Leon was the last one that arrived at the dining hall, that's why he hastily going inside. He already wearing different clothes now as his body was sweating from training sword just a while ago. He was wearing simple blue clothes and pants while his back hair was tied up with blue ribbon. 

As he arrives inside, he could see from the place he was standing, his father, Duke Carl was at the end of the table, at the center, while his mother was at the right side of his father and his younger brother was at the left side of his father. It seems both his parents and younger brother still didn’t start eating yet, as they are waiting for him.

“I’m sorry I’m a bit late father… mother and Luis”

“it’s fine Leo… take a sit… Let’s start eating now that Leo here”

Leon takes a seat at the center across from his father's seat as he hears his father's casual reply. There are six chairs that separate him from his father sit.

He put his hand on the cutlery set on his table and nonchalantly eating the steak in front of him. As he taking one bite of the food, his lips curved up a little.

‘this really goods’

He thought to himself as he keeps taking a bite of the steak. The steak feels really soft and juicy. 

‘it’s like eating some cake… ahh… the meat so tender, soft and juicy… this is bliss’

he really enjoys the meat and his smile turn wide as he cutting the steak jolly molly, and that's why he didn’t realize that his family members who eating with him were watching him with a weird expression. 

Gulped*

His family members couldn’t help but gulped as they saw him like that. His father opens up and closes his mouth before starting to speak up.

“did something goods happen Leo???”

His father asks with an awkward smile towards him. He stops eating as he hears his father's voice. He put down the cutlery and turn his head towards him, frowning.

Stiffened*

His family members stiffened as they saw his frowning face. 

‘Did I say anything wrong??’

his father thought as he looks towards Leon to Luis, then to his wife, and lastly turns back to his son Leon. Both his wife and son Luis shrugged their shoulder with an ‘I don’t know’ expression on their face. Duke Carl waits for Leon to answer nervously.

“ahem…well the food was delicious…”

‘but I don’t know it’s halal or not…hmmm it’s not halal I think’

Leon couldn’t say these words out loud as he knows the fact that this world is not the earth anymore. He was wondering whether it's halal or not is because back on earth, he used to eat halal food and he was also from a Muslim family. But, in this world, there's no such religion or belief, so, to find halal food would be impossible.

“……..”

All of his family members had a blank expression.

‘What??? I just tell them honestly right?? is that wrong’

He thought as he saw how blank his family expression is. 

“ahaha- yes the food indeed delicious right everyone”

“yes, true darling... ohohoho”

“yes, father…. Ahahaha”

They all laugh with an awkward expression. 

‘their laugh obviously not sincere at all…sighs* but I should do something about my food from now on…maybe I should just eat seafood... seafood is easier to be halal after all..hmm’

Leon expression continue frowning as he thought that before turning to a serious one as he trying to say the next word-

“hmm… father, mother and Luis…I would like to tell you guys something…”

Freeze*

The family freeze and stop laughing as they hear Leon's serious tone.

'again...why every time I speak... they stiffened like this??’

Leon shakes his head with a stoic face as he saw his family's reaction. His family all eyeing him, frowning. Duchess Julia open up his mouth after a second of silence.

“what do you want to say, Leo??”

“hmm… it’s not particularly important but… five days before the Royal Event… I will head to the capital…”

Thump*

Everyone's eyes widening. Their face looking up at Leon who casually slicing and eating his meat. He chewing the meat slowly as he savory the flavor. 

‘This could be my last meat at this mansion cause after this I might only eating seafood…haih… I need to find a way to adapt a halal food in this mansion... hmm...’

Thought Leon as he biting the last meat on his plate. His family gazed at him didn’t stop, but Leon ignores it and enjoys his food instead.

“Leo… you do realize what you say just now right??”

Leon looks toward his father with ‘I don’t understand what are you talking about expression. Duke Carl frowning as he realized his son's blank expression. 

“I mean… you did say, that you don’t want to attend the Royal Event”

“huh???”

Leon's expression looks disbelief with what his father misunderstanding. He stares at his family face one by one starting with his father with frowning on his face, then towards his other family member who looks somewhat curious. 

‘yare, yare… they misunderstood I guess’

“I say I’m going to the capital… not the Royal event”

Leon gazing at his family with a dagger gaze as to tell them how bullshit their thoughts are. Luis immediately focusing on his eating as he knows what his brother's gaze means. His mother Duchess Julia also ignores Leon's gaze and starts eating again. Only his father looks back at him while gulping. 

“ahem”

Duke Carl coughed as to stop this choking atmosphere. 

“so… hmm… the way you say it, means… you’re not asking our permission to go but… instead to only inform us??”

“yes… that’s right father… I’m going even if you guys stop me”

He says as his eyes turn crescent and he smiles threateningly. His father could sense that his son right now was not smiling at all, and those smiles on his face and eyes are façade. 

“hmm… so I assume as that what you want… you must have also made a preparation for the departure??”

“yes… indeed… your brilliant father… you really understand my attention”

Leon says as he trying to butter up his father so that there’s no trouble when he intends to go to the capital. His father smiles weakly. 

‘I really can’t win against him’

once again his father realizes just how much he always loses towards this son of him.

“may I ask what kind of preparation that you make and what your reason to go there??”

“of course, I can tell you that… it’s not a secret after all…hmm”

Leon pauses a moment to organize his thoughts and words. 

‘I need to say carefully as to ensure nothing changes in this story plot…’

he already intended to let the story went as supposed to go but, for sure if he got caught up in any event at the capital, the entire story could change.

As he remembers, Luis supposes to depart from the mansion two days before the Royal event, and that’s when he will meet the MC Lee Joshua, a boy with black hair and black eyes.

‘if I’m not mistaken, the carriage that was riding by Luis will be attacked by a monster, thought Luis was strong enough to face the monster, the MC show up and save him, thus because Luis feels grateful towards MC, he decides to take the MC to the capital before bringing back the MC to this Fronti territory…hmm...well...not that I care…’

Leon doesn’t really care as he won’t involve with it but, he still not sure about the timing of the MC show up, what if the MC was already camping there and not saving Luis because it’s a coincidence but because he truly already there. Then even if Leon was going there earlier, he might catch up with the MC. But, that’s never been mention in the novel, so he decides to feign ignorance towards that probability for now. Then, all that's left is for him to starts elaborating his plan to the Duke as he takes a sip of the drink in front of him and speak.

“The plan is quite simple, I will go there quietly, taking a rental carriage without family crest… wearing commoners or simple clothes and dye my hair in different color… and-“

“wait… you say simple but… is that really important to do that??”

“father… I want to make sure that nobody knows who I am, especially the family that I belong… so, of course, that’s all was a basis for that moment right??”

His father sigh and nodded as he flapped around his hand to signal Leon to continue. His mother and brother just listening quietly. Leon continues with a stoic face and voice.

“well then, I will bring only three people with me… of course the carriage rider is not included.. who I will bring is two knights”

Leon lifts his two-finger to signal the number of the people. Then…

“one butler…which is Kelt… that two knight… I will take Roxin and Noxin… those two twins… then I had a list of things that I need to buy for my day of leaving this mansi-"

“wait!!!!”

***********************************

to be continued...

I need to fix the font of my letters... i try to opened it up in my phone and first few chapter got big font while the rest is small... it's incredibly annoying to see it's different than I wanted.

p/s if u guys wonder what halal food is... it's Muslim or Islamic food...