Chapter 158: The Unexpected Quest(2)

As Lance and the others were all conversing and eating, they didn't notice the foul look that the noble is giving while sitting near Luke's table. The nobleman clenched his fists and stared down at Luke's sleeping body. He is one of the nobles in Duke Reo's faction, and because they lost a lot of power in the meeting, people avoid them and don't buy stocks from them, making their money flow slower than ever.

'This blasted weakling! Because of him, everything is in shambles! Curse you!'

The noble then looked to his side and saw a maid coming near towards their direction while holding a tray with wines and glasses in it. The noble then made a sly smirk; a petty plan came to his mind.

'A little accident won't hurt right?'

If his plan goes as planned, everyone will dismiss it as an accident. Surely Luke won't summon the Angel of Light just because of an accident right?

The noble then made up his mind and stretched out his foot in front of the maid for a few moments. The maid then stepped on his foot and immediately began to lose her balance.

"A-Ah!"

The maid wobbled around as she tried to regain her balance, but it was all for naught because she eventually falls.

"Aaahh- oof!"

When she realized she wasn't falling completely, the maid blinked. The floor is directly beneath her, but she did not collide with it. She could also feel her stomach resting on something that resembled a thin but strong tube. When she heard a familiar but tired voice beside her ear, her entire body shivered.

"Are you all right?"

The maid became pale and slowly raised her head. She then noticed Luke's extremely drowsy expression, as if he is still half-asleep. The maid then realized her situation; she'd been saved from falling by Luke. With Luke's right hand, he managed to catch the tray along with a bottle of wine and a glass on top of it while with Luke's long but thin legs, he supported her body by making her hang on it on her stomach. The maid's face flushed as she heard Luke speak while looking at the tray of wine and glass in his hand. He sounds drowsy.

"Uh... How many glasses and bottles of wine are supposed to be in this tray?"

The maid responded, her face still flushed. She's still dangling like a wet cloth on his leg.

"Two wines and six glasses..."

"Wait, are you sure? But why did I only catch a wine and a glass? Where are the others?"

Luke squinted his eyes and began to look around for the wine and glasses, but he soon came to a halt when he heard someone speak.

"Wake up, you drowsy idiot. Are you drunk?"

Luke then slowly looked up with his half-opened eyes and saw a hand holding a wine bottle and green mana floating five glasses above his head. Luke then nodded and looked at this.

"Oh, that's where it went..."

Spencer scowled as he stared in disbelief at the drowsy Luke.

"Are you high? Your head is about to get smashed by those if we were a second late and you just reacted because you finally found them?"

Luke came to a halt for a brief moment. He was still sleepy, so he just nodded randomly, causing Spencer to frown in frustration. Luke then heard another voice, this time from a woman, the one who was holding the other bottle of wine.

"You truly are a one-of-a-kind man; you aren't even fazed."

When Luke looked up again, he noticed Princess Alexia smiling softly at him. Luke blinked a few times before asking her.

"Princess Alexia?"

Alexia let out a sigh and shook her head. She continued to speak while looking at Luke's hand and leg, which were balancing both the maid and the tray. His reflexes and balance are exceptional for a half-awakened person. She began to wonder what he had gone through to achieve such reflexes. Only a highly trained individual can be aware of his surroundings while sleeping.

She brushed those thoughts aside for a moment and spoke with a smile.

"Someone please help the young master."

The other workers eventually snapped out of it and began to assist the maid in standing up, while others held the tray for Luke. Luke sighed and stretched his legs and arms, which had begun to hurt now that the weights had been removed. Luke then stood up and looked at Alexia, who was handing the bottle of wine to the maid beside her, and Spencer, who was in charge of the glasses and placing them on a tray.

Spencer sighed and looked at Luke who is starting to sober up. Spencer's eyes began to sharpen as he stared at him.

'What just happened back there? How is he able to do such things?'

Spencer then frowned, just as when he thought he knew everything about Luke already, and then this happens. It appears that there is more to him that he is unaware of.

"Hey! Are you the one who did it?!"

"Wait, what do you mean?!?"

"Baldhead, do not lie! I see your foot extending from where the maid tripped!"

Spencer, Luke, and the others' focus then shifted to the loud commotion. They then noticed Selena grabbing a noble's collar with both hands and staring at him. Yulia, Lina, and the children are encircling the noble, staring at him. The noble then stated to sweat, although cornered, he still denies their claim.

"That is absurd! Why would I do such a thing to our adored young master?!"

Lina then clenched her fists and looked down at the noble with cold eyes.

