The café hummed with the layered warmth of an early evening crowd, the soft clatter of porcelain and cutlery blending with overlapping conversations that rose and fell like a gentle tide. Waiters moved swiftly between tables, balancing trays with practiced ease as the air carried the rich scent of roasted coffee and freshly baked desserts.

"Two cappuccinos and one almond tart," a waiter called out as he passed.

"Mom, I want that one! No—the chocolate one!" a child insisted from a nearby table, tugging at his mother’s sleeve.

"You’ve already had two," she replied, exasperated yet indulgent, "finish your juice first."

At another corner, two men leaned in closer over their cups, voices lowered but intense.

"If the shipment doesn’t arrive before the end of the week, we’ll lose the contract," one said, tapping his fingers anxiously against the table.

"Then reroute it through the eastern port," the other replied, calm but firm, "it’ll cost more, but we won’t miss the deadline."

Amidst the layered noise and motion, one of the private cabins held a quieter scene, its enclosed space dimly lit and removed from the bustle outside.

Lunaria sat at the table.

Eyes fully open for once.

A faint, content smile resting on her lips as she worked her way through an array of desserts placed before her, her movements slow but deliberate as she seemed entirely absorbed in the act of eating.

A small smear of cake had found its way onto her cheek, just beside her lips, unnoticed by her as she continued.

Damon, seated across from her, watched for a moment before standing up, reaching across the table as he wiped the smudge away with his finger in a simple, unthinking gesture.

Lunaria paused.

Blinking once.

Her gaze lifting toward him briefly before she returned to her dessert as though nothing had happened.

Damon sat back down, a faint mutter escaping him.

"She really does have a sweet tooth..."

A small smile lingered on his face as his thoughts shifted inward.

I’ve sought her out countless times whenever I needed help... yet I’ve never really considered what she wants in return...

His gaze rested on her again, softer now, more thoughtful.

"Is there anything you want?" he asked after a moment, his tone calm but sincere, "or anything you would like to have?"

Lunaria paused mid-bite, her hand still for a brief second as she slowly looked up at him, her half-lidded eyes blinking once... then again, as though processing the question from somewhere distant.

Her gaze shifted downward toward the table.

Then she raised her hand and pointed at a half-eaten chocolate truffle.

The remaining portion saved for later.

Damon couldn’t help but chuckle softly at that, the simplicity of her answer almost disarming as he pressed the small bell on the table.

A waiter entered almost immediately.

"Yes, sir?"

"Bring as many chocolate truffles as you have available," Damon said without hesitation.

The waiter paused for a fraction of a second, clearly surprised by the request, before nodding quickly and stepping out.

Damon turned back to Lunaria, his expression carrying faint amusement as he clarified.

"That’s not what I meant," he said, his tone lighter now, "I didn’t mean what more you want to eat here... I meant in general... is there anything I can do for you?"

Lunaria paused again.

This time longer.

Her gaze lifted to him, studying him quietly in that same unreadable way before she spoke, her voice soft and unhurried.

"Take care of... Scaredy Cat."

And just like that—

She returned to eating.

Damon watched her for a moment, his expression still, though a quiet understanding settled beneath it.

...She does care for her brother, huh.

Damon leaned back slightly in his seat as he watched Lunaria continue eating, her focus entirely consumed by the steady disappearance of sweets and desserts from the plate, her expression calm yet faintly pleased in a way that was rare to see. His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer as his thoughts moved quietly beneath the surface.

I am getting more and more interested in these siblings...

A faint crease formed between his brows.

Even that ’scaredy cat’ seemed to know me already...

Before he could dwell further, the waiter returned, placing an entire tray of freshly prepared chocolate truffles onto the table. Lunaria’s eyes lit up instantly, a soft brightness replacing her usual distant look as she immediately reached forward, resuming her quiet indulgence without hesitation.

Damon did not interrupt her this time; he simply watched, his expression calm, almost patient, as she worked through the new servings with the same steady rhythm.

Only once she had finished completely—

Did Damon finally lean forward slightly, resting his elbow against the table as he spoke.

"Now... shall we speak business?"

Lunaria lifted her gaze toward him, tilting her head ever so slightly, her half-lidded eyes blinking once as she gave him her attention.

