The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 984: Outplayed

[Hey, is this really okay?]

[Are we being pranked?]

[...]

[...]

[Talk to me like I’m five, but can someone actually explain why that happened?!]

Safe to say, the people on Star Net were still struggling to accept what they had just witnessed.

Did the Empire really just allow that person from the Federation, of all people, to win something this crucial?

As expected, the auction wasn’t just about a dance but a matter of pride and political interests.

And for someone as important as Luca Soren Kyros, they couldn’t even figure something out?

What if the golden-eyed cadet ended up having resentment over this?

The people had plenty to say, but in one very specific corner of the virtual sphere, fans were having an even worse night.

Their beautiful flower, plucked by a hooligan?!

What about love?

What about the stories of the loyal knight protecting their beloved master?

Worse, what about the deep pockets that were supposed to appear at times like this?

[Guys, what do we do now?]

[Shh... We need a moment of silence. I think my poor heart just died.]

[+1]

[+1]

[+1]

It was supposed to be the perfect moment when the richest lead would swoop down and stamp their claim. And really, for a moment, the fans thought it would actually happen.

But instead, Cassian Veyra really won?

It felt deeply unacceptable and left a bitter taste in the mouths of those watching. And yet no one likely felt worse than the hidden Imperial Crown Prince, who not only endured all of that but also found himself stepping onto the very same stage just minutes later.

The netizens, who had surprisingly gotten it right this time, felt their hearts aching for the white-haired cadet now standing where Luca once had.

At that moment, bleeding-heart supporters began talking about class divides and how events like this made for a legitimate villain story.

They believed that if one day Xavier Montclair ended up as the richest man in the Empire of Solaris because of this moment of powerlessness, they wouldn’t even be surprised.

But as the chat continued flowing in agreement, and as Xavier stood at the center of the stage, right where his little wife had stood, he found himself tuning out the Master of Ceremonies—

"—and now, we proceed to the next segment of the fundraiser auction—"

—as the words washed over him without meaning.

"To our honored guests and viewers, we present the next candidate."

None of it registered.

To the audience, he looked composed, almost indifferent, as though he hadn’t just suffered a loss he never thought he’d ever experience, but beneath that surface was something far less controlled, a stinging disappointment directed at himself that settled heavily in his chest.

"Let’s get the bidding started with—"

And still, he didn’t listen.

Because whatever was being said... didn’t matter.

Until it suddenly did.

His brows furrowed as his ears twitched.

Huh?

For a brief second, Xavier thought his ears had betrayed him.

Because the first bid put up for him was a staggering 305 billion and 1 Star Coins.

The number hung in the air, absurd and unmistakable, and when his head snapped toward the source, the darkened world around him practically lit up.

Because right there, in the crowd, was something that practically banished every shadow in the hall.

An extremely bright-eyed face.

A wide, unrestrained grin.

Luca.

With an expression so radiant, Xavier’s heart skipped no less than three beats.

"!!!"

__

But apparently, it wasn’t only the Imperial Prince who was caught off guard, because so was everyone else.

It was a defining moment.

One where the livestreams that actually managed to zero in on Luca’s face—while juxtaposing Xavier’s extremely stunned and surprisingly flushed face—would end up becoming evergreen content that’d even be saved for historical purposes.

And bonus points went to those streams that managed to catch exactly how Cassian scrunched his face at the sight.

Nearby, Duke Leander ended up on his feet while clutching his heart, looking as though he might tip over if not for one proud-looking mother who was trying to keep herself from clapping.

Meanwhile, the blonde sworn brother, after getting over his own mini heart attack, rushed behind Luca in a panic, clearly ready to catch him in case his brother collapsed from blurting out a number that shouldn’t have even existed in his vocabulary.

But much to his surprise—

Luca was fine.

No.

He was more than fine.

Because this time around, Luca actually looked thrilled.

And honestly, how could he not be?

He had just figured out a rather simple solution to the alarming problem Sid had brought to his attention.

Xavier was in turmoil.

And it genuinely broke Luca’s heart to know that his husband had been put in a very difficult position by someone who simply wanted to expose Luca’s involvement in the most controversial auctions.

Now, the little money-grubber may not be the best there was when it came to political matters, but he sure memorized their streams of income!

For someone who diligently checked their balances before going to sleep, would anything less be acceptable?

Probably not.

So if someone used the winning bids from previous auctions, it would definitely alert him to something suspicious.

Now, maybe Cassian didn’t have ill intentions.

But that didn’t matter.

What mattered to Luca was how his husband felt about what happened.

And if he were being honest, he had practiced really hard just so he could dance with Xavier properly.

Thankfully, that didn’t become impossible when D-29 returned with:

"Host! I have checked the records of how the money has been spent over the years and confirmed that the receipts are in order. There are clear trails for the funds as well as multiple audits confirming the reports."

"As for the specifics of the auction, the order of the dance is based on the donation made. The highest confirmed bid opens the dance, and so on."

It was a move to ensure that unexpected rising stars wouldn’t be impeded by the initial voting. Moreover, those who paid the most usually didn’t have the time to linger to finish the entire event, anyway.

"Oh! Then that’s great!"

And it truly was.

Because just as the little penny-pincher expected, the way Xavier’s face lit up, the way it flushed—

It was worth every single Star Coin.

But if he were being honest, Luca, in a very rare turn of events, had been emotionally prepared to donate even more just to show his husband that he, too, wanted to protect what they had.

That just as Xavier was willing to go to great lengths to protect Luca’s heart, his ever-grateful wife was just as willing to do the same.

And what better way to prove that than by safeguarding their very first official dance—

While securing a very generous donation from the Federation?

What a lovely day!