Lucavion stepped into his room with an easy stride, exhaling slightly as the door clicked shut behind him. The space was as grand as expected—richly decorated, yet not excessive. Heavy velvet curtains framed the tall windows, their deep navy complementing the polished dark wood of the furniture. A chandelier cast a soft, warm glow, illuminating the neatly made bed and the ornate desk near the window.
Behind him, Anne lingered at the entrance, clasping her hands together.
“If you need anything, sir, please let me know,” she offered politely, her posture now steadier than before.
Lucavion stretched his arms before glancing back at her. “Hmm… well, if you’re offering, something to eat would be nice.”
Anne nodded without hesitation. “I will have it prepared at once. Would you like some tea while you wait?”
Lucavion raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh? That depends.”
Anne blinked. “Depends…?”
He stepped just a little closer, tilting his head. “If the tea is from your hands, then I will gladly accept. I refuse to drink it from anyone else!”
Anne’s brown eyes widened slightly, caught off guard once more. She stared at him for a moment, lips parting as if to say something—but instead, a small chuckle escaped her.
“What is that? Ahaha….”
Lucavion grinned, watching as she covered her mouth, shaking her head in amusement.
Still, she straightened, giving a small, playful bow. “If that is what you wish, I will do my best.”
His smirk deepened. “I’ll be looking forward to it, then.”
With one last glance, Anne nodded and excused herself, leaving Lucavion alone in the quiet room.
As the door shut behind her, his gaze drifted to the ceiling, and with a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair.
Finally. A moment to breathe.
And, more importantly—
‘Alright, Vitaliara. You have my full attention now.’
A soft but distinct [Humph.] echoed through Lucavion’s mind.
He smirked, shutting his eyes as he leaned against the ornate desk, crossing his arms. Even without seeing her, he could feel her presence lingering close—closer than she had been in a long time.
‘Oh? You sound irritated.’
There was no immediate response, but he didn’t need one. Through their connection, he could sense the emotions rolling off her—frustration, relief, annoyance, and… something softer, something she likely wouldn’t admit.
She wasn’t just angry.
She had worried.
And, well—she had every right to.
Lucavion sighed, rubbing his temple. ‘Alright, fine. I was reckless.’
His sudden departure into another dimension had forcefully severed the link between them—a link that had always remained, even when they were far apart. And for Vitaliara, who had never experienced such a complete and utter disconnection from him… it must have been hell.
He imagined it now.
Her trying, again and again, to reach him.
Her waiting.
Her searching.
Her wondering if he had—
Lucavion exhaled slowly.
‘Yeah… I really must have made you anxious, huh?’
For a long moment, there was silence.
Then, finally—
[Idiot.]
The word came through with all the weight of her pent-up frustration.
Lucavion smiled faintly. ‘Yeah, yeah. I know.’
Lucavion let his smirk linger as he leaned further into the desk, feeling the familiar warmth of Vitaliara’s presence growing stronger.
‘Come here.’ His voice in their connection was smooth, teasing—but beneath it was something genuine. ‘We have a lot to talk about.’
[Humph.]
She was still sulking, but he could feel it.
She was moving closer.
Lucavion’s smirk deepened. She’s predictable in that way.
And, well—if she was going to play stubborn, then he might as well push a little further.
‘Hmm… should I remove my clothes?’ he mused aloud, his fingers toying with the collar of his coat. ‘Maybe then, our little peeping cat would finally reveal herself?’
There was a sharp spike of emotion through their bond—flustered, indignant.
[I am not a peeping cat!]
Lucavion chuckled, eyes gleaming with amusement. ‘Oh? Then why do you sound so defensive?’
A flicker of mana stirred in the air—subtle but unmistakable.
Ah.
She was almost here.
Lucavion exhaled, shaking his head with a small chuckle before letting his voice settle into something softer.
‘Alright, alright… I am sorry, Vitaliara.’
A pause.
‘But I had to do it. I had my reasons.’
Just as the last word left his thoughts, a sharp [You—!] tore through their connection, crackling with unfiltered frustration.
A second later—
[You may have had your reasons, but after returning, you could have at least notified me, right?!]
Lucavion winced slightly at the sheer volume of her voice in his head. He swore, if she had a physical form right now, she’d be right in his face, tail lashing, ears flattened in absolute outrage.
‘I didn’t have time,’ he reasoned smoothly, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve, though even he knew how weak that excuse sounded.
A beat of silence.
Then—
[Oh?] Vitaliara’s voice dripped with the kind of sweet venom that sent a shiver down his spine. [You had time to flirt with maids, but not any time to notify me?]
Lucavion froze.
Then, very carefully—
‘Ahem…’
His collar suddenly felt a little too tight.
Lucavion cleared his throat, recovering quickly. ‘You know my score, not my story.’
A sharp silence followed. Then—
[Score?]
Lucavion blinked. ‘…Well, I guess that was a bit irrelevant?’
There was another pause, the kind that felt like an unimpressed stare.
[You are testing me again.]
‘I am not.’ He exhaled dramatically, rolling his shoulders. ‘Just come here, you cat!’
—SWOOSH!—
The air shifted violently.
Lucavion barely had time to register the blur shooting toward him from the open window before something—no, someone—lunged straight for his face.
Instinct kicked in.
SNAP!
His hand shot up just in time to catch a set of furry paws inches from his cheek.
A deep smirk pulled at his lips. ‘Holy—! You’ve gotten quite a bit faster!’
The owner of those paws let out a sharp [Tsk.], her feline-like tail flicking behind her.
Lucavion tightened his grip slightly, meeting her narrowed crimson eyes with a smug grin. “You know, you nearly messed up my very handsome face just now.”
[Oh, if I wanted to, I would have.] Vitaliara huffed, her ears twitching. [You deserved worse.]
Lucavion laughed, finally releasing her paws as she landed gracefully before him.
‘Hah… it really has been a while, huh?’