"Oh, so you still deny it even though it is plain obvious huh... Why don't I give a massage? A special massage made by our beloved young master..."

Lina's icy eyes drew a gulp from the noble.

"M-made by who?"

"A good punishment- I mean a good massage for someone who likes to lie."

When the kids remembered the scene where Luke 'massaged' a drunken person on their way to the wedding shop, they cringed. It was agonizing to watch; they could feel themselves in the drunken man's shoes when he did that. While recalling the event, the children began to shiver slightly. Meanwhile, Yulia just stared at the pale children beside her, puzzled.

"Wait, wait! No need to get bloodthirsty, Lina!"

Lina was walking towards the noble when Selena stopped her. The noble then looked at Selena to Lina with a pale nervous expression.

"B-bloodthirsty?! What-!"

"What exactly is going on here?"

The entire crowd's attention was drawn to the source of the voice. Lance, Nash, Liam, and Snow were then seen approaching the scene. The noble then started to shake when Lance's green eyes met his. He can sense it; he's screwed.

Selena let go of the noble's collar to make room for Lance to enter. Lance then began to investigate the situation. His gaze was then drawn to Luke's tired purple eyes. Lance sighed after a few seconds of staring at him.

'This guy is a walking disaster... I only left for a minute and he's already gotten himself into trouble.'

Luke's eyebrows twitched when he saw the tired look Lance gave him. He clearly understands what Lance was thinking, which is frustrating.

'I didn't even do anything here! I was just sleeping!'

Luke wanted to say it directly to Lance's face, but he restrained himself and just frowned deeply.

"Are you okay, brother?"

"Dad! Are you hurt anywhere?!"

"I noticed you grabbing the tray and the maid. Is your hand or leg hurting?"

Luke simply watched Liam, Nash, and Snow approach him with worried expressions. He looked them in the eyes for a few moments before speaking.

"I am alright. Nobody is injured. Thankfully, Spencer and Alexia were able to catch the other items in time, or else it would have hit my head."

Liam's eyes widened.

"What?"

Instead of Luke responding, Alexia took his place.

"That's correct. But the young master's fast reflexes helped too. If he didn't catch the tray then shards of glass might hit him and the maid."

The three of them then looked at Luke with worried expressions on their faces. Liam then clenched his fist and frowned.

"I apologize for being late yet again..."

Luke then shook his head.

"It's okay; You already did a good job guarding the kids while I was asleep."

"But still..."

"Enough, no one has been harmed, which is a good thing."

Liam simply sighed and turned to face the noble, who was now conversing with Lance. Liam then cast a cold murderous glare at the noble. Liam then slowly spoke in a deep voice.

"I'll be right back..."

Luke gulped as he watched Liam slowly marching in the direction of the noble. When he heard someone tapping his shoulders, he turned around. He then noticed Jay and Ava looking at him with concern.

"Are you all right?"

Luke smiled and nodded.

"I am, and how about you two? Did anyone come to annoy you? If there is, tell me the name."

Jay covered his mouth with his hand and looked at Luke with teary eyes.

"E-even in the middle of a dilemma, you still worry for our wellbeing-."

"Stop talking."

Jay immediately zips his mouth shut and wipes away his tears in a dramatic manner, while Ava simply pats his back to calm him down. While doing so, Ava then spoke to Luke with uncertainty.

"Well... About the people that were bothering us..."

Luke's expression became serious.

"Are there people bothering you?"

Luke was puzzled when Ava shook her head and waved her hands at him. Ava then spoke in a small voice that does not fit her size.

"W-well... Some people are inviting us to join them instead of you. They say they'll give us giants a better home than you did. They also promised to treat us better than you..."

Luke's brow furrowed.

"And? What is your response?"

"I refused right away, and Jay scared them away."

When he heard his name mentioned, Jay immediately went on the defensive.

"I didn't scare them! I only warned them!"

"B-but you were so frightening when you spoke to them that they fled..."

"T-that..."

Jay stopped speaking and held his chin with his hand as if he is thinking of a good comeback. Luke just shook his head and stared at Jay strangely. It's nice to see them getting along and defending each other; they seem to handle themselves fairly well even without his assistance.

"Ehem."

When Alexia feigned a cough to get Luke's attention, he turned his head once more. Luke flinched when he realized Alexia was no longer alone. She has Jasper, Ruth, Raphael, and Eleanor standing behind her, all of whom are smiling at him. Luke then put on a phony smile. He then saw Jasper charging forward and gave him a hug.

"Friend you are alive! It's great to see you again!"

"Haha, King Jasper, nice to see you as well."

