For a moment, Julius genuinely thought Luca was joking.
His lips twitched, waiting for the punchline—for that smug 'got you' grin that would follow.
But it never came. Luca simply stood there, calm, confident, completely unbothered.
And then it hit him.
He wasn't joking.
Luca truly believed what he said.
Julius stared at him for a few seconds, and then—he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Loud, unrestrained laughter that even made Rufus flinch. He laughed so hard that his shoulders shook and tears formed in his eyes.
"You?" He finally managed between breaths. "You're the doctor? Oh, by the gods...what a joke. What an absolutely amazing joke."
He wiped the corner of his eye, grinning mockingly.
"I never knew humans could be this funny. If I'd known earlier, I would have kept one of you around just to make me laugh whenever I got bored. Really, this is incredible."
Luca, however, didn't look offended in the slightest.
He just tilted his head a little, smiling faintly.
