Several days had passed since the incident.
“Luke…”
When Luke’s father arrived at the royal capital, he looked frailer than Luke had ever seen him. He descended from his carriage and hurried to his son.
“Father. I am sorry for worrying y—”
He was interrupted by his father’s embrace. Claude held his son tight to his chest.
“You are my pride and joy…and I am so, so glad to see you are safe…”
“…”
He’s a little weird, and he can get weirdly carried away about stuff, like with the incident resulting in my engagement to Alice… But from everything I remember, my father has always seemed to me like perfection incarnate. He’s always calm, no matter the situation, completely majestic, with the sort of demeanor only adopted by the truly strong.
“I’m sorry…sorry that I made you worry.”
Right. Maybe this is what love is.
Just as the thought crossed Luke’s mind, he felt a strong emotion emanating from his father It was intense and angry, bordering on murderous rage.
“Right then. Let us make quick work of destroying this incomprehensibly incompetent academy.”
What…did he just say?
2
“I SAID I WOULD DESTROY THEM! COMPLETELY and utterly, at that. The world has no need of an institution that would expose my son to such danger.”
Oh man, he’s serious about this…
There would be no arguing with him. Luke understood that the moment he met his father’s gaze to see red-hot flames of true rage burning bright within his eyes.
“Wait. I believe you may be being a little hasty, Father.”
And yet Luke objected.
“Oh…? You do not often speak out against my decisions. Mwa ha, hasty, then, am I? Very well, I will listen to what you have to say.”
“Thank you.”
Luke did not think to ask why. His father’s rage was extreme, but it was also justified.
Still, I can’t let the academy be destroyed over this.
Fierce, irrepressible emotions raged inside of Luke, all in service of his own extremely arrogant purpose. Claude, on the other hand, was overjoyed that his son had chosen to speak out against one of his decisions. He had to repress a smirk forming in the corner of his mouth as he reflected that this was what it really meant to be father and son. As happy as he felt, Claude could not break his majestic facade by smiling like that in front of Luke. He wanted nothing more than to be respected by his son, which ultimately caused his gaze to only become sharper when directed toward him. His looks became invisible arrows, an oppressive force bearing down on Luke, skewering him all over.
Claude’s anger had also not dissipated in the slightest; his burning rage against those who had put his beloved son in danger could not so easily be sated. He truly wanted to fulfill Luke’s wishes, to the extent that he was able to, but could not so easily sign off on this one.
“There are three advantages to letting this academy continue to exist.”
“Hmph, three, is it?”
Before Luke had gained control of his own racing thoughts, he had given voice to them. He felt, simply, that he should probably wrap up his argument into three points—a habit that had been imprinted upon him by the siblings of House Lonsdale.
“First, there’s the fact that Aslan is the best magic academy in the kingdom. You’re right that they made a grave mistake, and I can’t even attempt to defend it. I think the idiots who trouble me with their incompetence should die, but it’s also true that this place has produced countless immeasurably talented magic users over the years. We need a place for elite students to learn from a staff of talented instructors, with a strict hierarchy system and the best resources. From my perspective, everything about this place makes sense.”
Claude listened quietly.
“This security issue has been exposed, so now we can remedy it,” Luke continued. “I think it would be somewhat of a waste to destroy this entire institution.”
The attack, in all truth, could easily have happened anywhere. The attackers were specifically targeting Luke, after all. Whether it had been Aslan Magic Academy or any other school that he had chosen to go to, the attack would have likely taken place regardless of venue. It wasn’t a matter of Aslan Magic Academy being particularly vulnerable, but of the Kingdom of Milestia as a whole becoming too complacent due to its magical strength. They convinced themselves that they were untouchable, and there were fatal deficiencies in their threat awareness.
“Second, I believe that this incident may prove the perfect opportunity for we of House Gilbert and our allies in the noble faction to seize greater power.”
“Oh?”
“I am sure that this attack will anger many aristocrats regardless of which side they are on. They will all be left in shock and disbelief. That’s why, as head of the nobles, you should take the lead in calming the other aristocrats’ malicious whispering. Doing so would earn you significant favor from the academy, the Royal Knights, and even from the King of Milestia himself. I am confident that such an action would work to the advantage of our house.”
