The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]

At first, Duke Leander wasn’t sure why his wife had said all that.

Why would he even faint again?

Were they hiding something worse? Grandchildren he didn’t know about?

No.

Apparently not. And really, it would have been better if they were just hiding babies.

Because just before he fainted for the third time, he finally understood why he’d been kept away from Luca.

The poor Duke, whose heart now felt torn to pieces, realized that all of this stemmed from nothing but a misunderstanding. And it just so happened to include another boy who was far too responsible for his own good.

”Lia... is that seriously how it happened?!” asked the weakened father, his voice cracking. Never in his life had he felt this fragile, not even when he’d nearly died after being contaminated by corruption.

”Yes,” Amelia replied evenly, though she rubbed a hand over her face as she spoke, her own frustration bleeding through. ”Back then, Luca couldn’t tell anyone about himself. Not even his best friend, Ollie, knew much. And while that giant actually volunteered to speak to you, it was our son who demanded a guarantee. And so, that boy gave him one.”

Her eyes softened, though her tone remained firm.

”But more importantly, he really didn’t know what he was agreeing to. He hadn’t been educated on these things. He wasn’t familiar with social customs. And if you think about it... whose fault is that? Isn’t that technically ours?”

Leander stayed silent, clutching at his chest as her words sank in.

His mind spun with images of his boy, small and alone, unable to tell anyone who he really was. Always thinking he had to figure everything out himself, because he believed he wasn’t really Luca Kyros.

The thought alone made him feel faint again.

And then hearing how his son hadn’t even had money back then, only surviving because Ollie had paid for his meals, it almost sent the anguished father into another spiral.

Then suddenly, another memory struck him.

How Luca had given him all his money in an attempt to appease him when they’d first reunited.

And now, knowing what he knew, Leander was beyond mortified.

His hands tightened, his whole soul shaken by the thought.

His son probably thought that love and reassurance could be measured by something tangible, like money, because that was something that would’ve made his son feel secure, considering his situation back then.

If so... if so, then Luca must have believed he wasn’t loved at all.

Because when he’d arrived... he had nothing.

It was a disaster.

Amelia watched silently as her husband’s proud expression crumbled, his features flashing through confusion, grief, and regret, until at last the once-glorious Duke looked like he’d aged decades in minutes.

Then she heard him whisper, voice hoarse, ”I... am a bad father.”

Amelia’s gaze softened further.

”No,” she said quietly. ”I don’t think so. And I believe your son doesn’t think so either.”

”But...”

”I understand you, though,” she continued. ”Because for the longest time, I thought the same thing. And sometimes, I still do. Especially when I watch him working himself too hard, knowing we haven’t made it easy for him.”

She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

”But then I was reminded... that it’s because we never really had the chance to parent him. Not the way we should have. And while we’re trying to do that now, we also have to accept and respect the truth.”

Her hand squeezed his lightly.

”Our baby didn’t come back to us as a tiny child,” she said softly. ”And if we really want to be the parents he needs now... we have to catch up to him. To his growth. And be the parents worthy of him.”

Leander closed his eyes, breathing in her words, letting them settle heavily over his heart.

He heard and somehow understood what she meant, but just because he did doesn’t mean it was easier said than done.

”But how do we do that?” Leander demanded, throwing his hands up. ”Are you saying I just have to accept what happened to our son? What if he ended up with a bad person? What if that wolf isn’t serious about our Luca?”

Amelia’s expression didn’t change, but her voice cut through his panic like a knife.

”You have a lot of what-ifs, and they’re valid concerns. But ask yourself—do you think you’re going to find the answers to those questions if your first instinct is to annihilate the boy?”

Leander froze. His mouth opened, then closed.

Amelia’s arms folded more tightly across her chest.

”And you’d do well to remember,” she added, ”their lives are tied together now. If you have any plans to get rid of him, I suggest you shut those down.”

But instead of feeling chastised, Leander’s eyes went wide in dawning horror.

Tied together.

