On another day in the modern world.
Lucien stood at the center of the room, his hair tied back tightly. He was dressed in his oversized t-shirt, dark jeans, and a bright floral apron that belonged to Mrs. Walker. The apron was cartoonishly small on his massive frame, the pink ties barely reaching around his waist.
Kagen leaned against the doorframe, a mug of coffee in his hands, watching his partner with a mixture of affection and deep concern.
"Lucien,"
Kagen said slowly.
"You're holding the broom like it's a halberd."
Lucien did not relax his stance. His boots were set shoulder-width apart, his grip on the wooden handle so tight.
"Dust and debris do not respect weakness, Kagen," Lucien declared, his voice carrying the deep, booming resonance of a military commander before a battle.
"Your mother has granted us shelter. It is my duty as a guest—and as a knight—to ensure this fortress remains immaculate."
Inside Lucien's mind, Jerga let out a long, agonizing groan.
["I was a supreme demonic high lord,"] the voice echoed in his skull.
["I have reduced entire city-states to burning ash. And now I am forced to watch my host execute a flank maneuver against breadcrumbs."]
'Oh shut up, why keep whining like it is the end of the world?'
'The floorboards only require sweeping.'
["You are sweeping the same four square inches of wood! You're going to dig a hole straight to the basement!"]
Lucien ignored him, executing a swift, sweeping thrust with the broom that sent a tiny pile of lint flying into the dustpan held by Kagen.
"Secured," Lucien announced, nodding solemnly.
"The eastern perimeter of the kitchen is clear."
Kagen swallowed a laugh, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Great job, commander."
Now are you ready for the ultimate test?"
Lucien's silver eyes narrowed with intense focus.
"Name it."
Kagen pointed toward the kitchen counter, where a plastic bag of red apples and a small vegetable peeler lay waiting.
"Peeling fruit for Mom's pie."
Lucien approached the counter with the cautious, calculated steps of a man disarming an explosive. He picked up the tiny metal peeler, examining it from every angle.
"A specialized blade," Lucien observed quietly. "Designed for non-lethal, precise stripping of armor."
"It's a potato peeler, Lucien," Kagen smiled, stepping up beside him. "You just hold the apple and slide the blade down the skin. Like this."
Kagen demonstrated with one apple, smoothly removing a spiral of red skin in seconds.
Lucien watched intently, analyzing the movement.
"I see. A test of fine motor control and dexterity."
He picked up a large red apple in his left hand and gripped the peeler in his right. He brought the blade down with absolute, rigid precision—and shaved off half the apple in a single, brutal stroke.
The core of the apple splattered against the cutting board.
Lucien stared at the mangled fruit in shock all the while Kagen laughed at him.
"You used enough force to cut through leather armor,"
Kagen chuckled softly, reaching over to rest a hand on Lucien's arm.
"Softer, Lucien. Pretend you're holding something delicate. Like my hand."
Lucien blinked, his sharp features softening instantly. He looked at Kagen, then down at a fresh apple. He adjusted his grip, taking a deep breath, and carefully slid the blade along the red skin. A clean, thin strip peeled away.
Lucien let out a slow breath of relief. "Success."
"See? You're a natural," Kagen smiled.
Before Lucien could celebrate his victory, the kitchen door swung open, and Mellisa walked in, wearing pajama pants and oversized slippers, dragging her feet while staring at her smartphone.
"Morning," she yawned, barely looking up.
"Is there any—"
She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes landing on Lucien.
The 6-foot-4 former Duke of Edrath was standing rigidly in a tiny pink floral apron, holding a half-peeled apple like a sacred relic, surrounded by destroyed fruit cores and a perfectly swept floor.
Mellisa slowly lifted her phone and snapped a picture.
"Mellisa, don't," Kagen warned, though he was fighting back a smile.
"This is going straight to the group chat," Mellisa wheezed, breaking into a fit of laughter.
"Lucien, you look like a deadly bodyguard who got hired by a bakery!"
Lucien straightened his posture, holding his head high despite the pink apron.
"A true warrior shuns no task, Lady Mellisa. Domestic maintenance is the bedrock of a strong household."
"Oh my god, he's so serious about it," Mellisa giggled, walking over to the fridge to grab a juice box.
"Keep up the good work, Sir Sweeps-A-Lot."
As Mellisa retreated back to the living room, Mrs. Walker walked into the kitchen, wearing her sweater and carrying a laundry basket full of folded clothes.
"Oh, goodness!" Mrs. Walker gasped, looking at the spotless floor and the neatly peeled apples.
"Lucien, dear, did you do all this?"
Lucien immediately turned toward her and offered a stiff, formal bow—which was somewhat ruined by the floral apron flapping against his knees.
"I have executed the kitchen cleanup according to protocol, Lady Walker," Lucien reported proudly.
"The floor is secured, and the fruit has been perfectly peeled."
Mrs. Walker's face melted into a bright, motherly smile. She set the laundry basket down, walked right up to the giant knight, and gave his upper arm an affectionate pat.
"You are such a sweet boy," Mrs. Walker said warmly. "Kagen, where on earth did you find him? He's better than a maid service!"
Lucien froze at the touch, a faint flush of pink creeping up his neck and dusting his cheekbones.
If his mother was still alive...would she have treated him the same way?
