Duke's Son Wish To Follow The Story

Chapter 8 : For Leaving

Leon was the last one that arrived at the dining hall, that's why he hastily went inside. He already wearing different clothes now as his body was sweating from training his sword just a while ago. He was wearing simple blue clothes and pants while his back hair was tied up with blue ribbon.

As he arrives inside, he could see from the place he was standing, his father, Duke Carl was at the end of the table, at the center, while his mother was at the right side of his father and his younger brother was at the left side of his father. It seems both his parents and younger brother still didn’t start eating yet, as they are waiting for him.

“I’m sorry I’m a bit late father… mother and Luis”

“It's fine Leo… take a sit… Let’s start eating now that Leo is here.”

Leon takes a sit in the center across his father's sit as he hears his father's casual reply. There are six chairs that separate him from his father sit. He put his hand on the cutlery set on his table and nonchalantly ate the steak in front of him. As he took one bite of the food, his lips curved up a little.

‘This really goods’

He thought to himself as he keeps taking a bite of the steak. The steak feels really soft and juicy.

‘it’s like eating some cake… ahh… the meat so tender, soft and juicy… this is bliss...’

he really enjoys the meat and his smile turn wide as he cuts the steak jolly molly, and that's why he didn’t realize that his family members who eating with him were watching him with a weird expression.

Gulped*

His family members couldn’t help but gulped as they saw him like that. His father opens up and closes his mouth before starting to speak up.

“did something good happen Leo???”

His father asks so with an awkward smile towards him. He stops eating as he hears his father's voice. He put down the cutlery and turn his head towards him, frowning.

Stiffened*

His family members stiffened as they saw his frowning face.

‘did I say anything wrong??’

his father thought as he look towards Leon to Luis, then to his wife, and lastly turn back to his son Leon. Both his wife and son shrugged their shoulder with ‘I don’t know.’ expressions on their face. Duke Carl waits for Leon to answer nervously.

“ahem…well the food was delicious…”

‘but I don’t know it’s halal or not…hmmm it’s not halal I think’

Leon couldn’t say these words out loud as he knows the fact that this world is not the earth anymore. He was wondering whether it was halal or not because back on earth, he used to eat halal food and he was also from a Muslim family. But, in this world, there's no such religion or belief, so, to find halal food would be impossible.

“……..”

All of his family members wear a blank expression.

‘what??? I just tell them honestly right?? is that wrong’

He thought as he saw how blank his family's expression is.

“ahaha- yes the food is indeed delicious right everyone”

“yes, true darling... ohohoho”

“yes, father…. Ahahaha”

And they all laugh with an awkward expression too.

‘their laugh obviously not sincere at all…sighs* but I should do something about my food from now on…maybe I should just eat seafood... seafood is easier to be halal after all..hmm...’

Leon's expression continues frowning as he ponders that before turning to a serious one back as he tried to say the next word-

“hmm… father, mother, and Luis…I would like to tell you guys something…”

Freeze*

As such, his family quickly freezes and stops laughing as they hear his serious tone.

'again...why every time I speak... they stiffened like this??’

Leon shake his head with a stoic face as he saw them like that. His family was all eyeing him, frowning. And only Duchess Julia opens up her mouth after a second of silence.

“what do you want to say, Leo??”

“hmm… it’s not particularly important but… five days before the Royal Event… I will head to the capital…”

Answer him without much thought. However,

Thump*

That such a nonchalant statement from him was actually enough to cause everyone's eyes to widen as their face looks up at him who casually slicing and eating his meat calmly. In their eyes, they could see him chewing the meat slowly, savoring every last bit of the flavor.

‘this could be my last meat at this mansion cause after this I might only eat seafood…haih… I need to find a way to adapt halal food in this mansion... hmm...’

Thought Leon as he bit the last meat on his plate. He knows that his family gazing at him didn’t stop, but he chooses to ignore them and enjoy his food instead.

“Leo… you do realize what you say just now right??”

Leon looks up toward his father with an ‘I don’t understand what are you talking about.’ expression. Duke Carl frowned as he realized his son's blank expression.

“I mean… you did say, that you don’t want to attend the Royal Event”

“huh???”

Leon's frowned at first. His expression then looks disbelief at what his father might misunderstand. His eyes shifted to his family's faces one by one starting with his father with frowning on his face, then towards his other family member who look somewhat curious.

‘yare, yare… they misunderstood I guess’

“I say I’m going to the capital… not the Royal event.”

State him, giving his family a dagger gaze to tell them how bullshit their thoughts are. 

Thus, Luis immediately focuses back on his eating as he knows what his brother's gaze means. His mother Duchess Julia also ignores Leon's gaze and starts eating again. Only his father looks back at him while gulping.

“ahem”

Duke Carl then faked a coughed to stop this choking atmosphere.

“so… hmm… the way you say it, means… you’re not asking our permission to go but… instead to only inform us??”

“yes… that’s right father… I’m going even if you guys stop me.”

State him as his eyes turn crescent and he smiles threateningly. His father could sense that his son right now was not smiling at all, and those smiles on his face and eyes are a façade to pressure him.

“hmm… so I assume as that what you want… you must have also made a preparation for the departure??”

“yes… indeed… you so brilliant father… you really understand my attention.”

Leon says as he tries to butter up his father so that there’s no trouble when he intends to go to the capital later. His father smiles weakly.

‘I really can’t win against him.’

Whether in the past or now, once again his father realizes just how much he always loses towards this son of his.

“may I ask what kind of preparation you make and what your reason to go there??”

“of course, I can tell you that… it’s not a secret after all…hmm...”

Leon pauses a moment to organize his thoughts and words.

‘I need to say carefully as to ensure nothing changes in this story plot…’

he already intended to let the story go as supposed to go but, for sure if he got caught up in any event at the capital, the entire story could change.

As he remembers, Luis supposes to depart from the mansion two days before the Royal event, and that’s when he will meet the MC, Lee Joshua, a boy with black hair and black eyes.

‘if I’m not mistaken, the carriage that was riding by Luis will be attacked by a monster. Though Luis was strong enough to face the monster, the MC shows up and saves him, thus because Luis feels grateful toward MC, he decides to take the MC to the capital before bringing back the MC to this Fronti territory…hmm...well...not that I care…’

Leon doesn’t really care as he won’t involve with it but, he is still not sure about the timing of the MC showing up. 

What if the MC was already camping there and not saving Luis because it’s a coincidence but because he is truly already there? Then even if Leon was going there earlier, he might catch up with the MC. 

But, that’s never been mentioned in the novel, so he decides to feign ignorance towards that probability for now. Then, all that's left is for him to start elaborating his plan to the Duke as he takes a sip of the drink in front of him and speaks.

“the plan is quite simple, I will go there quietly, taking a rental carriage without family crest… wearing commoners or simple clothes and dye my hair in different color… and-“

“wait… you say simple but… is that really important to do that??”

“father… I want to make sure that nobody knows who I am, especially the family that I belong to… so, of course, that’s all was a basis for that moment right??”

His father sigh and nodded as he flapped around his hand to signal Leon to continue. His mother and brother just listening quietly. Leon continues with a stoic face and voice.

“well then, I will bring only three people with me… of course, the carriage rider is not included.. who I will bring is two knights.”

Leon lifts his two fingers to signal the number of people. Then…

“one butler…which is Kelt… that two knight… I will take Roxin and Noxin, those two twins… then I had a list of things that I need to buy for my day of leaving this mansi-“

“wait!!!!”

***********************************

to be continued...

p/s if u guys wonder what halal food is... it's Muslim or Islamic food..