A Father's Duty

The ship left the skyport as the kids were once again excited in riding a flying ship. The chipmunks flew one time with their parents on the way to their mother's working place and they felt great but this is their first time riding a flying ship! They were once again amazed to see the big buildings and trees turn smaller the second they got higher.

After an hour of travelling, the Skyship finally arrived at Lucis and anchored itself as they waited for the passengers to get down before allowing the waiting passengers to go up the skyship.

We got down from the Skyship and saw the magnificent walls of Lucis. I went to a money changer and exchanged jewels to the currency of Lucis which is gold. Gold coins to thin gold cards.

I exchanged one million jewels and received 10,000 gold in the form of 10 thin gold cards.

A small gold coin containing the number 1 is the smallest currency available in Lucis, followed by a medium sized coin with my mother's face on it is equivalent to 10 small gold coins.

A large sized coin containing my brother, Somnus' face is equivalent to 5 medium sized coin while a large sized coin with my face on it is equivalent to 10 medium sized coin and finally, the thin gold card containing King Regis' face is equivalent to 10 large sized coin with my face on it.

I gave the half to Irene and hailed a carriage to bring me to an inn because I would have to check the Kingdom's status first before revealing about Irene and my daughters to Father and Mother.

I had Irene change my appearance with enchanting and had Irene stay in the inn until I confirmed that all is good. The chipmunks were kind of worried as I assured them that nothing would happen to me.

I went to a local bar as I keep on gathering information by asking drunkards with subtle questions and I was surprised at what I heard. The King abolished the noble system to keep the grasp of power in his hands and transferred it to those he could trust by forming separate departments that would cater to the general public and specific problems. The nobles didn't have a chance to revolt as the King revealed their crimes in public and were arrested. There were those that tried to fight back but was immediately quelled by an unknown force before vanishing into the air.

Rumors said that it was me cleansing the corrupted noble families as I shook my head.

'Looks like I need to announce my return to father to gain information.' I thought as I head towards the castle in the center.

When I arrived there, I saw a familiar face guarding the entrance.

I approached him to greet him but he pointed his spear at me.

"State your purpose of coming to this place! I would be forced to capture you if I notice any weird intentions for coming to the palace." He said as I smiled.

"Tyr, a spear master, I once hid your famed spear under the pile of horse manure and beat you up before I left the Kingdom." I said as Tyr trembled and kneeled down.

"Crown Prince Noctis! Welcome back!" Tyr said.

"At ease, Tyr, stand up. Inform my parents and my little brother of my return and only them. I don't plan on revealing my return yet." I said as Tyr gave me a salute before heading inside.

Tyr, a spear master of the highest caliber, that chose to guard the gates of the palace instead of becoming a royal guard with the reason that he won't have time to drink at taverns at night.

Though he is a spear master, very few know of his skill because he always hid it well under the facade of a drunkard and always inspected those who entered the palace whether they have bad intentions or not.

A few minutes later, Tyr came back and motioned to follow me as I followed him.

"His majesty, your father, asked you to directly come to the throne room. Its good to have you back, Prince Noctis. By the way, why did you warp your face like that?" He asked.

"Oh, this? To keep my presence unknown in the Kingdom." I replied.

"But why?" he asked again.

"Because I thought assassination attempts would rain down on me." I said as Tyr chuckled as well.

When I was just 12 years old and Somnus is just 8 years old. A group of assassin came to kill us two but with my predecessor's skill in the way of the sword and Tyr's Spearmanship, they wiped the assassins not leaving any survivor behind. It was also the moment that Somnus decided to pick up sword training as he asked father to have someone teach him the way of the sword.

After reminiscing, we arrived in a huge carved golden door and Tyr motioned the guards to open it.

We arrived in a simply decorated throne room as opposed to the huge luxurious door outside. Which made a contrasting feature.

We continued walking as I followed Tyr and when we nearly reached the king, we both kneeled down and Tyr spoke up.

"Your majesty, I've brought the crown prince as you've asked." He said and King Regis replied.

"You may return to your post, Tyr."

"Thank you, your majesty. I'll take my leave." Tyr said as King Regis nodded and tapped my shoulder twice before leaving.

Its only us two in the throne room.

"The crown prince, Noctis, greets the royal father!" I said as King Regis, my father waved his hand.

"Stand up, son, how have you been?" He asked me.

"I have broadened and widened my horizons Father." I said as King Regis smiled.

The door opened and my mother rushed in.

"Where's my son, dear?! I heard from Tyr he came back!" She said.

"Mother." I softly said to her as Hera finally looked towards me and teared up and hugged me.

"My son! Welcome back! Let's prepare a feast and announce your return! Also why did you change your appearance?" She said.

"No, mother. It would defeat the purpose of my return." I said as I held my mother back and both became confused.

Soon another figure entered the throne room. I saw my little brother staring at me for a second before approaching me and held his fist out.

Seeing that sign, I bumped his fist with mine as we both hugged each other for a second before separating.

"How have you been brother?" He asked me.

"Well, stumbling from here to there as I travelled places." I said as he chuckled.

King Regis, seeing the reunion, mellowed down and finally spoke.

"Son, speak what is this purpose you speak off?" He said as I gave a mysterious smile.

"Give me a day, I will tell you." I said as they still felt confused.

We continued talking for half an hour before excusing myself as I called Tyr to come to my room. When I entered my bedroom, I saw that it is completely spotless without any dust in sight. A knock disturbed me from inspecting my huge room.

"Come in." I said.

"You called for me, your highness?" Tyr said.

I then told Tyr to get me all the doc.u.ments that contains the events that happened after I left and information about the unknown force that quelled the nobles' revolt.

It took Tyr an hour before giving me stacks of doc.u.ments. As I started working on gathering information.

Under the events, most of them marked the dates of inventions, I even saw a prototype car but failed because it was so slow that carriage would be a better transportation than the prototype car.

There are a few things that piqued my interests because their inventions were revolutionary but the inventor is labeled as unknown.

One of the example of such revolutionary invention is the invention of flintlock.

Another one is the gunpowder

One more of the revolutionary invention is a modified fertilizer that helps the crops grow healthy and have bigger yields.

And all of their inventors are unknown.

Setting the events aside, I decided to look up the information about the unknown force that quickly resolved the uprising.

Turns out that it was a stealth force with the purpose of gaining information for my father with Somnus leading it from the dark.

'So that's why I felt someone watching me earlier, and Somnus doesn't look surprised seeing me at all.'

I then connected all the dots and it all fits. One of the things that made Somnus famous in the royal palace is his quirk of combining things and making it work.

'I see, he had been working in the dark ever since I left, huh.' I thought as I closed my eyes and slept in my desk.