Well, although Adam had said he'd help Luna, he had absolutely no idea how he'd actually do so. Even less so when, contrary to every expectation, Luna's parents were ecstatic to see her. They ushered both of them inside, practically glowing with relief, and plopped him down in their living room with fond, grateful smiles.
So there Adam sat, awkwardly sipping tea that had been brewed in a rush for their daughter's supposed saviour, while the pair of elves regarded him with a warm, expectant gaze. It took him a moment to realise they were waiting for him to introduce himself—something everyone had skipped in the stampede of joyful hugging that had nearly cracked Luna's ribs.
He'd actually tried to excuse himself, tried to leave them to their reunion and spare himself the awkwardness. But Luna had shot him a pleading look over her parents' shoulders, silently begging him not to abandon her. That was when they turned their attention to him, grinning ear to ear, and pulled him further in—protests irrelevant, personal space non-existent. Luna just gave him a resigned, faintly apologetic look as they both got shoved into the house like parcels on delivery day. At least she'd exhaled a small sigh of relief when the familiar scent of home wrapped around her.
Then came the interrogation. They practically buried Adam in cushions on the comfiest sofa in the room and demanded—politely but firmly—that he recount everything that had happened. And so, cornered by their gratitude and curiosity, he talked. Not everything, of course—Dea and the Dea Core stayed strictly off the record—but enough to satisfy them, including the encounter with the high orc and how he had mended her broken ankle
Now they just stared at him, eyes full of wonder and thanks.
All this… and not a single proper introduction had been made.
Adam was starting to suspect Luna might actually be the normal one in this family.
Her voice was warm, lilting—like someone who could make a scolding sound like an invitation to tea. Adam, caught between modesty and not wanting to correct her on the "saving her life" bit, just gave an awkward nod.
My name is Elenor, dear child. And I must say, it's absolutely delightful to meet you. Thank you for practically saving the life of our daughter."
She looked like an older version of Luna—same platinum-blonde hair, but where Luna was all restless energy and sharp edges, her mother carried herself with effortless grace and a warm, motherly charm.
"And I," came a deeper voice as Luna's father stepped forward with a broad grin, "am Thalion. And you have our thanks as well, young man. Not many would brave the forest like that."
Adam glanced between them, momentarily distracted. Where Elenor had Luna's coloring, Thalion was striking in a different way—vibrant green hair that somehow didn't look out of place on him, paired with a boyish sort of handsomeness. It wasn't youthful so much as… timeless, like he'd decided aging was optional and mostly ignored it.
Adam opened his mouth to say something humble—maybe downplay the whole "hero" thing—but Luna shot him a sharp side-glance over the rim of her teacup. Don't you dare, that look said. If he ruined her parents' good mood by telling them it "wasn't a big deal," he'd be hearing about it later.
So instead, Adam just smiled and muttered, "I… did what anyone would've done." Which, judging by the way Elenor clasped her hands together and Thalion nodded approvingly, was apparently the right answer.
"You must be hungry after such an ordeal!" Elenor said, already rising to her feet. "Sit, sit, I'll fetch something for you both. Oh, Thalion, clear that table—goodness, when was the last time we dusted in here?"
Luna groaned and sank lower into her chair. "Mother, we're fine—"
"Nonsense, Luna," Elenor interrupted, already bustling off toward the kitchen. "A guest is a guest. And a guest who brings my daughter home safe is family."
Adam blinked at that, unsure whether to laugh or panic. Family? That escalated quickly.
Thalion leaned forward slightly, a curious gleam in his eyes—one Adam instantly recognized as the same spark Luna often had whenever she was about to ask something inconvenient. Ah, Adam thought, so that's where she gets it.
"Indulge my curiosity for a moment, young man," Thalion said warmly, voice carrying no edge, only genuine interest. "Most people would run in that situation, choosing to save their own lives. While I'm nothing but grateful you stayed and fought—it saved my daughter's life, after all—was there a specific reason you didn't run?"
There wasn't even a trace of suspicion, just pure curiosity. Because really, no matter what Adam's reasoning had been, the end result was the same: Luna was safe.
Adam opened his mouth, already cobbling together a harmless explanation—something humble about not thinking clearly, or "doing the right thing"—but Luna cut him off before he could get a word out. She'd been doing that a lot lately, mind you. He wasn't sure whether to find it endearing or just mildly infuriating.
"He's a paladin, Father," Luna said simply, sipping her tea with a calmness that suggested this explained everything.
And to her parents, it apparently did.
Thalion's eyes widened with instant understanding, and from the doorway to the kitchen, Elenor—apron tied neatly around her waist—froze mid-step, wearing the exact same expression. Then, as if choreographed, matching smiles spread across their faces.
