“Oh? Completely fine, you say?”
Lucavion barely gave Anne time to recover before he reached out, his fingers brushing against the warmth of her cheek. His touch was light—barely there, just enough to test how much further she could possibly fluster.
“Hmm… quite a finely developed one indeed,” he murmured, tilting his head as if appraising her like some rare find.
Anne completely froze.
“H—Hiek!”
She jumped right where she stood, nearly toppling backward in sheer panic, her wide, panicked eyes darting between his hand and his amused expression.
That did it.
Lucavion laughed.
A sharp, genuine chuckle spilled out of him, quickly escalating into something closer to a full-bodied laugh. His shoulders shook as he straightened, running a hand through his hair, thoroughly entertained by the sheer purity of her reaction.
“Ahahaha… Oh, Anne, you’re going to have a hard time if this is how you react to harmless teasing,” he mused, still grinning.
Just as he was about to continue, a voice—not one from the room, but from within—slipped into his thoughts, weaving through his mind with the familiarity of an old companion.
[Don’t tease the poor girl too much.]
Lucavion’s laughter stilled.
For a brief moment, his mind quieted, his expression unreadable as the realization sank in.
That voice.
That damn voice.
A slow smirk crept onto his lips, his fingers brushing his temple as if to ground himself.
‘Heh… Here I thought you’d never find me.’
His thoughts carried the same teasing lilt as his voice, but underneath it, there was something else—something lighter, something almost… pleased.
‘Good day to you too, Vitaliara.’
[Humph.]
Lucavion could hear the little huff of indignation in her response, and that—that alone—was enough to make something in his chest settle.
It had been a while since he last heard her voice in his head.
And whether he’d admit it or not—he had missed it.
Lucavion barely had a moment to enjoy Vitaliara’s presence in his mind before he noticed something odd.
Anne stood frozen, still clutching her apron like a lifeline—but now, there was a small shimmer trailing down her cheek.
A tear.
Lucavion raised an eyebrow.
‘What? This was enough to make her cry?’
[You are such a bully as usual.]
Vitalaria’s voice carried a teasing lilt, but beneath it was an unmistakable note of amusement.
‘Hey! That was not my intention.’
[Yeah, yeah… surely.]
Lucavion clicked his tongue, his smirk fading just a little as he sighed.
“Alright, alright,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
The poor girl looked completely overwhelmed—shoulders tense, eyes wet, clearly struggling to process what had just happened. As much as he enjoyed a bit of harmless fun, this was pushing it.
She needed a breather.
Deciding to dial things back, he reached out—this time, not to tease. A flicker of mana surged in his palm as he accessed his spatial storage, and within seconds, a small, neatly folded handkerchief appeared between his fingers.
Without a word, he stepped forward and gently dabbed the corner of her eye, wiping away the stray tear with surprising care.
“Ahem…” He cleared his throat, his voice noticeably softer. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to—”
Lucavion sighed, pressing the handkerchief against Anne’s cheek with slow, deliberate movements, wiping away the lingering tear with unexpected gentleness.
“See? All better,” he murmured, his voice a fraction softer than before.
The girl sniffled lightly but didn’t pull away, her brown eyes wide and innocent as she blinked up at him, still visibly processing everything that had just happened.
Lucavion paused for a moment, studying her properly this time. She really was young. Too young to be working in a place like this, probably. And given how she had been thrown into escorting him—someone completely unfamiliar, someone who clearly enjoyed making people squirm—it was starting to make sense.
‘Ah… I see now.’
This wasn’t just random selection.
‘The other maids probably sent her here on purpose.’
A test. A chance to gain experience.
And, well… she did get experience.
Maybe not the kind they intended, but experience nonetheless.
Because in a world like this, people like him existed. Smooth talkers, opportunists, people who could make a girl’s heart race with a few well-placed words.
‘Better to be prepared for that, isn’t it?’
[You are just justifying yourself.]
Lucavion smirked slightly, way too unbothered.
‘So what?’
[…]
Vitalaria didn’t respond, but he could feel the exasperation radiating from her.
With a flick of his wrist, Lucavion reached into his storage once more. This time, he pulled out a small trinket—a silver charm in the shape of a crescent moon, simple but elegant. He had picked it up a long time ago, never having a real reason to use it.
Now seemed like as good a time as any.
“Here.” He placed it into Anne’s trembling hands, his smirk still lingering but his tone surprisingly smooth. “A gift. For enduring my horrible bullying.”
Anne blinked rapidly, staring down at the charm in shock. “S-Sir, I—”
“No need for formalities,” Lucavion interrupted smoothly, waving a hand. “Just take it. Consider it… a reward for making it through your first real encounter with someone like me.”
She clutched the charm tightly, her fingers curling around it as if afraid it would vanish. Her lips parted, but for a moment, no words came.
Lucavion chuckled. Such a fresh reaction.
“Don’t think too hard about it, Anne,” he added, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. “Just take it and go brag to your fellow maids. Experience, after all, is valuable.”
Anne’s brown eyes flickered with something unspoken—gratitude, embarrassment, or maybe just sheer confusion—but she held the charm close, nodding slightly.
Lucavion rolled his shoulders, already turning away.
‘Well, that should be enough entertainment for now.’
Lucavion turned on his heel, his cloak swaying slightly as he started walking forward. The quiet tap of Anne’s hurried footsteps followed closely behind, her presence now more composed—though he could still sense the lingering nervous energy clinging to her.
Deciding to test her a little, he spoke without looking back.
“So, Anne. Let’s say an unfamiliar noble enters this mansion. What’s the first thing you’re expected to do?”
The girl blinked but answered almost immediately. “Greet them politely, ensure their needs are met, and discreetly observe their status and temperament to adjust my approach accordingly.”
Lucavion raised an eyebrow, glancing at her from the side. Not bad.
“Hmm. And if they start behaving… let’s say, improperly?”
Anne hesitated for only a second before responding, her voice steadier this time. “If it’s within acceptable bounds, I am to handle it with grace and professionalism. If it escalates, I am to alert a senior servant or, in extreme cases, one of the house knights.”
Lucavion smirked slightly. “And here I thought you were completely inexperienced.”
Anne’s posture straightened, a small spark of determination flashing in her brown eyes. “I-I am inexperienced, sir, but I’ve studied. I don’t want to be a burden to the other maids.”
That made Lucavion pause for half a second.
‘Ah. She really has put in the effort.’
She wasn’t just some clueless girl thrown into service—she had worked for this, prepared herself as much as possible, wanting to stand on equal ground with her peers.
Interesting.
He let the silence stretch for a moment before exhaling lightly. “You’re a diligent one, aren’t you?”
Anne flushed slightly but nodded. “I try my best, sir.”
Lucavion gave her a small hum of acknowledgment before stretching his arms with a slight yawn. “Well, then. As much as I’d love to continue testing your knowledge, I’ll have to pass on the grand tour.”
Anne blinked, clearly confused. “Sir?”
“I’m a bit tired,” Lucavion admitted with a shrug. “Too much talking today.”
Which was true.
The conversation with Duke Thaddeus had taken more out of him than he’d let on. Even someone like him—who thrived in verbal exchanges—could only maneuver so much before exhaustion crept in.
And, more importantly—
He had someone to catch up with, didn’t he?
A slow smirk returned to his lips as he rolled his shoulders.
Yes. It had been a while since they last talked properly.
And knowing her, she probably had a lot to say.
