Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!-Chapter 242: ’Sovereign Summit’

Lucius exhaled sharply, crossing his arms over his chest. His sharp gaze flickered toward Florian before he began explaining. "A Sovereign Summit is a gathering of all the major ducal families. They stay in the palace to discuss matters that affect the entire kingdom—situations like this, which involve multiple territories, require their cooperation."

Florian absorbed the information carefully. He had assumed it was something like that, but what he still didn’t understand was why the dukes’ involvement was necessary.

His brows furrowed slightly. "But why do we need the other dukes’ cooperation?"

Lucius’s expression immediately twisted into a scowl, his golden eyes narrowing with irritation. "You really didn’t pay attention to any of your tutoring classes, did you?"

’That was the original Florian, not me.’

Florian turned away, arms crossing over his chest. "Just answer the question."

Lucius let out a slow, measured sigh, rubbing his temple before responding. "Despite the king being the one in power, the dukes are entrusted with governing their respective lands. The king can’t possibly know everything that happens in every part of the kingdom—that’s why the dukes exist. Concordia is massive, Florian. It’s divided into territories, and each duke rules over their own. The king has to call upon a summit to discuss major decisions that affect those lands and the people living in them."

Florian’s frown deepened as the weight of that explanation settled over him. ’So that’s how it is...’

It made sense, yet at the same time, it didn’t sit well with him. The idea that Heinz, despite being king, had to negotiate and discuss matters with nobles who might not even have the kingdom’s best interests at heart—it felt frustratingly inefficient.

A quiet scoff broke his thoughts.

"Hah." Heinz leaned back against his chair, his crimson gaze sharp with clear irritation. "This is exactly why I hate meddling with nobles," he muttered, his voice cold. "I am the king. Why should I have to discuss anything with people beneath me?"

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Florian let out an awkward chuckle, glancing away. ’Of course, he’d think that.’

Lancelot sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I am not looking forward to it either," he admitted, his usual nonchalant demeanor dimmed by reluctance. "Dukes are a pain. Not exactly the most agreeable bunch."

Lucius hummed in agreement, his expression darkening slightly. "Considering our fathers are dukes, and the display they showed during the ball, I’d say that’s an understatement."

The mention of their fathers made the air grow heavier for a moment, unspoken tension pressing against the walls of the room. Florian couldn’t help but feel bad for them.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, before Lucius finally shifted his gaze toward Heinz, breaking it.

"What about the princesses?"

Heinz arched a brow. "What about them?"

Lucius shrugged, but his sharp gaze remained unwavering. "Should they know about what’s happening already?" His attention flickered toward Florian next. "And the tests—what about those?"

Florian stiffened slightly. ’Right... the princesses.’

His mind immediately drifted back to the ball.

To Scarlett’s words.

To the way Heinz had interrogated before the ball.

He never did find out what that was about. He had meant to ask again, but things had kept piling up—other priorities had taken over. ’Maybe now is a good time to bring it up...’

But before he could, Heinz spoke first. "Helping multiple villages will be a good test for them," he said coolly, his tone unwavering.

"I’ll inform them about the plan once Florian comes up with a concrete strategy on how we’re going to do this." He leaned forward slightly, his crimson gaze gleaming with something unreadable. "But do not inform them of the threats. It seems they aren’t the targets, and there’s no point in worrying them unnecessarily."

Lucius and Lancelot exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.

Then came another silence.

This one stretched longer.

Florian shifted his gaze between the two of them, a flicker of curiosity stirring in his chest.

Lucius and Lancelot... they looked like they wanted to say something else.

Their expressions weren’t hard to read—he knew them well enough by now.

’What is it?’

Florian’s gaze flickered toward Cashew, who had remained silent throughout the entire conversation. The boy sat stiffly, head slightly bowed, his pale blond hair casting shadows over his wide purple eyes. His hands were clasped tightly in his lap, knuckles white.

’Was all this information too much for him?’

Florian exhaled softly, shifting closer before lowering his voice. "Are you okay?"

Cashew barely reacted. A slight twitch of his fingers, a barely perceptible nod. But he still refused to lift his head.

That wasn’t reassuring.

Before Florian could press further, a weight settled on him—a stare, sharp and unreadable. He turned slightly and met Heinz’s gaze, those deep crimson eyes flickering between him and Cashew.

The king’s expression was neutral, but there was something in the way he observed them, something calculating. It looked like he was about to say something—

But a sudden knock on the door shattered the moment.

"Come in," Heinz commanded, his tone clipped.

The heavy wooden door swung open, revealing Lysander. His usual relaxed posture was absent, replaced by rigid composure. His sharp red eyes swept over the room before landing on Heinz.

"Your Majesty," he greeted, voice firm. "You summoned me?"

Heinz barely spared him a glance, lifting a hand in a dismissive wave before nodding toward Florian. "Florian needs to get checked."

Lysander blinked. His serious expression faltered for just a second. "Again?"

A tense silence. Then, realizing his mistake, Lysander coughed into his fist, straightening immediately. "I mean—of course." His ears tinged slightly pink, betraying his brief embarrassment.

Florian narrowed his eyes, but then again Lysander was right. He’s met with the healer so many times in just a month.

Lysander turned to him next. "Am I checking him here, or...?"

Heinz’s gaze flickered toward Lucius and Lancelot before shaking his head. "No. Go to the infirmary and get a full examination."

Florian stiffened. "Full examination?"

’Since when was that part of the plan? I feel fine.’

Heinz didn’t elaborate. His expression darkened slightly, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Just do it."

’Huh? What’s with him?’

There was something about his tone—an edge to it. A silent command layered beneath the words. Florian wanted to question it, but he knew better. When Heinz was like this, pushing for answers would only make things worse.

With a resigned sigh, he nodded. "Alright, Your Majesty."

Cashew, who had remained quiet the entire time, immediately rose from his seat, his posture tense. Florian glanced at him but said nothing.

Both of them bowed slightly toward Heinz before stepping back.

"I’ll summon you again later," Heinz added, voice firm.

"Understood," Florian replied.

Yet, as he turned to leave, a strange unease settled in his chest. The atmosphere in the room before he left—it had felt off. Tense. Like something unspoken was hanging in the air.

’Am I missing something?’

Still, he pushed the thought aside.

As they stepped into the hallway, the air outside felt cooler, less suffocating. The tension from the room didn’t follow them, but Florian’s unease lingered.

Lysander walked beside him, hands slipping into his pockets as he cast a sideways glance at him.

"What’s wrong?"