Lucifer: Godless Reawakening-Chapter 241: Rival?

"Is this really okay, Commander?" asked the messenger who had reported the entire situation to the lady about the border town.

The black-haired woman, currently in charge of the training program, gave a brief nod. "Yes, let them be. I am aware they broke one of the most fundamental rules, but they deserve some rest."

Guinevere was not a heartless woman who followed rules even when her human side demanded otherwise.

Emma and William had done a magnificent job at the chaos site. Not only had they helped the military end the battle far earlier than expected, they had also ensured the civilians’ safety until the very end.

The letter she received from the base commander contained nothing but praise for them, especially William.

Her bitterness toward the boy was one thing, but she could not deny the immense potential he carried. His contributions over the past few days had made her understand why Lancelot favored him so much.

As such, granting them a small break was justified.

"But, Commander... about the foreign guests."

"They left, right?" Guinevere asked, her tone casual despite the gravity of the situation.

The messenger nodded. "They didn’t offer any explanation and simply left. What about the other exchange students? Should we let them go as well?"

Guinevere leaned back in her seat and muttered, "You don’t need to worry about that. Instead, find out what caused this sudden retreat. I’m assuming something happened at the church last night. I heard Brutus’s mother was there."

The messenger nodded. "As far as I know, Lady Fiona is a central figure of the cathedral in her homeland. That’s why she rarely leaves it. For her to appear there so suddenly..."

Guinevere nodded. "Exactly why I want you to investigate this matter."

The man dared to ask, "Would that help repair the cracks forming between the two sides?"

Guinevere snickered. "No. But at least we’ll have something to throw back at the administration when they come blaming us."

She knew this situation was bound to escalate. Pressure from the Great Hall on one side, and on the other, she could already envision the Empire’s convoys advancing toward her.

Questions after questions, yet no answers.

Because she truly had no idea what had happened.

’I hope this isn’t connected to you, William. Otherwise, you have no idea what kind of mess you’ll be dragged into.’

She muttered softly as she folded the report and slid it into her drawer.

....

It was quite late when Emma and the others were invited for dinner.

Nana had already fallen asleep, so William tucked her into bed and stepped out to join the two women waiting outside.

Sherry glanced at William, then at the room, just before he closed the door.

"She isn’t mute, is she?" Sherry asked. "I believe she’s simply refusing to speak."

Emma sighed. "Her voice box is damaged. More than that, she’s traumatized at such a young age that she believes making a sound would invite devils."

Sherry’s gaze dropped. "This world is cruel."

Emma hummed softly and gestured for them to start walking.

The three of them moved down the corridor toward the dining area.

As they walked, Sherry suddenly asked, "Are you going to inherit your father’s position after graduation?"

William gave a faint smile. "My father isn’t stepping down anytime soon."

"Hmm, but he must have told you that whenever it happens, the next person to inherit that throne would be you, right?"

Emma narrowed her eyes at her friend, sensing she was prying too deeply.

Feigning ignorance, Sherry kept her gaze fixed on William, waiting for an answer.

William clasped his hands behind his back. "I honestly don’t know."

That caught Emma off guard, and she turned to look at him.

William sighed. "I meant to tell you this as well, Emma. Lately, I’ve been thinking about it. My younger siblings are responsible, but whenever succession comes up, my father always mentions me. If he actually names me as the next Count... I don’t know what I should do."

Sherry scoffed. "If you’re unsure of yourself, then you definitely shouldn’t take such—"

"Sherry, don’t speak," Emma cut her off, then turned back to William. "We’ll talk about this later. Alone."

William pressed his lips together and gave a faint nod. He had been meaning to tell her for some time. Since it wasn’t an immediate concern, he hadn’t worried too much about it.

Or maybe he had been consciously pushing that thought aside.

’I really need to sit down one day and plan my life ahead.’

Because now, he was no longer just an irresponsible young man who could live while constantly on the run.

Now, he had a family.

He needed to plan ahead and take small steps toward building the future he dreamed of.

And if taking on the role of a ruler could secure that future, then... maybe?

Soon, they reached the dining hall and found the two older men already seated, engaged in light conversation.

Emma tried to eavesdrop from a short distance, but they were discussing trade and recent matters involving the Great Hall.

’Haah... would I even be able to secretly listen in?’

It was not something she was used to.

As they approached, Jeromy said with a smile, "It seems you had quite a nice time catching up, little one. You didn’t even ask me to leave early today."

Sherry shrugged. "I mean, isn’t it obvious? I’m seeing my sister after so long that I forgot about today. If I could, I’d stay with her for an entire week."

Emma gave a wry smile. "Unfortunately, I’d get kicked out of the academy if I stayed away that long."

Sherry dramatically covered her face. "This world is always trying to come between us. But don’t worry, my dear. One day, I’ll come riding on a silver horse and steal you away from it all."

As she said those words, she glanced at William. And seeing that smile which said how least importance he gave to her words only made her annoyed more.

’This guy...’ She huffed and pulled Emma to sit beside her.

Emma glanced at William, her gaze was enough to tell him what she wanted before he stepped forward and pulled a chair for Emma first and then sat on her right. Sherry took Emma’s left.

The two guys(one just appearance wise) glanced at each other. One amused and one glaring.

Jeromy chuckled and said, "I apologize, William but it feels I have given you a rival unexpectedly."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Will be uploading another Chapter soon.