“Well, that was a good decision!” came Lucavion’s voice, though it sounded somewhat garbled as if his mouth was full.
Valeria’s smirk instantly vanished, replaced by a deep scowl as she turned toward the sound.
And there he was. Lucavion, casually leaning against a nearby wall, chewing on what looked like a large sandwich. His appearance was completely relaxed, with no sign of worry on his face, despite the rapidly approaching registration deadline. He even gave her a small wave as if they were old friends.
“What… how?” Valeria started, her frustration evident in her voice. “How are you here already? Weren’t you supposed to still be in line?”
Lucavion swallowed his mouthful of food and grinned widely, wiping the crumbs from his hands. “Turns out, all you need to do is have enough money.”
Valeria’s eyes flared with indignation, her voice rising sharply. “You bribed someone?” she demanded, her fists clenching at her sides. “You cut the line and bribed your way through?”
Lucavion raised an eyebrow at her reaction, his grin widening. “Technically, I didn’t cut the line. I simply… expedited the process. Besides,” he said, shrugging, “I figured I’d make the most of the time I had. No harm in that, right?”
“No harm?” Valeria nearly growled, her anger palpable. “You’ve committed two crimes at once, and you’re just standing there, smiling like it’s nothing? Are you out of your mind?”
Lucavion chuckled softly, clearly amused by her outrage. “Come on, Valeria. Don’t tell me you’re that much of a stickler for the rules. You’ve never bent a rule or two in your life?”
“Of course not!” she shot back, her voice firm and unwavering. “I follow the laws because that’s what’s expected of a knight—integrity, honor, responsibility! Unlike you, who apparently sees them as inconveniences to be tossed aside whenever it suits you.”
Lucavion’s smile didn’t falter, though his eyes glinted mischievously. “Maybe that’s the difference between you and me, then. You stick to the rules no matter what. Me? I find ways to make things a little easier. It’s not about breaking the rules—it’s about adapting to the situation.”
Valeria’s hands shook with frustration, her mind racing. She had spent hours waiting in line, following the proper procedures, doing everything by the book. And here he was, casually admitting to bribery and cutting corners as if it were a game. The fact that he seemed so utterly unbothered by it made her blood boil even more.
“You’re insufferable,” she spat, her voice low and dangerous.
Lucavion leaned back against the wall, still grinning as he took another bite of his sandwich. “Maybe. But it works for me, doesn’t it?”
Valeria took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “Just because it works doesn’t mean it’s right.”
Lucavion shrugged, clearly unfazed. “Right or wrong, that depends on who’s the one judging it, doesn’t it? For someone like you, it may not be right to cut the line, but from my perspective, I just paid the price for the time that I would have spent normally. It is eventually an exchange at the end.”
“You’re using sophistry,” Valeria said sharply, her eyes narrowing. “If everyone did the same thing—bribed their way through—what would happen? It would be chaos. There are rules for a reason, Lucavion.”
Lucavion, unfazed, took another leisurely bite of his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully before offering her another grin. “Ah, but that’s the point, isn’t it? Not everyone can do it.”
Valeria opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. She hated to admit it, but he was right—at least to a certain extent. Not everyone had the means or connections to bend the rules in their favor.
But that didn’t make it right. Bribing someone wasn’t just a simple exchange, like he wanted to make it sound.
It was an abuse of authority, paying individuals instead of contributing to the state, disrupting the very structure that kept society functioning.
“That’s not how it works,” she finally said, her voice more composed but still firm. “You’re not paying for time—you’re paying someone off. You’re not contributing to the system; you’re undermining it. And that’s where the problem lies.”
Lucavion tilted his head slightly, amusement still playing in his eyes. “You say that like it bothers you.”
“It does bother me,” Valeria snapped. “Because it’s wrong. You’re taking advantage of the system, of people, for your own convenience.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “You really are a knight, through and through. But sometimes, Valeria, the system doesn’t work for everyone. Some of us have to make our own way.”
Valeria bit her lip, resisting the urge to argue further. She knew that this conversation wasn’t going to change Lucavion’s mind. But what frustrated her the most was that she could see the logic in his words, even if she didn’t agree with it.
