Luke finally had a moment to be alone.
He sorted through the chaotic mess of information in his head and couldn't help letting out a long breath.
What would happen next, even Luke couldn't say for sure.
For now, all he could do was take things one step at a time. At the very least, it seemed he was already ahead of a lot of people by a wide margin.
If possible, Luke wanted to become stronger.
Sitting on the sofa, he drifted off before he even realized it.
What woke him was a rhythmic knocking at the door. Whoever it was didn't seem to intend to barge in—just a steady, measured knock, quiet and unintrusive.
Luke opened his eyes, still a little groggy, got up, walked to the door, and pulled it open.
Standing outside was a black-haired man who looked to be in his thirties or forties. He stood perfectly straight, wearing a white-collared garment. His dark hair and dark eyes were striking, and his gaze—like that of a seasoned general who had survived countless battlefields—seemed full of stories.
If there was anyone in Demacia who was easiest to recognize, it was probably the man in front of him.
"I, Xin Zhao, pay my respects to Your Highness the Prince!"
Xin Zhao lowered his head and bowed. His voice was firm and resonant.
"Seneschal Xin Zhao, please rise."
Luke didn't dare put on airs in front of him. Even as a prince, he still needed to show Xin Zhao proper respect.
For one simple reason—the man before him was known as the Seneschal of Demacia.
Not only was he a familiar champion, but the title alone made his standing in Demacia obvious.
Demacia was often shortened to "Demacia," and a man who could become its Seneschal would never be insignificant.
On top of that, Xin Zhao was also Jarvan III's personal bodyguard—one of the strongest warriors in all of Demacia.
The story of the two of them had been passed down among the people for years.
For as long as Xin Zhao was present, every assassination attempt against Jarvan III had failed. No one had even managed to scratch him.
Xin Zhao wasn't Demacian by birth, yet he had earned unanimous recognition from the nation—from top to bottom—which spoke volumes about how extraordinary he was.
"Come in. Let's talk inside."
Luke stepped aside and headed into the room.
Xin Zhao didn't say much, entering with him.
The two sat facing each other. Luke spoke first. "Seneschal Xin Zhao, what brings you here?"
"I came for two reasons."
Xin Zhao looked at Luke and let out a sigh. "The first is… to offer a belated apology. To you—and to Melli."
Luke knew Xin Zhao wouldn't stop there, so he sat quietly and waited.
"Allowing royal blood to wander outside the palace for more than eighteen years… was my failure."
Xin Zhao's tone was complicated, heavy with emotion. "At the beginning, I was already at His Majesty's side as his guard. She fled from Noxus—alone, with nowhere to rely on. When I saw her, I felt sympathy, and I treated her like my younger sister. Her love with His Majesty… I was involved in it as well. Back then, I thought it wasn't a bad thing.
If I had known it would harm her later… perhaps I would have stopped His Majesty from the start.
After that, His Majesty brought her back to the capital. What happened next—you already know.
After she left behind that letter and disappeared, I wanted to search for her. But at the time, the king had returned victorious. The whole nation was celebrating. Countless people had gathered in the capital. I couldn't guarantee that if I left, the king would remain safe.
That brief hesitation made me miss the best chance to find her. Later, I sent people to search… but there were no results."
His voice was filled with self-blame.
The bond between him and Melli had been like that of siblings, yet he had failed to fulfill the responsibility of an older brother.
Xin Zhao believed things turning out this way was his fault.
"Honestly, I don't have the right to speak in Mother's place."
After hearing him out, Luke thought for a moment and said, "But I think… if Mother were still alive, she wouldn't blame you. Because in my eyes, the choice back then was hers to make. Even when she was tormented by illness all the way to her last moment, she never regretted making that decision."
"Thank you for your words. But wrong is wrong. I won't run from it."
Xin Zhao—like Jarvan III—could faintly see Melli in Luke's brows and eyes. He sighed again. "Where is she now?"
Luke replied, "I buried Mother to the east, in a place called Taren Town. I bought her a plot in the cemetery there."
Hearing that, Xin Zhao stood up and walked outside.
Several men in white armor stood there, their status clearly not ordinary.
"Did you all hear what His Highness said?" Xin Zhao's expression turned stern as he addressed them. "His Highness's mother should not sleep there. She should return to the capital—return to where her beloved and her son are."
"We will safely escort the queen to her destination!"
The white-armored soldiers dropped to one knee, fists clasped in salute. As soon as they finished speaking, they rose and left at once without looking back.
They had a new mission now—to bring back the queen who had never been formally recognized.
Xin Zhao returned to the room and stood beside Luke. "The second matter is that His Majesty asked me to take a look at Your Highness's physique. I'll have to trouble you to stand."
Luke stood up, not quite sure what was coming next.
Xin Zhao was already moving. He reached out, checking Luke's back, under his ribs, the side of his waist, then his arm bones and leg bones—he even had Luke take off his shoes and pressed and examined his feet as well.
Luke let him do as he pleased, and he could already guess what this was.
After a moment, Xin Zhao straightened up. Under Luke's expectant gaze, he sighed softly.
"Unfortunately… Your Highness's body has mostly finished developing. And from the look of it, your aptitude is… on the poorer side."
What he was testing was whether Luke could still learn martial training—whether it was still possible, whether it was still in time.
After all, Demacia honored strength.
As a prince, if he could become stronger, that would naturally be a good thing.
But now… it seemed it was already too late to train properly.
Perhaps it was because he had been malnourished since birth.
When Xin Zhao thought of that, guilt surged in him again.
A woman without proof of identity in Demacia, carrying a newborn—how could she possibly have lived well?
Compared to Jarvan IV, Luke's physique was lacking by an entire world.
Jarvan IV's talent and aptitude were exceptional. And with the careful royal upbringing he had received since childhood, he already possessed considerable strength.
But Luke—also a prince—had lived a hard life from the moment he was young, not to mention how he could have had the time or conditions to learn martial skills.
Hearing this, Luke understood the implication and couldn't help feeling disappointed.
He knew what kind of world this was.
If it were an ordinary world, who cared if he didn't have talent for martial training? As a prince, he could still live comfortably without worries.
But this was Runeterra.
A world where, without strength, you could become cannon fodder at any moment!
Even as a prince, when the great disasters of the future arrived, he still might be powerless!
"Your Highness, don't be discouraged. Pursuing scholarship is also a fine path. And besides, once your living conditions improve, it's not impossible that changes could be made. Some things can be made up for."
Seeing the disappointment in Luke's eyes, Xin Zhao did his best to comfort him—though in truth, the chances weren't great.