4. Aftermath

The same corridor that once seemed tall was now little for me, as everything was done for me. After two weeks, I, Loren Orion y Fillice-Choppin, will now be "exiled". Though I was already used to this status, my father next to me...

Walking alongside me, my father, Baron Choppin, commander of the Duke of the West's Blue Flame knights, has his head down. Looking gloomy and probably full of guilt, he barely said a word to me.

However, this situation, where my father and I were walking in the corridor to exit the Royal Palace, was new to me. After all, when I heard of my exile, I immediately ran away from the palace and into my father's villa inside the capital. There, I locked myself in my room for my remaining time sentence until I was forcibly kicked out of the villa and escorted to the academy to get my belongings.

Speaking of the academy, it is probably there that the next stage of the Pope, Prince, and Riley plan underwent... However, I won't just let them have the last laugh this time. After all, my loophole plan also exists with the academy.

However, in order for this loophole plan to work, I have to get the attention of one of the kingdom's greatest powers. And, to do that, I have to talk with this gloomy but big father of mine.

I looked at my hunched father and gently patted his back. "Father, are you okay?" 

My father, who was now probably full of guilt, started bawling. And honestly, there is such a gap between my father's personality and his body. With his personality being the sun and his body being the moon.

"I'm sorry Loren *hick* I failed you as your father *hick*" Bawled my father, trying to wipe away his falling tears...

Back then, I thought my father was just a cruel man, but now, he is much more of a friend. I guess as you grow older and more mature, you just see people from a different perspective. Or it could also be my refusal to understand other people in the past that led to my constrained relationship with my father... Nevertheless, I should liven this big guy up. 

"Heed not worry, father. I am not really hurt by this, you know? Growing up as your son and trusting evil people in my life just made me realise that it's going to happen soon." I muttered as I patted my father from the back.

Of course, my father, who was bawling just now, started to have waterfalls flowing from his eyes. Then, proceeded to hug me.

"I am going to keep you writing letters, okay, don't forget to write me back. And also, don't spend all your allowance, okay, make sure to save up some. I am going to miss you, son." Father said, hugging me tightly and stopping his tears. As I was being hugged by my father, a sudden realisation hit my head. 

That's right, how could I forget about her?! 

I then activated my Magical Book spell and started writing with mana. 

'Fourth, Free my father from my stepmother'

If it wasn't for my stepmother, I wouldn't have suffered while being exiled in the past. She took all my allowances and burned all the letters that my father wrote to me. Not just that, she was also the one who suggested bringing Riley into the family, manipulating my father throughout his life.

In the near future, my father found out about all of this too late. Because of the immense guilt, he started to have depression and lost weight. That's why in the future he was no longer that big.

I need to move with my plans fast.

"Father, would you like to have a duel with me?" I said, grabbing Father with both his shoulders.

"A-A duel? You? That is not something you used to think about, my son. Why all of a sudden?"

Damn it, I forgot how weak and weak willed I was before! I need to find an excuse... That's right!

"Well... I only have two weeks to hang out with you, and I want to grow strong before I leave" 

"Y-you, you really are my son! Heed not worry, after we arrive back at the villa, we can have as many duels as we can!"

"NOOOO. Ahem, I mean, why not have it here, Father? I also want to explore the training grounds of the palace after all." 

We can't, we have to duel in this palace. That is the only way I can get his reaction and attention for my plan to work!

I looked at Father with dog-like eyes, persuading him with all my might. If he really is a father, he would read my excitement right now. And, of course, being a father, he immediately caught on.

"O-Okay, then, I kind of also want to see the level of the knights in this palace. So, might as well?"

"Let's go!!!"

"Wow, you really are excited, huh. Let's go reserve a private training area" 

Of course, I am excited, Father, knights like you would really want to see the level of other knights. Especially those who work above, those to supervise, those who also have knight groups like you

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"Hey Vena, what did you think of that Loren kid. The son of Baron Choppin." A rough-looking man with red hair said.

"That guy? He was a classmate of mine in one of the subjects at the academy. Other than being smart, I don't really know anything else about him. What's this about father?" A girl with vibrant red hair said.

"How about that girl behind the prince a while back? What do you think about her?"

"Oh, Riley the Saint? She just had her coming of age, and we are about a year older than her... She was nice to me once, though. Again, what is this about father?" 

"Did you know that Loren kid and the Saint Girl si currently engaged? So, all of what just happened seemed like a trap."

"Wait, really? But she was always hanging around with the prince and other men. Even now, brother and the two of them just started wandering about in the capital"

"That is why that girl is suspicious to me, if you were engaged to a person, you would not just hang around with other men. Especially since the saint was the one who asked for the engagement. Additionally, even if you were a saint, being asked for a dance by your fiancé would not be a major crime."

"Hmmmm...? I just don't understand. Even if you're engaged, that does not mean you can just force someone to dance. Let's stop with this and look at the knights already~~!!!" Vena said while leaning down on a balcony.

"Ah! Dad, look! It's the father and son duo that we were just talking about. Hmm? They're going to the private training rooms, to the corner ones at that."

"Interesting..."

The training hall in the palace is designed specifically for viewing. With the public training hub being outside and the private one being inside, balconies from the second floor still allow anyone to look at the knights' training, even the private ones.

This design is great for scouting, it is also great for tourism, as it allows anyone from the public to get to the second-floor balconies. Because of this, some royal knights also like to show off. Which means that the second-floor balconies for the private rooms are barely used, especially those that are in the very corner. So why would those two go to them? The rough-looking red-haired man, who was the duke of the west, thought to himself,"

"Interesting... Hey, Vena, would you like to see what those two are up to?" 

"Ehhh, I don't want toooo~~"

"Just come on, it might be interesting." The duke said with a grin. His red eyes glowing more fiercely with curiosity.