Midnight munchies and mental influences

[A/N: Co-written with ScarletRabbit.]

A moment of silence stretched into infinity between the two.

Lucas's violet eyes darted over the green-haired elf's body and then all around, searching for anyone nearby. Noticing a lack of any onlookers, he focused back on her.

Why was this person here, on her own no less? How did she get past the guards? Did Floyd mistakenly assign them the wrong routines?

The elf's eyes glimmered as she changed her focus from the sandwich in his hand to his face. She tilted her head ever so slightly, seemingly trying to look at him from a different angle.

Did she follow him? Why was she here without her guards? What did she want? What could he do?

The questions boiled within the man's mind, but he fought the urge to ask them aloud. At the same time, he did his best to suppress his will to flee.

"=We meet again,=" the elf spoke softly, her expression calm yet bearing something akin to... comfort? Lucas wasn't sure if he could infer such a thing precisely. Her hands intertwined in front of her.

Lucas didn't answer. His body tensed up slightly as he immediately got up from his position. He exhaled shallowly, unsure what to do.

The elf woman immediately reacted, taking a half-step forward. Her delicate lips parted as she breathed, seemingly tasting the air.

"=Who are you?=" the question left her mouth. Her eyes shone as she awaited his response.

Silence answered her.

"=I know you understand me,=" she said after a couple of seconds. "=You do not have to worry. I have no ill intentions.="

'Even so, if anyone learns of this, Mother will have my neck.' Lucas still didn't part his mouth, voicing his worries deep inside his head. A Classless noble showing his mug around nobility was no different from spitting in their faces. And it wasn't like he could tell them he became a Psion-like class...

...

...wait, a Psion-like class?

Lucas's thoughts diverted for but a moment. The memory of his other skill besides <Astral Projection> came up. <Subliminal Guidance>...

'It acts upon subconsciousness, meaning that she won't be aware if I use it... right? There are too many unknown variables to be just charging in...' the thoughts spun around his mind rapidly. From the back of his consciousness, he could feel a faint sense of security informing him that it was fine. Unresolved questions were sure to appear sooner rather than later. 'I don't know if it will work, and she's a Spiritualist! And a princess! If anything goes wrong, she might just kill--!'

"=Will you please answer?=" her overall countenance remained gentle and welcoming, but the stare of her eyes appeared slightly impatient.

A million thoughts zoomed inside his head. If the situation were normal, Lucas would've loved to answer. From the two brief interactions, this Liveren woman appeared somewhat well-mannered and soft, even when dealing with him, whom she likely presumed to be Classless. There was comfort and delicateness in her actions as she took a strand of hair in her hand and twisted it around her finger once.

However, this was anything but a normal situation.

'What can I even do...?' he asked himself quietly. The sensation in the back of his mind raised in intensity. It pushed him, encouraging him to interact with the elf woman. '...it's not like I can just get away...' he grimaced inwardly.

"=...Why do you ask?=" he finally answered.

"=You are... very clean,=" she remarked, her eyes looking Lucas over.

...

He was... clean? Very clean, at it?

Lucas's flabbergastered expression appeared to inform the elf of her own words. Immediately, she corrected herself, "=I meant that your mana is very clean.="

"=My... mana...?=" he asked slowly. Having read about the Liveren family not that long ago, he still could remember their famous trait: **** senses, especially involving mana. "=Why?="

"=Yes,=" the woman confirmed. "=It... just is. I'm not sure if I can explain it,=" her voice appeared to express the uncertainty stirring within her soul.

'She must've felt all the mana I've used until now. That must be why she knocked on the door to my room...' "=What does it matter if it's clean or not?=" Lucas asked slowly.

The woman appeared visibly confused at his question. For a moment, she looked at her hands.

"=I... it's just nice to see someone who does not smell foul in this place.="

"...?" Lucas formed a perplexed expression for but a blink. 'Did Aveline not wash after training or something...?' a thought entered his mind before being thrown out. Surely, this elf did not mean the normal smell, but mana. Then... "=Do you mean that the others smell?="

The elf nodded lightly.

The young Stormrider felt quite a bit of surprise at her confirmation.

Before he managed to ponder too much on the issue, a second rumble went through the air. The sound immediately found a reaction on the woman's face. Her expression turned troubled. Her eyes darted to the remnants of a sandwich in Lucas's hand, hunger stirring within.

