"Luca?" she blurted out, stopping mid-step.


    There he was, leaning casually against the counter, his coat slightly askew as if he''d just arrived. The white cat perched on his shoulder seemed utterly at ease, its luminous fur catching the warm light of the inn''snterns. Luca turned his head at her voice, his dark eyes gleaming with a faint amusement that seemed to be his default expression.


    "Well, if it isn''t the frost mage," he said, his tone light as his lips curled into a smirk. "Fancy meeting you here."


    ra crossed her arms, recovering quickly from her surprise. "I could say the same to you. What are you doing here?"


    Luca straightened slightly, the faint jingling of the coins in his pouch audible as he shifted. "What does it look like? I''m renting a room. A ce like this seemed fitting after the day we had."


    His cat yawned, its tail flickingzily as if to emphasize the point. ra nced at the receptionist, who was counting out keys for him, and then back at Luca.


    "You''ve got expensive taste," she remarked, tilting her head. "Didn''t think you were the type."


    He shrugged, his smirk widening. "When you earn the biggest reward of the expedition, why not indulge a little? Besides," he added, his voice lowering just slightly, "even I need a good rest you know?"


    ra narrowed her gaze, her arms crossing tighter over her chest. "Did you follow me here?"


    Luca blinked, and then his smirk widened into a full grin. "Miss Frost Mage… For what reason would I follow you here?"


    She raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. "Maybe because you''re interested in me?"


    His grin turned almost wolfish as he leaned casually against the counter, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Miss ra, you''re really putting quite an importance on yourself. Do you honestly think I''d do such a thing?"


    ra huffed, her posture stiffening. "Hmm?"


    "Well," Luca continued smoothly, gesturing with a slight flourish of his hand, "considering you''re this beautiful, it''s partially understandable that you''d think that way. You must have had quite a lot of offers."


    The unexpectedpliment caught ra off guard, but she quickly masked her reaction, though a faint pink dusted her cheeks. "I… have had my fair share," she admitted, her voice even as she nodded slightly. It was true—she was used to drawing attention, even if it was something she''d grown to ignore long ago.


    "Of course you have," Luca said, his smirk softening slightly. For a moment, his gaze lingered on her, as if studying her expression, but it shifted quickly to the restaurant area behind her. "Going for a meal?"


    "Yes," she replied simply, her tone clipped. She wasn''t sure where this was going, and Luca''s unpredictable demeanor was always enough to put her slightly on edge.


    "Then how about I apany you?" he asked, his voice light but with a certain persistence. "Your knight doesn''t seem to be here, after all."


    ra''s brow furrowed. "And why do you think I''d ept that?"


    Luca''s smirk returned, sharper now. "Why not? It''s not every day you get the opportunity to dine with a handsome man like me."


    ra rolled her eyes, though a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "Handsome? You''re awfully full of yourself."


    "Confidence," Luca corrected, his tone teasing. "You should try it sometime. It''s quite liberating."


    ra''s lips twitched upward into a faint smirk as she arched an eyebrow at him. "So when you do it, it''s confidence, but when I do it, it''s, ''you''re really putting quite an importance on yourself?''" she retorted, her tone sharp but yful.


    Luca froze for a moment before breaking into a heartyugh, his voice echoing through the inn''s reception area. A few of the staff nced their way, but he didn''t seem to notice—or care. "Touché," he said, grinning at her. "What can I say? One''s standard is another''s hypocrisy."


    ra couldn''t help the small chuckle that escaped her. "At least you''re self-aware."


    Luca gave her a mock bow, his grin undiminished. "It''s one of my many charms."


    She rolled her eyes but found herself smiling despite her best efforts. There was something disarming about him—his confidence, his sharp wit, the way he carried himself with an ease that made the world''s chaos seem far away. And, if she was honest with herself, she needed the levity.


    Her smile faded slightly as another thought came to her, a more serious one. She straightened her posture and cleared her throat, her tone softening. "Luca, there''s something I need to say."


