More than combat, reconnaissance was what Quinn excelled at best.
As it turned out, she hadn't let Luke down.
By now, she had basically identified everyone who had opposed Melli being made queen back then. The next step was to dig deeper into the details. Some of those ministers had objected for perfectly understandable reasons. They wanted to preserve the king's image, and they believed choosing a queen was not something to be handled recklessly.
But Melli had been a pregnant woman at the time, and yet she had managed to disappear right under the king's nose without a sound.
There had to be a deeper reason behind that.
For example, who had secretly helped her get away from the capital back then?
If that was the case, then someone must have approached Melli in private at the time.
That was what Luke wanted to know.
"Your Highness, while I was investigating, I found something else too." Once Quinn saw that Luke had finished reading, she continued, "It seems someone else is also looking into what happened back then. I noticed them, but they never noticed me."
Luke thought it over for a moment.
If someone else was investigating the events of that year, it was actually not hard to guess who it was.
Most likely his father, Jarvan III.
Jarvan III had been kept in the dark back then too. It was only after Melli vanished that he slowly realized what had happened. Now that he sat firmly on the throne, there was no way he would leave the matter uninvestigated.
"Keep digging. Pay special attention to these people."
Luke picked up a pen and circled several names. After another second of thought, he added one more, the commander of the Mageseekers. "And him too. Be careful when you investigate this one. He's not simple."
"Yes, sir."
Quinn took the notebook back and answered seriously.
She did not stay for breakfast. Before long, she had already left the courtyard.
Luke put the matter out of his mind for now, returned inside, and started preparing breakfast.
Half an hour later, Lux and the others came into the courtyard together.
"You're hopelessly lazy. You couldn't even go see Miss Fiora off."
The moment she came in, Lux shot Luke an annoyed look.
Yesterday, Fiora had said she was returning to High Silvermere, so they had gotten up early this morning to see her off at the city gate.
And then they discovered Luke hadn't shown up at all.
Luke replied calmly, "I already saw her off."
Lux looked at him suspiciously. "When?"
"Don't ask. It was earlier than you."
Luke chuckled.
Lux was convinced he was messing with her. She and the others had been at the gate as soon as dawn broke.
Earlier than that? No chance.
Still, there was no point arguing now. The Laurent carriage had probably been gone from the capital for quite a while already.
After breakfast, the temperature dropped another notch. The air felt sharp and cold, and not a trace of sunlight could be seen.
Around noon, Lux and Kahina came back from the Church of the Illuminators, and both girls looked as though something was weighing on their minds.
When Luke noticed, he asked, "Did something happen?"
Lux nodded. "Lately, it seems the Illuminators at the church are preparing to head for the border."
Then the two girls began explaining together, one after the other.
The news that war was about to break out at the border had now spread completely. And behind every war, innocent civilians were always the ones who suffered.
That was exactly the kind of moment the Illuminators existed for. They would step forward and offer help to those people.
Some Illuminators were also willing to join the army's medical support units.
Those support teams often advanced alongside the army onto the battlefield, and their task was to rescue wounded soldiers during combat.
That gave them immense value on the field as well.
To them, this was a sacred duty, and no one was afraid because of it.
Now, the Illuminators did not even need a call to action. They were already preparing to leave for the frontier on their own.
After hearing about it that morning, it had become obvious that Lux and Kahina wanted to go as well.
But they were only novice Illuminators, and with their status, it probably would not be so easy.
For a while, neither of them knew how to bring it up with their families.
After listening, Luke asked, "So you've already made up your minds?"
"Yes." Lux's little face was serious, and her eyes shone with determination. "I want to go."
Kahina nodded in agreement.
Luke smiled. "If you've already decided, then what are you still worrying about? You're not kids anymore."
What they were worried about was whether their families would agree.
If Miss Crownguard had not already gone through her coming-of-age ceremony, Augatha definitely would not have been willing to let her go to the frontier.
But now, Lux already had the right to choose her own path.
The two girls just had not fully adjusted to what that change in status really meant yet.
And sure enough, things turned out exactly as Luke had said.
