The anger in Lucas's eyes was unmistakable. Even his facial features alone were enough to tell anyone looking at him that he was far from pleased to see his brother.
Bastian closed the document he had been reading and rose from his chair, placing his usual smile on his face, or rather, his familiar mask.
He approached Lucas with calm steps, as though he hadn't noticed the sharp glare directed at him.
"Oh, so it really is you! My dear brother Lucas! How long has it been since your last visit to the palace? It's wonderful to finally see you again!"
He extended his hand toward him with feigned warmth, waiting for Lucas to shake it.
But Lucas made no move to respond.
He continued staring at him with the same cold, furious expression before simply walking past his outstretched hand and heading toward the king's desk without bothering to reply.
Bastian's smile faltered for a brief moment.
He followed Lucas with his eyes, his expression changing slightly before he slowly lowered his hand.
Being ignored wasn't entirely unexpected, but he hadn't anticipated that Lucas would be so openly hostile toward him.
Nevertheless, he quickly restored his smile, pretending as though nothing had happened.
Lucas, meanwhile, didn't look at him again.
He stopped in front of the king's desk and bowed respectfully.
"I greet the Sun of the Kingdom of Valerian."
Christoph finally raised his head. The moment his eyes fell upon Lucas, he gestured for his attendants to leave.
"Ah, Lucas."
The attendants immediately rose from their seats and bowed to both the king and Lucas before filing out of the office.
A few moments later, only King Christoph, Lucas, who stood before his desk, and Bastian, who remained at his place behind his own desk, were left in the room.
Silence settled over the office for a moment before Lucas spoke.
"Did you summon me, Your Majesty?"
Christoph leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together in front of him.
"Yes, I did. And I believe you already know why."
Lucas said nothing, prompting the king to continue.
"I summoned you because of your written request to relinquish your position as Commander of the Army."
"Yes."
Lucas offered nothing more. He remained standing with his usual impassive expression, as though the matter were of no concern to him whatsoever.
The king sighed before studying him carefully.
"Hmm... I've heard that your father is ill. And I'm quite certain he knows nothing about this matter, considering that you sent your request directly to me instead of going through him."
He paused briefly before continuing in a more serious tone.
"But I believe you know perfectly well how he will react when he learns of your decision, don't you?"
Lucas remained silent.
He didn't need to think about the answer. He knew his father well, and he knew just how much this position meant to him.
But knowing that wasn't enough to change his mind.
Christoph continued speaking, his voice gradually growing sharper.
"Well, let me tell you that my reaction will be no different from your father's. I was deeply disappointed when I read your request. You know perfectly well that you cannot afford to abandon such an important position, especially when you are the rightful heir to the military affairs of this kingdom."
He paused for a moment before adding sternly,
"Your request is extremely reckless, and, more importantly, dangerous. Giving up your position at a time like this could create serious internal tensions that we can hardly afford."
Yet Lucas's expression remained unchanged.
He seemed to be listening to the king's words without allowing a single one of them to affect him.
Noticing this, Christoph let out an irritated sigh before continuing.
"That is precisely why I summoned you. I wanted to inform you that your request will be suspended for the time being. I cannot interfere in military decisions, as that is ultimately your father's responsibility."
He then gestured toward the document lying on his desk.
"I will pretend that I know nothing about this matter, but I'm certain that learning about your request would only worsen your father's condition. Therefore, I will keep this document here in the palace as a precaution until the situation becomes clearer."
The king raised his eyes to Lucas and spoke in a firm voice.
"However, I personally want you to reconsider this decision. It came out of nowhere, without any warning, and I see no convincing reason for you to take such a drastic step."
Silence lingered for a few moments.
Bastian was still standing in his place, silently following the conversation, while Lucas remained before the king, showing no signs of hesitation.
Finally, Lucas decided to speak.
"Your Highness, this decision did not come out of nowhere."
Christoph raised his eyebrows slightly, prompting Lucas to continue in a steady voice.
"I have been thinking about it ever since the moment I was appointed to this position. However, I believe the reasons I have encountered recently have only confirmed that my decision is worth the risk."
The king didn't seem convinced, but Lucas continued regardless.
"Besides, I believe there are people far more qualified than I am to take over this position."
The moment Christoph heard those words, his expression changed, and anger became evident on his face.
He tapped his fingers against the surface of his desk before speaking sharply.
"This has nothing to do with who deserves the position and who doesn't! Even if we find someone to temporarily take your place, your position as Commander of the Army is still your destiny in the end!"
He leaned forward slightly, fixing Lucas with a stern gaze.
"Your father practically handed you this position on a silver platter. You didn't have to fight in countless battles or spend years gaining experience in the military field to obtain it."
He paused for a moment, as though what he was about to say angered him even more.
"Do you have any idea how much opposition your father faced just to secure your current position at such a young age? How many people objected to your appointment? How much effort did he put into proving that you were worthy of this position?"
His voice grew even sharper.
"And now, after all that, you want to abandon it just like that? All your father's efforts will have been for nothing! Have you not thought about him even once?"
Lucas didn't answer immediately.
He continued looking at the king calmly, his expression as impassive as ever. He wasn't oblivious to anything Christoph had said, nor did he deny the sacrifices his father had made for him.
He was fully aware of everything Richard had done to secure his position.
However, the reality was that Richard had never once asked his son whether he actually wanted this position or not. Nor had he ever considered the immense burden he had placed upon Lucas's shoulders. It was a responsibility that even men far older than him would struggle to bear.
More importantly, accepting this position would have meant remaining forever at the mercy of his cousin Bastian's decisions, all for reasons of Richard's own.
Lucas lowered his head slightly before speaking.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. But I'm fully aware of all these things, and I will not reconsider my decision now."
Christoph let out a long sigh before leaning back in his chair.
For a few moments, he said nothing. It was clear that his attempts to convince Lucas had been futile and that no matter how long he continued speaking, he would never get the answer he wanted.
Finally, he slowly shook his head and said,
"Now I understand why Richard has always been so worried about his only son."
He studied Lucas carefully before continuing.
"Since you're so determined to stand by your decision, I will appoint a temporary deputy to fill your position until your father recovers. After that, he alone will decide what to do with you."
Lucas straightened slightly, preparing to leave.
But the king added in a tone that made it clear the discussion was over.
"You may leave now."
Lucas bowed respectfully before turning toward the door.
Bastian was still in his place, watching the scene in silence. As Lucas passed him, he walked straight past without even sparing him a glance.
Bastian made no attempt to stop him this time. He simply watched him go, the faint smile still lingering on his face.
Lucas left the office and closed the door behind him before continuing down the corridors leading outside.
His strides were quick and firm, and his expression remained grim. He had no desire to stay in the palace any longer than necessary, especially after the lengthy conversation he had just endured with the king.
But as he reached one of the corridors, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him from behind.
"Brother Lucas!"
His steps came to an abrupt halt.
He didn't need to turn around to recognize the owner of that voice.
It was the last person he wanted to see right now.
And yet, he didn't continue walking.
He remained where he was for a few moments before slowly turning around, his eyes settling on Bastian, who was approaching him with his usual smile.
But this time, Lucas wasn't merely prepared to ignore him.
It seemed his patience had finally run out.
To be continued...