Chapter 148: Invitation

Words : 1276 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 148: Invitation Today didn’t feel enough for the Duke, who hadn’t seen his son in a very, very long while. And even when they were told that they technically had more time here than the outside, it still didn’t feel enough. If it had been possible, the Duke would have rather been a tree here so he could stay. But then his precious son was really the best and managed to stun the Duke right before leaving. "Papa, I’m not sure if you’d be interested, but I prepared these for you, Butler Gary, and Steward Han." Obviously, this caught everyone’s attention, especially the two elders. "What is it, my son? Well, aside from a few cookies, I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in building a cabin in the settlement. That would allow you to go in and out like my friends." Luca felt shy asking. But he thought maybe it would compensate for angering his father today. And well, he was also shy because he was referring to his buddies as friends. He hoped they would be okay with that, as Luca wasn’t exactly sure how one’s classification changes into a friend, like his brother. And so, the little chipmunk bloomed when no one reacted negatively to being called his friend. Xavier seemed to notice and wondered why the little money grubber was getting shy again. Maybe he ought to ask later? Well, Luca shouldn’t have worried about the reception of the passes because clearly, even if he gave them a leaf, it would likely still be preserved by the Duke. But a chance to go in and out of the space to regularly see his son? Sign him up! Duke Leander was so excited that he wanted to be the first to get this access and was surprised to be asked for something called a ’pinky swear.’ His son was solemn when he asked that the space be kept a secret and for them to protect each other from possible harm. It was an oath. And the Duke felt like he was dressed inappropriately for such a momentous occasion as making an oath to his son. This time...This time, he would make sure to protect his child! The same oath was made by Butler Gary and Steward Han, who felt honored to be treated as settlers in this beautiful space. They were even given their own plots and told that they could build whatever they wanted. However, that would have to wait because Duke Leander was suddenly afraid of tarnishing his good son’s school records and demanded they leave as soon as possible. Steward Han thought that the Duke was only capable of laughing like a maniac now because he could come back the moment they got out of the school gates. And the faster they left, the sooner he could return. But who could he blame when he was thinking of exactly that? Not to mention these cookies that the Young Lord had given them; was he supposed to hold them like this for the world to see? Wasn’t that inviting the thugs to come and beat him up? Their Young Lord once mentioned that they prepared for the exams by training in that hall, and maybe he could do just that. And maybe he would, as Grandmaster Tao gained a new apprentice who was a little older but was rather determined. For no one still noticed the difficulty setting. And for months to come, it would be the default, forcefully raising the bar for anyone who trained in the training hall. The tearful goodbye changed into a delightful ’see you later,’ and everyone managed to rush out into the now battered Battleship. Luca wasn’t sure what had happened, but when he went outside, the docking area was already free of ships, save for his father’s ship. Were they attacked while they were in the space? If that happens a lot, then maybe he ought to see if there are also ways to improve battleships! But that was likely a problem for another time as he felt like he forgot to say something significant. It was just that he couldn’t seem to remember what it was. But there really were a lot of things, and at one point, Luca almost stopped to think about it, if not for his brother prodding him to run first because the curfew was really upon them. So, the distracted son totally forgot to inform his father about his marriage, his corruption cleaning gigs, and his healing sideline. And several of those were about to catch the unprepared Duke by storm. It wasn’t the cookies that were definitely a hit for those staff who were left behind to deal with the people; that was expected. But it was more like a sudden invitation from the Marshal, who realized that he was right. Duke Leander, who had to seclude himself, was very much up and about, according to the latest news. And the Marshal, who had experienced the miracle for himself, wanted to ask the Duke if it was now possible to hope for a better future. It was a sudden invitation for one excited father who was just about to abandon ship to build a good cabin that his son could visit. Frankly, he debated on whether it was important enough to take time away from possibly seeing his son. But then Butler Gary reminded him of their intention to pave the way for the Young Lord. This got the Duke to change their destination. He would have to think about things to offer the military so he could gain a foothold in the Empire’s military sphere again. They listed a few different things and all the possible buildings and domes they could build. But apparently, there was no need for such thoughts because he was greeted like a returning hero. "..." It was just that he had no idea why. So, the awkward Duke had to strut around like nothing was wrong as the Marshal greeted him in person. "Duke Leander, it’s been a while." The Marshal smiled knowingly, and his gaze was full of adoration, which honestly made the clueless Duke tremble. "Huh? Ah, yes, Marshal. It really has been a while." Duke Leander replied with a sunny smile as he thought about all the things he would do to worm his way into the military. But to everyone else, especially to the soldiers who were surprised that the Marshal had asked for such a welcome, thought that something must be going on with these two war heroes. If anything, the fact that both were upright and talking outside of their respective confinement areas was one thing. None of them should be here. And yet, the two were smiling at each other like no one was sick. Or was it because no one was really sick? Not anymore? Deputy Officer Curtis looked around to see Eden with the same expression. Since the day the Marshal mysteriously recovered, Eden had stayed quiet. And even when they tried poking at the security cameras, there was nothing unusual. But that was because the Marshal had already asked Eden, who came to him with a slew of clips, to keep quiet for now. It was not good to treat their benefactors with contempt, and so Eden, who knew how to shut her mouth when needed, made all of it vanish. And just hoped that this wasn’t a dream. For some, it would. But for one Duke who was surprised to learn about why he was here, it was a nightmare of epic proportions. Kind of.

Chapter 148: Invitation

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