Chapter 43: Troublesome(2)

Luke opened his eyes after closing them from frustration and saw the crown prince staring at him weirdly. They were now inside Mount Ceb. Luke ignored Lance's stares and started to look around, as expected of the crown prince, he wasted no time preparing, almost all of what is needed was already prepared here. Luke looked around with amazement and look behind the crown prince and saw a wide plain with tents and all sorts of tools being transported by mages.

"It looks like your highness has prepared thoroughly."

Lance shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing.

"It's only natural to be this at least prepared."

Lance answered in a blank tone. He then looked at the unfamiliar face behind Luke.

"And this is...?"

Luke looked back to where Lance was staring and saw Liam looking back at them cluelessly. Lance then introduced Liam.

"Ah, this is Liam. He is my..... Personal knight."

Luke hesitated to say the last words but thankfully he managed to say it causing Liam to smile brightly at him. Lance look at the two and spoke like he was amused.

"Ho? So even people like you have personal knights."

Luke secretly rolled his eyes.

"....Well, he forced to be my knight and I can't say no so..."

Lance looked at Liam and saw his innocent face. Lance then asked Liam in confusion.

"Are you sure you want to be this guy's personal knight?"

Liam answered diligently with a bright smile.

"Yes!"

Lance just stared at Liam's bright face with a blank stare.

'...He is too innocent. Did Luke really not forced him?'

The prince had a look of disbelief and doubt but turned to normal and looked at Klein. He just decided to ignore the two and focus on the most important person among them. Lance offered his hand and Klein shook it with gratitude.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Sir Klein."

Klein smiled.

"Same here, your highness."

"Ah! I forgot!"

Lance then looked at Luke who suddenly spoke with a confused expression. Luke ignored Lance's stares and looked at Klein.

"Sir Klein, please show it to his highness."

Klein seemed to have realized what he was talking about then nodded and passed the folded blueprint to the confused crown prince. Lance then asked in confusion.

"What is this?"

Luke answered.

"Just open it, your highness."

Lance looked at Luke suspiciously before opening the blueprint. He then looked at the blueprint with shock once he took a look inside.

"What is this...?"

Luke answered curtly while shrugging.

"It's an iron giant, your highness."

Lance looked at Luke's calm face with disbelief. He then sighed in defeat and turned his back towards them.

"Let's talk inside."

Luke nodded and followed Lance. They then entered a large tent. Before going in, Luke turned around to Liam.

"Liam, guard the tent."

Liam nodded and stayed outside while Luke and the others went in. Luke then sat on a chair that was inside the tent while facing the crown prince in front of him. The crown prince then started to ask.

"So... What the hell is this?"

"I told you, it is an iron giant."

Lance frowned and clicked his tongue from annoyance.

"What for?"

Lance looked at Lance's face for a while before answering.

"For the war."

Lance pursed his lips to keep bad words from falling out. he then sighed to calm himself down.

"Be specific."

"I can't tell you more than that."

Lance made a burst of sigh-like laughter.

"Ho, what a cautious bastard."

"I'll take that as a compliment. And by the way, that iron giant is mine."

Lance's eyes narrowed while looking at Luke who was looking back at him with a calm face.

"But the iron giant will be built on this mountain, MY mountain."

Luke smirked.

"But I am the one who suggested you to claim this mountain."

Lance then shot back.

"I will eventually think of it even if you weren't there."

"But I am the one who brought Sir Klein here. And besides, he works for the Viscellete family, it is in our agreement."

Lance clicked his tongue. He can't talk back on this one. He then heard Luke speaking in a triumphant voice.

"Don't worry, your highness. I will personally buy the materials for the iron giant. You just need to focus on the weapons and armors."

"Tch."

The crown prince just shrugged his shoulders. He can't fully argue with Luke, since he still got his weakness. And what Luke said just now is true. He is the one who brought Klein here so he has no right to protest about it. He just sighed as if to give up. He then looked at Klein standing behind Luke who was looking at them with a weird face since earlier.

