Chapter 654: The Perfect Prince
While a certain household was trying to rob their own house blind of things they thought they needed to bring, elsewhere, a certain father had finally recovered enough to stress himself out again.
Duke Leander was fairly certain he had already perished earlier from distress and shock. Contaminated beasts might one day claim him, but tonight? Tonight, it would be the sight before him that killed him.
Because now, while his precious son was cheerfully working in the kitchen preparing for a dinner with the in-laws, he himself was standing outside, staring at their newest problem.
Imperial Crown Prince Xavier Aeric Theron Solaris.
A phantom of the Empire.
The man responsible for steering and controlling several of the largest industries.
The one whispered about for quietly removing corruption the moment he vanished from public view.
The next ruler.
The husband of his precious son.
And now, the same young man was calling him "Father-in-law."
It was honestly maddening. To make matters worse, the others apparently had very strong inklings already! His wife, their people, even Ollie, whose eyes were only focused on food, Kyle, and Luca, were able to guess!
But what could the aggrieved Duke do? He could not even complain. Even if they had their suspicions, sharing such knowledge openly would have been tantamount to inviting charges of treason.
So no, he could not blame anyone for keeping quiet. It was their duty.
Especially this one standing in front of him.
"Your Imperial Highness, what are your plans?" Duke Leander asked, feeling a headache forming. The way things were going, they suddenly had much larger problems than his heart could handle.
"Father-in-law, please continue to address me as Xavier."
The Duke’s eyebrow twitched. But fine. "Then Xavier, tell me, because unlike the other Imperial couples who married each other after confirming they were ready to be the next rulers, you and my child ended up married before he even found out about your identity!"
"I don’t intend to force him into the position, Father," Xavier replied evenly, momentarily stunning the Duke into silence.
The Duke nearly bolted upright in indignation. "Then are you planning to leave my son if he refuses to take the throne?!"
"Quite the opposite, Father. It would be impossible to separate from Luca. I believe I’m not special enough to live without my heart."
Duke Leander’s mouth opened, then shut. His brain short-circuited. Was this... hereditary? That tongue, it had to be something he got from his mother, right?
Xavier continued before the Duke could recover.
"So after thinking about it, I’ve decided it could be a path I could open for him, if he is interested."
The Duke gripped his temples, preparing himself to challenge those words, when the boy finished with a line that landed like a hammer.
"Although it is very difficult not to see him as the Empire’s Eternal Light, when it seems like the title alone was made with him in mind."
The Duke froze.
The Empire’s Eternal Light.
Ehem. It sounded remarkably like his son. And truth be told, Duke Leander could already imagine how adorable Luca would look with that crown sitting snug on his head, perched in that massive chair.
He caught himself. No, no, he was being distracted. Focus, Leander.
"But it would be a crisis if he doesn’t end up ruling. Are you prepared to face such a thing?" the Duke pressed.
"Yes, Father. Because I believe we are all in agreement that Luca will excel in everything he chooses to do when he applies himself in that direction."
The Duke’s brows furrowed.
"But because of his talents and abilities, it is best not to force him into one direction. If he decides he would like to take up the position, then it is something I can offer to him. The highest position in our land."
"You!" Leander barked, nearly falling out of his seat. "This brat! Are you saying I cannot offer the highest position to him, huh?!"
Xavier, calm as ever, inclined his head. "No, Father. I am already your son-in-law, so by extension, it is now something you can suggest to Luca."
The Duke froze, flustered. He had only been annoyed earlier because, obviously, as Luca’s father, he wanted to provide the best for his son. He hated the way it sounded as if it would be impossible for him to do so. But this boy—this boy’s answer!
"Bah!" Leander finally snapped. "That mouth of yours. Now I am certain it’s from your mother. Your father would gag if he said such a thing!"
The Duke felt like he was going mad. On the one hand, the idea was dangerous. On the other hand... on the other hand, how could he deny it when he himself had once told his son to choose his own path?
Leander sighed heavily, feeling as though he had aged fifty years in the span of an hour. "You. If you’re going to offer him a path, you had better make sure it is one laden with flowers. If you’re going to take him somewhere I cannot see him every day, it had better be somewhere he likes. Do you understand?"
Xavier’s eyes trembled, then sharpened with quiet resolve. They shared a rare moment of silence before he bowed his head.
"I understand, Father. Thank you for your blessing."
Leander facepalmed, groaning. "You... run along now and help Luca. This is a hardworking household, and you must remember that if you want to stay in it."
"Yes, Father," Xavier replied respectfully, leaving with a lingering smile.
The Duke pouted, still sulking when a familiar voice called gently, "Leander."
He turned, ready to unload. "Lia! Do you know what just happened? I cannot breathe anymore. He’s actually a prince! That brat!"
Duchess Amelia only stepped forward, embracing him as though he were nothing more than a giant, depressed puppy. She stroked his back and murmured soothingly, "You did well, Leander. You really did. I am proud of you." She even tipped her head to kiss his cheek.
Leander sniffed loudly, voice muffled. "Lia, he’s actually a prince!"
"But if you were to think of a more fitting prince," Amelia said with a knowing smile, "who could come to mind?"
"Obviously, who else but Luca?" Leander answered without hesitation, pride swelling in his chest. "Who else would be as perfect for it?"
And then, as if struck by lightning, he realized what he had just said. His jaw dropped. His eyes widened. His lips wobbled.
Moments later, he bawled like a man undone.
Amelia only chuckled, patting his back with patient amusement. "Right? He’s perfect for it, don’t you think?"
While a couple in a private room comforted themselves with the thought that their child was already mature enough to walk his own path, said child was fighting an entirely different kind of battle.
"Brother! How could this be so good?!" Ollie exclaimed, his voice muffled by food.
"Right? I thought so too, brother! Do you think they’ll like it?" Luca asked eagerly, peeking at his brother’s expression as he stirred another pot.
"What do you mean? If they don’t like it, then I’ll have all of it!" declared the blonde, already mentally partitioning his stomach in preparation for what was to come.