"It's not that bad, is it?" Lucian looked genuinely surprised.
Texas's voice was as flat as always, but what she said… she was worrying about him.
The fact that she'd even noticed how long he hadn't slept left Lucian a little flattered.
But it wasn't a big deal. He smiled.
"Croissant's the same. She even went out to open her night stall today. I have no idea where she gets that kind of energy."
"…You two aren't the same." Texas lifted her long lashes.
She set down her bowl, wrapped both hands around her cup.
"You do all this every single day. You cook for us, run the morning Tea Shop, make tools, make bullets. When The Emperor isn't here, you handle all the client meetings too. You also deliver food to the Slums every day… and the blood."
Her amber eyes flicked toward his arm.
His Wound Healing was fast, so it barely showed.
But with how often he did Blood Drawing, his arm should've been covered in puncture marks by now.
Lucian drew a bag of blood every few days. Even a trained soldier would collapse from that much loss.
The fact that he looked completely normal was abnormal in itself.
Penguin Logistics never dug too deep into each other's secrets. That little bit of distance was how they'd managed to live together this long.
But everything had its limits.
Texas exhaled slowly. Her furry wolf ears twitched.
"Before Exusiai left, she told me to keep an eye on you. She said that if no one watched you, you'd run yourself into the ground. I get what she meant now."
"Aah… she actually said that?" Lucian rubbed his face awkwardly.
He'd basically become the babysitter for these women with terrible self-management skills. But apparently it went both ways.
They all cared about him too. Even the scatterbrained Croissant worked seriously when it mattered, saving him a lot of trouble.
Well, that left him no choice.
Lucian raised both hands in surrender, smiling.
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you everything. Texas, what do you want to know?"
"Your blood." Texas lowered her coffee.
"I used to think that was your Originium Arts, like you needed blood to fight. But that's not it. You use your blood to make candy and give it to Oripathy patients. Can your blood treat Oripathy, Holy Son of Laterano?"
"Tch. El spilled the beans?" Lucian gave a bitter smile.
It had been a long time since he'd heard anyone say "Holy Son."
Texas didn't deny it. She simply waited.
Well, no choice.
Lucian raised his hands again.
"They really did call me that back in Laterano. They said my blood could 'save the masses'. So ever since I was little, they've been drawing my blood."
It wasn't a pleasant memory.
He'd caused a huge Disturbance in his family not long after birth. After a whole chain of events, they suddenly declared him the Holy Son.
Lucian pulled an exaggerated face.
"I was kept under house arrest in the Grand Sanctum. Every day these weird people showed up to worship me. When I got a bit older, they started nervously taking my blood for experiments. Then they confirmed it could treat Oripathy, and their veneration got even worse."
Texas blinked, then murmured, "…The Sankta are unbelievable."
"You're telling me." Lucian nodded violently.
"Don't be fooled by me and El. Most Sankta are totally unhinged. Especially the Priests in the Grand Sanctum. They overprotected me to the point I couldn't go outside, and if I joked about anything, they'd seriously consider offing themselves."
The Sankta—commonly referred to as Angels—were one of the few races in Terra with a tangible Faith.
Their Halos and Wings were already unique enough. Then Lucian, a Holy Son, was born and became a "proof of God." The Sankta went completely rabid.
Oripathy ravaged the continent and was considered incurable.
Yet Lucian's blood could treat what was supposedly irreversible.
But calling it "cure" was oversimplifying things.
Lucian continued,
"I tested it too. If I drip my blood on external Originium Crystals, they dissolve quickly and turn back into normal skin. But that's not Complete Recovery. The Originium inside their bodies stays. If they drink my blood long-term, the Crystallization density in their bodies will eventually drop below the danger line—that's the real cure."
"That alone is incredible." Texas actually spoke with rare clarity.
"Something that can Alleviate Oripathy effectively—let alone cure it—doesn't exist anywhere in the world. But you can do it. You really are the 'Holy Son.'"
"Don't call me that. Gives me goosebumps." Lucian shuddered.
Whether he was a Holy Son or not, his constitution was undeniably special. His blood could Dissolve Originium.
Meaning he couldn't get Oripathy, and his blood could lower another person's Crystallization density.