Damon leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table as his tone shifted into something more structured, more deliberate.

"What I want to create is a personal-use device," he began calmly, meeting Lunaria’s gaze, "something designed specifically for intimate stimulation, but built with proper materials and controlled function instead of the crude substitutes people are currently using."

Lunaria blinked once, listening.

"It will need controlled vibration," Damon continued, his voice steady, "not random or unstable movement, but something adjustable... consistent... so it doesn’t harm the user."

He gestured lightly with his hand as he explained.

"The outer surface must be smooth, non-reactive, and flexible enough to avoid injury, while the internal structure needs to hold its shape without becoming rigid or dangerous."

Lunaria’s eyes remained fixed on him.

"No heat buildup," Damon added, thinking aloud now, "no absorption of fluids... easy to clean... durable enough for repeated use without degrading."

A brief pause.

"Safety is the priority," he said, his tone sharpening slightly, "if it fails there, nothing else matters."

Lunaria tilted her head slightly, still absorbing everything.

"I also want variations," Damon went on, "different shapes, sizes, functions... but we start with a basic prototype first... something simple, reliable, and stable."

He leaned back slightly.

"That’s the foundation."

Lunaria listened silently without any interruption.

Her gaze remained fixed on him, absorbing everything in that same quiet, detached manner until he finished.

Then she nodded once.

"It’s easy," she said simply.

Damon smiled faintly at that response, clearly satisfied.

"Good," he replied, "we’ll need to test the prototypes thoroughly before moving into production."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"And I’ll need more such products in the future... which means I’ll be troubling you quite often."

Lunaria blinked once.

No reaction.

Damon continued regardless.

"How about this," he said, his tone measured as he laid out the terms, "I’ll give you five percent equity... a share in the profits of whatever this venture earns."

Internally, his thoughts aligned quickly.

That should be more than reasonable... the idea is mine, the funding comes from Count Halewind, and she handles prototyping... it also repays her in a way... and secures a working relationship for the future... giving up a small portion now is nothing...

He looked at her, waiting.

Lunaria, however, simply tilted her head.

Then without warning—

She stood up and stepped closer, raising her hands to gently cup Damon’s cheeks, the sudden contact catching him off guard as he flinched slightly in surprise.

"There shouldn’t be profit or loss between husband and wife... right?" she said softly.

Damon froze for a moment.

"This—"

"That—"

His words faltered before they could fully form as realization hit him again.

...She’s still stuck on that.

A brief silence followed as his thoughts shifted, not in irritation this time, but in consideration.

...How is she going to live with that mindset...?

Then, exhaling faintly, he adjusted his approach.

"How about this," he said instead, his tone softening just slightly, "if you ever need anything in the future... just ask me. Alright?"

If I give her the equity, who knows what she will do of that..

Lunaria looked at him for a moment.

Then nodded.

"Mm."

***

Night settled quietly over Damon’s dorm room, the soft glow of the academy lights slipping through the window and casting long, gentle shadows across the space as a calm stillness replaced the noise of the day. Damon sat at his desk with an unhurried posture, a simple meal laid out before him, while Sahira sat at the edge of the bed, her back straight yet relaxed as she ate in silence.

After a moment, Damon spoke without looking up.

"Inform the head butler that we will be returning to the estate this week," he said, his tone steady and matter-of-fact, "most likely on the fourth day."

Sahira paused briefly before nodding.

"Y-yes, young master," she replied softly.

The quiet resumed as they continued eating, the only sounds in the room being the faint clink of utensils and the subtle rustle of fabric. After a short while, Sahira glanced toward him again, gathering the courage to ask,

"I-is there anything we need to carry with us?"

Damon paused mid-motion, his gaze lowering slightly as he considered the question, his thoughts moving briefly before settling.

"Just take whatever kids might like," he said calmly.

Sahira blinked once at that, a faint hint of curiosity passing through her expression before she nodded again, accepting the instruction without further question.

"U-understood..."

The meal soon came to an end, the atmosphere returning to its quiet stillness as Damon leaned back slightly in his chair, his thoughts already shifting ahead.

Tomorrow... I’ll have to go for volunteering service again...