The Useless Prince Is A Gangster
Chapter 136. Reunion

Chapter 136: 136. Reunion

The music from the banquet is muffled by the velvet curtains drawn in a private, tasteful, yet unadorned guest room upstairs.

With a straight posture and a gentle voice, Duke Alric Caulem sat opposite Duke Selen Threx and Lady Hilda Threx. "Thank you for attending Lucian’s birthday banquet, Lord Selen and Lady Hilda. I am aware that it was a difficult journey."

Selen’s eyes carried a tired strength, shadowed by months of pain. "The thanks are ours, Lord Caulem," he said, his voice steady but heavy. "We’ve been lost in sorrow since Lysa was taken."

Lady Hilda’s soft face was tense with fear and hope, and her hands trembled in her lap. "Where is our Lysa, Lord Caulem? You said she was safe..."" she said, her voice hardly audible above a whisper. She was safe, you said.

The door creaked open before Alric could respond. Leo entered with Lysa nestled in his arms, her petite frame nestled against his chest. The young girl’s head raised, her eyes looking the room before settling on her parents.

Hilda and Selen froze, gasping for air and gaping in shock. A single tear trickled down Lysa’s cheek, softening her face and making her lips quiver. With the weight of months apart, she whispered, "Mother... Father..." in a tiny but distinct voice.

He gently placed Lysa on the floor, her small feet making a soft tap on the polished wood. As soon as she was free, she ran forward, rushed to her parents. Selen and Hilda, their faces glowing with joy and disbelief, dropped to their knees, arms open.

Lysa threw herself into their hug, and they held her tightly, their hands shaking as they clung to her. Lysa’s tiny body trembled with quiet sobs, her voice muffled against her mother’s shoulder as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Hilda’s tears fell freely, her whispering "My baby, my baby" mixing with Selen’s hoarse sighs of relief, his voice breaking with emotion.

Leo watched the reunion from a distance, his eyes growing softer. After months of her suffering, he had fulfilled promise to bring Lysa back to her family, and a quiet warmth filled his chest. But a memory—or perhaps a reoccurring dream from weeks ago—came to him as he witnessed their unfiltered, passionate embrace. He saw Chloe holding a little girl who resembled them both, her soft smile gleaming in a sunny garden, her laughter light. Their daughter’s eyes were full of trust as she giggled and reached for him with tiny hands.

Chloe lay motionless on the ground with blood pooling beneath her from a sniper’s bullet, and their unborn child died with her as the vision twisted violently.

Leo snapped back to the present, his breath catching loudly in the room. His hands shook, and he grabbed the steady hand of Duke Alric, who was shaking him gently, concern on his face. "Son, are you alright?" Alric asked.

Leo blinked quickly, forcing his breath to calm, though a faint sweat lingered on his brow. "I’m alright," he said, his voice steady but softer than usual. He glanced at Selen, Hilda, and Lysa, still wrapped in their emotional hug, and turned to Alric. "Let them have this moment. I’ll head back. Also, please let them stay after the banquet. I need to speak with Duke Selen later."

Alric’s eyes held pride and worry, but he nodded, patting Leo’s shoulder firmly. "I’ll take care of them. Go enjoy the banquet. I’ll join you soon." Leo gave a quick nod, turning to leave.

As he walked through the manor’s quiet halls, Nimbus’s senses reached him, the shadow panther relaying every detail in the banquet.

Leo stored it all, his mind piecing together as he descended the grand staircase to the bustling hall. The glow of mana-lamps and the hum of noble chatter greeted him as he moved through the crowd, heading for his group’s seating area.

A sudden grip on his arm stopped him. Leo turned, his brow rising, to find Adrian Dranemount, his face tight with frustration and worry.

"Hey, Adrian, what’s up? You don’t need to grab me like that to talk," Leo said, his tone light but cautious.

Adrian pulled him to a quiet corner, away from the crowd and faced him, his voice low and intense. "Tell me, Leonhardt, what did you do to my sister?"

"Sister?" Leo echoed, blinking, though he knew Adrian meant Erin.

"Yeah," Adrian said, his jaw tight. "Erin’s been off since she went on that three-day trip after your emergency message. What are you two involved in?"

Leo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, his face carefully neutral. "I asked for her help with Vivien’s disappearance. We had a small misunderstanding, that’s all." It was a half-truth—Erin’s role in infiltrating the cult’s prison had been far more dangerous, but Leo wasn’t about to tell her protective brother.

Adrian’s eyes flashed with disbelief. "Leonhardt, what do you think of my sister? Why drag her into your messes?"

Leo met his gaze evenly, his voice calm but firm. "Because she’s the only one who could find the clues we needed. She’s a century genius, after all." The lie came easily, hiding Erin’s true role.

Adrian ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear in his tense shoulders. "Look, Leonhardt, I don’t know what went down, but she’s upset and avoiding you. I can’t stand seeing her like that. Fix it."

Leo tilted his head, a faint, teasing smirk on his lips. "What, are you fond of your sister or something?"

You"It’s none of your business." He softened slightly, exhaling. "Of course I fond of her. She’s been sick her whole childhood, always leaning on me."

"Sick? She seems healthy now."

Adrian nodded. "Yeah, her illness got so bad there was no hope for survive. Then, out of nowhere, she was cured—perfectly healthy, like a miracle."

Leo’s blood chilled, his mind seizing on the word "miracle." He knew that’s not a miracle, he was in that situation already once.

Adrian tapped his shoulder, his voice firm. "Sort it out before the banquet ends, or I won’t forgive you."

Adrian strode off, his steps heavy leaving Leo standing there.

Rin’s bright voice broke through his haze as she approached, her sapphire gown catching the light, her smile warm and glowing. "I heard Lysa’s been reunited with her parents! Is it true?"

Leo blinked, his expression softening as he focused on her. "She’s with them now," he said.

Rin’s grin grew, and she grabbed his hand. "That’s good! Shall we enjoy the banquet now?"

He nodded, letting her pull him toward the lively heart of the celebration, her energy easing the weight in his chest. As they moved, he caught a glimpse of Erin across the hall, her violet eyes meeting his for a brief moment before she turned away, her face unreadable.

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