The sun was setting as Lusian and the heroes advanced along a stretch of forest near the Duchy. Scout reports spoke of minor creatures mutated by demonic saturation: wolves with incandescent eyes, deer whose antlers sparked with raw energy, and a pair of mid-level monsters drawn into the woods by the spreading corruption.
The mission was simple: eliminate or disperse the creatures before they could threaten nearby settlements. It was not a battle that would endanger Lusian, but it was necessary to safeguard the lives of the citizens living in the surrounding villages.
"We can't let them reach the city," Emily said, adjusting her staff of light as she watched the trees creak unnaturally in the wind. "If these creatures merge with the others gathering around the Duchy, it will be a disaster."
Lusian nodded, his brow furrowed, and gave precise commands to his beasts. Thunder and Umber responded instantly, coordinating perfectly with Larriet, who waited beyond a thin barrier of trees.
The confrontation lasted only minutes. Each creature was neutralized swiftly, without the heroes suffering so much as a scratch. Silence returned to the forest, broken only by the murmur of the wind and the fading echo of residual magic from the fight.
When they returned to camp, Lusian was greeted by Adela, who approached with a radiant smile.
"Happy birthday, my lord!" she exclaimed, bowing respectfully.
For the first time in hours, Lusian smiled. Emily, arriving just behind him, froze for a moment in alarm. With everything that had happened in the past few days, she had completely forgotten the date. Flushing slightly, she stepped closer and spoke softly.
"Happy birthday… Lusian."
That night, Emily approached the duke's tent with visible nervousness.
Inside the privacy of the tent—while the beasts rested outside and the quiet murmur of the camp was their only witness—Emily took a deep breath. She had not prepared a gift, and by now it was far too late for that. So, in an act of absolute trust, she offered him something far more personal.
She gave herself to him.
There were no witnesses between them, no external forces—only the intimacy of their bond, the warmth they shared, and the quiet certainty that this moment would mark their lives forever.
That night, Duke Lusian received his birthday gift, and the Heroine of Light discovered a new chapter of her life.
In the midst of the chaos gathering beyond the forest, that moment of intimacy brought them closer in a way neither of them had expected—nor could ever undo.