A few more minutes passed as Lucian kept the conversation alive with Reid and his daughter, though the novelty of polite banter was quickly wearing thin.
"I know this place is your pride and butter and all," Lucian said, lazily twirling a lock of his hair, "but is the food here really better than what you've got in your manor kitchen?"
Reid chuckled, brushing off the jab with practiced ease.
"Well, I couldn't possibly choose between the two. That wouldn't be fair," he replied. "Each has its own flair. I just alternate depending on the mood."
Lucian gave a polite laugh, already losing interest in the small talk. He scanned the room for inspiration, then suddenly perked up—eyes gleaming with mischief as a more interesting thread surfaced in his mind.
"Oh! That reminds me—I heard you and the Hero fought side by side against that rogue dark mage who attacked the city. How was that little adventure?"
Reid's smile thinned. His hand tightened around his glass.
"We managed to drive him off," he said through clenched teeth. His eyes darkened with the memory. "But that doesn't mean it was a clean victory."
Lucian raised a curious brow, leaning in slightly.
"That bad, huh?"
Reid exhaled sharply, his voice growing tense.
"That thing turned one of my citizens into a beast. Worse yet—he had a demon in his service. A demon, Lucian. Summoned a horde of imps right in the middle of the capital!"
He smacked a palm to his forehead.
"It took the Hero, my elite knights, and myself the entire night to clear them out. A damned nightmare."
Lucian gasped, placing a hand over his mouth in mock horror.
"A demon serving someone? Oh no! The natural order—shattered!"
He swooned theatrically in his seat, pretending to faint before peeking through one eye with a smirk.
"Next you'll tell me he brought his own cursed pyrotechnics."
Reid gave him a sidelong glance, unimpressed.
Lucian continued, still playing up the dramatics—entirely for his own amusement. All while inwardly relishing the irony, knowing full well that the "attacker" in question had been none other than himself in disguise.
Reina let out a sigh, clearly unimpressed with the ongoing banter.
"Father, why do you put up with this prick? He's clearly mocking you."
Reid chuckled, though the sound was laced with weariness.
"I honestly don't know," he admitted, shaking his head. "But… something tells me he's not like the other nobles in this cursed city."
Reina raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, choosing instead to study Lucian in silence.
Right on cue, the waiter returned—this time accompanied by several others, each carrying ornate platters stacked high with lavish dishes. The table was soon overflowing with food, enough to host a small banquet.
Reid's eyes widened—not because of the extravagance, but the sheer volume.
"Lucian… you planning to feed the whole city?" he asked, eyeing the mountain of food in disbelief. "You're either starving, or showing off."
Lucian chuckled, lowering his voice just enough for only Reid and Reina to hear.
"Let's just say… I wanted the other nobles to remember who's dining beside them tonight."
He gave a wicked grin as he untied his coin pouch and poured a glittering cascade of gold onto the table—clean, crisp, and unmistakably excessive.
"A million gold," he said casually. "That should more than cover it. Keep the change—buy yourself a new restaurant."
He winked at the waiter, who blinked, then gave a smooth bow—face unreadable, but eyes glinting with amusement.
"Truly, my lord," the waiter said with a smile, "you've made this evening… memorable."
With practiced grace, the staff gathered the coins and disappeared, leaving the three alone once more.
Reid stared, jaw slightly slack.
"A million? These dishes don't even add up to half that…"
He rubbed his temple in disbelief. "Sure, it might be pocket change to you after those winnings, but still—that's absurd."
Lucian leaned back, swirling his drink, and raised a finger.
"Ah, but here's the thing, dear Duke—acting like a generous noble, the kind people want to believe in? That buys more than food. It buys admiration, loyalty… influence."
Reid shook his head, still stunned. But before he could reply, Reina cut in coldly.
"Or it buys you a crowd of parasites—fake allies who smile for your coin and stab for your throne."
She exhaled, clearly unimpressed with Lucian's theatrics.
Lucian laughed aloud, eyes dancing with mischief.
"Sharp tongue, sharp mind. You've raised your daughter well, Reid."
Reina didn't smile.
Reid sighed, pouring himself a glass of wine.
"She gets it from me, you know. That sharp tongue, that glare. She's exactly how I was when I was younger."
He swirled the wine gently before taking a sip.
"But time… and responsibility? They change us."
Lucian nodded with rare sincerity, the words striking a familiar chord. He recalled his own early days—freshly crowned as a Dark Lord, brooding, overly dramatic, all shadows and flair. Now? He preferred theatrics over war, charm over chaos.
"Couldn't agree more," Lucian said, raising his glass and clinking it with Reid's.
Then he downed it in one go.
"Ahh… that hit the spot."
Reina glanced over, curiosity finally overtaking her silence. Her tone was edged with playful mockery.
"Oh? You talk like a man who's seen it all, but you barely look like you've worked a day in your life."
She smirked.
"Your 'responsibilities' must be laughably trivial."
Lucian chuckled, clearly amused by her barbs.
"I'll have you know—I'm actually quite old."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a scandalous secret.
"I'm just that handsome."
Reina arched a brow, unimpressed but intrigued.
"Oh? Then how old are you, exactly?"
Lucian paused, smile twitching as panic tiptoed up his spine. Immortality wasn't exactly a popular dinner topic.
Okay. Think. How old was I before the whole 'Dark Lord' business? Twenty-something? Maybe?
He flashed a grin that felt one second from cracking.
"...Twenty-three?" he offered, way too confidently.
Reid nearly choked on his drink.
"Twenty-three?! That's practically a baby! You could be my son at that age!"
He laughed heartily, slapping the table with delight.
"You must introduce me to your parents sometime—I need to thank them for raising such a menace!"
Reina rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with the attention being shifted away from her.
"Excuse me?" she said, voice sharp. "I'm quite remarkable as well, you know."
Lucian grinned, eyes flicking between the two.
"Oh, I don't doubt it. You just don't come with the same… flair."
Reid watched the two banter with growing amusement. His eyes lingered on Lucian for a moment before a sly smile crept onto his face.
"You know," he said casually, "I'm just glad my daughter's finally having fun talking to a boy her age."
Reina froze mid-sip, slowly lowering her glass with an offended glare.
"Excuse me?"
Lucian nearly choked on air.
"Wait—what?"
He turned to Reid, eyes wide with disbelief.
No way… Is he seriously trying to play matchmaker? With me?
I'm over a hundred! She's, what—early twenties? I'd be getting stoned for this in some kingdoms!
I mean, yeah, I act like a disaster sometimes, but come on—give me some credit!
Lucian blinked, trying to force a laugh that came out more like a wheeze.
"Haha… that's, uh… quite the assumption."
Reina groaned and buried her face in her hand.
"Father, stop talking. Please."