‘Don’t be so stiff, Healer. Why do you look like I’m about to behead you?’

Luna tensed up. The atmosphere wasn’t welcoming at all—she didn’t feel like eating anymore despite having tons of plates of lavish-looking food on the table between her and Lucilius. It was a little past dusk and she was invited to his residence, Orion, for dinner—as he promised.

Surprisingly, he sent maids to escort her to Orion. He probably didn’t want to risk it if she were to come on her own—getting lost and all; they might be getting breakfast instead of dinner.

The refectory dining table was long, spanning to accommodate at least six people on either side. Luna sat adjacently to Lucilius so they didn’t have to shout over the table to converse. But it wasn’t like they had anything to talk about. 

As far as she was concerned, she almost died the first time they met, then she made a fuss about her pet cobra, then nearly let him be poisoned to death. There was nothing favourable in their current relationship.

‘T-Then let’s eat!’ Luna stuttered and picked up the utensils, disregarding the appropriate sizes that she was supposed to use. Lucilius wasn’t bothered at all, and they both began eating in silence save for the clanking of Luna’s fork and knife against her plate.

After a while, she became frustrated with the quietude that made her feel like she was an abandoned wife of a rich man that only ate meals together once a year. And it didn’t help that Lucilius not only had superhuman reaction speed, but also superhuman eating speed. He was already savouring his last few bites when Luna stole a quick glance.

‘Did Elias show you the magic stones he collected from the mine?’ asked Luna.

Lucilius, who was swirling the wine in his glass playfully, stopped to look at her. ‘He did.’

‘Oh.’

Did Elias tell anything about all of it being my plan? Luna couldn’t possibly say it out loud, else it would make her look like she was hungry for attention (she definitely was).

‘Your face,’ Lucilius spoke, tilting his head. ‘You look like you want me to praise you.’

Wow! How did he figure that out?? Luna wondered inaudibly. 

‘N-No!’ She stammered as she suppressed a grin. ‘Not at all! I just want to make sure you’ve received what you should.’

‘So it really was your doing?’

Luna locked gazes with him. ‘What?’ 

‘Do you think I rewarded you only because you healed a bunch of people?’

There was already a marching band performing a victory performance in her head. ‘Did Elias tell you about it?’ She asked in a low voice, feigning innocence.

‘I don’t need Elias to tell me that, it’s too obvious,’ he replied. 

Luna averted her eyes to the half-filled wine glass by her side. She was extremely tolerant towards alcohol—being able to gulp down at least a whole bottle of hard liquor without getting wasted, thanks to all the gatherings she had to attend back as a corporate officer. But Luna could only hope the body she was in could abide by her soul’s alcohol resistance. She took a sip, almost sighing in joy at its bitter sweetness. 

‘Do you want me to congratulate you?’ he asked.

‘No!’ she quickly said. ‘It’s naturally my duty to help you.’

‘So you do want me to say “congratulations”?’ 

‘That’s not what I said.’

‘Of course it’s not. But your eyes sparkle when I mention “congratulate”—there you go, those eyes.’

Luna touched her eyebrows hastily. ‘My eyes don't sparkle!’ She argued.

Lucilius leaned his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his palm. ‘Congratulations, you did well with the mine,’ he said in a low voice, as if to create unnecessary suspense.

Her face immediately went beet red and anyone could see that she was trying hard not to flash her Cheshire cat grin. In an attempt to hide it, she quickly gulped down the wine from her glass, and he saw the corners of her lips lifting up. 

Lucilius looked away as he held back a laugh. He didn’t expect such antics from the usually stoic, unapproachable magician. Did turning into a Healer reset her brain as well? Back then, he couldn’t even get more than ten words out of her.

Luna poured the liquor from the bottle into her glass twice, gulping them down hungrily like she hadn’t had a drop of water since antiquity. She whirled the bottle around, reading the label but she was already seeing doubles. 

‘Wow, this wine tastes like heaven,’ said Luna, trying hard to enunciate her words properly.

Lucilius gazed at the bottle in her hand, then back to the other bottle on the table. ‘Indeed. But the one you’re holding is not wine,’ said Lucilius, earning a confused noise from Luna. ‘That’s vodka.’

Luna fell silent, staring at Lucilius with a blank expression. Then, she let out a silly giggle and tilted the bottle, filling her glass yet again.

Lucilius noticed that the bottle was nearly empty. ‘How many glasses have you had?’ he queried. ‘I see you’re quite the drinker.’

His words fell to deaf ears as she began shoving the liquid down her throat effortlessly as if it was plain water. Lucilius winced. ‘Slow down, Healer,’ he muttered. A part of him was astonished, and another part of him knew she wasn’t going to last. 

Luna heaved a loud sigh as she put down her glass, and entered momentary silence. Then suddenly, she looked at the floor between her and Lucilius. ‘It fell.’ She pointed. Lucilius followed the direction of her finger and stared at the clean floor, seeing nothing but just the floor.

‘What fell?’ he asked.

‘My head,’ she said. ‘It’s splintered to pieces.’