"Sir Klein, the others are waiting for you outside. You should go meet them."

Klein nodded and immediately bowed before leaving. After he left, Luke said something that made the crown prince question his ears.

"Your highness, I just saved the Fairy kingdom days ago."

Lance looked at Luke blankly and asked.

"...What bullshit are you spouting now?"

Luke sat back on his chair and relaxed his shoulders.

"It's not bullshit, it is true. I even have the prince of the fairy kingdom in my group."

"...My god."

Lance sat back on his chair and closed his eyes. Every time he and this bastard meet, there will be always a headache that comes with it. after processing what Luke just said, Lance then asked.

"How?"

"I saved the fairy kingdom from the group who called themselves 'Dark Eye'."

Lance frowned from distaste.

"What kind of edgy naming sense is that?"

"I know right? I just heard the name from the prince earlier this morning and thought that the Dark eye was just a bunch of jokes but..."

Luke's face turned serious. Lance saw this serious face and also turned serious. He feels like he should listen to his next words.

"Those bastards... They have withered souls."

"What?!"

Lance jumped from his seat and asked with surprise. Luke nodded his head at Lance who is looking at him with wide eyes.

"We could've been dead if it wasn't for Selena coming with us. I feel like I should tell you about this because the fairy kingdom is not too far away from Reece kingdom. The dark eye might strike at us next."

The fairy kingdom is said to be located in the northwest ocean of the Reece kingdom. If the group named Dark Eye is that close to them and they have withered souls. Lance needed to prepare for the worse.

Lance then frowned. He then combs his hair back from frustration.

"What a mess, we are already struggling to prepare for war and now these bunch of freaks showed up."

Luke nodded in agreement. He then stared at Lance's stressed face. he still got one more piece of info that he got from Julius earlier this morning that he needed Lance to know but hesitated since Lance seems already annoyed and stressed.

But he then remembered, since when did he have cared for someone's feelings other than his'?

"Your Highness, want to hear more?"

Lance frowned deeply at him.

"Do I look like to be in the mood to listen to you?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders and tell him anyways.

"There's another group other than Dark Eye that currently exists."

"...I said, I don't want to hear it."

Luke ignored Lance and kept talking which made Lance extremely irritated.

"It is an unknown group but they were the ones who informed the fairies about the Dark Eye's arrival and warned them about the withered souls. Causing them to be able to prepare a dirt wall in the last minute."

Lance frowned and massaged his head. While Lance was busy thinking by himself, Luke was also doing the same.

'Dark eye? Just who are they? And there's also another unknown group. This is weird. They weren't in the novel, heck, they aren't even mentioned even once in the novel. Why did they suddenly appear?'

Luke thought that the future is changing and frowned from frustration.

'Is it because I intervened and changed the plot of the story a bit? But what actions did I took to make such two large groups appear?'

Luke suddenly felt burdened. And it is not a good feeling. He sighed and sat back on his chair while looking down at the desk in front of him. He then heard Lance's annoyed voice.

"You're a walking disaster."

Luke frowned at the crown prince who is looking at him with tired eyes. He then regained his expression and spoke exaggeratedly.

"Oh, my fragile little heart is crumbling at the cruel words that are spoken by our future sun-"

"Get out."

Luke sighed and stood up. He then immediately left the tent without saying a word. When he went outside, he then saw Liam waiting for him outside the tent. Liam noticed him and walked towards him

"Are you done speaking with his highness?"

Luke nodded and looked around. He then saw Klein introducing himself in front of a bunch of people. they must be the inventors that Lance was talking about. After introducing himself he could see the inventors clapping while looking at him with admiration. Klein just stood proudly and puffed up his chest. Luke just ignored him and spoke to Nash who was sitting on his shoulder the whole time.

"Nash, teleport us back. Let's leave Klein here."

· Okay!