Moments

The Kingmaker - V

After that incident, Fabian and Antonia saw that Lucas was taking it easy. So they stopped keeping an eye on him. But they didn't know that workaholism was a chronic illness. So were irregular hours and insomnia.

Lucas immediately went back to his old ways, this time making sure that his attendants would have firm seal on their mouths. "You are either loyal to me, or you work with someone else in this household. These are the choices you have. But if you choose me, don't make me regret giving you a chance in the future," he warned them.

The three pledged their loyalty to him. They knew somewhere in the back of their minds that they had made a decision that would take them places.

From the day he could walk and move as he pleased, Lucas began to plan his life out carefully. He knew there would be several unexpected events happening in the future. Plans could never be future-proof. But they could always be future-adaptable. The first thing he did was to start training physically.

He had done some light exercising in the beginning to keep himself fit, but that was nothing compared to the devil's training he underwent later. The exercise regime was carefully constructed with appropriate rest periods so that his body didn't overstrain. His diet also became very specific, allowing him to grow his bones and muscles at a faster rate.

This was when the breathing technique that he had employed in the womb came of use. His muscles, veins and meridians had strengthened because of it which allowed him to practice a rare style of martial arts which he hadn't been able to do in his previous life as he didn't have the physique for it. His parents only knew that he was training but they didn't know how intense it was.

His goal of achieving the pinnacle of existence had not changed. If anything, it had become stronger and more inclusive. The first step to that was to get a hold of his existing resources and establishing his authority there.

And so, with his gift of gab, Lucas managed to convince his parents to allow him to take over the workings of his estate. Once he was sure that his little brother wouldn't trouble his mother anymore, he left for earldom of Orion.

His father, the previous earl, had run a tight ship here, just like he ran a tight ship at the marquessate. But once his mother had come in, she was only working to maintain it, since she had a ton of other things to worry about. Most of the work was being done by the steward. Antonia was waiting for him to come of age. She didn't think that the day would come so quickly.

So things had become quite lax around here. The chauffeur stepped out of the car quickly and opened Lucas' door. The little boy got down. In front of the manor stood a man probably in his late fifties. Behind him stood men and women dressed similarly. They stood in two lines on either side of the staircase which led to the main door of the manor.

Looking at their ingratiating smiles, Lucas' eyes turned cold. He walked towards the steward, Emmanuel. "Is this kind of eye you have while hiring people in my estate?" he asked.

To be fair to the steward, Lucas was now just a six year old. He was a toddler who seemingly had little to no power. But he was their little ancestor whom they had to please in order to get into the marquess' and the duke's good books. Everyone knew how much the duke and duchess, the marquess and marchioness doted on him. Even aunt and uncle, the Duke and Duchess of Wiccarp showered as much affection on him as they did on their own son.

That was why, although Emmanuel didn't take Lucas very seriously, he had to at least pretend to be catering to the young lord's whims and fancies.

He bowed deeply. "My lord, please correct my mistakes," he said.

Lucas snapped, "If I spend my time correcting your mistakes, then why should I let you continue in your post?"

Emmanuel was taken aback. He didn't think the little boy would speak so clearly and sharply. He had heard rumours about the boy being a genius, but he had brushed it off thinking that it was the nobility being narcissistic again. "My lord, I don't know where I went wrong. Please enlighten me." He tried saying again humbly. But he couldn't hide the sarcasm in his eyes.