All he felt was soreness all over.
When the scam ringleader finally came back to his senses, he realized the one pinning him down was a cold-faced man in white. On the man's chest was a badge so unfamiliar the ringleader couldn't even guess where it came from—but he could confirm one thing.
They were terrifyingly strong.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his buddies already sprawled across the ground in every direction, groaning in pain.
From start to finish, only two men in white had made a move.
And from the moment they acted to the moment everyone was on the ground… only a few seconds had passed.
Damn it—what just happened?
The ringleader's brain short-circuited. His first thought was that he'd walked into a sting operation.
This brat had deliberately come out to bait them.
But seriously… for a few small-time guys like them, did it really warrant sending monsters like this?
His vision flickered, and that punchable face appeared again—this time looking down at him from above.
Luke asked, "If someone tries to jump me in the street like this, what do they usually get?"
"Your Highness," the man in white replied respectfully, "it depends on your mood. Publicly harboring ill intent and attempting to assault the kingdom's prince is a serious crime. Minimum sentence—twenty years."
Luke nodded thoughtfully, then looked down again. "You heard that, right? I gave you a chance earlier."
Twenty years?!
The ringleader nearly lost his soul. "What the hell are you talking about?! What prince? What 'Your Highness'? I just scammed a few people! I didn't even touch a hair on you! Twenty years for that?!"
He didn't understand what was happening, but he understood one thing very clearly—right now, his life was in their hands.
"Want to know what's going on?" Luke asked with a cheerful smile, looking straight into those desperate, pleading eyes.
The ringleader nodded hard.
"Go inside and think it through slowly," Luke said. "Twenty years doesn't go by fast. When you get out, be a decent person."
Luke had zero intention of explaining.
The ringleader's vision went black for a second—he was so furious he almost spat blood.
He genuinely couldn't figure it out. He'd only wanted to teach this brat a lesson, and now he was facing twenty years behind bars?
The others froze too, stunned into silence.
"Thanks for stepping in," Luke said to the two men in white. By now, he'd already judged who they likely were.
Probably subordinates under Xin Zhao.
"Protecting Your Highness is our duty," the man in white answered respectfully.
"I'll leave the rest to you," Luke said.
Ignoring the begging at his back, he left that sentence behind and walked out of the alley.
"Rest assured, Your Highness," the man in white replied seriously, looking at the scammers without a shred of sympathy.
Luke stepped out of the alley and felt the sunlight soften against his skin. His mood stayed light.
So this was the advantage of status. If he were still just a nobody like yesterday, wouldn't he have gotten beaten senseless in that alley for no reason?
He didn't care what happened to the scammers.
That was punishment they'd earned.
If no one had been following him, he might've tested his current strength. Judging by how quickly those guys went down, they were probably only a bit sturdier than ordinary people.
Then again, it was also possible the men in white were simply too strong.
In the alley, Luke got a very direct taste of the gap in power. From the moment the men in white appeared to the moment the scammers were dealt with—only a few seconds.
That kind of strength was at least Unyielding… probably higher.
"Speaking of Miss Crownguard… I wonder what she's up to. Maybe I should go to House Crownguard and thank them."
If the scammers hadn't brought it up, Luke might've forgotten.
Today's mess had been a lot, but yesterday Lux had helped him in a big way. Whether by reason or by decency, he needed to go offer his thanks.
"After I eat," Luke muttered, feeling his stomach growl. It was close to mealtime anyway. "If I go right now, it'll look like I'm showing up to mooch dinner."
He looked around and spotted a restaurant that seemed pretty good.
The building had a distinctly western style, clearly a notch more upscale than most of what he'd seen on the street. The people going in and out were all dressed in expensive-looking formalwear.
Luke picked his spot and headed over.
A server by the door saw a customer approaching and automatically pulled the door open. "Please come in."
Luke didn't respond. He simply walked inside. The interior really was different—an atmosphere like a high-end restaurant.
Several small tables in the center were covered with white tablecloths, laid with elegant cutlery. A faint perfume lingered in the air.
Luke chose a table and sat down. Not long after, a server came over. "Sir, here's the menu. Do you have a reservation, or would you like to order directly?"
"Directly."
Luke took the menu and flipped it open. There were pictures, dish names, and descriptions.
And he realized he wasn't unfamiliar with any of it. Every time his gaze passed over a dish name, information surfaced in his mind naturally.
So this was what LV6 Cooking did.
He even knew a surprising number of dishes from Runeterra.
The prices were brutal. Even a normal dish started at several gold coins.
Luke couldn't help but sigh. Rich people really did live luxuriously.
But now… he could enjoy that luxury too.
"One South Sea Flame-Claw Crab, one Three-Color Beef Steak—two portions of each. And a fresh orange juice."
After ordering two popular-looking signature dishes, Luke handed the menu back.
"Of course. Please wait a moment."
The server took the menu and left.
The fresh juice was brought quickly. Luke wasn't particularly thirsty, so he just waited.
Not long after, two people sat at the table beside him—apparently a couple. They wore gorgeous, expensive-looking outfits. They waved over a server and ordered with their chins held high.
South Sea Flame-Claw Crab and Three-Color Beef Steak—those were also two of the restaurant's popular dishes.
They were among the most expensive items on the menu too. Supposedly the ingredients were rare, and cultivating them took considerable effort. And they were only available in summer.
The dishes came out soon—but the first table served wasn't Luke's.
It was theirs.
"Excuse me," Luke said, frowning as he called the server over. "I'm pretty sure I ordered first. Why are you serving them before me?"
"Yes, sir," the server explained politely. "Our establishment uses a membership system. At any time, members are served first. The two guests at the table beside you are members."
"Is that so… good system. All right." Luke nodded, not particularly bothered. If it was the house rule, there wasn't much to say.
The couple glanced at Luke but said nothing, beginning to enjoy their food.
They moved unhurriedly—napkins at their necks, knives and forks in hand—tasting with practiced elegance.
"No wonder it's the South Sea Flame-Claw Crab," one of them said, wearing an intoxicated expression. "The flavor is almost the same as when I came last year. Truly exquisite."
"And this Three-Color Beef Steak—color, aroma, taste, all perfect. Not bad at all. One of the best things I've had recently."
They even poured two glasses of grape wine and clinked them lightly.
Luke glanced sideways, suddenly curious.
Was it really that good?