Dominance System: Rise of the Lustborn Overlord

The Crimson Kingdom was a city of excess, of corruption, of the place that power wasn't granted — it was seized. As Aric and Selene walked through the crowded streets of the capital, people turned to look at them.

Some stared at Selene in recognition. The rest stared at Aric, feeling something dangerous and unknown in his presence. They didn't yet know who he was, but they would soon.

They knew where they were headed: Duke Vaelis' estate, the most powerful noble house in the kingdom.

For Aric, this was no mere meeting. It was a declaration of war.

As they drove through Aric watched the streets closely. The Crimson Kingdom was a land of riches and refuse, of abundance and rot. Golden rooftops of grand estates towered high above the slums, casting shadows over the starving bodies below.

Merchants spread out their exotic wares in the streets—spices, silks, and enchanted blades. Pickpockets glided between the distracted nobles, quick as ghosts. And everywhere, the crest of the royal family loomed above, a constant reminder of who really had the power.

Aric smirked. They believe themselves above it all." We'll see how long that lasts.

They appeared to pass through the Silver District, home of nobility. Where the streets had been crowded before, here, the roads were clean, decorated with lanterns and statues of past rulers. What an abyss of arrogance and self-importance!

Selene remained quiet beside him, her knuckles white as she gripped the reins. She had been raised in this world of privilege and power, but now she returned as a different creature altogether.

Aric glanced at her. "Regretting your choice?"

She hesitated, then exhaled. "No."

She wasn't lying. But she was afraid.

He smirked. "Good."

The gates of the House loomed ahead, House Vaelis.

As any daughter of House Vaelis knew, a palace was just a fortified shell. Baldachin's high walls of polished stone, iron gates decorated with the family's shiny hawk crest, and elite guards standing at attention.

They were met the minute they arrived; the guards were on it.

"Halt!" One of them — a weathered knight with a scarcutting across his jaw — took a step forward. His eyes went wide, on Selene, shock holding him in place.

"My lady?" His voice wavered. "We thought you were—"

"Dead?" Selene finished coldly. "Clearly, I am not."

The guard hesitated, his eyes darting to Aric. "Who is this?"

Aric climbed off slowly, allowing his mere presence to diffuse over them. Long explanations were unnecessary.

"I am the one that brought her back."

The guards exchanged nervous looks. They could sense something in him — something primal, something dangerous.

The veteran knight swallowed. "We will… notify the Duke."

The gates swung open. Aric smirked.

House Vaelis' great hall was what Aric expected: a throne room from wealth and arrogance.

Huge chandeliers filled the chamber with golden light. They had red carpets rolled across their polished floors. Noblemen murmured to their neighbors as Selene and Aric walked past, their stares flicking between curiosity and scandal.

At the end of the hall, Duke Vaelis waited.

The man was tall and broad-shouldered, and he was draped in the finest crimson silk. His hair was silver and slicked back, and his sharp eyes fixated on Selene with an expression that was neither relief nor joy.

It was calculation.

Aric chuckled inwardly. Not the reunion you were hoping for, is it?

"Selene," the Duke said; his tone was level. "You live."

Selene stood tall. "I do."

A tense pause.

"Explain."

No warmth. No fatherly embrace. Only demand.

Aric stepped up, speaking for her.

"She was taken," he said easily. "Sold to the men who had just ruined her. I took her back."

The court fell silent.

Duke Vaelis finally turned his eyes to Aric. Sharp. Calculating. Dangerous.

"And who," the Duke inquired, "are you?"

Aric smiled.

"The one who saved your daughter."

And just like that, the power shuffle commenced.