The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] novel Chapter 524

Chapter 524: Father’s Heart

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.

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