The next morning, in the study.
Lucas was rubbing his temples, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he thought back to the previous night's events.
The banquet last night had been a chaotic affair of endless introductions and boisterous chatter. The impact of the electric lights on the women had been overwhelming; they spent half the night peppering him with questions. Eventually, the excitement turned into a drinking session, and the results were predictable. Everyone had gone a bit wild. Nicole and Mina had been so far gone that Lucas had to personally carry them back to their rooms.
Knock, knock, knock...
The sound at the door made Lucas pause. Aside from Elisa, everyone had been completely trashed last night. Who could be up this early?
"Come in," Lucas said calmly.
Creak...
The door pushed open, and Lucy walked in, followed closely by Jones.
"Not going to rest a bit longer?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, looking at Lucy with a strange expression.
"I didn't drink that much last night," Lucy replied with a shy, bashful smile. Her cheeks were tinted pink, and her eyes darted away, unable to meet his gaze.
She truly hadn't expected herself to become so unhinged after a few drinks—slapping her arm around Lucas's shoulder and demanding he match her drink for drink.
"Ahem..."
Lucy's claim made Jones's lip twitch. Didn't drink much? Last night, Lucy had been the most aggressive drinker of them all, challenging Elisa, then Catherine... then Lucas. The leopard-girl had never realized Lucy had such a hooligan side when drunk. Luckily, almost everyone else was just as wasted, so only a few people witnessed the Princess's embarrassing antics.
"..." Lucy shot a resentful side-eye at Jones, silently blaming her for not stopping her from making such a fool of herself.
"Have a seat," Lucas gestured.
As soon as she sat down, Lucy got straight to the point. "Lord Lucas, I have a request I'd like you to grant."
"Oh? What is it?" Lucas's lips curled slightly. He could guess what was coming. "And just call me Lucas."
"Then please, call me Lucy," She replied softly.
"Fine," Lucas nodded.
"Lucas, I heard that the Fourth Prince has already arrived in the Western Lands?" Lucy asked.
"Yes," Lucas said neutrally, waiting to see where she was going with this.
"I know the Fourth Prince. His arrival here is definitely not with good intentions," Lucy said, not beating around the bush. "He will certainly set his sights on Sedona City."
"..." Lucas narrowed his eyes, his smirk widening. "And what are you suggesting, Lucy?"
"Sedona City is too beautiful. The Fourth Prince will want to seize it," Lucy said bluntly. "He wants to stockpile resources and knights; he is almost certainly preparing to rebel."
"You're not wrong. A few days ago, he sent a messenger with a direct order for me," Lucas said calmly.
"Ah?" Lucy's eyes widened with anxiety. "You didn't agree, did you?"
"Of course..." Lucas paused, watching her tense expression before finishing, "...not. I'm not a fool. The Fourth Prince doesn't have the capability to actually take the throne."
Jones's sharp eyes narrowed. She heard the subtext in Lucas's words: was he implying that he had the capability that the Fourth Prince lacked?
"It's good that you refused," Lucy said, visibly relieved.
"Is this related to what you wanted to ask?" Lucas asked knowingly.
"Lucas, since you rejected him, he won't let it go. He will surely send a knight order to crusade against you," Lucy said, her face turning grave.
"I've anticipated that."
"I can help you," Lucy said, sitting up straight and looking him in the eye. "I can use my name as a Princess to help you gather forces and resist him."
She didn't believe Lucas could hold out against a full invasion. No matter how mediocre the Fourth Prince was, he was still a Prince; his number of knights would surely dwarf Sedona City's defenses.
"And why would you help me?" Lucas asked, peering at her.
"I have only one requirement." A flash of pure hatred flickered in Lucy's golden eyes. "Help me kill the First Prince, Lucia. Strip him of everything he owns."
"You're essentially using your royal prestige to support my rebellion," Lucas said, crossing his arms and watching her intently. This was a step beyond what he had expected. He thought she might ask for an assassination, but she was calling for a total overthrow—a change of dynasty for the Kingdom of Siacan.
"This kingdom is already rotten to the core," Lucy said, her voice full of conviction.
"..." Lucas rolled his eyes internally. Just say you want revenge, skip the rotten kingdom clichés. He paused, then spoke: "I can leave the First Prince for you to handle yourself. As it happens, I have a plan that requires your cooperation."
"What plan?" Lucy frowned.
"I don't need you to fight. I just need your reputation to publicize a few things," Lucas explained. "I'm ready to begin integrating the Western Lands, but the Fourth Prince's presence is a hurdle. I need your status as a Princess to accelerate the process, and we'll also broadcast the truth about what the First Prince has done."
"I agree," Lucy said firmly.
"Then, it's a pleasure to be working with you," Lucas smiled. The influence of a royal princess—especially one as popular as Lucy—far outweighed his own.
With Lucy's endorsement combined with Sedona City's growing fame, the Western Lands could be pacified rapidly, leaving the Fourth Prince isolated and without reinforcements.
"A pleasure," Lucy replied with newfound resolve.
.
.
.
.
You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
pat reon.com/GreenBlue17
300 Power Stones for 1 extra chapter.
5 New reviews for 1 extra chapter.