...

He didn't even realize when he extended the hand. If it were empty, he'd be mere centimeters from groping the elf's sizeable breasts. The thought made his heart beat slightly faster.

Her eyes shot at his with a bit of uncertainty. Lucas merely nodded, encouraging her to take it. Hesitantly, she accepted and nearly immediately bit into the soft bread.

"...!" her eyes widened as she chewed. In a way, at that moment, she looked like a child who newly discovered what sweets taste like.

Gobbling up the food nearly instantly, she nodded to Lucas.

"=...thank you,= the words left her mouth as she finished eating.

"=It's... no problem.="

"=I apologize for my discourtesy before. I allowed my curiosity to get the best of me,=" a hand went through her hair as she attempted to make herself look more presentable. "=I am Seraphina. May I ask who you are?="

"=...Lucas,=" he replied hesitantly.

"=Lucas...=" Serapina put on a slightly pondering face. "=That's... a nice name,=" she put on a friendly smile.

"=...thank you...="

"=Um... Lucas, can I... have a request?=" her blue eyes glimmered, entire oceans stirring within as she looked at him hopefully. "=May I have some more food?="

He did not answer for a couple of seconds.

'...Right. It must be around morning in Inallel already.' he mused. '...leaving her like this isn't a nice thing to do...' he almost gritted his teeth at the thought. He felt conflicted.

This state, however, did not last for long.

'[Help her.]' the voice spoke to him. Its tone appeared to hold a tinge of sorrow, almost as though it could feel the immense hunger radiating from Seraphina's eyes.

'...why?' he asked in his thoughts quietly.

...

Nothing answered.

Lucas focused his eyes on the elf in front of him. Her eyes scanned him slowly, her hopeful gaze not relenting for one second. She appeared... cutely anxious about his answer as she twirled some hair around her finger. The depth of her oceanic-blue eyes amplified as she noticed a tinge of approval stir within his amethysts.

"=...please follow me,=" 'I'd rather she did not wander around and tell someone about me. Better keep her close.'

The presence in the back of his mind smiled faintly at his decision. Lucas scoffed inwardly but did not press the issue.

The walk to the kitchen took just a few minutes. All the while they were moving toward the place, Lucas could not help but sense Seraphina coming ever so slightly closer, the distance decreasing from half a meter to a quarter. If the travel time were any longer, she might've ended up with a hand around his or a head on his shoulder. A sense of contentedness faintly appeared at the thought.

Opening the door, he reached out to a manalamp on the wall. Turning a small valve underneath it, he allowed it to burn brighter, casting a pleasant glow over the room. Glancing at the elf next to him, he nodded to the chairs.

"=Please take a seat.="

With a gentle nod, Seraphina strutted to the nearest seat. Intertwining her hands on the table, she glanced at him as he quickly went to gather some things.

Within minutes, he presented her with a few large pieces of bread, all made in a manner that would befit an elf's vegetarian lifestyle.

Contrary to what Lucas expected, however, she did not dig in immediately after receiving the food. Instead, she took one of the pieces and handed it to him as he sat opposite her.

"=Thank you. I ate your piece, please take this.="

"=...thank you, Seraphina,=" he accepted the food.

The green-haired elf started eating. Using the moment, Lucas took a better look at her.

The shapely breasts that rose and fell with every slight movement of her upper body were hard to miss, especially without anything but a fleeting night dress. The material was almost thin enough to be see-through, which let Lucas imagine their shape and softness...

Wait a second.

Since when was he thinking like that? He needed to ensure this woman wouldn't be talking of him later on, not ogle her. The faintest of groans escaped his mouth as he averted his gaze.

"=...is something the matter?=" he heard Seraphina ask between some bites. Though indiscernible to him at the moment, her tone bore a sense of worry akin to what Nimue's would.

"=...I'm alright,=" he replied hastily, looking back at her. 'She must've been quite hungry... she's already almost done with all that...' "=Do you want more, Seraphina?="

Seraphina's mouth turned to a gentle smile as she nodded silently.

She could not explain why, but... the food, once so vile and unapproachable, now seemed... strangely tasty. It wasn't just her hunger speaking; even if she would starve, she'd refuse the food served upstairs. But this man... something about him made his meals... desirable, almost.

...

