TGS - Chapter 41
Chapter 41: A Peculiar Father and Son
Lotus wasn't the only one who noticed the portrait.
Taking advantage of the moment when the two guards leading the way weren't looking back, a dozen or so gazes simultaneously turned towards Luca, who was huddled in the middle of the group.
Luca had put on his war helmet at some point, his head lowered guiltily, as if afraid of being recognized.
Noticing the sudden stares, Luca looked up in confusion, not understanding why he had become the center of attention. Then he turned his head and saw the wanted poster plastered on the city wall.
Luca: "..."
He immediately waved his hands frantically, then placed a finger to his lips in a "shushing" gesture, his face full of pleading.
Alyuin pondered for a moment before shaking her head. The others averted their gazes. Only the two Royal Guard cavalrymen in front of and behind Luca quietly closed in, boxing him in tightly to prevent him from running off.
With a pained expression, Luca said nothing and obediently entered the city, mixed in with the group.
Yilulaila City had a different charm from Surinia. The climate here was pleasant, the land and water were fertile, and both agriculture and fishing were highly developed. Coupled with its superior geographical location and well-developed transportation by both land and water, it undoubtedly held a high status among the major cities.
It was worth mentioning that when Solancia was first founded, Yilulaila was its royal city. Even after the capital was moved, this city retained its prestige.
The lords of the major cities were almost all related to the royal family, either by blood or by marriage.
The Lord of Yilulaila was both. He was a descendant of the first king of Solancia, and his family had produced several queens. The late king's mother came from this lineage.
As expected, the city lord took the Princess's arrival very seriously, personally welcoming her with impeccable courtesy.
The Lord of Yilulaila was named Lucreta. He was tall, with his hair cut very short, almost bald, yet he had a surprisingly scholarly air, more like a scribe than a military commander.
But he did indeed come from a military background.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Lucreta bowed. "Your journey must have been arduous. I have instructed the servants to prepare a banquet to welcome you. Please rest in my residence for now."
He spoke in a refined manner, not at all like other military officials.
Alyuin waved her hand and said politely, "I am merely passing through as a caravan guard this time. There is no need for such ceremony, my lord."
Lucreta simply said, "Propriety must not be abandoned."
Just as the reports had said, the Lord of Yilulaila placed great importance on etiquette. Among all the city lords she had met so far, his attitude upon their first meeting was the most respectful and flawless.
But that didn't mean he was the friendliest.
Lotus observed his eyes and could see a genuine reverence, but it was overly formal. Unlike the Lord of Digebia, who acted out of respect for the late king, or the God-Concubine, who was a blood relative with shared interests, Lucreta truly saw the Princess as nothing more than a princess.
At that moment, Lucreta's gaze fell unerringly on Luca in the middle of the group.
The latter kept his head lowered in self-deception, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, adopting a "you can't see me" posture.
Lucreta said in a calm, even voice, "Luca, what are you still doing over there?"
Luca tried to pretend he hadn't heard.
Lucreta raised his voice. "Head down, shoulders slumped, no decorum whatsoever. And wearing a war helmet in the city? I don't recall ever teaching you such discourteous behavior."
Seeing that he could no longer pretend, Luca stepped out of the line with his head hanging low.
Only then did the city lord turn to Alyuin. "I've made a fool of myself in front of Your Highness. This is my worthless son. He has a rather straightforward temper. I hope he hasn't caused you any trouble during this time."
Alyuin's expression was placid. "Luca has performed well. I was thinking that someone with such bearing couldn't be just an ordinary soldier. It turns out he was taught by you."
She deliberately stressed the words "with such bearing." Hearing this, Luca grew even more embarrassed, and the head he had just lifted drooped down again.
The city lord, having effortlessly identified his son, was about to take his leave with Luca, but Luca was unwilling to go.
"I'm part of Her Highness's personal guard now!" he said loudly, then added in a whisper, "...although I'm still on probation."
"I thought you were past the age of playing house," Lucreta said, his tone turning cold. "I do not wish to be impolite in front of Her Highness. Now, come here."
Luca was clearly reluctant, but he didn't dare provoke his father's anger. Perhaps remembering the wanted poster on the city wall, his face crumpled, and he had no choice but to leave with the city lord for the time being.
Before leaving, he said urgently to the Princess, "Your Highness, please give me a little more time. I'll sort things out here, and I'll definitely explain everything to everyone afterward."
Alyuin: "Very well."
Just as Luca's expression relaxed, Alyuin continued, "Besides, I've already figured out most of it. It doesn't matter if you don't explain."
Luca: "..."
The only probationary member of her personal guard departed with a tragic look on his face.
The caravan members knew to mind their own business and busied themselves with organizing and checking their goods. The envoy from Akhet's eyes darted around, but the caravan master slung an arm around his shoulders and led him away.
