CHAPTER 673 A FATHER'S LAMENT

Meanwhile, inside one of the booths, the mechanic who was the main reason for today's auction was busy soothing his now ailing father.

"Papa, is everything all right? Do you want a drink? What about a healing pill?" Luca asked worriedly, noticing how his father was paling every time another auction item appeared on the screen.

Duke Leander clutched his son's hand like a man on his deathbed. His lips trembled with the weight of his grief. "No, my boy... I will endure. I must be strong in the face of this disaster. I will be mature enough to understand why it is impossible for me to keep all of your works as keepsakes!"

He said it so solemnly that even the duchess had to look away before her shoulders betrayed her laughter.

Leander pressed on, his voice rising with the vigor of a tragic hero. "I have been preparing for this moment. I remember all those years when the other dukes would parade their children's drawings, their painted figurines, their mud sculptures that looked like torture devices. They were so proud, so boastful, while I smiled quietly, missing my boy! Of course, they never knew the truth. They did not know my son was not fine back then. But now, here I am, and those stinky dukes... those stinky dukes actually have your pieces while I, your own father, am not allowed to buy a single one!"

His voice cracked. His grip on Luca's hand tightened as though his boy was the only anchor left in the universe.

"My heart... it is torn asunder... but with you comforting me like this, I will... I will recover..."

Luca blinked, unsure whether he should be touched or concerned that his father looked two seconds away from fainting. To soothe him, he said softly, "Papa, if there are things you want, I can make them

custom for you. I even thought of the cockpit design carefully. I've prepared a matching one for you and Mama when she's ready to have her biomecha customized."

The room fell silent for a moment. Truly, it was touching. Anyone else's heart would have been moved.

Except.

Leander's face crumpled.

Because this was the very same man who had not yet seen the mecha made for him with so much love. This morning, when he was finally supposed to see it, was the same morning the Marshal dragged him off to file a report against that Renard idiot.

He had been so ready, so excited, so close, and then his world collapsed. By the time he returned, there had been no time left. Straight to the auction they went, and straight into this misery.

Duchess Amelia placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, her smile dangerously close to breaking into laughter. "Leander, please, breathe. It is tragic, yes, but look at you."

Leander's face darkened. "I want to roar!" he declared pitifully.

The sound he let out next was somewhere between a lion's bellow and a wounded cow.

The entire booth shook with laughter. Even Luca, despite his intense worry, had to cover his mouth. Amelia herself nearly toppled from her seat, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Papa..." Luca said, shaking his head.

Leander sniffled. "One day... I will see it... one day..."

Just as the laughter softened, D-29's voice chimed in with a crisp alert. "Host. Someone appears to be attempting to access the cameras of the auction hall. Their persistence is notable. What do you wish to do?"

Luca straightened, startled. "What? Xavier, someone's trying to access the cameras. What should we do?"

The others looked up sharply at the mention.

Xavier, calm as ever, folded his arms. "Have D-29 continue restricting access. It will only build anticipation for the items. They will find out when the auction is over anyway. But a delay now gives us the lead time we need."

"Oh," Luca said, slowly nodding. He exchanged looks with the others, who all seemed to accept it.

D-29's voice hummed with approval, its tone almost cheerful. "Acknowledged, benefactor. I will continue restricting access. I find this directive agreeable."

The system, apparently, was having the time of its life looking for all the intelligent systems that might be able to challenge its position as manager of all managers and was therefore pleased with this

directive.

But just as they decided on the matter, the booth door hissed open at last, and in stepped two blue-haired giants who looked strangely...

defeated.

Luca glanced over and immediately gasped because someone important was missing. "Kyle, what happened to my good brother?!"

Kyle froze. The nervous question pierced right through his ribs. "We... didn't even get inside before being kicked out," he admitted grimly. Killian grunted like the world's most annoyed bodyguard.

Kyle sighed and rubbed his temple. "Luca, could you maybe try to contact Ollie? He's not answering. He said he has everything under control, but with the way this auction is going, I have no idea how our parents are reacting."

Those words made the air in the room freeze.

Because Ollie saying he had things under control was just as terrifying

as the thought of the auction house collapsing on them. Worse, Kyle couldn't exactly confess that the only evidence of control he had was a message from his little star declaring: There's no need to elope

anymore!

And complete with a heart.

How was he supposed to explain that without sounding like they had nefarious ideas?

Before Luca could rush to call, Killian raised a hand. "Wait. Would this

be fine? If you contact him, won't our parents overhear things?" That actually made Luca pause. His golden eyes blinked, wide with innocence. "Is that going to be a problem?"

The brothers stared at him.

It was an honest question. Luca simply assumed that if Kyle and

Killian were good, then surely their parents would also be good. He hadn't thought so before, but after being here for a while now, he thought that maybe most people were actually like this.

Kyle exhaled heavily. "Then, Luca... are you saying it would be alright if they learn about everything?"

The dungeon owner looked at both brothers quietly, while chaos from

the auction hall below shook the walls with roars and curses. And

then, with a steadiness that showed confidence, Luca said, "Yes.

Because I trust the people you trust."

The words carried more weight than the bids below. More than that,

Luca truly felt that if his friends were family he chose, then by

extension, their families were his family too.

And just like that, Ollie finally picked up.

The screen lit up with his bright face, seated happily between Minister Kordell and Marquise Evelyn, looking like the picture of bliss.

"Brother?" Luca asked hesitantly. "I-is everything alright?"

Ollie blushed. His smile shone as he practically sang, "Everything is great, brother!"

The silence in the booth was deafening.

Because from their perspective, nothing looked great. Marquise Evelyn glowed with serene delight, but beside her, Minister Nox resembled Duke Leander during one of his more catastrophic meltdowns. His complexion matched curdled milk.

And then Ollie had the audacity to chirp, "Don't worry, I've warned them well, so there's no need to panic!"

Everyone watched in horror as Minister Nox paled further, proving that whatever Ollie called "warning" had likely shaved years off his life.

It was at this exact moment that Imperial Crown Prince Xavier decided to step forward from behind Luca.

The move alone would have lent them all credibility, but he had to

make it worse. He set a hand on Luca's cheek and rubbed it fondly,

like this was a quiet evening at home rather than a political and economic apocalypse in the making. It was probably instinctive by now, and while others who were familiar could look without keeling over, it wasn't the same for everyone.

Both Nox parents froze. The Duke's wailing in the background hit a

new octave.

Minister Kordell's soul left his body for a second.

Because how was anyone supposed to concentrate on a life-shattering auction when the Imperial Prince had just casually revealed himself in the background of a casual call-while doting on

an actual living being?!

Meanwhile, Luca only beamed and said cheerfully, "Brother, if you

want snacks, come back. I'll save you some."

The words landed like lightning bolts. Minister Kordell stared at him, utterly broken. Snacks?

How could anyone think of eating snacks in this kind of situation?!