Fragile.

He immediately pictured his son’s delicate life hanging in the balance, and his mind began concocting elaborate plans to lock that wolf up in a safe house indefinitely.

Amelia’s eyes narrowed dangerously as she caught the telltale twitch in her husband’s expression.

”You’re not seriously thinking about detaining him,” she warned flatly.

Leander winced but didn’t answer fast enough.

”You’re missing the bigger picture, but that part isn’t really your fault,” she continued sharply. ”Your son uses that boy’s energy as an anchor.”

”Huh?”

”I wouldn’t have understood either if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. It has something to do with Luca being what he calls a guide. Apparently, the two of them have a connection that lets them regulate their energy properly. So no, you can’t just lock him up.”

Leander groaned, flopping back against the bed like a sulking child.

”Then what am I supposed to do? Just accept all of this?!” he cried, flailing.

Amelia’s tone turned ice-cold.

”No. Not exactly.”

”Instead, go be a part of it. Since it’s already like this, you can either help build the family they would eventually create or be left behind when grandchildren come.”

Leander sat up, stunned.

”Teach them how to be better for each other,” Amelia continued mercilessly. ”You want your son to have a good partner? Then help make him one. Though...” She gave an exasperated sigh. ”I’m not sure what else you could possibly teach him in that regard.”

It wasn’t that her husband didn’t have good qualities to pass on; it was just that Xavier seemed to have matured faster than normal. But if her guess about his identity was correct, then no wonder he always seemed like he was ready to preside over things.

More than that, he always seemed prepared to take care of their son, and tailor-fit at that. Because even she was aware that Xavier knows more about Luca than they do. And based on what she’s gathered, he’s been there almost from the beginning of his struggles here.

And surely, that really gave him a solid edge.

Meanwhile, Leander gasped dramatically as he realized a few things.

”That’s why you’ve been giving him extra training? But you’ve been beating him up! Why do you get to do that when I can’t?!”

”It’s for training. I’m not senselessly beating him up. Also, it is because I’m sure I won’t accidentally kill him—”

”What about you, are you sure you wouldn’t?” she shot back.

Leander wilted, clutching his chest.

”Nooo! My baby! He’s been stolen and I won’t even get to beat anyone up!!!” he wailed, collapsing back into the pillow in despair.

”Lia, what if he leaves us and gets taken away by the wolf?!”

Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose and glared at him.

”Are you insane? They’ve been right under your nose this whole time and never left. And now you think that?”

Leander pouted.

”And really,” Amelia continued pointedly, ”you say that when you did the exact same thing, taking me away? What kind of double standard is this, Leander Kyros?”

Leander opened his mouth to argue, but she kept going, relentless.

”Just as we wanted to be independent back then, there’s going to come a time when your adult son wants the same. If you want him to still want us around, you’d better make sure you make his life easier.”

Leander’s shoulders drooped further.

”I don’t want to make it hard for him...” he mumbled. ”But how can I just accept that guy? Isn’t he too young, too? What about his credentials? Is he good enough for our baby?”

Amelia’s expression turned into something dangerous.

”Leander. I don’t know what kind of god you’re expecting for our son, but my love, your credentials looked worse than his—and I still married you.”

Leander sputtered.

”But Lia! Our son loves money! What if he doesn’t have enough?!”

”Oh, I know!” Leander’s face brightened as an idea struck him. ”I can just give him money!”

Amelia’s hand shot up to stop him, her expression deadpan.

”That should really be the last thing you worry about. They already have more than enough.”

Amelia thought to herself then, sighing as a headache began to bloom. More than enough, she repeated in her mind. Short of plucking an actual god out of the heavens to marry their boy, this was already the highest they could aim for.

She let out another long sigh, pinching her temple.

”Because, my dear husband,” she muttered wearily, ”there are seriously worse things you need to worry about right now.”

Leander swallowed nervously, watching her expression darken.

What? There’s more?!

Unfortunately, he might not even make it to that family meeting in one piece.