Claude listened, then nodded.
“Brilliant.”
He was impressed, pure and simple. He had, in fact, already thought of everything that Luke had just said to him. Yet he entertained that course of action only as an individual—as if he were some ambitious noble who sought the throne—not as a father. Claude had a clear set of priorities, and compared to the blood-boiling rage that he felt at those who had put his son in danger, his ambitions to power meant nothing at all. Losing Luke, to him, would mean losing everything.
I expected nothing less of my boy! Oh no…I am so moved by all of this, I feel I might start to cry.
Claude was awed and overjoyed that his son had struck upon the same line of thinking that he had. It stirred up fierce emotion, lighting a fire within him. He was filled with such intensity that he felt that if he let his guard drop for even the briefest of moments, he might just burst into tears.
“Finally,” Luke said, moving to his third point, “I believe that there is worth to the academy, insofar as that it will allow me to demonstrate that I am more talented than anyone else who attends it.”
Claude was speechless for a moment.
“I…apologize, Father. This request of mine is selfish, of course. I simply cannot abide the thought that my inferiors believe that they are better than me. I wish to prove that I hold first place in their hierarchy—that I am the strongest.”
“Heh. Ha ha…”
Once Luke was done speaking, Claude began to laugh. First, quietly to himself, then louder and louder until he could no longer hold back his pride and adoration.
“Ah ha ha ha! You truly are my son!”
He was undoubtedly happy that his son had expressed a selfish desire, of course, but it was more than that. He had a perfect understanding of how Luke felt.
“You are looked down upon by your inferiors. Such humiliation is hard to endure.”
We really are father and son, thought Claude. Given how clearly Luke had expressed his desires, Claude had no hesitation in making his decision now.
“Understood. I will do as you ask. I will still be making my thoughts clear on the security situation at the school, however.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Claude had been intent on directing a portion of his rage at the academy, in truth, but did not admit that to his son.
“I will have to apologize to Julia.”
“Mother? What for?”
“Mwa ha ha…I promised her that I would give hell to the imbeciles who put our son in danger.”
“…”
Luke gave his father a tired look—he genuinely was quite tired. The relief of his managing to sate Claude’s anger at the academy was quickly overtaken by all the accumulated exhaustion that the process of doing so had involved.
“Fear not, I will ensure that your academy remains. You may leave this matter in my hands.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Hmph. Ah, and in the next few days, we will be departing the capital and returning to Gilbadia. Ready yourself.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Well then, I have a few things to say to your headmaster. Alfred, I leave Luke in your care.”
“Yes, master.”
Claude walked away, and Luke bowed his head as he watched his father leave. Alfred, who had been doing his utmost to blend into the background, moved to stand closer to Luke’s side. Aslan Magic Academy was considered the foremost place for the study of magic, an unrivaled institution of learning. That said, the attack was unquestionably a huge failure—an inexcusable fiasco, no matter the school’s record of educational successes.
The balance of political power in the kingdom was, at that moment, beginning to shift ever so slightly in favor of the noble faction. This meant that unless Claude moved to calm tensions between the aristocrats and the Royal Academy, it would be incredibly difficult for the school to continue operating. Claude was only the head of the noble faction, however.
Will this turn of events truly bring fortune to the King of Milestia? The academy will not be destroyed but allowed to continue its operation, at the cost of a great debt to our noble faction. This is the answer that Luke arrived at, and, though he may not realize it himself, he walks the path of a conquest that he does not desire.
Claude walked toward the academy. He was incredibly handsome but succeeded in intimidating everyone he came into contact with. Those who knew him well, however, might well have been able to identify that he was in a good mood.
Luke truly is fit to be king; a born ruler.
Claude saw glimpses of that in him, yet he did not inform his son of the plot he had in mind. Yolande had asked him to remain silent, of course, but that was not the only reason that he did not discuss the matter with Luke.
Mwa ha ha…I can just picture the look on his face when he finds out!
The concept was quite far removed from the way in which any ordinary person would employ it, but to Claude, usurping the throne was to be a “surprise” for his son.
He did intend on learning his lesson from the incident with the Alice engagement, of course…but in the end, perhaps it was the incredible love that he bore for his son that continued to cloud his judgement.