Chapter 12: Echoes of the Past

Some ghosts refuse to stay buried.

And tonight, one had just whispered my name.

---

Gregor’s Last Mistake

The northern territories were quiet beneath the moonlight, the chill of the mountain air thick with the scent of damp soil and burning campfires.

Deep within the forests, a hidden mercenary stronghold stood at the edge of civilization, built for men who lived outside the laws of kings.

Inside, Gregor sat at the head of a long wooden table, surrounded by battle-hardened warriors.

His expression was grim, his face shadowed by flickering torchlight.

He thought he was rebuilding.

That this was only a temporary setback.

That he would rise again.

He was wrong.

Because tonight, his fate had already been sealed.

---

The Web Closes In

I sat in my study, my fingers lightly tapping against the wooden desk as I stared at the latest report from my spies.

Gregor had been gathering gold, weapons, and soldiers.

He was preparing for a return to power.

I couldn't allow that.

My informants had already compromised his supply chains, ensuring that his food and weapons were being tracked, manipulated, and, when necessary, destroyed.

Gregor believed he was in control.

But in reality?

He was walking straight into his own ruin.

I turned my gaze to my spy, who lounged on the nearby windowsill, golden eyes glinting with amusement.

“He’s nearly finished,” she said, smirking. “A few more weeks, and he’ll be begging for scraps.”

I exhaled slowly.

“No,” I murmured. “It’s time to end it now.”

Her grin widenEd. “What’s the plan, Your Highness?”

I picked up the sealed letter beside me—the final move in my strategy.

I held it up between my fingers and smiled.

“We let him believe he still has a chance.”

---

The Bait

The message reached Gregor’s hands by morning.

It was written in a carefully forged hand, designed to look like a secret offer from a powerful noble still loyal to him.

An invitation to a final, desperate gamble.

A rendezvous point. A promise of gold, soldiers, and a path back to power.

He wouldn’t be able to resist.

And once he arrived?

It would be over.

---

A Whisper from the Past

But before I could finalize Gregor’s end, something unexpected happened.

A second message arrived.

Unlike the first, this one was not expected.

It came with no seal, no identifying marks.

Just a single piece of parchment.

Five simple words.

"Do you still remember me?"

For the first time since my reincarnation, I felt a flicker of something cold.

Because this handwriting—

I had seen it before.

Not in this life.

Not in this body.

But in my past one.

As Azareth, the Demon Lord.

I turned the paper over, scanning for any sign of who had sent it. Nothing.

No threats. No demands. Just the question.

"Do you still remember me?"

I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tightening around the parchment.

This changed everything.

---

Evelyn Pushes Too Far

I was still thinking about the letter when Evelyn found me.

Again.

She had a habit of appearing just when things became interesting.

This time, she didn’t bother with politeness.

She walked straight into my chambers, closed the door, and locked it.

I raised a brow. “Bold of you, Princess.”

She ignored the remark, folding her arms.

“I want the truth.”

I tilted my head slightly. “Truth about what?”

She took a slow step forward, her violet eyes sharp.

“Don’t play games with me,” she said softly. “You knew Gregor would fall. You knew exactly where he would flee. And now, you look… distracted.”

She studied me, her voice quieter now.

“Something is bothering you.”

I exhaled. “You assume too much.”

Her gaze didn’t waver.

“No,” she murmured. “I see too much.”

Then, before I could deflect, she reached forward—and plucked the letter from my desk.

I moved instantly to take it back, but she had already stepped away, unfolding the paper.

Her violet eyes scanned the words.

Then, she frowned.

"Do you still remember me?"

Silence.

Then, she turned to me.

Her voice was quiet, but deadly.

“Who sent this?”

I met her gaze. “I don’t know.”

A lie.

She knew it.

I could see the way her fingers tightened slightly around the parchment, her mind racing.

Then, she exhaled.

“Lucian.”

I blinked.

She had never used my name like that before.

Not Prince Lucian.

Not Your Highness.

Just Lucian.

“You’re hiding something,” she whispered. “And I will find out what it is.”

Then, without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the flickering candlelight.

I exhaled slowly.

Evelyn was getting too close.

And soon, I would have to decide—

Would I let her in?

Or would I ensure she never got the chance to find out?

---

The Shadow Grows

That night, I sat alone, staring at the message.

My enemies were moving.

Gregor was moments away from falling.

Evelyn was dangerously close to the truth.

And now, a ghost from my past had returned.

I had spent my entire second life hiding my true identity.

But if someone from my old life had discovered me…

Then perhaps it was no longer a question of if I would reveal myself.

Perhaps it was simply a matter of when.

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