Luke then patted Jasper on the back, and Jasper quickly broke the hug. Jasper then examined him from head to toe, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Y-you're alive..."

Luke didn't respond and just stared at Jasper's silly face, desperately trying not to cry in front of him. Alexia sighed and patted Jasper on the back, almost as if to console him. Jasper then raised his gaze to the ceiling.

"Wait a minute, why are you patting my back, princess? I'm not crying..."

Alexia does nothing but shakes her head.

"I know your majesty, I know. You're glad to see Luke again."

"Y-yeah, I am too happy, that's why!"

Ruth and Raphael just looked at Jasper with pity while Eleanor walked forward towards Luke and patted his head.

"Good to see you again, Luke."

"I am the same, your majesty."

"You've become thinner and paler; have you been eating properly?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern."

Eleanor just sighed, looking at Luke as if she were a stressed mother.

"I know you're deceiving me. You should eat more vegetables!"

"Haha... Yes, your Majesty, I will do as you say."

"Promise?"

"...Promise."

Eleanor and Luke exchanged a smile after that. Luke then asked her a question.

"By the way, what are you doing here, your majesty?"

"We came to see you. We wanted to come here as soon as we found out you were alive, but we can't because of the war. But now since it is free to go now, we all decided to come to this banquet."

Internally, Luke frowned.

'Don't tell me... That these guys, who have the ultimate command that, can simply request my presence in their kingdom... Came here instead?'

That is probably the most ridiculous nonsense Luke has ever heard. But here they are, in front of him, looking more like average Joes than kingdom rulers... Luke just sighed. He then realized that his goal of living a peaceful life was getting much further away. What exactly did he do to deserve this?

Luke was about to cry inside when he heard Lance's voice approaching.

"Excuse me, your Majesties, but may I borrow Young Master Luke? I need to speak with him."

Luke and Eleanor look at the side and see Lance smiling respectfully towards Eleanor. Eleanor then gave a nod.

"Sure, we won't be staying here for long. We came here just to check on him."

"Ah, then please take care on your way home and thank you for attending the banquet."

"My, thank you."

After exchanging smiles with Lance, Eleanor turned around, leaving Lance and Luke alone. Luke then spoke to Lance, who was standing beside him, after she had moved further away.

"Your highness, what happened to the noble?"

"He is being taken care of by Liam and Noah."

"What?"

Luke then turns around, his eyes widening as he notices Liam and Noah peering down on the noble, who is now paler than ever due to nervousness. Noah appears to have noticed his stares and frowned at Luke. Luke returned his frown and returned his gaze to Lance.

"Will he be all right?"

"Hmm? Are you referring to Noah? What are you so worried about, he is with Liam."

"No, I'm referring to the noble."

'He will be 'taken care' of by both the male lead and second male lead... Just thinking what would happen sends shivers down my spine...'

While thinking of the noble's terrible fate, he then heard Lance speaking.

"Ah, him? He will be alright, I guess."

"You guess?"

"I can't promise anything good will happen to him."

Luke fell silent as he watched Lance casually fix his suit. Luke frowned and massaged his brow before asking another question.

"Where are Nash and Snow anyway? They were standing right next to me earlier."

"Ah, they wanted to join Liam and Noah to take care of the noble but I said no and let a maid take them to bed."

"...Good job."

"Hmm? What?"

Luke didn't respond and simply sighed in relief. If Nash and Snow join the first and second male leads, who are already destructive enough, it will be the end of that noble.

"Anyway, what do you need me for? Your highness?"

"Let's talk in a quiet place."

"Alright."

Lance led the way out of the banquet hall, and Luke followed. Luke was simply following Lance's back, passing through room after room. They quickly arrived at Lance's office and both entered. Luke took a look around the office. The office becomes more organized, and there are no more papers stacked everywhere, making the room appear more spacious than ever.

"Sit down."

When Luke looked in Lance's direction, he noticed him gesturing towards the space beside him on the couch. Luke simply complied and sat quietly in his assigned seat. Lance was then seen pouring wine into two glasses. Luke couldn't stand the silence any longer and spoke to Lance. He didn't need to beat around the bush; he simply asked a question that had been bothering him for a while.

"How is the Regle Alliance, Your Highness? Did they move away from the Dark Eye yet?"

"You're clever; you already know what we'll be discussing."

"So? How was it? "

Lance remained silent and simply passed Luke a glass of wine. Lance sipped his drink and spoke.

"Why don't we ask the one who did the job?"

"Who?"

Lance then smiled at Luke's perplexed expression.

"Marcel, you can come out now."