After Lux returned home and brought it up with Augatha, her mother repeatedly confirmed that she was serious, then said nothing more and simply began reminding her of the things she needed to be careful about.
Kahina's situation was much the same. Barrett, who had once held an important military post, looked openly gratified when he heard she had thoughts like that.
That afternoon, after receiving a letter, Luke got into a carriage and headed for the Research Institute's development base.
When he arrived, Wenward wasted no time and led him straight to a warehouse.
"The gunpowder you asked for is ready," he said as he opened the warehouse doors. "We tested it, and the power is fine. It's also very stable."
He flipped the switch for the electric lights, and with a click, the warehouse lit up.
Luke looked inside and saw the place packed wall to wall with neatly arranged gunpowder supplies.
Wenward continued, "The warehouses nearby are full too. In theory, the stockpile should be enough."
Luke gave a small nod. "Then please start making preparations, Director. I need to go to the palace."
"Understood."
After Luke left, Wenward immediately began arranging for the gunpowder stockpile to be moved.
Meanwhile, Luke sat in the carriage on the way to the palace, deep in thought.
When the development base had first been established, its primary research focus had been gunpowder.
After several months, that research had progressed at an astonishing speed. By now, it had already reached the point where it could be used on the battlefield.
And this newly developed batch of gunpowder would make its first appearance at the border front.
Although reports from the border constantly brought word of Jarvan IV's victories, Luke remembered that this campaign would not go especially smoothly.
Before Jarvan IV left, Luke had already warned him, but he still couldn't quite put his mind at ease.
After turning it over in his mind again and again, he decided it would be best to go to the border himself.
Inside the palace, in Jarvan III's office, Luke pushed the door open, walked in, took one look around, and smiled. "Aunt, you're here too. Good, that saves me from making two trips."
At the moment, Jarvan III and Tianna Crownguard were discussing something, and Minister Roy was there as well.
Tianna looked at him and asked, "What is it?"
Luke said, "Send me some men from the Dauntless Vanguard."
Tianna frowned. "What do you want men from the Dauntless Vanguard for now? Half of them already went to the border with your brother. There aren't that many left."
Only then did Luke remember that Lev had gone to the frontier with Jarvan IV, taking half of the Dauntless Vanguard with him.
So there really was not much manpower left.
"The capital's getting a little too dull for me. I want to go to the border too, fight alongside my brother."
Luke answered with a smile.
Roy frowned at once. "Your Highness, how can going to the battlefield be treated so lightly? Your brother is already at the border. There is no need for you to go as well."
He did not know Luke well enough.
Luke was speaking casually, but Tianna could hear that he had already made up his mind.
Normally, if there were two princes, at least one of them ought to remain in the capital.
Just in case something happened.
If a council session were called right now, plenty of people would oppose Luke going to the border.
But from the very beginning, Tianna had known this boy was not ordinary. She knew that though he was young, he had always been someone with his own mind.
If he had decided to go, then it certainly was not on a whim.
Jarvan III looked at him, his expression serious. "Have you truly decided?"
Luke also became serious and nodded. "Yes. I ask for your permission, Father."
"If that is your decision, then go."
Jarvan III did not think long before granting the request. He looked at Luke with deep eyes.
When he thought of how much he owed this child, he truly did not want Luke going to the border too.
But when he came back to himself, he realized that before he had even noticed, this child had already grown into someone exceptional.
As a father, what he needed to do was shield him from the troubles behind him, so that he could move forward boldly and without worry.
Roy's brows drew tight, and he immediately objected. "Your Majesty, this is too rash. How can two princes go to war together?"
"It's fine." Jarvan III looked at him and smiled. "I believe in my two sons. And you should believe in me too. Let them go. They will not disappoint us."
Roy still wanted to say more, but Jarvan III lifted a hand and did not let him continue.
With a helpless sigh, Roy could only stand to the side and watch this father and son do as they pleased.
He knew both princes were capable.
He simply felt there was no need for both of them to gather at the border.
But based on what he knew of Jarvan III, there was no chance he would change his mind now.