    He raised an eyebrow, his amusement giving way to curiosity. "Oh? What''s this? Are you about to confess your undying gratitude for being in the presence of my magnificence?" Find your next read on empire


    "Hardly," she shot back, though the corners of her lips twitched again. Her gaze grew more serious as she continued. "I… need to apologize. For what Cedric did earlier."


    At the mention of Cedric, Luca''s expression shifted, his smirk thinning but not disappearing entirely. "Oh, that. What about it?"


    "It was rude," ra said firmly, her eyes meeting his. "Cedric was out of line. Even if you provoked him after, it was still him who started it, and he had no right to treat you that way."


    Luca regarded her for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, he shrugged lightly, the smirk softening into something less sharp. "Rude, maybe. But I''m used to it. People like him tend to see someone like me as a threat. It''s nothing new."


    "That doesn''t make it right," ra insisted, her grip tightening slightly on her staff. "I''m his charge, and as such, it reflects on me too. So, I''m sorry."


    Her sincerity seemed to catch Luca off guard, his expression softening further. For a moment, he said nothing, and when he finally spoke, his voice was quieter. "You don''t need to apologize for someone else''s pride, you know."


    "I know," she replied, her voice just as soft. "But I''m doing it anyway."


    Luca chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "You''re an odd one, Frost Mage."


    "Better than being predictable," she quipped, her smile returning.


    "Fair point," he conceded, his grin widening again. "So, does this apologye with a free meal, or am I still paying for my own?"


    ra sighed dramatically, her hands on her hips. "Fine. Consider it my treat. But only this once."


    "Ooooh….Generous and entertaining…."


    Luca''s grin widened into something almost wolfish as he leaned against the counter, one hand resting lightly on the edge. "It seems I''ve hit the jackpot," he said, his tone dripping with yful satisfaction.


    ra let out a softugh, shaking her head as she started toward the restaurant. "Don''t push your luck," she warned lightly, though there was no bite in her words.


    Luca fell into step beside her, his coat swaying slightly with his movements. The white cat on his shoulder flicked its tail, its bright eyes scanning the room with a disinterested air. As they entered the dining area, the soft murmur of conversation and the clink of cutlery on tes greeted them. The restaurant was cozy yet refined, its polished wood and warm lighting creating a weing atmosphere.


    A server approached them with a bright smile, guiding them to a small table by the window. The sea was visible beyond the ss, the moonlight casting silvery ripples over the waves. Luca pulled out a chair with an exaggerated flourish, gesturing for ra to sit.


    "Your throne, Miss Frost Mage," he said with a mock bow.@@novelbin@@


    ra rolled her eyes but sat down, her lips twitching upward despite herself. "You''re…"


    "I am…." Luca replied as he settled into the chair opposite her, his grin as irrepressible as ever.


    The server returned shortly after, menus in hand. "Wee," she said warmly. "Is it your first time dining with us?"


    Both ra and Luca nodded.


    "In that case," the server continued, her smile growing, "may I suggest our specialties? We have a fresh sea bass dish tonight, prepared with herbs and butter, alongside a seasonal vegetable medley. Or, if you prefer something heartier, our slow-roastedmb is very popr."


    ra nced at Luca, who gave a casual shrug. "We''ll go with whatever you rmend," she said, deciding it was easier than overthinking it.


    "Make it two of your best," Luca added with a faint smirk. "And something sweet for dessert."


    The server chuckled softly. "Of course. I''ll bring your drinks shortly." With a polite nod, she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the two of them alone.


    ra leaned back slightly, her fingers tracing the edge of her staff, which she''d rested against the table. "You seem prettyfortable for someone who''s just wandered into a high-end inn."


    Luca raised an eyebrow, resting his chin on one hand. "Comfort''s a state of mind," he said simply. "And besides, it''s not every day I get invited to dinner by someone so… particr."


    "Particr?" ra echoed her tone somewhere between curious and wary.


    "Well, let''s just say I''m not used to people apologizing on behalf of their overly dramatic knights," Luca said with a teasing lilt. "It''s refreshing."


    ra sighed, though the faint smile on her lips betrayed her amusement. "You really don''t let anything go, do you?"


    "Not when it''s this entertaining," he admitted, his smirk widening again.


    The night was still young.