Ten minutes later, inside a resplendent bar, the atmosphere was already boiling.
The air was thick with the sharp scent of smoke and alcohol. The music blared at maximum volume, nearly deafening, while men and women alike twisted their bodies wildly on the crowded dance floor. Colorful lights flashed in chaotic patterns, splashing the room in red, blue, and violet hues. Vibrant drinks glittered beneath the lights, and the combination of deafening music, frenzied movements, and dim lighting made it easy for people to forget the burdens of reality, to forget the scars buried deep in their hearts.
Women dressed in bold, eye-catching outfits laughed and mingled among the men, teasing them with playful words and daring glances. Hormones and excitement flooded the air, creating an intoxicating sense of abandon.
Beside the bar counter, Artoria sat on a tall chair, her fingers wrapped tightly around a glass of juice. Her emerald eyes stared, unblinking, at Lucien, who was swaying among the crowd at the center of the dance floor.
His movements were awkward, even a little ridiculous, yet in this atmosphere, they somehow felt perfectly in place. Right now, Lucien looked like nothing more than an ordinary man losing himself to the rhythm.
Watching him twist his waist and shake his head to the music, Artoria felt an unfamiliar unease stir in her heart. The man who usually appeared despicable, shameless, cold, and overwhelmingly powerful now looked strangely carefree. The contrast shocked her.
"Miss, are you alone?"
A middle-aged man approached her, a cigar pinched between his fingers. He wore a gold ring, his hair slicked neatly back, and his confident posture made it clear he was a successful man. There was no mistaking the intention in his eyes. Artoria's striking beauty had drawn his attention.
Yet she did not react at all. Her gaze remained fixed on the dance floor.
She did not understand why these people behaved this way, how they could abandon themselves so completely to desire and impulse. To her, it felt as if everyone here had been swallowed whole by indulgence.
For Artoria, this was a completely new world.
It was like a princess who had lived her entire life within palace walls suddenly stepping outside and realizing that the world was far broader, stranger, and more tempting than she had ever imagined. The novelty stirred something soft and uncertain within her.
On the dance floor, Lucien swayed for a while longer before finally shaking his head and stepping away. He walked back toward Artoria, who had been watching him without blinking.
The middle-aged man immediately understood the situation when Lucien took a seat beside her. He gave a knowing smile and wisely retreated without causing trouble.
No noisy confrontation followed.
"A glass of whiskey," Lucien said, snapping his fingers as he looked at the bartender.
"Straight, or would you like it mixed?" the bartender asked. His practiced movements showed he was not just a bartender, but a skilled mixologist as well.
"Give me your best signature drink," Lucien replied calmly. He lit a cigarette and exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
"Please wait a moment."
With smooth, flashy movements, the bartender spun his glasses and added several unknown ingredients. Soon, he placed a large glass of red and blue liquor in front of Lucien. Two ice cubes clinked softly as they dropped in, the contrasting colors slowly intertwining.
"What do you call it?" Lucien asked.
"Ice Fire Succubus," the bartender answered with a faint smile.
Lucien took a sip and nodded in satisfaction. One side burned hot, the other chilled cold. The name suited it.
"Give her one too," Lucien said, tilting his head toward Artoria when he noticed her eyes lingering curiously on the drink.
The bartender quickly prepared another glass and placed it in front of her.
Artoria stared at the swirling red and blue liquid inside, looking slightly lost.
"Cheers," Lucien said, lightly tapping his glass against hers, the soft clink pulling her back to her senses.
After hesitating for just a moment, Artoria lifted the glass and took a cautious sip.
The spicy heat surged across her tongue, followed instantly by an icy chill. Her face flushed bright red in an instant.
"You are truly a feast for the eyes," Lucien said sincerely. "You look absolutely adorable right now."
Artoria froze. Her cheeks grew even redder, the heat spreading all the way to her ears. Even her earlobes burned.
Lucien's sudden praise caught her completely off guard. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. She did not know how to respond.
Her face felt unbearably hot.
"Why are you standing there? Drink," Lucien said casually. "This kind of alcohol only exists in modern society. It should never have existed in your era."
He looked back toward the dance floor, a cigarette in one hand and his drink in the other. His hips and shoulders moved almost unconsciously to the explosive rhythm.
Artoria took another small sip, then lowered her head shyly. Lucien clinked his glass against hers once more. She did not speak again. Only after Lucien finished his third glass of Ice Fire Succubus did she finally drain her own.
"Come on," Lucien said, placing his glass aside. "I will take you to sway a bit."
He reached over and caught her hand, pulling her gently toward the dance floor.
Artoria was completely unprepared and stumbled forward under his pull.
"I… I cannot," she said hurriedly, her face burning. The thought of moving her hips in such a shameful way made her want to disappear.
Her whole body stiffened. It felt even harder than charging into battle.
"Do not force it," Lucien said easily. "Just follow the music."
He twisted his waist left and right, snapping his fingers in time as he leaned forward slightly.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to slow.
Artoria found herself locked in his gaze. His amethyst-colored eyes, bright and dazzling like a star-filled sky, filled her entire vision. She could even feel the warmth of his breath.
Although Lucien pulled back almost immediately, that single moment burned itself into her memory.
"Come," he said softly. "Let go."
Holding her hand, he guided her movements gently from side to side.
Artoria's mind went completely blank. Her eyes stayed on Lucien without drifting away. Slowly, hesitantly, her body began to sway in rhythm with his.
When she finally realized what she was doing, her face turned scarlet. It felt like steam might rise from her head at any second, and her single cowlick stood perfectly straight.
"I… I want to leave," she whispered.
Right now, all she wanted was to escape. Even if the movement had been small, she had done it, and that alone was unbearably embarrassing.
"Do not be shy," Lucien said lightly. "Just follow the music."
Then he added with a hint of threat in his tone, "Do not make me use a Command Seal."
He was in high spirits and clearly did not want his amusement cut short.
Artoria pursed her lips and looked down at the hand he was holding. Her heart trembled with an emotion she did not fully understand.
Before either of them noticed, the time had already reached midnight.
After leaving the bar, Lucien brought Artoria back to the hotel. He took a quick shower and sprawled across the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a lingering trace of satisfaction still on his face.
On the bed beside him, Artoria lay quietly after her own shower, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The scenes of the day replayed again and again in her mind.
She barely slept the entire night.
It was not until four or five in the morning that she finally drifted off, a faint smile still resting on her lips.
The next day, Lucien took Artoria to see a movie. They visited an amusement park, rode the roller coaster, and crashed into each other on the bumper cars. That evening, they returned to the bar and swayed to their hearts' content. This time, Artoria was just a little more relaxed.
On the third day, Lucien took her to a seaside water park. They tasted countless delicacies and shared ice cream beneath the sun. That night, they returned to the bar again.
On the fourth day, they visited the zoo and watched a magic show, and once more, the bar awaited them at night.
On the fifth day, the pattern repeated.
The sixth day.
The seventh day.
For eight consecutive nights, they went to the bar to sway among the neon lights. Tonight was the last.
The recovery of the war bgm signaled that it was finally time to return to reality.
For Lucien, these eight days were nothing unusual. For Artoria, they had completely overturned her world.
____
Milestones
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