Chereads / Lumen Homestead (BL) / Chapter 22 - The Lowly Prince

Chapter 22 - The Lowly Prince

Both of them had some good points.

"I see," Zeke said, "what about you two? Any input of your own?"

Zeke addressed his other two farmhands who has been quiet since the discussion started, Hawke was understandable but Magnus, not so much.

"I have no qualms about him joining and I think we don't have to worry about the dangers of expeditions as well, since he looks quite capable himself," Hawke said, "nonetheless, decision is still up to you boss."

"Hm. How about you Magnus?"

"I have no problems whatsoever boss," Magnus said as he averts his eyes from Zeke, "I think it'll be good for you boss to have another helper."

Zeke noticed the veiled hesitation in Magnus that he has never seen the bull showed before.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Is there a reason why I shouldn't be?" Magnus said trying to deflect the attention from him, pretending that everything is fine.

'He sure has a good poker face,' Zeke thought to himself, 'In any case I shouldn't push the issue right now when everyone's here.'

"Alright, well I guess that is that then. I don't know how this works, but I officially welcome you to our group. I hope this union shall prove beneficial to both of us."

"Likewise, I swear by my oath as the Sacerdotis to assist the farmer of legend to his every endeavor, I shall be the sword to strike you foes and the shield to protect you from harm," Avin said immediately kneeling in front of Zeke even with such little space.

"I guess Sacerdotis is the equivalent of knight in your world huh?" Zeke said, "although this whole scene somehow reminds me of someone—"

Zeke glanced towards Magnus and saw an expression of disgust in the face of his kindest farmhand. He decided to keep what he saw to himself and maybe ask him about what is wrong later, he has a huge nagging feeling that this is about our new friend here."

"Yes master farmer, or would you prefer boss? Let's go with that, it's easier to address you this way," Avin said interrupting Zeke's thoughts, "although the exact term is 'General'."

"I see, interesting. Well, boss should be fine, that is what the rest of them call me so it shouldn't be to hard for you to accustom yourself," Zeke said.

"Well, now that the introductions are outta the way, we still have to register this man to the Town Hall and formally introduce him the Mayor boss," Dirk added, "the papers I have to fill up will be troublesome if we don't take care of this right away."

"Oh really?" Zeke said surprised, "I thought that anyone could just transport in this realm out of nowhere?"

"If it's that easy, we would have every race from all the realms across the universe teleporting carelessly over here. Without laws things would go into disarray that's why there are legal processes for this, and I can tell that Avin here didn't go through any of them because if he did he would still be at the Town Hall filling up some documents."

"Every traveler go through the main transportation device built somewhere inside the Town Hall to keep things in order, as much as I like the guy he has already breached one of this realms law so my advice is to come along with me and I will make sure that everything goes smoothly," Dirk said as soon as he stood up from being seated, "let's go while we still have the light of day, I am pretty tired today so I wanna turn in really early."

Avin did nothing else but nod and follow and soon enough the both of them are already by the door.

"We'll be right back boss, this will take quite a while but I promise we'll be back by dinnertime. Anyways, later!"

Avin nodded at everyone one final time before finally following Dirk.

"Now that everything is settled, any plans for the day ahead everyone?" Zeke started, clapping both his hands together.

"Oh right, I almost forgot I still have to go to the guild to finalize some things, I really wanted to just relax here with the rest of you guys, but duty calls," Wulfric said looking slightly deflated, "I promise I'll be home by dinner as well."

"Alright, no problem take care," Zeke replied, it is truly a wonder how it's only been a month and all his farmhands have warmed up to him, well except Hawke that is, but the invisible barrier that somehow separated Zeke and Wulfric at their first meetup has diminished a bit.

"Thanks boss, later."

"Well, I'm just going to head up to my room for today, need to nap a little," Hawke said to no one in particular, not waiting for anyone's approval and just headed towards the stairs.

Now, he is left with Magnus, maybe now is the right time to bring up that weird atmosphere from earlier. Magnus' expression might have been stable now but Zeke felt a certain animosity from earlier that he couldn't just brush aside what happened, and seeing how Avin is about to stay with them, he needs to be on equal grounds with Magnus otherwise this will turn into a much more complex problem.

"Hey Mag, do you—do you have anything to tell me? I may not be that much of a good listener but as everyone's boss I care for you well-being."

Seeing the storm of emotions going through Magnus' face right now, Zeke could only hope he at least got through his stalwart knight.

"I knew you weren't gonna let this go boss, and I knew I wasn't going to do a good job hiding it the moment I see that Draconian," Magnus sighed deeply as he explained, the whole situation clearly eating him up inside, "Avin, is—was a childhood friend."

Zeke didn't see that coming at all, despite the shock he tried his best not to ruin the moment for his farmhand.

"Avin he—he was the only other child my age who would play with me despite being a third-born prince, he used to be always there for me and me to him. During the times I stayed with the servants and how I casually treat them as my real family, he would be there with me unbothered by the jeers and insults of his peers."

"He stayed with me, a figure of nobility with his House ranking as the highest and most accomplished among its peers. The most admired in their realm. He chose to spend his time with me despite being a lowborn."

"But you said you were—"

"Yes, I truly apologize boss—master Zeke. I... I never knew I would face someone I knew again from the past, I left all of those you see, and I'd hope to make a new start with everyone here, but... My mother is a lowly servant of the castle who my father took a fancy on, well you know what happens next."

"I know this is all too cliché but all this happened and I am the fruit of their union of love, even if it's as fleeting as my childhood," Magnus continued, his eyes misting from the recollection of his past, "I promised my dying mom before I left her that I will make myself known in this new realm of Loneharv and that I will make her proud. I just wish she could've been there to see it."

Zeke couldn't utter a word of comfort for Magnus but maybe a silent companion is what the bull needed right now.

"Avin, all of the sudden stopped talking to me one day, he still didn't hang out with all of the noble kids but seeing that cold stare of his and being at the receiving end of it that time was almost crushing for someone like myself. It was devastating that my only trusted friend has disappeared just like that."

"Soon enough we all grew up, and I was required to go through intensive training as a knight of the realm. Everyday was hard but fulfilling and I held onto the hope of someday meeting up with you and being your farmhand. That was the only truth that pushed me through the darkness, the one thing that made sense in my life, the one responsibility that was granted to me since birth by the king and that I selfishly held onto and cherished. It made my life worth something."

"I—I don't know what to say Magnus, I'm so sorry you had to go through all this."

"It's alright boss, I know I made the right decisions because where I am now is where I'm meant to be," Magnus said looking at Zeke with eyes filled with happiness and pain, "I am actually happy I could share this with you because lying with everyone here is crushing me inside, I do not want to lie to the people who matters."

"I planned on coming clean one day with everyone but I didn't think it'd be this soon."