As the sky began to dim, Lucian remained seated in his chair, letting his mind dwell on the plans he had to make. Several images of possible future events swirled around in his mind.
Lucian sighed. Despite having the advantage of information from the game, there were too many variables that he could not be sure of. After all, this was not just an ordinary game. This world had its own desires and will.
"The question now is: how can I use this to my advantage?"
Lucian picked up a blank piece of paper and dipped his pen into the ink, beginning to scribble down a few key points he remembered from the game The Luminous Hero of Avandor.
He began to write on the blank paper, analyzing all the results of his sharp memory and deep analysis since he first woke up in this world. He then paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the notes that had almost filled the page.
"Illegal funds → Queen → Revealed by Protagonist→ Duke Reynald cleared of charges → Emperor dies suddenly"
His eyes narrowed, staring at the words as if searching for hidden patterns. Slowly, he circled some points with rough circles, especially Duke Reynald cleared of charges and the Emperor died suddenly.
"Wait, isn't there something wrong?" he muttered, his fingers tapping the surface of the table. His face hardened as his mind spun faster. If in the original game, the protagonist who was found to have uncovered the flow of illicit funds would find that all evidence pointed to the Queen, while Duke Reynald, his name was cleared because there was no evidence pointing to him at all. Lucian gripped the pen tighter, then quickly jotted down new details beside his notes.
"Emperor dies → rumors of the crown prince not being a biological son vanish."
Lucian tapped the pen against the table, his eyes sweeping over his writings sharply. The Emperor's death was not just an ordinary incident-it could be part of a larger game. "There's a possibility I've got here," he murmured softly. "The Emperor knows the truth about the Crown Prince's bloodline... but someone wants to silence him."
If the Emperor was dead, then whoever wanted the rumors to disappear had achieved their goal. But, was it really just a coincidence that his death occurred just before the rumors could develop further? Lucian bit the tip of his pen, recalling the details of the game that still remained in his memory.
"In other words..." He ran his finger along the scribbles on the paper.
"...someone wants to ensure that the Crown Prince remains on the throne without any interference." But who has the most to gain? He looked at the one name he had circled earlier.
"Queen..."
She is the one with the greatest importance. If the Crown Prince is not the Emperor's biological son, then the Queen's position as queen mother will be shaken. She would lose her status, her influence, and perhaps even her life if the truth came out. But, if the Emperor died before the rumors gained traction, then no one would be able to question the Crown Prince's lineage.
Lucian grinned faintly, then picked up a new paper and began to reorganize the existing power scheme. With the evidence of the illegal flow of funds and the possibility that the Queen was involved in this game, he now had something very valuable. Something he could use to his advantage.
"Hey..." Lucian leaned back in his chair, his eyes twinkling with calculation. "Didn't I get a good pawn just now?" A sardonic smile appeared on his face at this moment.
He leaned his body back against the chair, staring at the papers in front of him with a faint smile. His fingers tapped the pen on the desk, while his mind kept spinning, piecing together the common thread that connected all of this. Then, as if remembering something, he chuckled softly.
His eyes narrowed, full of curiosity mixed with a hint of irony.
"I'm sorry, Player," he whispered softly, his voice almost sounding like a mockery. "I don't know how you're doing in this world right now, but..."
He stared at the schematics he had created-the names circled, the notes connecting one mystery to another. "I think I should revamp this story a bit."
With a casual gesture, he picked up the pen and drew new lines, crossing out some possibilities he no longer needed. His eyes flashed sharply, calculatingly.
Then, the corners of her lips tugged upwards in a dangerous smile. "And of course... for my own benefit. "Under the dim light of the room, his eyes reflected the satisfaction of a puppeteer who had just discovered the best way to move his pieces.
Time passed quickly, without realizing it the twilight that covered the ceiling began to disappear and the candles in the mansion began to be lit, signaling that night had fallen. Lucian was still sitting in his chair looking at the scribbles he had written earlier. Suddenly a knock on the door broke the silence in his room.
The knock sounded again, this time a little more clearly. "Young master, it's me."
Lucian recognized the voice instantly. He sighed softly before replying, "Natty is it? Did Pavel tell you to come here again?"
From behind the door, there was a momentary pause before Natty responded in a surprised tone, "Eh? How did Young Master find out?"
Lucian only gave a small snort. "Huh." He glanced at the notes still scattered on his desk, then leaned back in his chair. "He said earlier that he would prepare a servant for me."