No, Edrath was entirely a different world. And there, nobles were rigid, strict and used their own children as political pawns.
'How lucky... To think that I get to experience such motherly love from my mother-in-law no less. I am truly lucky.'
Kagen smiled warmly, stepping beside Lucien and sliding an arm around his waist.
"He's one of a kind, Mom."
Lucien looked down at Kagen, his serious expression softening into a quiet, affectionate smile.
["I cannot believe I am bound to a man who blushes at compliments from a mother,"] Jerga grumbled quietly in the back of his mind.
'She is a formidable matriarch,' Lucien replied mentally, his hand finding Kagen's and giving it a gentle squeeze. 'Her praise is hard-won. And from now on I will do everything in my power to protect them as well.'
*****
But that day of declaration was only a start.
And in no time three weeks passed in a blur of vivid, unforgettable moments.
For the first time in his life, Duke Lucien Arden was not a weapon. He was not a savior, nor a corrupted vessel of dark mana. In Kagen's world, he was simply a tall, quiet man with striking silver hair, discovering what it meant to enjoy being alive as a human being and with the people he was truly fond of.
Now then.
Riding in the front seat of Mrs. Walker's sedan was another revelation entirely. The first time the car accelerated onto the highway, Lucien had gripped the dashboard so hard, his eyes wide as houses and trees blurred past at impossible speeds.
But by the fourth week, he was leaning his head against the window, quietly watching the sunset paint the suburban skyline in gold, enjoying the steady hum of the engine beneath his feet.
Then came the weekend family outings.
At the park, Mrs. Walker laid out a large checkered blanket under the shade of an oak tree. Lucien had sat cross-legged on the grass in shorts and a t-shirt, taking hesitant bites of cold sandwiches and fresh strawberries. By this time he was already adjusting as an earthling.
Then another day, during the fifth week when Mellisa dragged him to the nearby amusement park, Lucien had taken one look at the towering steel tracks of the roller coaster and deemed it "a contraption built by madmen." Yet, ten minutes later, he was sitting beside a screaming Kagen on the ride, his own deep, rare laughter ringing out over the rushing wind as they plunged down the tracks.
And dinner dates were the best of all. Sitting in small, dimly lit restaurants, eating hot food under glowing string lights, Kagen would catch Lucien staring at him across the table with an intensity that made his heart race. For brief, precious moments, the blood-soaked battlefields of Edrath, the cold stone halls of the palace, and the dark whispers of Jerga faded away entirely.
Lucien was having the time of his life—because for the first time, he was experiencing a life shared with Kagen.
Eight weeks later.
During a late afternoon, back in Kagen's bedroom, the sun cast long, warm shadows across the bed sheets.
The air was quiet, thick with the lingering heat of steamy intimacy. Lucien lay back against the pillows, his chest bare and his silver hair spread wildly across the dark blankets. Kagen curled up tightly beside him, resting his head on Lucien's broad, marked chest, tracing lazy circles over his skin with a fingertip.
Lucien reached down, his long fingers wrapping gently around Kagen's waist, pulling him even closer.
"We should go on a date more often," Lucien murmured into the quiet room, his deep voice vibration softly against Kagen's cheek.
"It is quite a nice experience."
Kagen agreed with a soft, contented hum, smiling into the warm crook of Lucien's neck as he snuggled deeper into his arms, letting the safety of the moment wash over him.
Just then–
So suddenly–...
"Kagen, Lucien, we are back from the laundromat! Are you guys–.."
The bedroom door swung open without warning.
Kagen shot up straight, sitting on his butt, utterly startled as Mellisa barged inside his bedroom holding a basket of fresh laundry.
"Shit! What happened to knocking!!!"
Mellisa gasped, freezing dead in her tracks on the doorway. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes popped out wide as she processed the sight of her brother scrambling for the blanket and Lucien sitting up against the headboard, bare-chested and entirely unbothered.
"You–... Oh my god! I'm sorry, I didn't see anything, I promise!" Mellisa shrieked, her face turning bright red as she slammed the door shut.
"Hey! Mellisa, wait!"
Kagen scrambled out of bed, throwing on a pair of sweatpants as fast as humanly possible, and rushed to the hallway.
"Hey! Wait up!"
He ran to the stairs, but he was too late—the sound of her fast footsteps had already disappeared downstairs toward the kitchen.
Kagen ran a hand through his messy hair, letting out a loud groan.
"Fuck!... She's definitely gonna tell Mom."
Lucien sat up slowly, swinging his long legs over the side of the bed and pulling on his shirt with calm, unhurried precision. He walked out into the hallway, standing beside Kagen at the top of the stairs.
"Perhaps it's time that we told them the truth after all," Lucien said quietly, his eyes fixed on Kagen's anxious face then wrapped his arms around him to hug.
"This day was bound to come."
Kagen sighed, brushing his hand back over his head for a moment, his shoulders tense.
"I know my mother is kind and very understanding, but still... I can't help being worried. What if her shock does something bad? What if she doesn't understand?"
"You're overthinking," Lucien said gently, reaching out to catch Kagen's hand and squeezing it with firm, unwavering warmth and kisses it.
"Your family loves you, my love. And whatever happens down there... I will stand right beside you to support you."
"As you should,"
Kagen sighed out and Lucien faintly chuckled holding firmly into his arms.
*****