Chapter 562: The Ceremony
Luca did not expect that kind of reception.
While he’d been excited to see his family and friends, he definitely didn’t expect a crowd waiting for him the moment he stepped out of the arena proper.
"!!!"
A swarm of elderly people surrounded Luca like he was the key to the fountain of youth.
He blinked.
They blinked back.
No one moved.
Until Instructor Moore, bless his soul, descended like a divine intervention and reminded the excited elders that Luca still had to deal with the mecha pilot.
"!!!"
That’s when it hit him.
Luca slapped his forehead.
He’d forgotten all about the pilot he stashed away!
Inside the cockpit, Deputy Officer Curtis thought he had died. The light had been so blinding, he assumed this was it. A hero’s sendoff. A clean death, even. But no—unfortunately for Curtis, the light cleared up to reveal something far more horrifying.
Old people. So many old people.
And one very familiar woman.
Curtis inwardly groaned. If this was heaven, then maybe hell wasn’t such a bad deal after all. He’d rather be roasted than spend eternity with this lot.
"Cadet Kyros, maybe leave him in there for a while longer," Eden said, arms crossed as she narrowed her eyes at Curtis, who looked personally offended to see her face in the afterlife.
"It seems like he’d enjoy that."
Curtis grumbled something unintelligible as he stood up—partially because he felt guilty, but mostly because the obedient child might actually listen to the witch.
"What happened to you, Curtis?"
"Marshal, it’s fine. I just didn’t expect to be in there for a good while. Motion sickness isn’t so bad when you’re the one driving, but as a passenger? It’s a whole different beast."
Luca’s shoulders hunched as he apologized. "Sir, I’m really sorry. I’ve been meaning to add the comfort upgrades. I just... didn’t think we’d actually need them today."
He really hadn’t expected things to escalate so much. The mecha he built yesterday wasn’t supposed to need an emergency cockpit extraction. And while the structural compartment had been fixed, Luca had prioritized functional components over interior comfort. Because—well, who would’ve guessed the Marshal would reverse the exam by volunteering everyone else for the demonstration?
Certainly not Luca.
And definitely not the Marshal.
Not until a certain mastermind planted the idea, anyway.
Still, Curtis wasn’t mad. He was more curious than anything else. And maybe just a bit dizzy.
"No need to apologize. If anything, I want to know more about this mecha... especially after experiencing its full glory. And horror. Firsthand."
Heads nodded around him like bobbleheads, all hungry for details.
The young builder hesitated. The last time he gave his opinion too freely, he ended up causing a scene.
But then he looked up.
And saw something.
Across the way, Xavier sat beside Jax, Kyle, and Ollie. What caught Luca’s attention wasn’t just the familiar faces—it was Xavier. Looking right at him. Calm and steady. Then, the Crown Prince gave him a tiny nod.
Just that.
A single nod.
But it was enough.
Luca’s eyes lit up, and a bright grin spread across his face.
If his husband said it was okay, then it must be okay.
With renewed confidence, Luca turned back to the eager crowd, ready to speak.
And just like that, what began as a gathering turned into the start of a suspiciously well-organized cult of elderly fanatics.
__
The oath and licensing ceremony might as well have been timed with a stopwatch.
It was the fastest one they had ever held.
Mostly because there was only one person being licensed, but also because everyone looked like they were holding back an explosion’s worth of questions. They’d waited since yesterday. They weren’t about to wait another minute.
Advisor Arlow, bless her optimism, made the mistake of asking if anyone wanted to give a short speech.
The moment the words left her mouth, the air changed.
Several master mechanics turned their heads so sharply it sounded like necks might snap. Their eyes said one thing: if she so much as tried to delay this any longer, they would riot.
Even Arlow paled a little and took a half-step back.
But then, unexpectedly, Luca raised a hand.
"I’d like to say a few words, if that’s all right?" he said, smiling shyly.
Honestly, he’d rather not, because he still felt incredibly shy. But after learning about the blimp his parents had negotiated for him, he figured this was the least he could do to thank all of them.
This earned an audible gasp from Duke Leander, who immediately started weeping before anything even started.