-A couple of minutes later-

They sat in complete silence for a short while. Lucas was not keen to start a talk, and Seraphina appeared to still bask in the food's glamor. However, the spell had to be broken eventually.

"=How is it that you are awake at this hour, Lucas? Most should be asleep, no?=" she asked, her gentle tone like a caressing embrace.

"=...I simply could not sleep.="

"=I see... You must've had plenty of work because of us.="

'So... she's taking me for a servant? That's good for me. Who would talk about a servant, after all...' Lucas nodded lightly. His mouth parted, "=It's manageable. Though, I never got to learn, why have you arrived here? It is not for a simple visit, am I right?="

Seraphina's complexion dimmed for a moment. Taking note of that, Lucas immediately sensed the woman's nervousness... or perhaps agitation.

"=...Inallel is going through... challenging times as of now. We are facing aggression from Ureliar at large, and... we do not know how the conflict will go,=" Seraphina's fists clenched lightly, her pretty face twisting into an uneasy expression.

"=...you're at war with Ureliar? Why?=" '...war? This... Eamon said nothing about that...'

"=We do not know why. Last week, we suddenly woke up to numerous strikes. They just attacked,=" Seraphina's eyes glistened with untold hurt and sorrow. Lucas could not help but feel... sympathetic on an almost intimate level.

"=I am sorry to hear that, Seraphina,=" he spoke, lowering his head ever so slightly. 'This is what Mother didn't want me to know... but why? It's not like I'd have tried to console Seraphina just because I knew.'

The voice in the back of his mind snickered with scorn at the mention of Lucas's mother. However, the man was not sure at whom the gesture was aimed. In a way, it felt like both.

"=We asked for help from Etnal's nobility,=" the green-haired elf continued her explanation. "=That is why we are here. Many other families of Etnal received the request as well. We will stay here for a few days until the situation becomes more clear.="

"=I see...="

"=...Lucas, may I have a selfish request?="

"=What kind of?="

"=I....=" Seraphina paused for a moment, her eyes darting to her hands on the table. Her fingers intertwined. "=May I ask for some company? I... I'm aware that everyone else is asleep, and... even then, I'm not... inclined to spend my time around the family upstairs, and I... don't want to be left alone,=" she quieted down, her voice holding just a tinge of... could it be fright?

'She doesn't want to meet those three?' "=Did they do something to offend you?="

"=...no, it's just...=" Seraphina looked at him. "=There's something... strange about them. Perhaps it is my misjudgment, but... they appear... unclean, in a way. In fact... most of the things around here... seem that way.="

Lucas frowned. He understood that the difference between his senses and Seraphina's was absolute, but something didn't add up.

"=Do I seem that way, too?="

"=No,=" Seraphina shook her head gently. "=You are... the only clean thing about this place.="

She seemed to be speaking the truth. Lucas's inner frown deepened. "=Does no one else strike you as clean? What about a woman... a maid, brown hair, brown eyes, about... this tall?=" he asked, showing at his shoulder height, picturing Miri. 'She always runs around Mother, so she probably attended a meeting they held.'

"=...no,=" Seraphina replied, a glint of hesitation in her voice. "=Most... don't smell like anything at all. It takes mana to emanate something I can feel.="

"=I see,=" 'Those three don't smell nice, but I do...? That should be the other way around. I'm the one with impurities still in my veins.'

"=The moment I stepped into this place, I sensed it. Everything but one spot was dirty,=" Seraphina continued. "=Please, do not tell them that. I do not mean discourtesy by this,=" the elf's eyes appeared to hold a plea aimed at him.

"=I won't. I promise,=" he nodded reassuringly at her. Immediately, he noticed the corner of her mouth moving upward.

"=Thank you, Lucas.="

Momentarily, they both quieted down.

Seraphina's heart beat strongly in her chest. Anxiety stirred in her soul as she saw the man gaze to his side again, seemingly unsure. Would he leave her, given what she'd spoken to him? Her heart sank at the thought. She didn't want to be left alone. Not here.

"=I... I apologize if this is making you feel uncomfortable,=" she said quietly.

"=No, it's alright,=" he said, putting on a small smile and focusing on her. "=Do you feel sated, now?="

"=Ah... yes, thank you, Lucas.="

His smile widened at her words. The voice in the back of his mind smirked in unison, giving its quiet encouragement.