If he used that to preach, he really could build a cross-race religion overnight.
But… he was in Lungmen now. That alone said a lot.
He went on,
"A lot happened. The other Angels Worshipped me, but I didn't want to be locked in the Sanctum forever. So I ran away with El and drifted around until we reached Lungmen. I'm not trying to be a saint. If Rhine Lab found out about this, they'd haul me off for experiments. So doing little things for the kids—giving them candy—that's my limit."
"…Little things?" Texas repeated strangely.
Little things didn't include self-harm-level Blood Drawing and giving it away for free charity.
What Lucian was doing wasn't a small favor. It was saint-level.
He said he didn't want to be a saint, but in Texas's eyes, he already was.
She sighed silently. Her ears flicked.
"Telling me something like this—are you sure it's okay? Your constitution is dangerous information no matter who hears it."
Lucian's answer was simple.
"I trust you."
"…Is that so." Texas said nothing more and quietly sipped her coffee.
Silence stretched between them.
Lucian cleaned the dishes like a nagging housewife.
Texas watched his back, struggling with her thoughts for a long time.
When he finally finished and started heading back to his room, she suddenly spoke.
"You need to rest."
She grabbed his arm a little forcefully.
"You want to help people, fine. But you still need rest. Tomorrow Croissant and I will handle the shop. You take a day off. I promised Exusiai I'd watch you. Mm."
"It's not that serious." Lucian scratched his cheek again.
"My body really is different. I heal fast, I don't get tired even without sleep, and it's hard to drain me dry. You know the Demon Race? The Sarkaz? Their bodies are strong and they're good with Originium Arts. I'm similar to them in that way. So it's fine, I can manage—"
"You. Need. Rest."
Texas said it word by word, gripping his arm like a vice.
So scary, so scary. Texas had her killer face on. Terrifying.
What to do? Lucian's eyes darted around.
Then, guided by male instinct, his gaze drifted down to Texas's pale thighs.
Her oversized T-shirt barely qualified as clothing. Her thighs were right there, soft and full, and it made a man wonder what she wore underneath.
That "almost visible but not actually visible" state was a man's dream. Lucian exhaled.
"If you give me a Lap Pillow, I'll sleep."
—Oops. He was dead.
The words slipped out on instinct, and he realized instantly he'd gone too far.
Sure enough, Texas's eyes went cold. She looked at him like she was staring at livestock.
"…Fine."
And just like that, she agreed.
She sat on the couch, adjusted her T-shirt, and patted her thigh.
"Come here. Lie down."
Lucian froze.
"Wait, Texas… you're serious?"
"I'm always serious."
Her fluffy wolf tail swayed lazily. Her voice stayed cold.
"I promised Exusiai I'd take care of you. I'll keep that promise. But I'm not going into your room. If the couch is uncomfortable, then come to mine."
"No, no, the couch is great!"
Lucian—whose body was very honest—slid right over and rested his head on her lap.
Her smooth, full thighs were cool to the touch, and she smelled… really good.
That scent was weirdly familiar… not just Texas…
There was also a hint of bread…
Oh. Right. Croissant was rolling around on this couch earlier.
Lucian pictured that chubby bread girl wiggling around and suddenly felt like maybe bread wasn't off the table after all.
Texas had no idea what was going through his head. She draped her tail over him like a blanket.
She brushed his face gently.
"You've worked hard. Sleep. Want me to sing a Siracusan lullaby?"
"That'd be too embarrassing… I'll pass. Thanks, Texas."
"Mm."
The cold wolf girl actually smiled—a tiny curve of her lips more precious than gold.
…Then, at sunrise—
"I'm hoooome!"
A red-haired Angel burst through the door, beaming with radiant energy.
And then she saw them.
A man and a woman, asleep on the couch, wrapped around each other for reasons that could only be described as extremely compromising.
A Lap Pillow position couldn't last all night.
After Lucian fell asleep, Texas had watched his peaceful face… and got sleepy too. She'd eventually curled up beside him.
The result:
Texas had ended up halfway inside his arms, clothes rumpled, the two of them looking like a disgustingly sweet couple.
Exusiai stared at the scene.
"…Hoho. Hohoho… hohohohoho."
Her smile was bright.
Only her eyes weren't smiling at all.