Luna stood from her seat and squatted down. She began scooping nothing from the floor with her two hands. 

‘What are you doing?’ Lucilius questioned.

‘I need to pick up my head,’ she replied and touched the top of her head with her two hands, as if she was pouring out what she had scooped earlier.

‘You haven’t even finished your dinner, Healer,’ said Lucilius. ‘And you’re already drunk like this.’

Luna made a whining voice like she was a kid throwing a tantrum. Lucilius grabbed the other bottle on the table—the wine, and filled his glass. The Healer began to crawl under the table. 

‘It’s no surprise though,’ said Lucilius, unaware that the girl was already crouching at his feet. ‘That vodka came from Muliphein, and they have high alcohol content. It’s meant to be drunk in little sips throughout your meal.’

There was no reply. He moved his gaze to the floor where the Healer was collecting air earlier but she wasn’t there. His eyes darted around the dining room—no sight of her. ‘Healer?’ he called out.

Then, as if he was living in a horror movie, a pair of hands grabbed his knees, making him flinch in surprise. Luna emerged from under the table between his feet and looked up at him; face red from the liquor. 

‘Yes, Sir!’ she replied. ‘I will do as you say! Immediately!’

‘I didn’t say anything,’ Lucilius replied, and felt obtuse that he bothered to talk to a drunkard.

‘Did you just call me trash?’ she slurred. ‘That’s not nice! After all I’ve done for you!’

Lucilius was getting uncomfortable looking at her from this angle—where she was cupping her cheeks with her palms as she rested her elbows on his thighs, kneeling between his feet.

Luna raised her eyebrows in an attempt to keep herself awake, and shook her head. ‘I have my pride as an employee,’ she said with a frown. ‘So I’ll save you, Lucilius. We can’t let the empire be ruined, or I won’t get my bonus!’

‘Save me from what?’ Lucilius replied.

She hummed. ‘But,’ she added. ‘The frequency of you eating candies scares me. You’ll die of diabetes first before being hanged in public.’

‘The candies are unsweetened, my dear Healer,’ he said mockingly. ‘And why would I be hanged in public? You have rather wild imaginations, don’t you?’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said with an upside-down smile, looking like she was about to cry as she dropped her hands and set them on his thighs; unintentionally warming him up. Lucilius marvelled at her brisk change of emotions; it was like watching an audition of a play.

‘For what?’ he asked.

‘I didn’t know how to heal you the other day…’ she said quietly, averting her gaze away. ‘And you almost died.’

Lucilius let out a proud chuckle and grabbed her chin with one hand so she would look at him. ‘I don’t die that easily, Healer.’

She pouted. ‘You say that… but you scolded me….’

The emperor fell silent and the grip on her chin loosened. But apologising wasn’t in Lucilius’ dictionary and he never intended to do so to anyone.

‘Mom?’ Luna called out. Lucilius thought she was yearning for her mother but the girl was staring right at him. ‘Mom, why are you here? This is a team dinner.’

‘I’m not your mom,’ Lucilius clarified but those were futile, as she stood from her knees and attempted to climb up to his lap. He pushed her head away, stopping her.

‘Are you angry, mom? Is it past 12 already?’ She snuffled. ‘I’m sorry, I’ll be a good girl and go home now. Let me hug you. I’ve missed you so much!’

At that, Lucilius suddenly dropped his hand, and didn’t refuse when Luna made her way to sit on his thigh and wrapped her arms around his chest, snuggling her head against his neck.

Luna’s mother, Eithne Seraphinus, wife of Leveille Seraphinus, the previous Official Magician of Sirius. Both were remarkable and loyal but died of illness. It was said that those of Seraphinus blood did not live long due to their overwhelming magic mana, which could not be handled by ordinary humans especially when black magic was involved. Perhaps she had forgotten about Eithne’s passing.

‘Mom, why aren’t you hugging me? Are you still mad at me?’ Luna mumbled with her eyes closed. ‘You don’t love me anymore?’

There was a long pause before Lucilius finally lifted his arms to return the hug. He had no idea why he was going along with her demands. 

Luna reeked of alcohol but her embrace was warm and her steady breaths against his neck gave him some sort of tranquillity; mayhap from her healing magic. They stayed like that for a few minutes. 

Not until Luna suddenly jerked her head up, as if remembering something important she hadn’t done. She looked around with sleepy eyes then got off Lucilius. He knew better than to ask, but he was tempted to find out what her drunken head was thinking.

‘What’s wrong, Healer?’ he queried.

She stared at the wall for a long time before turning to him, raising a hand in the air. ‘In the name of moon, I’ll punish you in high heels!’ she said.

Lucilius blinked, stupefied.

‘I am the pretty guardian who fights for love and justice!’ she continued and began twirling. ‘My dear Tuxedo Mask, Queen Beryl has captured my friends—I shall go and rescue them!’

Luna ran ahead and collided with the wall with a loud thud. ‘Ouch!’ she pressed a hand against her nose, then bowed at the wall. ‘Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.’

The emperor heaved out a sigh. It was going to be a long night.