Suddenly, Seraphina asked, "=May I propose that we move elsewhere?=" her tone betrayed a strange sense of... apprehension. Her eyes jumped from place to place as though she was trying to find what was out of place.

"=Well, I'm not completely sure if--="

'[Help her.]' the voice, sounding with power that appeared to bend his very thoughts, let out a short command.

"??!" Lucas's head snapped to his left. 'Why do you keep saying that?' he asked in his mind.

...

Nothing answered again.

Lucas sighed lightly. He felt that going against the voice's owner was not the wisest idea, even if he did not understand the origin of the sensation. In the back of his mind, he discerned an assurance. Undoubtedly, they won't be caught. It was the dead of the night, after all.

He decided to push the matter off for later.

Lucas grunted shortly and reiterated, "=Well, have you seen the garden yet?=" he asked, glancing at Seraphina.

The woman shook her head. Though her countenance was somewhat anxious, the captivating depth of her sapphires showed underlying anticipation. It was almost like she was barely holding herself back from standing up and pulling him to their new destination.

This, however, did not last. Seraphina's dress, slacking slightly behind, caught the plate she ate from and pulled at it.

The plate shattered with a reverberating noise. Seraphina grimaced slightly at the piercing sound. As it subsided, her expression turned apologetic, the blue eyes giving the man a somewhat sheepish look.

"=I... I apologize. I didn't mean to do that.="

"=It's... alright,=" Lucas replied slowly. The voice in the back of his mind snickered, but the man didn't react. Instead, he quickly nodded to Seraphina, "=Please sit on the table, lest you step on a shard,=" he recommended before bolting to the nearby room. Within seconds, he located a broom and a scoop and returned.

Then, his eyes glanced upon what awaited him.

The elf did as he told her to, facing away from him. The dress was tucked under her bottom, allowing Lucas to see that she did not lack in that department. Seraphina shuffled in her seat ever so slightly, brushing her hair gently, obstructing his vision. His heart beat ever so intensely before he realized she wasn't aware of his staring.

Shaking his head lightly, he stepped in front of the table and got to one knee. Quickly taking care of the porcelain shards, he put them aside, deciding to take care of them at a later time.

Then, his gaze ventured upward.

Seraphina's body, bathed in the room's only light, appeared to shimmer with a brilliance that was accentuated by the sky-blue fabric of her light dress. Her large breasts were hidden behind the dress, but the material was thin enough for the man to see their delightfully teardrop outline. From this angle, the man could not help but also notice how her skin had a delicate, smooth edge to it. The flaring hips were not closed fully, letting the man see a glimpse of the white material that made up her panties.

A trickle of cold sweat ran down Lucas's back as he noticed the woman give him a questioning gaze. For a split second, he felt his muscles tense up before he suddenly shot straight up to a standing position.

"=W-Well, now that it's taken care of, how about we go?=" he asked, his voice tinted with a faint chuckle of nervousness.

The elf woman nodded in response. It seemed she didn't notice his gaze or decided not to press the issue. Either way worked for him.

Lucas approached the door leading to the servant's exit. He looked at Seraphina while opening it. Immediately, he noticed that she appeared to not be focused on him but on the corridor.

"=...did something happen?=" 'Please, tell me she isn't mad about that...'

"=Someone is approaching from there,=" she replied slowly, as though unsure of her own words.

'They must've heard the plate shattering. Please, let it be Floyd...' thought Lucas as his mouth parted, "=I'll handle that. Please, wait for me.="

The blue of Seraphina's eyes dimmed slightly as her face expressed a bit of uncertainty. However, she nodded without voicing a complaint.

Lucas closed the door behind himself and stepped forth. He immediately noticed a glint of light approach him through the corridor. The somewhat tired face of Ina entered his sight after just a second.

"Young master," she called out to him, coming to a halt a few steps away. "Have you heard something shatter?"

"Oh, hey Ina," he replied quickly. "Sorry if I woke you up. I dropped a plate, is all."

"...oh," the short woman made a sound, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. "Should I help you clean that up?"

"No, it's alright. I already took care of that."

"Is that so... well, please be more careful, young master. It's all because you're skipping meals lately, I tell you," Ina frowned slightly, putting a hand on her hip. "You need to eat properly and at the right times."

'Ina, please... nag about me in the morning, I'm in the middle of something here...' Lucas pleaded in his mind, seeing the cook go on a rant. In a way, she was like a mother scolding a child. This... only made the man momentarily think about the last time Ismeria scolded him to teach him something... it was not a close past.

