences.
And somewhere beyond the borders of Augustus, another player had just made its first move.
THE GREAT FOUR HOUSES
The invitation from House Erebus would not remain a private matter for long.
House Augustus was one of the great powers of humanity.
House Erebus was one of the great powers of the Demon Realm.
And they were not the only ones.
Across Elysara, the Four Great Houses possessed influence that extended far beyond ordinary kingdoms.
Their decisions could change wars.
Their alliances could reshape nations.
Their conflicts could destroy generations.
And now one of those houses had invited Nihil Mora.
The eighteen-year-old prodigy who had returned from the Academy with a legendary Soul Weapon.
The creator of Nihil’s Heart.
The creator of the Zhilkai.
The boy whose name had recently become synonymous with something terrifying.
The Monster of Augusta.
But Nihil himself didn’t seem concerned.
He simply sat at the chessboard.
Calm.
Patient.
Curious.
Unaware—or perhaps fully aware—that the invitation in his hands was the beginning of something much larger.
A ball.
A meeting.
An alliance.
And eventually…
A promise of peace.
Yet before that peace could ever arrive, Nihil would have to enter the world of nobles.
And House Erebus was waiting for him.