Lucian got up from his chair, walking towards the door. Meanwhile, outside, Natty seemed a little uneasy, unsure of how to react to the fact that Lucian had guessed her arrival so easily. He opened the door and saw a smiling Natty this time. "So, why did you come this time?"
"For a while, the butler told me to serve you," Natty replied kindly.
Lucian watched her expression for a moment before saying flatly, "You had to do it because of Pavel, didn't you? That was the case before." She crossed her arms, looking at him appraisingly. "I mean, I don't mind, but if you're doing it out of compulsion, I won't accept you as my servant."
Natty looked a little surprised before quickly shaking her head. "That's not true, really. In fact, I was the one who offered myself to the butler."
Lucian raised his eyebrows. "Eh? Don't you dislike me?" His tone sounded more surprised than skeptical. "And also, I forced you to come to the casino with me that time."
Natty smiled slightly, albeit a little awkwardly. "At first, I was indeed afraid of Young Master," she admitted. "But after being with you that time, I don't think Young Master is the person I heard he was."
Lucian narrowed his eyes, still not entirely convinced. "You're saying that because no one is willing to serve me, right?"
Natty shook her head again, this time more firmly. "No, no. Although there are many willing servants, I will strive hard to become Young Master's servant."
For a moment, Lucian was silent. Then, a small laugh escaped his lips, low and almost a murmur, but clear enough to make Natty look at him in confusion. "Hah... You're really weird." She shook her head lightly, still smiling slightly. "Alright, do as you please."
"Thank you, Young Master." Natty stepped inside with a light movement, then suddenly patted her own hand. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Lucian raised one eyebrow, waiting for the sequel.
"The butler told me to prepare you for dinner today," Natty said in a serious tone.
Lucian frowned. "Is that so? But I see you didn't bring any food."
Natty smiled wryly. "Young Master..." She looked at Lucian as if he was explaining something very clear. "The butler said that the Great Master will be hosting a dinner today, so I had to make sure you were perfectly prepared."
Lucian was silent for a moment, then murmured softly, "Dinner? How unusual. Doesn't Duke Hale dislike me? Why would he suddenly invite me at this time..." His eyes narrowed, his mind began to analyze the ulterior motives behind the invitation.
However, after a few seconds, she let out a relaxed breath. "I'm fine. I'll just eat in my room."
Natty widened her eyes for a moment before letting out a long sigh, as if she had expected the answer. "Young Master, what did you say?" Her tone sounded soft, but there was a hint of pressure in it.
"The butler said that I should prepare you as well as possible and escort you there. So... please do me a favor, okay?" She smiled, but there was a strong determination behind her innocent expression.
Lucian massaged his temples. "Ugh, why do I feel like Natty sounds like Pavel right now...!" he muttered, feeling like he was being cornered from all directions.
Lucian gave Natty a sharp look, then closed his eyes, and sighed, "Alright." He stood up from his chair with some reluctance, but there was a growing determination within him. "I might get some interesting information there," he muttered softly, more to himself, while staring at his room for a moment. "I'll go there."
Natty responded with a genuine smile, though a little worried about the tension between them. "Well, Young Master," she replied in a soft voice, "I will make your look perfect this time."
She arranged the clothes meticulously, making sure every detail matched her master's expectations, and even adjusted the style a little to make Lucian look more understated yet still classy.
Lucian stood up from his chair and let Natty help him dress more formally for dinner. The outfit was an elegant black suit with dark blue accents, perfect for a formal dinner. Natty had meticulously prepared everything, from the shiny shoes to the perfectly arranged buttons. Lucian was momentarily taken aback-perhaps there was more to this than mere formality.
After a few seconds passed, Natty stepped back slightly, looking at him with a serious yet trusting gaze. "Young Master, you are ready." Lucian took a deep breath and nodded, then he picked up the mask on his desk.
"Young Master, are you using that?" Natty asked curiously.
"There was no other choice was there? I heard she doesn't like my face so," Lucian put on the mask, then looked at Natty with a smile. "I didn't want to make things worse." he explained.
"Alright. Let's see what's behind this dinner," he said in a flat tone, though he could feel the tension building up inside him. Something inside her told her that this meeting was more important than she thought.
With leisurely yet cautious steps, Lucian followed Natty out of the room, towards the place that would lead him directly to the meeting table. Every step felt like part of a bigger game.