Not quietly.
The type of emotional sobbing that only proud (insane) fathers could produce.
He didn’t even try to stop himself—at least not until Duchess Amelia shot him a glare and whispered that if their son saw him crying like that, he might think something was wrong.
So the Duke tried to hold it in.
He really did.
But the Duchess knew it was a hopeless task the moment she glanced around and saw nearly everyone else already teetering on the edge. One poke and they’d be wailing too.
And she was right.
Back in the Duchy, dozens of staff members were already hugging each other and wiping their tears as they watched their Young Lord begin to speak on the live broadcast.
Luca looked down at the mic, then up at the crowd.
His eyes found two familiar figures in the audience, and his smile softened.
"First... I want to thank my parents. Father, Mother, thank you for always supporting me and for being here today."
The moment the words left his mouth, Duke Leander started sobbing again.
The Duchess sighed in defeat. Thankfully, their son was resilient, or maybe he’d been desensitized.
Because Luca still managed to smile as he glanced toward the bleachers.
"Thank you so much to everyone else for being here. I know this was arranged at the last minute, and yet, despite your busy schedules, you still came. I don’t take that lightly."
Some people were already sniffling. Others looked like they were biting the insides of their cheeks to avoid bawling, and first-time spectators would likely question how many of these people were actually relatives of the examinee.
But what could they do when they’d started to treat the child as their nephew? It seemed like such a horrific shared experience would net one a new set of extended relatives.
"And to everyone back home at the Duchy... thank you for your support. For believing in me. I haven’t forgotten a single one of you."
Several nobles tried to subtly wipe their eyes with their sleeves. They failed. Everyone saw.
But the smiling cadet continued, his eyes shifting toward the front rows.
"To my friends—thank you for always standing beside me. For your encouragement, your patience, and for not giving up on me even when I wasn’t sure of myself."
"And finally... thank you to my partner. To the one who made all of this possible. He gave me everything he had, and because of that, I am able to stand here today."
His cheeks flushed a vivid shade of pink. Because he meant it quite literally.
Given that display of spiritual energy and his additional requirements for building biomechas, it would have been unlikely for him to confidently stand there without his husband’s help.
Marshal Julian practically choked on his saliva.
Meanwhile, Xavier, who might’ve turned into vapor in the past, stayed still. Not because he wasn’t embarrassed, but because he was too guilty to protest. And while it sounded like Luca was benefitting from him, the devoted husband knew better than to lie to himself.
Thankfully, it only sounded as if Xavier had emptied his bank account for this.
Still coughing, Marshal Julian somehow managed to regain his composure. Good thing too, because Luca finished with a final string of gratitude.
"Thank you to the military for letting me demonstrate my work today. And thank you, truly, to all the instructors, mechanics, and master builders who gave me this chance."
The applause began immediately. Loud, genuine, and full of joy.
And just when it seemed like everything was wrapping up, Luca raised his hand as if remembering something.
"Oh, and one more thing."
The entire audience paused, caught between awe and curiosity.
"While it’s likely a build that could be improved, I’m still hoping to donate the B-class mecha I made earlier to the military."
"!!!"
It was like a silent shockwave passed through the room.
Eyes widened. Mouths dropped.
Several master mechanics looked like they had just been hit in the chest. One old man opened his mouth, clearly ready to object.
But Marshal Julian, with his ability to recover fast, moved first.
He accepted the donation instantly, before anyone else could say a word.
There was just no way he was letting the mecha manufacturing sector snatch this from him. If the masters were going to fight him for it, they’d have to pry it from his cold, promoted hands.
"Thank you, Cadet Kyros," Julian said with a dignified nod. "We’ll coordinate with the mecha manufacturing sector to assign a pilot capable of utilizing its full potential."
He paused.
Though truthfully, he was doubtful. Luca had been both its builder and its wielder. To find someone else equally skilled on both fronts? Not impossible... but not likely either. Not to the extent that he used it, like an extension of his body.
And yet they would really have to, for upon hearing what the mecha could actually do, both parties realized they’d have to raise one if they had to.