Now, only the Princess and her cavalry remained.
They all looked at each other.
Tina's eyes widened in realization. "No wonder he was acting strangely on the ship. So that's what it was."
Motis muttered, "I really didn't expect that silly boy to be Lucreta's son..."
"Didn't you say you knew the Lord of Yilulaila? How could you not recognize his son?"
"When I worked with him, he wasn't even married yet. How was I supposed to know this was his son?" Motis retorted. Then, remembering something, he added in frustration, "I knew that kid Luca's hair looked familiar! Who else but Lucreta's family would have such messy hair!"
Noticing the others' confused looks, Motis added an explanation, "Oh, Lucreta's hair used to be a mess too, like a bird's nest. No matter what he did, it was never neat. He said it didn't conform to etiquette, so he shaved his head."
The others: "..."
Alyuin mused, "I knew he was hiding his family background. Seeing how strangely he acted before we arrived, I thought he was the son of some noble from Yilulaila City, but I never expected—"
I never expected him to be from the city lord's family.
Who would have thought the son of a major city's lord would run off to the border to become an ordinary recruit? His extraordinary performance was one thing, but his act of challenging the Princess was completely unlike his etiquette-obsessed father.
But then again, if he was the city lord's son, why was his wanted poster hanging on the wall!
The group was utterly bewildered.
Afterward, they each gathered information, and by piecing together the intelligence they obtained, they came to a more or less complete conclusion.
Luca was City Lord Lucreta's only child. He had studied literature and martial arts with his father since childhood, but he had a very straightforward personality.
Moreover, his way of thinking was different from most people's. He often made shocking statements that drove the city lord mad with frustration. He had been thrown out of the lord's residence countless times.
A year ago, Luca was thrown out again. This time, he didn't return home. Instead, he left a letter for the city lord, saying he was going to fulfill his father's teachings, and then disappeared.
The city lord, being a man of good composure, didn't send out a large-scale search party. He simply posted a notice on the city wall, hanging his son's portrait alongside the wanted posters of escaped criminals.
The format was identical, the only differences being that no crime was listed, and it specified that he was to be captured alive.
As for where Luca had been for the past year, everyone knew—hadn't he run off to the border legion to become a recruit?
After connecting the cause and effect, Lotus and the Princess exchanged a look, their expressions complex.
Alyuin summarized, "At least we have one more bargaining chip for success."
Lotus couldn't help but say, "It could also work against us."
If Lucreta was already furious with his son, and then discovered that Luca was determined to pledge loyalty to the Princess, only to be rejected and put on probation, he might shy away from any cooperation.
"We'll see," Alyuin sighed. "We're about to attend the banquet. Knowing Lucreta's style, he will certainly have Luca present the entire time. We'll have enough time to observe his attitude."
Lotus suggested a possibility, "What if Luca is put in confinement..."
The Princess: "Then there's nothing we can do. It will all depend on the city lord's mood."
The group waited in the guest quarters of the lord's residence for over an hour before the welcome banquet was ready. Several attendants led them to the banquet hall, where they were seated on one side of the room.
On the other side were the nobles of Yilulaila City. The city lord sat at the head seat, with Luca seated just below him, dressed in a formal, ceremonial robe that gave him a completely different look.
Compared to his guilt when he was first caught by his father, Luca now seemed to have regained his fearless attitude, exchanging glances with Motis, Lena, and the other cavalrymen right under the city lord's nose.
Lord Lucreta coughed heavily, shooting him a warning look.
Luca wasn't afraid and stared right back.
The city lord decided to ignore him and continued to host the banquet flawlessly. His eyes showed neither awe for the Princess's military achievements nor disdain for her awkward status.
People like him were often difficult to deal with.
They hid their emotions well, doing everything by the book. It was possible that while toasting a guest, he was silently evaluating them, but no one could tell.
He valued etiquette, so Alyuin was even more courteous. The young woman was dressed formally in a way that suited her temperament, her manners were perfect, and she maintained an impeccable balance of friendliness and necessary distance throughout the entire event.
By the end of the banquet, Lucreta's expression had softened considerably. He said solemnly, "You are a respectable princess, Your Highness."
Alyuin nodded, but her expression didn't necessarily brighten.
After leaving the banquet hall, the Princess said with certainty, "Lucreta admires me, but if it comes to cooperating to overthrow Horst, I'm afraid he will be difficult to persuade."
Lotus: "The man is too traditional. As long as it goes against tradition, it will be very difficult to convince him. But..."
"But it's not impossible," Alyuin said, her long fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of her chair, making a faint sound.
Lotus thought for a moment. "I'm going out for a bit."
Alyuin paused, a look of understanding flashing in her eyes. "Come back soon."
Lotus smiled faintly, walked out of her temporary residence, found a secluded, deserted spot, and transformed into her spiritual form, drifting towards the city lord's main residence.
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