Jarvan III looked at Luke again and asked, "Do you need anything else?"
Luke thought for a moment. "Probably not."
Everything that needed to be taken to the border had mostly already gone with Jarvan IV.
Now Luke only needed to bring his personal guard and the supplies, then set out directly.
"In any case, don't let a little skill make you careless," Tianna said, speaking from experience. "The Noxians are all kinds. Don't let them take advantage of you."
Luke nodded. "Don't worry, Aunt."
Tianna waved a hand. "All right, go make your preparations."
"Got it."
Luke answered, then turned and left the office.
Tianna watched his departing back until he was gone from sight, only then drawing back her gaze.
By coincidence, she had also heard that Lux and the Buvelle girl were going to the border.
The two families had always been close, and neither of them believed in raising children like delicate ornaments. Naturally, they were never going to keep them sheltered forever.
Stepping onto the frontier was something they would have to face sooner or later.
That was easy enough to say, but in the end, worry was still worry.
Luke might be lazy and mischievous most of the time, but at a moment like this, having him go as well made things far more reassuring.
After leaving the palace, Luke's carriage did not stop and went straight to the personal guard camp.
After several months, the camp had been cleaned up thoroughly, and from time to time, synchronized shouts rang out through the vast fortress.
Once he arrived at the training grounds, he saw Vayne, Frey, and several newly appointed captains drilling the rest of the guards.
In weather this cold, it made for a strangely stirring sight.
The personal guard had expanded from its original three hundred to five hundred men now, a number that felt just right.
After gathering everyone together, Luke announced that he was heading to the border.
As soon as they heard, the guards looked openly excited. They had long since been ready to set foot on the battlefield.
After that, Luke immediately began making preparations for the departure.
Unlike the last time, when the Harrowing had come without warning, this time he was absolutely going to be fully prepared before setting out.
By evening, when the sky was nearly dark, he and Vayne returned to the little courtyard together.
"Where did you even go all afternoon?"
Lux had been sitting in the sitting room in boredom. The moment she saw Luke come back, she said in a sour mood, "We're leaving tomorrow, and you're only just getting back now."
Luke chuckled. "Leaving is leaving. It's not like you're never coming back."
"Pah." Lux clicked her tongue and glared at him. "Try saying that properly."
So Luke said, "Then I wish you both a safe trip. Go early, come back early."
"That's more like it," Lux said, then sighed. "I wonder how long it'll be before we come back from the border this time."
Kahina nodded in agreement.
Neither of them had gone before, but they had heard enough stories. Every war lasted a long time.
Time itself was not really the issue.
What mattered more was that they probably would not get to see Luke for quite a while.
And this guy still looked completely indifferent, like he did not care at all.
Didn't he feel even a little reluctant to part with them?
The more they looked at him, the more annoyed they became.
Lux glared at him and said unhappily, "Without us around, you'll just lie there all day. You'll be bored to death."
"With you two gone, I'd finally get some peace and quiet, all right?"
As Luke said that, he saw the little angry looks in their eyes and sighed. "But unfortunately, for a while now, peace and quiet probably won't have anything to do with me."
Lux paused. She felt like she had picked up on something hidden in that.
Kahina reacted faster. Her eyes lit up at once. "Your Highness is going to the border too?"
Luke only smiled and said nothing.
But that silence was answer enough.
Once they realized it, Lux and Kahina both felt their moods improve for no reason at all.
"We leave tomorrow morning," Luke said, no longer teasing them. "When the time comes, you don't need to go with the Illuminators. Just ride my ship with me."
The two girls immediately nodded in agreement.
Poppy was naturally going with Luke too.
The same was true for Sona.
The matter of departure was now completely settled.
Since there were still a few preparations left to make, the time of departure was set for tomorrow morning.
That night, under the quiet dark, a figure returned once more.
Standing at the entrance to the courtyard, Sona gathered her courage again. This time, there was no one beside her to interrupt.
Her watery blue eyes trembled as she looked into the courtyard.
She took a deep breath and stepped inside.
This was destined to be another sleepless night.