NOVEL NEXT Ch29: The Problem P5
Chapter 29: The Problem P5
~29.5~
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“Adele?”
The redhead nodded. Michelle invited Kye, Alethea, and Adele to a dinner date. Adele finally dressed in very clearly feminine clothing. She wore a form fitting blue dress with various silver accessories. Her hair was down and styled to be wavy. Alethea helped her before they left.
Kye wore a dark purple and black suit, Alethea wore a silver dress, and Michelle chose a dark green dress. Each outfit befitted a royal. Kye didn’t care as much about wearing lavish clothing, but both her spouses and guardians insisted they dress as royals anytime they were in public.
Michelle and Alethea exchanged smiles as they watched Kye and Adele carry on with small talk. Soon, a waiter came to their table and asked for their order.
“Steak,” Kye said. “Medium-rare with sauce.”
The other three blinked. “““Sauce?”””
“Hmm? What? I like steak sauce, you know that.”
Adele and Michelle gave the waiter an apologetic smile while Alethea said, “Yes, but to request sauce on a steak at a fine restaurant like this? Isn’t that a bit rude, love?”
Kye shook her head. “Not at all. I’m not asking for sauce to cover up the flavor of the steak, rather I want both the flavor of the steak and the sauce together. If it tastes like one is covering up the other, that’s another story, but I’m sure the good waiter here can attest that will not be the case.” She glanced at him and he nodded with stars in his eyes.
“Quite right, Your Highness. We take the utmost care in preparing meals and I assure you it will be as you desire.”
Kye smiled and added, “And I would like sweet tea to drink. With a lemon.”
The waiter nodded. “As you wish, Your Highness. Lady Alethea, may I take your order?”
*****
This certainly turned out to be a bigger ordeal than I imagined, but if I’m revealing myself, then this is fine. This actually works out in my favor.
Luma, Lane, and Lana were in the arena next to the ring, Lane and Lana on one side, and Luma on the other. An announcer stood in the middle of the ring and the audience was full. Luma walked up the steps and toward the announcer standing in the middle. Lane approached from the other side.
Seriously, why is this such a big deal? That slime Rhys must have pulled some strings to make money off this. Ugh...
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Slayer Academy Arena! Tonight, we have a duel between one of our own and a challenger!” She raised her arm as if presenting Lane. “Lane Berwyn is a student of our fine academy, one of the first beast people to enroll after the events last year. As you all know, demihumans have long been oppressed, but thanks to the combined efforts of several heads of state and the Church of Elysium, they are more accepted now! I understand many still are uneasy around beast people, and I humbly hope this match will change your minds!”
The crowd roared. Lana grabbed Lane’s arm and made him wave for the crowd. He looked annoyed, and the crowd loved it. Girls were screaming, “We love you, Lane!” Luma smiled.
“Challenging Lane today is a legendary figure who has lived for many centuries. One who serves at the top of the Church of Elysium. The one and only Lady Luma Caliburn the Sword Saint!”
The crowd roared for a moment, but then went silent, completely shocked at the name that was just spoken. “What?!” “The Sword Saint?!” “He’s fighting her?!” “He accepted this challenge?!”
“Miss announcer, may I?” Luma asked, holding her hand toward the announcer. She nodded and handed her the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am Luma Caliburn. I am the Sword Saint. However, before that name and title, I was someone else.” She waved her head over her head and her cat features appeared. The crowd let out a resounding gasp, and she faced Lane. “Lane, Lana, what is your mother’s name?”
Lana knew where she was going with that, and her face spared none of her shock, but Lane didn’t know what Lana knew. “Why are you asking that?” Lane was growing increasingly frustrated. “So, you’re a black cat? What does that have to do with us? There are tens of thousands of black cats. Are you suggesting you know our mother?”
“Something like that.”
Lane spat on the ground and stepped up to her. “Shut your mouth. Our mother died when I was an infant, and our father died before I was born.”
Luma shook her head. “Your father died before you were born. That is the truth. He was attacked on the way home from the grocery store by a thief.”
“Stop.”
Luma sighed and waved her hand in the air, bringing up the system status screen. “I grant all permission to see my status page.” She flipped it around so that Lane could see it. At the very top, her name showed ‘Luma Athas, Grand Duchess of Elysium’. Below that, alternate names were listed, showing ‘Lena Berwyn’ and ‘Luma Caliburn’.
Lane’s eyes widened. Everyone in the crowd accessed the status page to see what Luma was showing Lane, and they murmured. “That’s...” He backed up slowly, “How...?” until his back met his sister’s front. “Lana?”
“Answer her, Lane.” She said, gently pushing him forward.
His face was contorted with both sadness and anger, but also with a hint of joy. “Our mother’s name is Lena Berwyn. The same that appears on your status.”
Luma nodded and dismissed the status screen. “Your mother did not die. She was recalled to duty. Lana had to take care of you, and you grew up with her. As the Sword Saint, I could not simply come and go as I pleased. Before the world was made to be more accepting of beast people, I could not reveal my identity. Now, I probably still shouldn’t have, but here we are.”
“Why? Why now?”
“To get you to wear that ring.”
“You’d go that far?”
Luma nodded. “I’ll go as far as it takes for my children.”
Lane rushed forward and grabbed her shirt. “As far as it takes? Where were you all my life? I grew up without either parent, and now I find out I could have grown up with a mother?”
*****
Revision: 2024-9-17