"That explains it!" Thalion said, voice full of delighted realization.
"Everything!" Elenor chimed in at the exact same instant.
They turned to one another, surprised, and then burst out laughing at their perfect synchronization. Luna shook her head, half fond, half exasperated, while Adam just stared at the pair of them with a small, endeared smile. They were… a lot, this family. Warm, loud, and completely unfiltered.
When they finally calmed down, Elenor spoke first, still a little breathless with amusement. "Forgive us, my child. We were wondering why you were so kind—and truth be told, we suspected you might be… embellishing parts of your story." Her grin turned sheepish but no less enthusiastic. "But when Luna didn't interrupt you even once, and when we saw that affectionate look on her face…(which did cause the elven girl to blush slightly) Well, we had no choice but to believe you. And the more you talked, the more grateful—and curious—we became. We just kept wondering…"
"Just who is this guy?" Thalion finished for her with a grin, eyes sparkling with good humor.
"And now we know!" Elenor clapped her hands together in delight, apron strings swishing as she turned back toward the kitchen.
"A paladin!" Thalion echoed, his voice booming with the same excitement. "That explains everything!"
Adam just blinked, tea halfway to his mouth. Does it? he thought, lips twitching into a faint, bemused smile. I don't even know what "paladin" means here, and apparently I am one.
Luna, for her part, only gave him a faintly smug glance over the rim of her cup, as if to say you're welcome—which made absolutely no sense, since she'd just saddled him with a title he hadn't agreed to
Before Adam could even attempt to clarify what a paladin supposedly was, Elenor swept back into the room carrying a tray stacked so high with plates it could have fed an entire village.
"Mother, no," Luna started, already knowing where this was going.
"Mother, yes," Elenor replied cheerfully, setting the tray on the low table with a practiced grace. "You've both been running through the forest for who knows how long. Sit, eat. No arguments."
Thalion chuckled, clearly used to this routine, and slid a plate in front of Adam. "Trust me," he said in a conspiratorial tone, "it's easier to just surrender now. You'll lose anyway."
Adam stared at the plate of golden pastries, sliced fruit, and what appeared to be some kind of honey-glazed bread. "Uh, thank you?" he said, unsure if this was hospitality or a tactical offensive.
"No need to thank me, dear child." Elenor beamed, already pouring him another cup of tea. "Paladins need their strength. It must take so much energy, keeping up all that… holy business."
"Right," Adam muttered, deciding to just roll with it. Holy business. Sure. Sounds legit.
"So tell me," Thalion said, leaning forward with that same bright curiosity, "which god do you even serve? It can't be Lord Yang — if it were, you'd have at least a dozen of the Acolytes of the Order of the Rising Sun at your beck and call, perhaps even a luminary. And it certainly can't be Lady Yin, because you haven't been accosted by the Dawntide Knights yet."
He chuckled good-naturedly at his own words, lifting his teacup and taking a leisurely sip, as if the names he'd just mentioned were the sort of thing every child in Elysia learned along with their letters. Maybe they were. Adam sure wasn't going to question it.
So, while sipping his own tea and biting into one of the delicate pastries — which made Elenor's lips curve into a pleased smile at how much he seemed to enjoy them — he decided to answer. Knowing her, she'd probably be ecstatic no matter what he said. He gave a small sigh, then spoke plainly.
"The goddess of Miracles. Dea."
For a moment, there was silence — not tense, just thoughtful.
"Dea…" Elenor repeated softly, tasting the sound of it. A faint warmth lit her face. "That's… lovely, actually."
Thalion leaned back and laughed, shaking his head. "Hah! I was half-afraid you were going to say some grim fellow with a skull for a crest. 'The goddess of Miracles' — now that's a name I can raise a cup to." He raised his tea as though in salute before drinking again.
"Miracles," Elenor echoed, still smiling. "How very fitting."
Adam fought the urge to smirk. Dea would be positively glowing with smug satisfaction if she could hear this. Actually… knowing her, she probably was.
Luna met his eyes over the rim of her cup, the faintest glimmer of amusement there — pleased that he'd picked up on what she'd been nudging him toward. It wasn't suspicion in their gazes, nor reverence either — just a quiet acceptance, and maybe even a hint of happiness that his chosen deity's name didn't sound remotely sinister.
Thalion mused aloud, gaze drifting up to the ceiling beams as though the answer might be etched somewhere in the wood. He then spoke casually as he sipped his tea, unaware of the effect his words were about to have.
"Actually, isn't that the patron goddess of the entire Eastern Federation?"
Adam and Luna nearly sent their teacups crashing to the floor.