The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] novel Chapter 977

Chapter 977: The Opening Offensive

On a scale of one to a blood clot, how annoyed could the Imperial Crown Prince be?

A perfectly ticked three hundred at the very least.

Well, not at first. But the moment he realized just what was happening, Xavier felt veins that hadn’t been too obvious before suddenly springing up.

But why?

Because of all the carefully planned strategies employed by nefarious individuals, he simply couldn’t believe that this—of all things—would be the most effective.

"Oh my god! Martie! Come back here!"

The shrill cry cut cleanly through the hall, sharp enough to turn heads even among nobles who had spent their entire lives mastering composure.

And then came the problem.

A very round, very determined little problem.

The child looked like a balloon that had somehow gained legs and ambition, barreling forward with reckless enthusiasm as he made a direct beeline for Luca. His tiny steps were wildly uneven, his body wobbling from side to side as though gravity itself was still something he was negotiating with.

"!"

Meanwhile, his beloved wife, bless his heart, simply blinked, clearly caught off guard. But when the child tipped forward at the last second, Luca’s instincts seemed to kick in faster than his thoughts. He stepped forward and reached out just in time to catch the small body before it could meet the marble floor in what would have been a truly tragic introduction.

"Whoa—careful."

The child bounced slightly in Luca’s arms, then, with the ease present in most children, the Imperial Prince watched as the balloon stared up at his little chipmunk with wide, sparkling eyes as if he had just encountered something extraordinary.

"Up!"

"..."

"Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!"

Ah.

So that was the goal.

The voice came rushing in, followed by a young lady who looked like she had just experienced the most humiliating moment of her life. Her composure was barely holding together, her expression frazzled and flushed as she hurried toward them in clear distress.

"My lord! Forgive us for the disrespect! He just—he slipped away and I—he doesn’t usually—well, he does, but I didn’t think—"

Her words tangled over each other in her attempt to explain, her embarrassment only growing as she tried to recover whatever dignity she had left.

Well, at least that was what it was supposed to look like.

And off to the side, Xavier could practically count the number of times she attempted to flutter those fans for lashes.

His Luca, however, didn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, similar to how he reacted to the knowledge that corruption could have spread from Prince Eren’s attacks, Luca simply took this in stride.

"It’s fine," he said easily, already adjusting his hold on the child so he wouldn’t slip again. "At least he didn’t fall."

And then he smiled.

It was a simple thing.

Normal, even.

But under the drifting lanterns and the endless sky above them, the small smile didn’t remain simple for long.

For when Luca said, "It’s good that he’s safe," his smile shifted.

It softened.

It brightened.

It turned devastating.

Warm light caught against his features, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire hall had tilted toward him.

Several people nearby forgot how to breathe.

Someone in the distance choked.

Another guest turned away suspiciously fast, pressing a hand beneath their nose as though they had suddenly developed a very urgent problem.

Deana Blaire, unfortunately, was directly in the line of fire. As in two and a half steps away with her feet and about eight if Martie’s were used in measurement.

Oh no.

Not just a story. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

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