Fredrick heard Parth's words and looked at Lucas worriedly.
Fredrick pulled Roan and whispered, "Hey, did anything happen when we were away?"
Roam rubbed his chin, trying to recall if anything odd happened but he was unable to find anything amiss, he shook his head and said: "No, I didn't find anything odd as far as I can remember, Lucas hadn't done anything much besides training."
"Damn, then why he is behaving like this," Parth cursed and further added"Wait! Don't tell me, he had a crush and was unable to propose to her because of her high status and is now depressed."
BANG!BANG!
Two soft fists from Fredrick and Charles hit Parth at his back at the same time.
"What!!" Parth asked in an irritated tone.
"Now is not the time to joke," Fredrick spoke with a solemn expression.
"Okay," Parth nodded his head and pouted.
Charles stared at Lucas and spoke, "Roan, when did he start to behave like this?"
Roan looked at Charles and spoke"I think it's after the tournament was announced. It was around two to three days after the announcement after which he started to look depressed."
Charles's lips curled upwards with an expression that seems he concluded something.
"It seems the reason for his sadness is related to the tournament," Charles spoke.
"Let's not waste time in meaningless talks. Roan without wasting any more time, just go there and asks Lucas," Parth spoke.
"But why me?" Roan retorted but he was already pushed forwards by the trio.
Roan glared at them as he thought that they think of him as easy prey to push around.
He bit his lips and spoke, "Okay, I am going."
Roan walked towards Lucas and halted.
While he hesitated for a moment but shook his head and asked "Lucas why do you seem so sad?"
Lucas heard Roan's voice which snapped him out of his thoughts.
He turned around and leaned his back on the railings.
Seeing, everyone's a worried expression, he felt a warm sense of belongingness coming from them.
He chuckled as he was amused at their worried expression.
"Roan, tell me. Are your parents coming?" Lucas asked Roan raising his brows.
Roan's brows furrowed and spoke, "Yeah, they are coming to see the tournament but why did you ask."
Lucas nodded his head and looked at Fredrick, Parth and Charles who were staring at him with a worried gaze and asked"What about you all."
"My parents are already in the capital. Did you forget?" Fredrick asked.
"Yeahhh!" Lucas spoke and heard the same words from both Charles and Parth and sighed.
Lucas took a deep breath and spoke with a sorrowful tone"My parents aren't coming."
On hearing Lucas's words, their eyes widened and their expression turned grave and all of them made an unhappy expression.
Lucas's face looked awful.
A few days ago, Lucas talked with his parents about the tournament and thought that he was gonna finally met them but his hopes were crushed as they declined to visit the capital and watch the tournament.
It's not that they don't want to come but it was that they couldn't due to a certain emergency.
Lucas was wondering what trouble they were facing which made them unable to see their child when their child would be fighting for glory.
More than being unhappy for not being able to see them, he was worried about what trouble they were in and if something bad happened to them.
After all, they weren't nobles or part of any social forces and they were just commoners so what situation would befall them unless they are in grave danger.
Lucas remembered his father was a 4-Star warrior and he was just a mercenary.
Maybe he was thinking too much or maybe this was gut a feeling. Before he used to curse his luck for attracting trouble but after putting much thought, he discovered every time someone bad about to happen that wasn't in the original plot, he would have a tingling and uncomfortable sensation crawling at his back.
Lucas was the type of person who instead of hoping for the best thinks always about the worst outcome which gives him a leeway to figure out how to handle the situation if this goes way out of his prediction.
Maybe he was too cynical and paranoid thinking about his parents or maybe his future self is slowly starting to affect his behaviour.
Whatever may be the case, he was just hoping for his parent's safety.
'Maybe it got to do something with his job.'Lucas muttered inwardly and sighed deeply.
This was an opportunity to meet his parents. Since he wouldn't able to meet them now, he had to wait for his final exam to be over after which everyone gets a holiday to visit their home.
"Lucas.....Lucas."
"Yeahhh!" Lucas answered as he saw all of them were looking at him.
"Don't daze off man. You are making us worried." Parth spoke.
"Lucas let's go to the bar and drink to our heart's content," Fredrick suggested.
On hearing Fredrick's suggestion, Lucas frowned.
Every time they visit a bar, something annoying always crops up.
At this point, Lucas felt he is more harbinger of calamity than Fredrick himself if he is assumed to be a protagonist.
Still, Lucas nodded and decided to enjoy it a little after all once the Inter-Academy battle starts in full swing, they would have no time to relax.
While Lucas and others were leaving, Lucas felt a tingling sensation behind his back and stopped in his track.
Lucas looked back at the empty stadium. There was no one present out there but he felt a piercing gaze directed at him.
A gaze that made him feel naked before the person's eyes who was able to gaze at the depth of his soul but as he found no one, he shook his head and thought it might just be a coincidence.
Fredrick was the strongest among them, though Lucas's perception was quite high, he was sure it wasn't over Fredrick. Since he didn't find anything amiss it must be just his thinking.
"Lucas, why are you not coming?" Roan asked.
"I am coming, "Lucas spoke raising his hands and moving forward.
...
After Lucas left, a man suddenly appeared wearing heavy knight armour and stood beside the man who was wearing a cloak while watching some group of boys from afar.
The man wearing heavy armour walked towards the man wearing a cloak and bowed down on his knees and spoke" Chief, it's nice to see you back."
The man wearing a cloak rolled his eyes and spoke"Did you forget, I have already retired. Moreover, how can leave your duty to that idiot's safety and directly came looking for me. Did you forget you are not a worthless soldier but Captain of the whole Imperial Knight, The Imperial Chief?"
"Chief, you surely jest. For me, you will be always the Chief. Even if you are retired and secluded yourself, I and your friend will always await your return." The man wearing heavy armour spoke with a faint smile.
"Moreover what can happen to the king, he is good and he is also looking after him from afar."
"That bastard is still annoying as over. Even after I have lost all my strength, he not gonna leave me alone even if I have one foot in the grave. That bastard knew I have to come and make an appearance and I have no choice to get but to get involved with these royals again." The man wearing the cloak spoke in annoyance and looked quite irritated.
"Don't worry chief, we are on high alert.No one would be able to know your presence. That's the reason the King send me in person so that I can take you to him quickly." The Chief spoke.
He saw the man wearing the armour and cursed that bastard.
'Can't he just let me live peacefully?'He muttered inwardly and sighed.
"By the way, did you get any info of those bastards who attacked us 17 years ago?" The man in th cloak muttered while clenching his fist in anger.
Seeing his cold expression, the Imperial Chief laminated in sorrow and shook his head and spoke"We don't know anything about them? It seems that their existence vanished into thin air."
The man in armour understood walked towards the man and patted the man's shoulder who was wearing the cloak and both of their figures disappeared.