However, he needed to cut this conversation short.

"Yes, I know, I know, my fault. I'll be more careful. Now, there is time and place for everything. We can talk about this in the morning," he said.

In the back of his mind, a sensation welled up, telling him to use his skills to ensure Ina would listen. For some reason... he felt inclined to listen to it. '<Subliminal Guidance>.'

<I can speak with the young master in the morning. I should go and sleep now.>

Lucas wasn't sure what he expected. In the first place, he wasn't sure how to select the words to be used.

Turns out, the skill helped him quite a lot. He only gave it the basic instructions and tried to think of something. The skill reshaped it into a spell that he was sure was good enough.

A faint feeling surged within him. It was as if a third, intangible hand awakened and reached forth before hitting something akin to a wall. An instinctual feeling told Lucas that it was the confines of Ina's mind. He could sense a dozen or so flickering lights staring at him beyond that barrier - her inner thoughts.

The <Subliminal Guidance> attempted an ****, striking quickly. It slithered around for a moment before finding a crack and disappearing within. From his standpoint, it became just another light behind the wall.

Immediately, Lucas saw that Ina's face appeared to relax ever so slightly. The gaze of her gray eyes softened as she sighed.

"Well, it is the dead of night. You should go and sleep as well, young master," she commented, turning on her heels.

"I will. I'll see you in the morning."

Ina almost immediately took her steps away.

A new sensation unraveled within Lucas's mind. From the back to the front, from the depth to the most shallow thoughts, his spirit was filled with a sense of... power. It was a realization that not only did Ina not feel his spell, but... that it worked at all.

But he shook it out of his mind, instead turning to face the door. Opening it slowly, he noticed that Seraphina was waiting for him, her gaze full of uncertainty that was immediately washed away at his entry.

-10 minutes later, outside-

Lucas's gaze swept across the portion of the garden they entered. The orderly plants stood stark, lush green littered with multiple flowers of different colors, only their shapes faintly discernable in the faint moonlight. A large fountain stood strong between some bushes, a quiet sound of flowing water filling the air. The faintest of mists appeared to rise from its edges.

Suddenly, he heard Seraphina speak, "=It's... marvelous,=" her mouth curved in a happy smile. She appeared to like it here already.

"=I'm glad you like it,=" he nodded and pointed to a bench nearby. "=Want to take a seat?="

The elf woman nodded and immediately strutted toward the object.

Watching her gentle moves, Lucas could not help but feel his worries melt away, even if only a little. For at least a few seconds, the concept of punishment for seeing this woman faded into nothingness. The silent observer from the back of his mind reassured him, whispering that it was proper to chat a little. She took him for a servant, after all. She definitely would not speak of his presence to anyone.

Seraphina let out a short breath as she sat down, fixing her dress slightly. Her blue eyes shimmered, looking at the man who sat down on the same bench.

"=...the stars look nice,=" Seraphina commented.

"=They do,=" Lucas nodded. Looking at the woman, he noticed how her form, illuminated by moonlight, appeared to take on an almost ethereal appearance. She looked... magnificent.

"=Do you know any constellations?="

"=A few,=" he nodded. Looking at the sky above, he could almost immediately see some lines of imagination being painted between the shiny points. "=Right below the Moon, there, is the 'Bow Saint',=" he pointed.

"=Bow Saint?=" Seraphina's eyes immediately lit up as she tried to trace the correct stars. Her brows furrowed after a few seconds. "=...I do not see it.="

"=Well... do you see that bright star below and right to the Moon? That's Lykia, known as the Star of Forgiveness. It's the hand holding the bow. Behind it is Tennesil, which is the saint's elbow,=" he explained shortly.

The elf woman's frown deepened. She appeared to be processing his words, still staring at the sky. Eventually, she sighed with resignation.

"=I apologize, I still cannot picture it,=" her voice was stained with a tinge of bitterness that her face did not express.

A sense of compassion stirred in Lucas's heart at her words. The voice in the back of his mind whispered, pushing him to help her picture it, even if it were a futile attempt. The man sighed momentarily, pondering the issue before suddenly standing up.

