Hero return - 07

As the sky began to dim, Lucian remained in his chair, letting his mind sink into the plans he had to make. With confirmation from the Alpha of the Guardian's summoning and evidence of the Queen's involvement in the illicit money flow, the situation is even more interesting—and dangerous.

Lucian sighed. Although it had an advantage due to information from the game, there were too many variables that he could not be sure of. However, this is not just a normal game. This world has its own desires and wills.

"The question now is: how can I use this to my advantage?"

Lucian grabbed a blank piece of paper and dipped his pen in ink, starting to jot down some important points he remembered from the game The Luminous Hero of Avandor.

"Illegal funds → Queen → Exposed by Guardian → Duke Reynald cleared of charges → Emperor died suddenly."

He squinted, staring at the words as if searching for a hidden pattern. Slowly, he circled a few points with a rough circle, especially Duke Reynald cleared of charges and Emperor died suddenly.

"Wait, isn't there something off about this?" he muttered, his fingers tapping the surface of the table. His expression hardened as his mind raced faster. If in the original game, the Guardian who exposed the flow of dark funds would find that all evidence pointed to the Queen, while Duke Reynald's name was cleared because there was no evidence against him at all. Lucian gripped the pen tighter, then quickly wrote down new details next to his notes.

"The emperor died → rumors that the crown prince was not his biological son disappeared."

Lucian tapped the pen on the table, his eyes sweeping his writings sharply. The Emperor's death wasn't just an ordinary incident—it could be part of a larger game. "There's a possibility that I got here," he muttered quietly. "The Emperor knows the truth about the Crown Prince's bloodline... but there are those who want to silence him."

If the Emperor was already dead, then whoever wanted the rumors to disappear had already achieved his goal. But, is it true that it was just a coincidence that his death occurred just before the rumors could develop further? Lucian bit the tip of the pen, recalling the details of the game that were still in his memory.

"In other words..." He traced his finger along the scribbles on the paper. "...someone wants to make sure that the Crown Prince ascends the throne without any interruptions." But who stands to gain the most? He stared at a name he had circled earlier.

"Queen..."

She's the one with the most at stake. If the Crown Prince isn't the Emperor's biological child, then the Queen's position as the empress will be shaken. She would lose her status, her influence, and maybe even her life if the truth comes out. But if the Emperor dies before the rumors strengthen, then no one will be able to question the Crown Prince's lineage.

Lucian smirked slightly, then took a new sheet of paper and started rearranging the existing power scheme. With evidence of illegal fund flows and the possibility that the Queen was involved in this game, he now had something very valuable. Something he could take advantage of.

"Hey..." Lucian leaned back in his chair, his eyes sparkling with calculation. "Aren't I getting a pretty good pawn now?" A cynical smile appeared on his face at that moment.

He leaned back in his chair, looking at the papers in front of him with a faint smile. His fingers tapped the pen on the table, while his mind kept spinning, weaving the thread that connected all of this. Then, as if remembering something, he chuckled softly.

His eyes narrowed, full of curiosity mixed with a hint of irony. "I'm sorry, Player," he whispered quietly, his voice almost sounding like a mockery. "I don't know how you're doing in this world right now, but..."

He looked back at the scheme he had made—the names circled, the notes that connected one mystery to another. "I guess I should remodel this story a bit." With a relaxed gesture, he picked up a pen and drew a new line, crossing out some possibilities that he no longer needed. His eyes flashed sharply, full of calculation.

Then, the corners of his lips pulled upwards in a dangerous smile. "And of course... for my own benefit." Under the dim light of the room, the look in his eyes reflected the satisfaction of a puppeteer who had just found the best way to move his pieces.

Time flies by quickly, and before you know it, the twilight covering the sky starts to fade, and the candles in the mansion are lit, signaling that night has arrived. Lucian is still sitting in his chair, staring at the scribbles he wrote earlier. Suddenly, a knock on the door breaks the silence in his room.

The knock sounds again, this time a bit clearer. "Young master, it's me."

Lucian recognizes that voice instantly. He takes a slow breath before replying, "Is it Natty? Did Pavel send you here again?"

From behind the door, there was a brief pause before Natty responded in surprise, "Huh? How did you know, Young Master?"

Lucian just snorted. "Huh." He glanced at the notes still scattered on his desk, then leaned back in his chair. "He said earlier that she would prepare a maid for me."

