Chapter 226: [226] "WHAT’S GOING ON 2"

Given Hugo’s recent, highly entertaining inability to speak to a waitress, Luc immediately prepared himself to offer dating advice.

"Alright," Luc said, keeping his tone approachable. "What’s going on?"

Hugo adjusted the strap of his gym bag. He looked at the floor, which was a massive tell for a kid who usually maintained unblinking eye contact, before looking back up.

"My eighteenth birthday is not far from now," Hugo stated.

"I know. The club usually sets up something in the cafeteria," Luc nodded. "It’s a big milestone. You hit eighteen, you’re officially a senior professional. The media rules change, the contract negotiations shift. It’s a transition."

"It is a transition," Hugo agreed. "Specifically regarding my residential status. Since I signed with the SC Valois academy, I have resided with Valérie mostly, or in the youth housing complex a few times. The club provides the meals, the security."

Luc knew the setup. The academy dorms and Valérie big ass house were heavily monitored environments designed to protect the club’s teenage investments from the distractions of the city.

"Once you turn eighteen, you aren’t mandated to stay there," Luc said, seeing where this was going.

"Correct," Hugo said. "I had a scheduled meeting with mom--Valérie yesterday afternoon to discuss my upcoming contract extension. During that meeting, I informed her of my intention to vacate upon my eighteenth birthday."

Luc raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by the initiative. "Okayy..."

"Valérie holds the authority."

Luc couldn’t help but smile. Hugo treating the terrifying owner of SC Valois as a hurdle to be cleared was perfectly on brand.

"And what did Valérie say?"

"She approved the request," Hugo said. "She stipulated that the new residence must meet specific security requirements and fall within a twenty-minute driving radius of her house."

Luc nodded slowly. Valérie was ruthless, but she wasn’t stupid. Hugo had just dictated the entire midfield in a Cup Quarter-Final and scored a world-class volley. He was the most valuable teenage prospect in Ligue Alpha. If he wanted to move out, Valérie was going to facilitate it to keep him happy, provided her investment remained protected.

"So, you’re moving out," Luc summarized. "Congratulations, Hugo. It’s a big step. Having your own space changes how you decompress away from the pitch."

"That is the anticipated outcome," Hugo said. The seventeen-year-old finally dropped his rigid posture just a millimeter. He shifted his weight to his left foot, the strap of his gym bag slipping slightly. "However, I have encountered an issue."

"Which is?"

"I don’t possess any practical experience in real estate or house searching," Hugo admitted, the slight edge of frustration bleeding into his vocabulary. "I have reviewed the listings within the twenty-minute radius. Everything is too much. I don’t know how to identify flaws or negotiate."

Hugo looked at Luc, the frustration giving way to a genuine request for guidance.

"I think I need your help and your perspective. Someone who understands the requirements of a professional athlete, but also possesses the practical experience of securing an independent residence."

Luc stared at the kid. Beneath the exterior, the immaculate passing vision, and the cold logic, Hugo was still just a seventeen-year-old boy trying to figure out how to navigate the adult world. He didn’t have real family outside Valérie nearby handling his affairs. He just had the club.

And now, he was asking his captain to step in to help.

"You want me to go house hunting with you," Luc clarified.

"I need your assistance, yes," Hugo confirmed. "I have narrowed the potential listings down to four properties that meet Valérie’s mandates. If you can join me to the viewings, your insight would be highly appreciated, Captain."

Luc pushed off the lockers, closing the distance between them and clapping a firm hand onto Hugo’s shoulder.

"You don’t have to present it like that, Hugo," Luc smiled, his voice warm. "You just have to ask."

Hugo blinked. "Will you help me look at the houses?"

"Of course I will," Luc agreed instantly. "You’re stepping up to the senior level in every aspect now. You need a place where you can shut off the noise. The data won’t tell you if the walls are too thin or if the street gets congested on matchdays. We’ll find you something solid."

"Thank you, Luc," Hugo said, the tension leaving his shoulders. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. "I have scheduled the first two viewings with the agent. When is your calendar free?"

Luc thought about the early morning session Henri had just scheduled, and the looming away fixture against Côte d’Azur.

"Henri wants us on the grass at seven-thirty," Luc calculated. "We’ll be done with the tactical drills by around one o’clock. We hit the ice baths, clear the medical checks, and we should be out of the complex by two-thirty."

"I’ll bring the car tomorrow," Luc told him. "Don’t bother with transport after training. We’ll head straight from the complex and hit the listings in the afternoon."

Hugo nodded, his thumb rapidly tapping against his phone screen to confirm with the real estate agent. "Two-thirty."

"Sounds like a plan," Luc said, grabbing his own bag. "Get some rest tonight, Hugo. The drills tomorrow are going to be brutal, and you’re going to need your legs if we’re walking through properties all afternoon."

"I will see you at seven-thirty, Captain."

Hugo turned and walked out of the locker room, his footsteps fading down the corridor.

Luc stood alone in the quiet room for a moment longer. The weight of the captain’s armband extended far beyond the ninety minutes on the grass. Tomorrow, it woukd be about ensuring the young core didn’t fracture under the pressure of their own rapid ascents.

Hugo moving out of the academy was a massive shift. It meant the kid was growing up.

Luc threw his bag over his shoulder and walked out into the hallway, his right knee operating flawlessly. He had his health back, he had his TES arsenal loaded, and he had a squad that was relying on him to lead them through the brutal stretch ahead.

Tomorrow, they would prepare for war against Côte d’Azur.

But tomorrow afternoon, he was going to help his maestro find a home.