"=Well, visualize it like this,=" he spoke, stepping in front of Seraphina. He pulled his hand forth and a little down, imitating holding a bow. "=Lykia is here, and Tennesil here,=" his other hand pointed to the correct spots. "=Here is Minstea, Ollanus, and Pinttra,=" he showed another few points. "=Bow Saint is in this position, mid-shot,=" Lucas made a pose for a second or so. His eyes scanned Seraphina's face, seeing her focused expression as she did her best to see his showcase reflected in the stars above.

This, however, ended in her sighing heavily.

'...seems like imagination might not be her strongest side.' Lucas smiled wryly at the thought. Slowly, he nodded, "=Well, don't worry if you can't see it. It's a dozen stars, after all. It can be tricky to see what they're supposed to portray.="

Seraphina nodded tenderly. Her hair shuffled as she stroked it, letting it flow down the bench and almost reach the ground. Her blue eyes stirred momentarily as her mouth expressed something akin to a pout.

"=I... always found more solace in reading,=" she admitted quietly, intertwining her fingers on her hips.

Lucas felt his lips curve in a gentle smile. He already felt at ease near Seraphina, but... for some reason, he felt as though her proclamation just brought them both a tiny bit closer.

It was precisely that. Aveline seldom went to the family's library, as did Ophelia. On the rare occasions they did go, they always picked titles relating to swordsmanship and magic, respectively. Lucas candidly could not recall either of his siblings picking a storybook in a very long time... since Valerian's passing, at the very least. The thought made him feel a bit of bitterness in the back of his throat.

Seraphina noticed his expression in an instant. She could not help but feel her lips form a smile as well before asking, "=Do you enjoy reading, Lucas?="

"=...yes,=" he answered, slowly stepping forth and sitting next to her. "=What kind of books do you like, Seraphina?="

"=Well, I would say I don't have strong inclinations to a particular type,=" her words held a very soft edge. Accompanied by the depth of her eyes, it appeared as though she felt content with his answer. "=One title that I always remember enjoying is 'The Venturing Sword Saint'. Do you recall such a title?="

"=I do not. What is it about?=" he raised an eyebrow.

"=It's about a Sword Saint from more than two centuries ago, Luccius Voldigar. He was a great power in the Turbulent Era of the continent.="

"=Ah, I see. I do remember that book. It's called 'The Adventures of Luccius' in Siles,=" Lucas let out a small chuckle. "=It is one of the more memorable titles for me, as well.="

Seraphina's eyes glimmered as she relaxed in her position. She appeared to be at ease now. At the same time, she looked enthralled, looking at Lucas with intensity. The vigor within her oceanic orbs visibly increased as she shuffled in her spot slightly.

"=I do find that book to contain some ridiculous sections, personally, but I enjoyed it overall. The subjugation of Nibellan was probably one of my favorite parts. Do you have any favorites in mind, too?=" she asked, her eyes giving him an expectant gaze.

"=Well, catching the 4th seat of hell was a good arc, I do agree. I found it a little farcical that Luccius could survive an up-front confrontation, but overall, it was passable. I liked the Western Sweep arc a little more,=" he answered with an openness that left him ever so slightly stunned. Yet, he didn't mind this. The conversation with the Liveren Princess was truly pleasant, no matter what would happen to him afterward. For once, he felt like taking this risk was worth the danger.

"=The Western Sweep... I didn't like that part at all,=" Seraphina shook her head. "=I found the idea that he'd step up to defend a country that attempted to kill him a little nonsensical. I know it was more than ten years prior and that Riverut had admitted to having wrongly accused him, but I'd rather he had not stepped in.="

"=Well, I don't think he had much of a choice, really,=" Lucas shrugged. "=He was a fledging member of the Five Powers. He worked too long to attain that status to have it stripped, even if it were over a personal grudge.="

"=Hmm, perhaps. I reckon he should've waited for Emperor Guandal to have croaked before stepping in, at the very least. Even if it would've cost him his seat, none would be able to negate the fact that he was the strongest swordsman on the continent. He could even cut Ylla's <Meteor Shower>, which was never replicated to this day. If that does not prove how strong he was, then Five Powers never deserved him,=" she frowned ever so slightly in a thoughtful expression. Getting one leg atop the other, she exposed the smooth skin of her calves.