“You may think that,” she said quietly, “but it doesn’t change the fact that there are consequences to what you’re doing.”
Lucavion shrugged again, unconcerned. “Consequences, sure. But those are things to worry about later. Right now, I’m just enjoying my sandwich.”
Valeria turned away, her frustration mounting. She couldn’t stand the way he so casually dismissed everything, as if the rules and order she held dear meant nothing to him. But as much as she wanted to argue further, she knew it was pointless.
As Valeria walked away, trying to distance herself from the frustrating conversation, she heard Lucavion’s footsteps following close behind. “So,” he started, his tone as casual as ever, “when did you get here?”
She didn’t respond immediately, hoping he would get the hint and leave her alone. But, of course, Lucavion being Lucavion, he pressed on.
“You must’ve arrived today, right? Since you hadn’t registered until now.”
Valeria’s lips twitched, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. She kept walking, refusing to engage, but the faintest smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. She couldn’t resist correcting him. Stay updated with m-vl _emp _yr.
“You’re wrong,” she said, finally turning her head slightly to glance at him. “I came yesterday.”
Lucavion’s grin widened, and Valeria’s mouth twitched as she realized her mistake. He hadn’t really cared about when she arrived—he’d just been fishing for information. And now, thanks to her need to correct him, she’d given him exactly what he wanted.
“Thank you for answering,” he said, that smug grin back in full force.
Valeria’s eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening as she clenched her fists in frustration. She’d walked right into his trap, and he knew it. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, not from embarrassment but from the sheer aggravation of being played by him once again.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered, glaring at him. “You’re insufferable.”
Lucavion just laughed, clearly enjoying himself. “How was it to travel alone from all the way here? Was it fun? It must be a first time for you, no?”
Valeria clenched her teeth, determined not to let him pull her into another conversation. She didn’t want to engage with him, especially after he had just manipulated her so easily. But, as always, Lucavion had a way of making it impossible to ignore him.
“It’s none of your business,” she replied curtly, trying to keep her tone cold and distant. She quickened her pace, hoping he would take the hint, but Lucavion simply matched her steps.
“Come on now,” he said with a smirk. “Traveling all by yourself for the first time? It’s got to be quite the experience, right? Did you feel free? Or was it just lonely?”
Valeria huffed, trying to stay focused on the path ahead. But his words gnawed at her. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, even to herself, but traveling alone had been… strange. There had been moments of calm and solitude, but also moments where she found herself missing the structure and companionship of her knights. She wasn’t used to being alone like that, with no one else to rely on but herself.
“I managed,” she said tersely, her voice a little sharper than she intended.
Lucavion chuckled. “I’m sure you did. But did you enjoy it?”
Valeria shot him a sideways glance, still trying to resist the urge to answer. But the question lingered in her mind. Had she enjoyed it? There had been moments—riding through the quiet forests, camping under the stars—where she had felt a strange sense of freedom. But it had also been unnerving. She had always been surrounded by people, by duty, by expectations.
Being alone had left her with nothing but her thoughts, and that was something she hadn’t expected.
“It was different,” she finally admitted, her tone softer. “Not what I’m used to.”
Lucavion nodded, looking satisfied with her answer. “I figured as much. There’s something about being out there on your own that changes things. It makes you think differently.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And what about you? Where did you go after you ‘finished your work’ here?”
Lucavion smiled, clearly pleased that she had asked. “Oh, you know, here and there. Visited a few places, took care of some personal business.”
“Personal business?” she echoed, her curiosity piqued despite herself. “What kind of personal business?”
Lucavion winked. “Nothing too exciting. Just things that needed to be done. A man like me can’t stay in one place for too long, you know?”
Valeria scoffed, rolling her eyes. “You’re impossible to get a straight answer from, aren’t you?”
Lucavion grinned wider. “Keeps life interesting, don’t you think?”
Despite her best efforts, Valeria found herself smirking slightly. As frustrating as he was, there was something about his carefree attitude that made her forget, at least for a moment, the pressures and expectations that constantly weighed on her. Still, she wasn’t about to let him think he had gotten the better of her.