The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?

Chapter 473: Chapter 472 - Lead the Way (1)

The warm atmosphere of the training grounds gradually gave way to the quiet elegance of the Drayden Manor.

Morning sunlight poured through the towering crystal windows, illuminating the vast corridors with a gentle golden glow while finely woven carpets stretched beneath every step. Portraits of previous Dukes adorned the marble walls, each bearing the stern expressions of those who had carried the family through generations of prosperity and war. Servants moved gracefully through the halls with trays balanced effortlessly in their hands, their footsteps almost inaudible as they attended to the countless duties required to maintain a household of such stature.

Before long, Luca, Aurelia, and Kyle found themselves seated within one of the estate’s private reception rooms.

Unlike the grand audience halls used for official meetings, this room possessed a far warmer atmosphere. Bookshelves lined the walls, a stone fireplace crackled softly despite the pleasant weather outside, and comfortable sofas surrounded a polished wooden tea table upon which an assortment of freshly baked pastries, biscuits, and steaming cups of tea had already been prepared.

The three of them sat quietly for a while.

Kyle lazily leaned back against the sofa while absentmindedly stirring his tea.

Aurelia sat opposite him with practiced elegance, though the tension that had shadowed her expression over the past several days had finally disappeared.

Luca simply enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

After everything that had happened recently, the quiet comfort of sharing tea with friends felt surprisingly refreshing.

For a few minutes, the conversation remained light.

Kyle complained that Luca had nearly dislocated his shoulder during their spar.

Luca calmly argued that Kyle’s spear had nearly split him in half.

Aurelia declared that both of them were exaggerating.

Neither of them accepted the accusation.

Eventually, however, the laughter settled.

The atmosphere naturally became quieter.

Luca gently placed his teacup back upon its saucer before looking toward the two siblings.

His expression gradually became thoughtful.

"You still have not answered my question?."

The question immediately caused both Aurelia and Kyle to exchange a brief glance.

Neither answered immediately.

The silence itself was enough to tell Luca that this was not an easy topic.

He repeated the question calmly.

"Why has every ducal house suddenly begun rushing to determine its successor?"

Kyle slowly exhaled through his nose.

Then leaned back further into the sofa while staring toward the ceiling.

"I was hoping you wouldn’t ask that today."

Luca smiled faintly.

"I’ve been told curiosity is one of my worst habits."

"It definitely is."

Aurelia gently set her teacup down beside her before folding her hands neatly upon her lap.

Her violet eyes lingered on the surface of the untouched tea for several moments before she finally spoke.

"The truth is..."

She hesitated briefly.

"...none of us know everything."

Luca remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"What we do know," Aurelia continued quietly, "is that the recent movements of the cultists have shaken every major power on the continent."

Kyle’s playful expression gradually disappeared.

"The attacks have become more frequent."

"Their influence has spread farther than before."

"Their operations have become far bolder."

He shook his head slowly.

"And then..."

His voice became noticeably heavier.

"...the appearance of one of the Demon Generals."

The room grew quieter.

Even the gentle crackling of the fireplace suddenly seemed louder.

Kyle continued.

"News like that doesn’t remain hidden for long."

"The highest-ranking nobles."

"The Imperial Court."

"The great academies."

"The military."

"They’ve all received reports."

Aurelia nodded slowly.

"The appearance of a Demon General changes everything."

Her voice remained calm, yet Luca could hear the gravity behind every word.

"It tells every major power on the continent that the cult is no longer acting only from the shadows."

"They’re beginning to move openly."

"And if they’re moving openly..."

She paused briefly.

"...then nobody knows how long it will be before the next great war begins."

The words lingered heavily within the room.

Luca slowly leaned back against the sofa.

His expression became increasingly thoughtful.

Kyle continued explaining.

"Nobody knows exactly when it will happen."

"It could be years."

"It could be months."

"It could begin tomorrow."

"The uncertainty itself is the problem."

He picked up his teacup before absentmindedly turning it within his hands.

"If war truly breaks out, every noble house will immediately become responsible for mobilizing soldiers, protecting territories, supplying the Imperial Army, and maintaining order within their own lands."

His crimson eyes shifted toward Luca.

"And the last thing any family wants during a continental war..."

A faint, bitter smile crossed his face.

"...is an internal succession dispute."

Aurelia nodded in agreement.

"If the position of Family Head remains undecided when that day arrives, ambitious relatives, political factions, and external enemies could all exploit the resulting uncertainty."

Her gaze drifted briefly toward the large window overlooking the estate.

"One disagreement inside a great noble house during wartime could cost tens of thousands of lives."

The room became silent once more.

Luca slowly absorbed everything they had said.

Suddenly—

The urgency made sense.

