The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] novel Chapter 289

Chapter 289: Lobby

Butler Gary stood like a statue. Impossibly still and gloriously livid.

But the moment a pirate lifted his gun and shoved it into the side of a teenager’s head—one who had tried to shield their sibling with their arms—the butler’s knuckles cracked.

Even Duke Leander turned. Just slightly.

They didn’t speak, not needing to do so after years of developing their tacit understanding.

But before they could move, they noticed the pirates stirring relentlessly.

It was because one frazzled rescuer couldn’t stand what was about to happen.

Luca’s breath caught in his throat.

They were almost there—barely a few meters from the main corridor leading into the passenger lobby—but everything changed when they rounded the corner.

What they saw froze him in place.

Civilians. Dozens of them. Huddled in the center of the room, arms around each other, shielding children with trembling bodies.

And the pirates.

These weren’t the type they’d dealt with earlier—these people were playing for themselves.

One in particular stood out.

A tall, wiry man with wild eyes and a streak of vanity painted across every exaggerated gesture.

His gear was newer, cleaner—his weapon polished like a display piece. And yet, he paraded around like he owned the place, smirking and snapping his fingers as if waiting for applause.

He didn’t like being questioned.

They heard him sneer.

"I said, I’m in charge now. Anyone who wants to question that?" He turned toward one of the other pirates who had hesitated to follow his lead.

The man raised a brow. "You sure about that? Since when—"

A harsh laugh cut through the room.

"Oh, I’m sure." The vain one didn’t wait for the sentence to finish.

Instead, he grabbed a nearby teen by the arm and yanked them upright from the cluster of civilians.

"No—!" One of the parents cried out.

But the pirate was already swinging the butt of his gun toward the teenager’s head.

Luca’s world tilted.

He didn’t think. There wasn’t time.

All he knew was that they wouldn’t make it.

And so he willed it. Luca took the gun as he thought about it.

The gun vanished from the pirate’s hand.

It reappeared instantly in Luca’s Dungeon Inventory—the motion almost seamless. But the disruption had been loud enough, noticeable enough, to break the fragile silence.

"WHAT THE—?!" the pirate screeched, spinning around.

The other traitors turned, startled.

Some aimed their weapons.

D-29 noticed the sudden change in positions and made a prompt about it.

Luca stiffened.

The civilians screamed, ducking down. The pirates, realizing something was wrong, moved fast. Too fast.

One grabbed a young girl by the collar, yanking her up as a makeshift shield.

Although, if some were being honest, it was the fact that they couldn’t see the enemy that got them reacting like that.

They may not recognize laws and states, but they sure as hell recognize the supernatural!

And right now, one of them looked like he was being haunted.

Guns were pointed everywhere as the hijackers tried looking around for anything suspicious.

The well-meaning guild leader could barely breathe.

He definitely messed up. He got carried away and rushed in before thinking about the consequences.

But then suddenly, a warm, ungloved hand closed over his.