CHAPTER 62: TAKING BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY YOURS

Alfred was very attached to the Andromeda’s Law book, but he was also aware of the changes in Luke’s behaviour. It was impossible for a father not to notice his child under so much stress.

"Something happened, didn’t it? Something you can’t talk about..." Alfred had said, choosing to ask a counter question instead of answering Luke’s question.

’Let’s say talking to Lady Nyx made me feel better. Not many people can hear the voice of the Great Goddess, can they?" Luke said suddenly. It was half lies since he also saw the memories that had Andromeda Ariadne Hiera in, but...Hearing Nyx’s voice was something that not many could do; it was the sole truth.

When Alfred heard these words, he nodded his head up and down several times, as if to show that he understood everything.

"So be it, I will grant your wishes," Alfred said, then reached into his magic bag once more.

This time, he pulled out a black inkwell, a feather pen, and a parchment for writing.

This parchment was one of the parchments used to write the Imperial Edicts.

Alfred quickly wrote the title of the parchment, filled in the content, signed it, and then used a magical tool to transfer the text on the parchment to another parchment, handing both parchments to Luke.

"Sign them," said Alfred.

When Luke looked at the two parchments in front of him, they stated that Luke’s princely rank was being restored to him with all its power, and that he could either compete in the crown race or live his life as he wished, contributing to the empire.

Additionally, in the second paragraph, it was stated that Great City would be recognised as a region of Selene’s Hiera Empire, not as a duchy but as a ’princely state,’ meaning it would be the largest and historically the first vassal state of the Hiera Empire.

In short, Alfred had apologised to Luke Ibn Alphonsine, the prince of the empire, in a manner even greater than kneeling before his seven sisters.

A father had offered his son an opportunity that no one could have imagined.

The Hiera Empire, which had never accepted vassal states throughout history and had taken the crowns of everyone who joined them, had clearly stated with this parchment that Luke and other Hieras from his lineage could participate in the throne war in the future. It was also stated that Luke could live in the farthest northern region, which was their own territory and large enough to be a great country, if they did not wish to participate.

This was an unimaginable thing.

And this was Alfred’s apology itself.

"Father..." Luke had said, and the seven princesses who had read the parchment after getting up from where they were and coming to Luke’s side had reacted the same way.

How could they not?

Luke could understand from the parchment that he was officially on the same level as the Supreme Emperor of the Hiera Empire and would be seen as such.

No one could object to this, as Luke had already subjugated an Ancient Dragon. He had earned this rank, and Alfred, knowing this, had chosen to do this as an apology.

"When your mothers, Emma, Lily, Bellatrix, Eva, and Leia arrive, greet them. I’m going to rest," Alfred said, and as he left the meeting room, he tossed one of the parchments Luke had already signed into his magic bag and disappeared for the day.

"I don’t know what to say..." Luke had said, slumping into his chair and waiting there. His eyes were wide open, this thing he had experienced... It was unbelievable.

"Cilla," Luke said suddenly.

At the sound of her name, Cilla stepped out from Luke’s shadow and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty..." Cilla’s eyes were wide open, and though Luke didn’t notice, the same was true for every Freley standing in the shadows of the seven princesses.

"Go and inform Callum, Kevin, and Zoey of what has happened. Take a few Dark Elves with you and depart to protect our five mothers who are halfway there," Luke commanded, then stood up and left the meeting room with his sisters.

Shortly thereafter, footsteps began to echo from outside the living room where Luke and his sisters were seated, or even lying on the floor or chairs, trying to make sense of what had happened.

The door suddenly opened, and Zoey herself stood at the entrance, wearing a pristine, high-quality mythril armour, two swords on either side of her waist, and a sweaty face.

"Is what I heard true?!" Zoey suddenly shouted.

Behind Zoey stood both Callum and Kevin, both of them standing with their eyes wide open.

Neither Callum nor Kevin was sweating, but Kevin was breathing deeply through his nose as if he were having trouble breathing, while Callum was doing the same through his mouth.

"Zoey, please lower Great City’s flag a little. Hiera’s flag was flying at the top. Since I regained my rank and this place is partly called a principality, and I am the prince of Hiera, it has to be that way," Luke said.

Zoey immediately relayed the orders to the Dark Elves at the door, and once they had left, she returned to Luke.

"I didn’t think you’d forgive your father," Zoey said, busy catching her breath.

"So, I did," Luke said, a big smile forming on his face.

Zoey quickly removed the mythril armour she was wearing and threw it to the ground as if it were a piece of trash. The young woman didn’t care how sweaty she was; the only thing she wanted to do was hug her husband, her lover Luke, who looked as if he had been freed from his chains.

When Zoey approached him and hugged him tightly, Luke’s face was pressed against the young woman’s stomach. Luke stood there, his arms wrapped around Zoey’s waist, and waited.

"There’s no more trouble ahead of us now, it’s just war from here on out, isn’t it?" Zoey asked. After all, things on the eastern continent had begun to become turbulent and strange, and Luke was well aware of this, as was Zoey, naturally.

These words were what truly piqued the curiosity of the seven princesses in the room.