LightReader

romance

The side-Character's Gambit

Rias wakes up in pain—only to realize he is no longer in his own world. He has transmigrated into The Ascension of the Third Born, the very novel he once wrote. Worse, he is not the hero, the villain, or even a rival worthy of attention. He is Rias von Leonhart: the duke’s illegitimate son, a fragile noble with low mana, no talent, and a fate so insignificant that his death barely earned a paragraph in the original story. Surrounded by prodigies within the fearsome Leonhart family, Rias is the weakest piece on the board. His siblings are monsters of sword and magic, his father is a legendary duke, and noble society has already decided his worth—or lack of it. In a world where strength defines survival, Rias possesses none of it. Except knowledge. He knows the future. He knows the wars, the betrayals, and the rise of the empire’s third prince—the true protagonist whose ascent will crush countless lives along the way. Rias also knows one crucial truth: chasing power head-on will only get him erased by the story itself. So he chooses a different path. Abandoning reckless ambition, Rias resolves to survive through foresight, restraint, and positioning. He will become useful without becoming threatening, present without standing in the spotlight. As the academy draws near and the plot begins to move, Rias must navigate deadly politics, monstrous talents, and a narrative that was never meant to spare him. This is not the tale of a chosen hero. It is the story of a forgotten side-character who knows the script—and intends to outlive it. So tell me— Are you ready to step into the abyss with the weakest piece on the board? [Note: This novel doesn’t have a golden finger or any kind of cheat system like my first work. The protagonist doesn’t get power handed to him—he has to grind for it, struggle through failures, and earn every bit of strength the hard way.]
Astral_Weaver · 3.3k Views

The Architect's Debt

Title: The Architect’s Debt "I didn't buy your debt to set you free. I bought it to see how you'd look in a cage." In 2026 Mumbai, privacy is a myth and data is the only truth. Meher Khanna learns this the hard way when she signs away her life to save her mother. She expected a cold transaction; she didn’t expect Vedant Raizada. The Owner: Vedant is "The Architect," a man who views the world in blueprints and cold hard steel. He lives in a 16,000-square-foot penthouse that breathes through AI and security sensors. He has no room for emotions, yet he is obsessed with Meher’s defiance. He has made one vow: He will never touch her. Not until she asks. The Prisoner: Meher is a girl of cotton sarees and old-world heart trapped in a world of glass and biometric tracking. She refuses to be another "asset" on Vedant’s balance sheet. But in the silence of the mansion, every heartbeat she has is recorded, and every breath she takes is analyzed by the man watching her through the screens. The Secret: The Raizada mansion is beautiful, but it’s built on a graveyard of secrets. Vanya Raizada, Vedant’s sharp and enigmatic sister, knows the truth about the woman who occupied Meher’s room before her. As the "Ghost" in the servers begins to glitch the house's AI, Meher realizes that the Architect isn't just keeping her in—he’s keeping something else out. In a game of power where the air is thin and the tension is 180°C, Meher must decide: Will she find the flaw in the Architect’s design, or will she succumb to the luxury of his obsession?
Lyra_Wrts · 1.9k Views