An actual contract was signed.
But unlike the earlier one, this was not a final agreent. It was a promise. A promise to co back to the table and finalize everything once the King returned from cleaning up his lands.
It beca a quiet lesson to the cadets.
King Garick told them clearly.
"Never promise what you cannot deliver."
His voice was calm but heavy.
He explained that without knowing how much damage he would find back ho, or what resources might be lost, he could not guarantee locations or delivery schedules yet.
But he promised they would revisit the deal. And then, almost smiling, he added that by the ti they did, perhaps these young ones would have co up with sothing even more revolutionary.
He hadn’t planned to stay this long. And yet now, knowing he was leaving his daughter behind for an indefinite ti, he found himself wishing he didn’t have to leave at all.
But duty was duty. And Garick intended to leave at first light tomorrow.
Tonight, though, he would stay.
Spend ti.
Be a father.
At first, Luca thought about inviting the King into the dungeon-linked space. But surprisingly, it was his parents who gently stopped him.
He had asked why, genuinely confused.
The Duke answered with a knowing smile.
"It’s because he loves his daughter," Leander said.
Luca tilted his head.
And the father continued, his voice soft and even.
"The less he knows of her whereabouts, the safer she is. If he is captured, no one can force the truth out of him if he does not know it. And he cannot be tempted to search for her if bad days co."
Luca looked down, quietly realizing just how much thought went into a father’s love.
Duke Leander finished with a faint smile.
"A man who knows his enemies are still hiding would rather keep his daughter’s secrets than risk her safety."
Luca’s voice was quiet when he asked.
"Papa...then would it be okay to help in a different way? Or would that be bad for everyone?"
The Duke and Duchess looked at each other.
Then both of them smiled.
The proud father placed a hand on his son’s shoulder.
"My son," he said warmly, "we trust your judgnt. You’ve shown better judgnt than any of us in matters like this. If you want to help, then help. If you need us to do sothing, tell us."
Luca’s eyes widened slightly.
"But...what if my decision makes trouble?"
"That’s alright," Leander said simply.
Duchess Alia added, smiling softly.
"That’s why we’re here. You make the decision you think is best. And if sothing goes wrong, we’ll make sure we’re strong enough to fix it."
This was sothing they should have done from the very beginning, but they didn’t get to do for their son, who had to grow up on his own. But just because they missed out on it before doesn’t an they couldn’t do that now.
"There’s always a risk when doing things. But not all risks are equal. And when possible, it’s best to take calculated risks, because sotis it’s the only way to progress."
"And when you know you’ve done your part to minimize the risk to yourself and others, then you could be at peace with your decision."
The quiet certainty in their voices made Luca’s chest feel warm.
He thought about it all day.
By nightfall, he decided.
And he sought out Xavier.
He explained what he was thinking. The kind of help he wanted to offer.
The Imperial Prince listened patiently, then finally answered.
"Ergency supplies," he said without hesitation.
Luca blinked.
Xavier’s voice stayed calm as he explained what he knew.
"Orcs value strength. If we send soldiers or weapons now, it might undermine him. His people must believe he won this himself. His authority has to co from him. Not us. So for now..."
He placed a hand over Luca’s.
"...we send what he needs to keep himself and his people alive while he wins his fight. That will speak for itself."
The little chipmunk took Xavier’s words to heart.
That night, Luca went straight to his stash. He thought carefully about what to pack, even buying a revive pill after a mont of hesitation.
The entire ti, his mind kept returning to one thought.
If it were my father walking into battle...what would I want him to have?
And so Luca went all out.
By the ti he was finished, he didn’t even feel a hint of heartache, despite spending not just fifty thousand CP but a staggering total of four hundred forty-one thousand CP.
Later that sa night, Luca quietly approved Sid’s request to have D-29 scan the King’s battleship. Just in case. There was no telling if so traitor might have gotten desperate enough to sabotage it now that Grakkar was gone.
Thankfully, the scan ca back clean. It was a relief. At least they could feel better about the King’s return.
Co morning, everyone gathered for a simple breakfast.
It was clear Princess Kira and Ada hadn’t slept much.
Kira’s face looked oddly puffy, though she tried to keep her usual pride intact.
Even at the last mont, she was still trying to convince her father to let her co with him. Maybe he’d change his mind. Maybe he’d give in.
But finally, she folded her arms and declared, "Fine. I’ll stay. I’ll work hard here. And by the ti you co back, I’ll be able to plant things all by myself."
Her words sounded bold, but Garick caught the quiet undertone.
She was saying it to keep him from worrying she’d sneak off after him.
It worked. The corner of his mouth tugged up ever so slightly.
But just when everyone thought they were about to say their goodbyes, Luca spoke up.
"Um...Your Majesty. Could we speak with you? Privately."
"!!!"
No wonder the boy wanted privacy.
Garick stepped into the lounge and stopped dead.
There was barely any space left.
The entire room looked like it had been converted into so kind of storage chamber overnight.
Kira, Ada, and the other cadets, except Xavier, peered in from the doorway, equally stunned.
So of what they saw looked familiar. But a lot of it...did not.
Luca stood there quietly and began without preamble.
"I had to lay everything out here," he explained, "because I need to show you what each one does and how to use them. I know you don’t have much ti, so I’ll start now."
But before he could, Garick raised a hand.
"What is all this?" he asked, baffled.
Luca smiled shyly.
"It’s a care package. For you."
Garick blinked.
"A care package? And this...is for ???"
Luca nodded. "For you, Ada’s family, and other Orcs who might need them, Your Majesty."
"It’s what I hope my father would have. And similarly, this is what I hope a friend’s father would have...if they had to go through tough tis. I wish there was more, but I was pressed for ti and could only co up with this."
In the doorway, Ollie gawked.
Only?
It looked more like a hoarder’s entire stash than sothing you "only" put together overnight.
Garick stared at the boy, still trying to process it all.
"Why?" he finally asked.
Luca tilted his head, his smile turning a little softer.
"This is the best way we can help our friends," he said simply.
"Because we cannot simply barge in there and deal with the problem, and so I believe this is what we could help with. And I believe you would know best how to handle or distribute all this, Your Majesty."
Garick frowned faintly, unsettled by the thought. He’d already asked this boy once before, and he’d seen firsthand that Luca didn’t care about ill-gotten benefits. But sothing like this? Wasn’t this...too much?
Just how generous could this boy be?
Luca seed to sense his thoughts.
"It’s because I can," he said. "And...because as a friend, I think it’s only natural, Your Majesty."
That quiet honesty nearly made Kira roll onto the floor.
She buried her face in her hands, trying to keep from sobbing.
But Luca just stood there, smiling shyly, as though nothing about this was strange at all.
"We might not have much ti," he added. "So...it’s best to start going over everything now."
King Garick didn’t trust his voice.
So he just nodded.
And for the first ti in years, he let soone else take the lead.
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