The transfer went smoothly. Lucy observed the process with her usual indifference, arms crossed, expression unreadable. And yet—something in her stirred. A strange, nagging feeling she couldn't quite place.
'What is this? Do I actually feel bad for getting rid of trash?' she thought bitterly, glancing at Joseph, the so-called disgrace of the Jackson family.
He stood quietly in his black leather jacket and fedora, posture calm, face unreadable. His deep brown skin—smooth and regal—held the distinct pride of the Jackson lineage. Other than his looks and maybe his style, Lucy saw nothing valuable in him.
The discomfort in her chest vanished. 'No,' she assured herself, 'what I did was right. If anything, Arthur's the one wasting money on a nobody.'
Her gaze dropped to the briefcase now resting beside her—freshly delivered, packed with crisp Hellion notes. Not as valuable as Global Dollars, perhaps, but still money. A grin tugged at her lips.
Joseph, standing nearby, watched her—this woman he once respected—utterly consumed by greed. He sighed, shaking his head, and turned to follow Arthur.
Before leaving the building, he approached Arthur with a quiet request.
"I have one last performance," he said. "A minor role in a play at the Impact Theatre. I'd like to see it through."
Arthur paused, studying the young man's expression. Then he nodded. "Go ahead. I'll be there."
---
The next day—July 23, 1275—Joseph stood onstage in the chorus of "The Ballad of Kael and Arc."
The play retold a tragic tale from 400 years ago, a war between the Three Races and the Demon Clans. At its heart were two figures: the demon general Kael and the knight Arc. Though on opposite sides of the war, they forged an unbreakable friendship. But in the final act, duty clashed with loyalty.
Kael, choosing compassion over conquest, sacrificed himself to protect Arc from his own soldiers. Arc, in return, fulfilled his duty—striking down the very demon who had saved him.
It was a story of sacrifice, of trust betrayed and honored in the same breath.
Joseph stood in the choir, dressed in ceremonial robes. As the tragedy unfolded, he lifted his voice. His tone—clear, piercing, haunting—rose in harmony with the rest of the chorus. Yet somehow, his voice stood out. It wasn't the lead. It wasn't solo. But it carried.
In the audience, Firfel wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Kael… was a hero," she whispered, her voice catching. "I never knew such a story existed."
Arthur didn't respond. His golden eyes were locked on Joseph.
He had expected an average performance. But this...
Joseph's voice—it wasn't just strong. It was controlled. Dynamic. Flexible.
'He can raise his pitch… that high?' Arthur thought, surprised. 'I thought his voice was deep. But this range…'
A slow smile formed on his lips, the wheels already turning.
'Perhaps this gamble was more worth it than I expected.'
After the play ended, the audience broke into thunderous applause. The performance had clearly moved them—though their attention was entirely on the lead actors.
On stage, Joseph stood at the back among the choir, watching the ovation with a quiet, contented smile. He looked toward the main cast taking their bows under the spotlight, soaking in the praise and admiration.
He didn't mind.
They had all worked hard for this moment, and it was well-earned. Just being part of something that touched people's hearts, even in a small way, was enough for him.
With a calm breath, he stepped down with the other choir members and joined the group behind the cast as a photographer raised a camera and called, "Everyone, hold your pose!"
The flash went off.
---
Outside, Arthur and Firfel exited the theater hand in hand. Arthur had cast a subtle veil of magic to keep their presence hidden from the media. The two of them slipped into the night without drawing any attention.
Firfel, sensing the soft shimmer of magic around her, narrowed her eyes slightly. She'd been with Arthur long enough to know when he was concealing something. That spell wasn't just a simple stealth charm—it was far more advanced than anything he let on.
But she didn't ask.
It was Arthur's choice whether to trust her with the full extent of his powers. She had long suspected there were many things he kept hidden—secrets he hadn't shared even after all their time together.
Yoda, for instance. He remained a complete mystery to her. Appearing suddenly, powerful in strange ways, and yet no one—except Arthur—seemed to truly know where he came from.
She glanced sideways. "Wait… I haven't seen Yoda since the party. Do you know where he went?"
Arthur froze mid-step. 'Right…' he thought, a flicker of guilt running down his spine. 'I completely forgot about him.' His neck grew warm with embarrassment, but he recovered quickly.
"I think he's just… enjoying the city," Arthur replied with an easy smile. "He's probably off exploring somewhere. Don't worry about him. Let's go grab something to eat."
Firfel raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but she didn't press him. She simply followed.
'Good thing I know the Force,' Arthur thought as they walked. 'Yoda's signature is hard to miss in a world where almost no one else uses it.'
Quietly, he activated his Divine Eyes. His vision expanded like a camera soaring above the city, rising to the height of the clouds.
From above, he spotted Yoda—casually riding a spinning saucer ride at Hellfire Park, arms crossed like he was meditating through it.
Arthur let out a small sigh and shook his head, deactivating the ability.
'He really is something else.'
---
The next day, Arthur and Firfel prepared to return to the Horn Kingdom. Alongside them was their newest companion, Joseph Jackson—and of course, Arthur didn't forget about Yoda.
With a quick tap of his teleportation bracelet, Arthur brought Yoda to their side. The little Jedi didn't seem surprised at all, merely nodding and joining the group with his hands tucked behind his back.
Soon, the four of them arrived at the airship terminal and boarded one after another. Everything went smoothly.
The airship glided through the sky, slower than the airplanes Arthur once knew in his past life. Seated in the luxurious king-class cabin, Arthur stared out the window, deep in thought.
'I should really consider designing a private jet… Even if I can teleport, having one would push this world's air travel forward. Not to mention, it'd look damn good on the runway.'
---
Meanwhile, back at Morningstar Castle, chaos brewed within the royal court.
King Luke had summoned an emergency meeting with his ministers. Most of them assumed it was regarding economic reforms or the growing influence of Hellfire. But when the king finally spoke, his words left the room in stunned silence.
"After much consideration," Luke said, his voice firm, "I've decided to cancel the arranged marriage between Princess Apollonia and Crown Prince Enril of Thorn."
Gasps echoed around the room. Even Queen Lily turned toward him with wide eyes. "Wh-what? Your Majesty… why?"
She had assumed the emergency meeting was to finalize plans—not dismantle them.
Murmurs and low protests rippled among the ministers.
"With all due respect, Your Majesty," one of the elder ministers began, "this alliance was politically sound. Backing out now could create diplomatic tension with Thorn—"
"There's no need to question my decision," Luke interrupted sharply. "I am the king. I will decide what is best for the kingdom."
The room fell silent, the air growing heavy with confusion and unease.
None of them knew the real reason behind Luke's sudden change of heart.
The night before, he had met Arthur once again—this time, not in the grand halls of the palace, but in a shadowy bar deep in the rundown quarters of the city. The kind of place where deals were made in whispers and the past was easier to forget.
Unlike their last meeting, there was no aggression. Luke didn't try to assert dominance. He knew now that Arthur's strength had far surpassed his expectations.
In that quiet corner of the city, over a dimly lit table, they came to a new agreement: Arthur would provide advanced communication technology—private server networks and secure lines for the Morningstar military. But only under one condition:
It would be used strictly for defense. Not war.
Arthur signed a magical contract to seal the deal.
In return, Luke agreed to call off Apollonia's arranged marriage.
The king may have lost some political capital, but what he gained… was far more valuable.