Chapter 215 Business, A Matter Of Chivalry

Mr. Blackstone was very excited, and his excitement must have filled the room with more electrons than usual, making Luke and Lucy’s hearts race.

Grasping their shoulders, he gave them a vigorous shake.

"I agree—we certainly should celebrate. How about this weekend? We shouldn’t wait too long, or the momentum might fade," Luke suggested.

"This weekend? Luke, did you forget we have the academy awards ceremony this weekend?" Lucy wisely reminded.

"No, I haven’t forgotten," Luke replied. "I thought I could micro-manage the day by quickly attending the ceremony and then coming back to celebrate with you all... It would be a feat of multitasking, but I can do it... Unless, are you also going to the awards ceremony?"

Lucy raised her eyes in a "need-you-ask?" manner, her shoulders following suit.

"Everyone will participate, so why shouldn’t I go?"

"Is everyone really going...?" Luke asked, biting his lip. "I assumed that since you’d had points deducted, you wouldn’t be attending—you may ask: what’s the point?"

"Why do you think that?" Lucy asked curiously, but her tone also carried a hint of scrutiny regarding the matter of discipline.

In the midst of her judgment, Luke blurted out the source of his assumption.

"You see, when I was younger, my father, my family, wouldn’t bother attending any event or ceremony unless we were treated as ’guests of honor." So I thought it would be the same here."

"..."

"...that really is a strange mindset..." Mr. Blackstone muttered to himself.

A sudden silence descended upon the room, with no one willing to be the first to break it.

Luke felt nervous about his family’s principles, and he could only smile uneasily.

Lucy knew she came from a family more gargoyle-esque, unable to judge, and in fact, she felt more sympathy for Luke because he had to think in that way because of them.

"Luke, even if I don’t win any awards—or if I get so many points docked that I start questioning my very existence—I still have to go. After all, I’m still a student at the Academy, aren’t I?"

"Yes, I was wrong, I won’t assume that again, so we’ll both go together—"

"Great!" Loki exclaimed, grabbing their shoulders again.

"Father... aren’t you getting a bit too excited? What’s so thrilling about an awards ceremony? Besides, we haven’t even set a date for the celebration we discussed."

"What’s so great about it? Kingsley and Blackstone, after decades of beef, are finally together," Loki said. "And isn’t the ceremony also a dinner night? That means you two will be each other’s dates."

Huh? x2

"You heard me right. Lucy? Make sure you don’t give Luke any trouble. Luke, bring my daughter home before 9. Wow, you have no idea how much I’ve wanted to say that. Lucretia’s dating history is zero, we’re talking about a complete failure."

"Oh my God, Dad, are you crazy?"

"Mr. Blackstone, I don’t mean to offend, but I can’t take Lucy to the ceremony as her date. I’m currently engaged to Scarlett Trump, and you must understand," Luke said.

"Yes, I respect your engagement to Trump, but that doesn’t matter, Loki replied. "A dinner date is not equivalent to a relationship... it is more like a gesture of respect and honor, much like a knight escorting a lady to a feast.

"No one would think the knight is betraying the lord’s daughter at home. Moreover, you are a member of the Silver Order, so you should be familiar with this chivalry. It is an ancient custom and does not harm the primary relationship."

Luke swallowed hard, seeing the logic in it, but something told him that Loki wanted to smooth over the main issue with a one-night date, maybe hoping that night would be enough for Luke to see Lucy in a different light and lessen his attachment to Scarlett.

But he had one counterargument...

Meanwhile, Lucy decided to give up and let the ship sail with the wind.

If her father convinces Luke to take her to the awards ceremony, she will happily follow, after all, she’s planned to sit alone and miserably at the singles’ table.

If her father couldn’t persuade Luke, then she would sit alone and miserably at the singles’ table as planned.

After all, Lucy respected Luke’s respect for his relationship with Scarlett.

But Scarlett Trump is stuck in an origin realm, and Luke is a free date.

What other reason could he have to refuse?

If he refuses, it means he really doesn’t find Lucy attractive.

"Mr. Blackstone... I actually have a new date," Luke said.

"Nonsense, you’re just saying that to avoid Lucy," Loki replied.

Soon, Loki began wrapping up the gathering to prevent Luke from challenging further.

Though curious about who this "new date" might be, Lucy—out of respect for Luke—spoke up on his behalf.

"Father... if he already has a date, then let him go. I’ll go alone."

"Wait, you believe him?"

"I— should I not?" Lucy stammered.

"Haha. Luke’s mother was a very skillful liar. Look at his lips, no doubt he inherited that talent," Loki remarked, beckoning Luke to the door.

"But I’m not lying..." Luke defended himself, but Blackstone was not buying it.

"If you are not lying, then that night, bring your date. My daughter will also be ready. Only one will go with you..."

"But what about the celebration we were talking about?" Luke managed to say as Loki ushered him out of the office, checking the time on his wristwatch.

Loki placed one hand on Luke’s shoulder and replied, "Bring her back by 9, and we will have the celebration the same night."

A clever little trap from Blackstone...

If Luke brought another date instead of Lucy, their celebration would not hold, because there would be no reason for Lucy and Luke to be together after the awards ceremony.

But if Lucy was the date, the celebration would hold, because it would be a seamless transition from the awards ceremony to their celebration.

That was the advantage Loki was using.

Luke wanted to talk his way out, but Loki didn’t want to listen.

Therefore, he took a deep breath, waved goodbye to Lucy, who waved back, then turned and walked down the aisle.

After this long day, he had one question.

"So, my mother was a master liar, was she?"

"I bet there are still lies of hers that haven’t been discovered to this day."