Lucian stared at Louis, waiting for him to continue, but Louis only clenched his fists. The silence dragged.
Lucian leaned back slowly. "Assassinating the First Heir…? Are you serious?"
Louis didn't look at him. "Yeah." His voice was low. "My father told me last night. He said it's… necessary. That the kingdom needs it."
Lucian blinked twice. "Necessary? That's not necessary. That's stupid."
Louis finally looked up. "It isn't stupid."
"It's very stupid," Lucian said flatly. "It's the dumbest thing I've heard all week, and you say a lot of dumb things, so that's impressive."
Louis glared but didn't argue.
Lucian's thoughts spun. Why would a loyal knight plan regicide? Is it rebellion? Betrayal? Or something deeper? He pressed his palm to his forehead. This is chaos… and he's just telling me like it's homework.
He sighed loudly. "Okay, explain. Why would he do something that suicidal?"
Louis shook his head. "I can't tell you. It's his mission. And he said I wasn't supposed to say anything at all… but you're the only person I trust."
"So you break the promise by telling me," Lucian muttered. "Smart."
Louis frowned. "Do you think I want this? He's my father. If he gets caught…" His voice wavered.
Lucian's face softened for a moment. Then hardened again. "Still dumb."
Louis exhaled, frustrated. "Believe what you want. But he told me the heir… the First Heir… isn't who he pretends to be. That he's dangerous."
Lucian tilted his head. "Dangerous how?"
"I—" Louis bit his lip. "I can't tell you. I promised."
Lucian groaned. "Then why even tell me anything? You drop a bomb, then cover it with a blanket. You're hopeless."
Louis gave a tired shrug. "I just… needed someone else to know. Even if I can't explain it fully."
Lucian studied him. Louis wasn't lying. His eyes showed fear, not excitement. A child forced to carry an adult's burden.
Lucian clicked his tongue. "So your father is secretly planning to kill the First Heir. You know why, but you won't say. And I'm supposed to just sit here and nod."
Louis nodded. "Pretty much."
Lucian slapped his forehead. "You're unbelievable."
But beneath his annoyance, something colder settled in his chest. Assassinating an heir… this is more than a simple mission.
He glanced at Louis. "Fine. Keep your secret. But if your father's head ends up rolling, I'll say I warned you."
Louis snorted. "You'd probably frame me too."
Lucian smirked. "If you keep acting dumb? Maybe."
Louis opened his mouth to retort—
—but then he stopped, expression darkening.
"Lucian… there's more about my father."
A shadow crossed his face.
And Lucian felt the air around them turn heavy, like something inevitable was approaching.
---
Lucian reached home just as the sky dimmed. The smell of herbs drifted from the kitchen. Herschel stood near the counter, slicing vegetables with calm, steady hands. She turned when she heard him.
"You're back," she said. "What were you doing outside?"
"I was practicing with Louis," Lucian answered. "Sword forms, a bit of reading, and a little running."
She nodded with a quiet smile. "You two never change. Go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon."
Lucian went upstairs, studied for a while, reviewed his notes, and tried to sort through the chaos Louis dumped on him.
Assassinating the First Heir? Why? How? His quill didn't stop moving, but the questions never faded.
After some time, Herschel knocked softly.
"Lucian, come eat before it gets cold."
He closed the notebook and went downstairs.
The table was already set, warm soup steaming in the bowls. Herschel sat across from him. When he started eating, she watched him for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully.
"There's something I should tell you," she said.
Lucian lifted his eyes. "What is it?"
"It's about Fürtwald." Her voice grew quieter. "He's not returning home yet."
Lucian straightened. "Why? He said he'd be back two weeks ago."
Herschel folded her hands together. "New orders. He's speaking with generals in the Kingdom of Lillypose. The situation there is… tense."
Lucian frowned. "Tense how?"
"They didn't say much," Herschel replied. "But Lillypose requested a joint strategy meeting. Something about borders, troop movement, and possible unrest. He's part of the council for that discussion."
Lucian took a slow breath. "So he's dealing with high-level talks again."
"Yes." Herschel let out a soft sigh. "Your father always ends up in the center of things. Even now, after stepping down from the battlefield, the generals still rely on him."
Lucian nodded. "He's too sharp to ignore."
Herschel smiled faintly. "He would be happy to hear you say that."
Then she snapped her fingers suddenly, remembering something. "Oh. A message came earlier. A sealed letter from Fürtwald's commander."
Lucian leaned forward. "What did it say?"
"He will be staying in Gravenheim for a while," Herschel said. "Something is happening in the capital, and the commander needs him close. They didn't explain the details, but they want him stationed here. In this house."
Lucian's brows knit. "Is it related to the army?"
"It must be," Herschel answered. "Gravenheim is large, and information arrives late. It seems they need someone they can trust to manage news, orders, and coordination from inside the capital."
Lucian set down his spoon. "So he'll be here soon."
"Yes," Herschel said. Her eyes softened. "Lucian, he's been talking more about you lately. He wants to see how much you've grown."
Lucian lowered his head a little. "I've been working hard."
"I know." Herschel smiled warmly now. "He'll be proud of you."
Lucian breathed out slowly. Father's… with complications in the next kingdom. And Louis' father planning something insane.
The threads of the future tangled in his mind.
Herschel reached out and tapped the table lightly. "Eat more, Lucian. You'll need your strength."
He nodded and lifted his spoon again, even as the storm ahead grew clearer.
Lucian studied quietly through the afternoon, his quill scratching over the paper as he copied diagrams of sword forms and notes about principle magic. The room was silent except for the occasional creak of the old floorboards.
Hours passed, and the sun dipped low.
Then he made a decision.
He would go to the capital tonight.
Gravenheim wasn't far from their home, which was in the Farming District, beyond the outer walls where the farmers lived and worked.
He pulled a dark hood over his head and stepped carefully into the cool evening air.
The streets were empty, except for the occasional carriage moving along the cobblestones.
Lucian slipped between shadows, keeping to alleys and low walls.
He reached the main road and saw a carriage waiting, the horses snorting and stamping.
Without thinking twice, he moved closer and quietly climbed inside, hiding behind a stack of goods.
Through the small gap in the curtains, he could see soldiers at the checkpoint.
They were checking permits, calling out names, and inspecting papers. One soldier asked, "Permit? IDs?"
Another soldier replied, "All clear, but we'll check again at the next gate. Don't let anyone slip through."
Lucian kept silent, listening carefully. Every word mattered.
He counted the steps, memorized the order of soldiers, and noticed their reactions.
Each movement and glance could be a clue about the capital's layout and the security measures in place.
The carriage rumbled forward.
He stayed low, careful not to make a sound.
His mind raced, thinking about what he might discover in the capital and how he could use it.