"=Not sure if that would've worked. Remember, Tiwa was on his back the whole time. Luccius was fixated on retaining his seat, as well. A single misstep could leave his carrier hanging.="

"=I never understood his vision of being in the Five Powers,=" Seraphina huffed slightly, her mouth turning into a small pout. "=Being a part of them didn't elevate his status any further. If anything, it held him tied to a single spot.="

"=I would say it also provided him with some stability,=" Lucas riposted. "=When the Western Sweep finished, he was approaching his fifties and still had no place to call home, let alone any person to call his family. Friends, yes, plenty, but aside from that short-time romance with Venis back in the early parts, he had no romantic interests. Or rather, he had no time for such.="

A short moment of silence passed. Seraphina appeared to be considering Lucas's words. Eventually, she sighed.

"=Well, perhaps I'm looking at it wrong. Luccius was a human, after all. He only lived to about eighty before passing. For elves, he was still young. Many of our kin find their first love when they are at least a hundred," she sighed lightly.

"..."

"=But one thing I will not shake from is that Ylla did not deserve him.="

"=Agreed a hundredfold,=" Lucas nodded. "=I was expecting him to return to Venis. The strongest man on the continent returns to his first love after saving the day. That'd be a worthy ending, I reckon.="

"=Yes,=" Seraphina's hair swung slightly as she bobbed her head. "=Or anyone else, in my opinion. Ylla had such a bad mouth and attitude that I have a hard time believing she was a real person. I don't care that she was the youngest 9th circle Mage in history and that she contributed greatly, her personality was the worst.="

"=Hah, you seem to dislike her a lot,=" he chuckled lightly. "=Do tell me more about that, if you will.="

Lucas could not exactly explain why, but as awkward the initial contact with Seraphina was, he felt his willingness to stay around her rise. He felt the presence in the back of his mind grinning at his reactions.

Seraphina, in the meantime, felt relieved and astounded in equal measure. She did not expect that out of everyone in this household, it would be a seemingly random servant that she'd be the most willing to speak with.

However, in the back of her mind, a sliver of uncertainty stirred. This man... for some reason, she could not help but feel as though she had seen his face somewhere before.

-Hours later-

Neither of them slept that night. As the morning's glow appeared on the horizon, they returned. Thankfully, they were still early enough for nobody to cross their path.

Seraphina stood opposite the man who was about to enter his room.

"=It was nice to speak with you, Lucas,=" she said softly. Her eyes glimmered almost sensually in the manalamp's dim light.

"=...likewise, Seraphina,=" he nodded in response, feeling his eyelids getting heavier by the second. He was not used to pulling all-nighters, and it was showing. Dark circles under his eyes were not yet apparent, but their effects were undeniable.

"=Perhaps we can meet soon. I'd love to discuss some more with you,=" Seraphina spoke softly, her voice carrying an edge of anticipation.

Lucas, however, completely missed the sign. Nodding lightly, he answered, "=If it comes to that, so it will be. Goodbye.="

And then, without waiting for her response, he entered the room.

"=...goodbye,=" Seraphina answered, but her voice was too quiet for the man to hear from behind the door.

A faint sigh escaped her mouth before her lips curved into a gentle smile. This man... was peculiar, but it wasn't in the wrong way. Seraphina could not explain it, but the mana around him appeared... very clean. Pleasant. Desirable.

'...now that I think about it...' she pondered, stepping slowly. 'That woman from before... never called his name... she said something different, I think...? Which part of that would be what she called him...?'

"Yangh... moahster?" she whispered, trying to emulate the tone she'd heard earlier. 'Gah, Siles is not easy to mimic... perhaps Lis'te can tell me something about what this means.'

The green hair shuffled silently as she shook her head. Seraphina continued her stride toward the main entryway. That is until she felt something.

"...?" she stopped, turning her head. No, there was nobody following her. Yet... the air...

...

Perhaps she felt it wrong. Surely, this was just the man's mana being flushed from her lungs.

Seraphina decided against pondering on the issue too much. Instead, she hastened her steps.

-Meanwhile-

Lucas almost fainted on his bed. Burying his face in the pillow, all he wanted to do was sleep.

However, he knew he could not.

Groggily, he shuffled atop the duvet. A heavy huff left his mouth, laced with frustration.

Every pulse of his heart brought a sensation of rising blood pressure. His head was starting to ache as though someone was nailing its insides with ferocious intent. His fingers felt slightly numb.

Yet, his body nigh-automatically changed from the clothes he wore and dressed into his academic robe.

---

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/meedrowh