The next day.
Jarvan IV took Luke to Jarvan III's bedchambers to pay their respects.
Jarvan IV had stayed the night, sleeping in the same building as Luke. The two of them talked for quite a while, and it did bring them closer.
When they arrived, it seemed Jarvan III already knew there wasn't much worth discussing here. After the two boys finished breakfast, he gave them some free time.
"If this were a few years earlier," Jarvan IV said while changing into fresh clothes, clearly preparing to leave, "I'd definitely take you out and show you the capital properly. But I've got too much on my plate lately. When Father formally gives you your name, I'll come see you again."
Right now, improving his own strength was the priority, but training the troops under him was just as urgent.
Even though he held no official title in the army, the number of soldiers Jarvan III allocated to him kept increasing.
Jarvan IV could feel it clearly—as he grew older, Jarvan III stopped treating him like a child, and relied on him more and more.
Luke replied, "We've got plenty of time ahead. No need to rush."
"True enough. From here on out, we'll take it slow—brother to brother."
Jarvan IV smiled. The two of them walked side by side, nearly out of the palace already, when he said, "This is far enough."
"Take care," Luke said, lifting a hand in farewell.
Outside the palace, Jarvan IV's personal guards had been waiting for a long time. A carriage was ready, set to take him back to his own estate.
After coming of age, Jarvan IV had moved out of the palace. Luke still didn't know exactly where he'd moved to.
But if nothing unexpected happened, once Luke was formally recognized and named, he would have to choose somewhere outside the palace to live as well.
He watched Jarvan IV depart.
Then Luke stretched, letting the looseness seep through his limbs, and turned back toward his small building at an unhurried pace.
By the time he returned, Xin Zhao was already waiting.
"Xin Zhao? Did you need something?" Luke asked.
Jarvan IV called Xin Zhao "uncle," so Luke had followed suit. Xin Zhao might not share royal blood, but to Jarvan III, he was closer than family.
"Nothing special," Xin Zhao said, drawing a small booklet from inside his clothes and placing it on the table. "I'm here to give Your Highness something."
He explained, "These are some notes I wrote down when I had time. I recorded a few body-tempering techniques I learned in Ionia, and also some methods for awakening spiritual energy. If you've got nothing to do, you can practice."
Luke took the booklet. When he opened it, he could still smell fresh ink.
There was no way this was written "in spare moments." This was clearly something Xin Zhao had stayed up all night to finish.
Warmth rose in Luke's chest. He said seriously, "Thank you."
"No need." Xin Zhao smiled. "I won't disturb you any longer. If you have questions, you can find me at the king's side."
He didn't say much else. He stood, bowed out, and left.
There wasn't much he could do for Luke. Most days, he had to remain by Jarvan III's side to protect him—an unavoidable regret.
If Luke had been raised in the palace from childhood the way Jarvan IV was, and Xin Zhao could have taught him every day… perhaps Demacia could have produced two outstanding princes.
What happened back then had hurt too many people in the end.
After Xin Zhao left, Luke opened the booklet and began reading carefully.
It wasn't just key points for body-tempering. Xin Zhao had thoughtfully drawn little stick-figure diagrams and added notes and insights. It was unbelievably easy to understand.
Luke read while trying the movements. After only a few poses, he felt as if all his strength had been drained clean.
Yesterday, Xin Zhao said Luke's foundation wasn't great. Luke very naturally shoved the blame onto that.
It definitely wasn't that he was the problem.
After resting a bit, Luke continued flipping through, until he reached the section on awakening spiritual energy.
Spiritual energy was a very special kind of power. In different places, it was used in different ways.
It wasn't the same as magic—magic tended to be more direct in how it manifested.
Spiritual energy, on the other hand, was more like resonance between body and soul.
Generally speaking, you released spiritual energy to make the body stronger.
And in Demacia, it was something you had to master if you wanted to become truly powerful.
Demacia had been founded to protect those harmed by magic. The kingdom had despised magic from the start, but then a new problem emerged—how do you fight mages?
Demacia had stood tall to this day not only because of petricite, but also because of spiritual energy.
Spiritual energy—also called willpower—was key.
Warriors tempered their will and spirit, gaining power that could contend with mages. Later, as the threat of mages gradually lessened, this remained one of the major reasons Demacia still became a great power.
Xin Zhao's notes included methods used in Demacia, and methods from Ionia as well.
Luke read with care, then tried exactly what the booklet described.
Time ticked by, second by second.
"Nothing's happening at all!"
Luke opened his eyes, flopped backward onto the couch, and felt utterly drained.
He'd worked at it for at least an hour. Forget spiritual energy—he'd almost fallen asleep!
"Am I really that talentless?"
Luke stared up at the ceiling, and for a moment, he felt like he had nothing left to chase.
Before he understood how little he truly knew, he'd still clung to a sliver of fantasy—become strong, see the wonders of Runeterra for himself.
But now?
Now he only hoped his luck would hold, and that he wouldn't end up as cannon fodder someday.
"Damn it. I'm still a prince of the realm. I've got a beloved king for a father, and a hardworking brother above me—what do I even need to do?"
Luke suddenly got it. He couldn't understand why he'd been tying himself in knots.
There was nothing to agonize over.
Let them handle the struggle. Let him enjoy the rewards.
Strong or not—what did that have to do with him? If he had time to obsess over this, he might as well enjoy a few good days while he still could.
With his mind finally loosened, Luke decided to stop trying so hard.
Whatever was coming would come sooner or later. So before that day arrived, he might as well live well.
Ding! Detected host's "coast and give up" intent. Sign-In System successfully activated!
Suddenly, a voice popped into Luke's mind as he lay on the couch, startling him so badly he jolted.
Right after that, a flood of information about the Sign-In System poured into his head.
It was a Sign-In System—apparently designed to help Luke coast even better. He didn't need to do anything. Every day, all he had to do was tap "Sign In," and he'd receive rewards.
It was divided into daily sign-ins, monthly sign-ins, yearly sign-ins, and special sign-ins.
Each type granted different rewards.
And the rewards also varied slightly depending on where he signed in.
"So even the system wants to see me take it easy… In that case, if I'm going to slack off, why wait?"
Luke sighed with emotion.
Who would've thought—there really was a bright turn ahead. If he hadn't decided to coast, the system probably wouldn't have shown up at all.
That only strengthened Luke's desire to keep coasting.