This was never simply about tradition.

Nor was it merely about inheritance.

It was preparation.

Preparation for a future that every influential figure on the continent seemed to believe was drawing closer with every passing day.

He remembered Aiden mentioning that even the Sword Duke had begun speaking about responsibilities.

He remembered the Vice Dean’s unexpected appearance.

He remembered the Demon General beneath the ancient sanctuary.

One by one, seemingly unrelated events quietly aligned within his thoughts.

Luca released a slow breath.

"I understand now."

His voice was quiet.

Thoughtful.

"If everyone believes that another war is approaching..."

His gaze settled upon the tea resting before him.

"...then every great family wants to ensure that, when the time comes, there will be no uncertainty about who stands at the front."

Neither Aurelia nor Kyle spoke.

They simply nodded.

Because that—

More than anything else—

Was the truth.

Luca remained seated upon the sofa, one hand resting lightly against the porcelain teacup before him.

The tea had already begun cooling.

He hadn’t taken another sip.

His thoughts had drifted elsewhere.

Far away.

Everything he had heard over the past several minutes quietly arranged itself inside his mind like pieces of an enormous puzzle.

The resurgence of the cult.

The appearance of one of the Demon Generals.

The strange movements among the great noble houses.

The hurried succession decisions.

The preparations for a war that had not yet begun.

None of those events existed independently anymore.

They were connected.

Each one quietly pushed the continent toward an uncertain future.

Luca lowered his gaze toward the untouched tea.

A war...

He had anticipated it.

From the very beginning, he had known that one day the continent would descend into chaos.

After all, that had always been one of the central turning points of the story.

The conflict between humanity and the cult.

The awakening of ancient powers.

The emergence of forgotten enemies.

Eventually—

The world itself would change.

He had prepared himself for that reality ever since arriving in this world.

Yet...

His brows slowly furrowed.

This is too early.

That single thought echoed repeatedly inside his mind.

According to everything he remembered from his countless playthroughs, the political atmosphere should not have reached this point yet.

The noble houses should still have been observing.

Preparing quietly.

Not openly accelerating succession matters.

Not behaving as though war might begin at any moment.

He slowly released a quiet breath.

The timeline continued slipping further and further away from the one he remembered.

The Hero Research Club expedition.

The ancient sanctuary.

The silver-haired figure.

The Vice Dean.

And now...

Even the great noble families had begun moving far earlier than expected.

Every answer he discovered seemed to produce three new questions.

Luca couldn’t help smiling bitterly.

"I really have no idea what the future has in store for me anymore."

The words escaped almost unconsciously.

Neither Aurelia nor Kyle interrupted him.

They understood exactly what kind of uncertainty he was referring to.

For several moments, the three of them simply remained seated within the peaceful reception room, each quietly occupied by their own thoughts.

Then—

A gentle knock echoed from the door.

Everyone instinctively turned.

"Enter."

Aurelia’s calm voice broke the silence.

The door opened smoothly.

An elderly man stepped inside.

His silver hair had long since surrendered to age, yet his posture remained impeccably straight. He wore the immaculate formal attire of a senior household butler, every movement refined through decades of faithful service to the Drayden family. Though age had etched gentle lines across his face, his sharp eyes missed nothing as they briefly swept across the room.

He first acknowledged Aurelia.

Then Kyle.

Finally—

His gaze rested upon Luca.

The elderly butler stepped forward before offering a respectful bow.

"Youth Master Luca."

Luca blinked in mild surprise.

The butler’s expression remained perfectly composed.

"My lord has requested your presence."

For a brief moment, nobody spoke.

Luca instinctively looked toward Aurelia.

She appeared just as surprised as he was.

Her violet eyes shifted immediately toward Kyle.

Kyle merely shrugged before shaking his head.

"I have no idea."

Aurelia slowly nodded in agreement.

"Neither do I."

The confusion was genuine.

Neither sibling had expected this.

Neither seemed aware that their grandfather intended to meet Luca privately.

Luca looked back toward the elderly butler.

"My lord?"

The butler inclined his head respectfully.

"His Grace, the Duke, is waiting for you in his study."

The room fell silent once more.

Luca’s expression gradually became thoughtful.

Whatever this was...

It clearly wasn’t accidental.

The Duke of House Drayden was not someone who summoned guests without reason.

Especially not in private.

Especially not immediately after a discussion regarding succession and the approaching war.

Luca slowly rose from the sofa.

He adjusted the sleeves of his academy attire before offering a small nod.

"Very well."

His gaze briefly met Aurelia’s.

Then Kyle’s.

Both still looked completely bewildered.

Luca smiled reassuringly before turning back toward the elderly butler.

"Lead the way."