Lucian got up from his chair and walked towards the door. Meanwhile, outside, Natty looked a bit anxious, unsure how to react to the fact that Lucian guessed her arrival so easily. He opened the door and saw Natty smiling now. "So, why did you come this time? Don't ask...."

"For now, the butler asked me to serve you," Natty replied kindly.

Lucian observed her expression for a moment before flatly saying, "You have to do it because of Pavel, right? It was the same before." He crossed his arms, looking at her critically. "I mean, I don't mind, but if you're doing it out of obligation, I won't accept you as my servant."

Natty looked a bit surprised before quickly shaking her head. "That's not true. In fact, I offered myself to the butler."

Lucian raised his eyebrow. "Huh? Didn't you say you didn't like me?" His tone sounded more surprised than skeptical. "And also, I forced you to come to the casino with me that time."

Natty smiled faintly, though a bit awkwardly. "At first, I was indeed afraid of Young Master," she admitted. "But after being with you that time, I believe Young Master is not the person I heard about."

Lucian narrowed his eyes, still not entirely convinced. "You say that because no one is willing to serve me, right?"

Natty shook her head again, this time more firmly. "No. Although many maid are willing, I will strive diligently to be Young Master's maid."

For a moment, Lucian fell silent. Then, a small laugh came out of her lips, low and almost like a murmur, but clear enough to make Natty look at her in confusion. "Hah... You're really weird." He shook his head quietly, still smiling slightly. "Alright, do as you please."

"Thank you, My Lord." Natty stepped in with a light movement, then suddenly clapped her own hands. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Lucian raised an eyebrow, waiting for the continuation.

"Head waiters told me to prepare you for dinner today," Natty said in a serious tone.

Lucian frowned. "Is that so? But I see you didn't bring any food at all."

Natty gave a wry smile. "Young Master..." She looked at Lucian as if explaining something very obvious. "The Head Waiters said that the Master is having dinner today, so I have to make sure you're perfectly ready."

Lucian paused for a moment, then muttered softly, "Dinner? That's unusual. Doesn't Marquis Hale dislike me? Why is he suddenly inviting me now..." His eyes narrowed, his mind started analyzing the hidden motives behind the invitation. But after a few seconds, he relaxed and sighed. "I'm fine. I'll just eat in my room."

Natty widened her eyes for a moment before letting out a long sigh, as if she had already guessed the answer. "Young Master, what are you saying?" Her tone was soft, but there was a bit of pressure in it. "The Head Servant said I have to prepare you as best as I can and take you there. So... please help me out, okay?" She smiled, but there was a strong determination behind her innocent expression.

Lucian rubbed his temples. "Ugh, why do I feel like Natty sounds like Pavel right now...!" he muttered, feeling cornered from all sides.

Lucian stared at Natty sharply, then closed his eyes and sighed, "Alright." He stood up from his chair a bit reluctantly, but there was a determination starting to grow inside him. "Maybe I'll find some interesting info over there," he muttered softly, more to himself, while glancing around his room for a moment. "I'm going to go there."

Natty responded with a sincere smile, though a bit worried about the tension between them. "Okay, Young Master," she replied gently, "I'll make your look perfect this time." She carefully arranged his outfit, making sure every detail met her master's expectations, and even adjusted the style a bit to make Lucian look more down-to-earth yet still classy.

Lucian got up from his chair and let Natty help him put on some fancier clothes for dinner. He was wearing an elegant black suit with dark blue accents, perfect for a formal dinner event. Natty had carefully prepared everything, from the shiny shoes to the perfectly arranged shirt buttons. Lucian felt a bit surprised for a moment—maybe there was something more than just the usual formality going on here.

After a few seconds, Natty stepped back a little, looking at him with a serious yet confident gaze. "Young Master, you're ready." Lucian took a deep breath and nodded, then he picked up the mask from his table.

"Master, you use that?" Natty asked curiously

"There is no other choice, right? I heard he doesn't like my face so," Lucian put on the mask, then looked at Natty with a smile. "I don't want to muddy the atmosphere," he explained.

"Alright. Let's see what's behind this dinner," he said in a flat tone, though he could feel the tension building up inside him. Something in him said that this meeting was more important than he thought.

With a relaxed yet cautious stride, Lucian followed Natty out of the room, heading to the place that would take him straight to the meeting table. Each step felt like part of a bigger game.