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ArabicArknights: The Holy Son's Leisurely Life — Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Where is the Person Who Hurt Exusiai!
“…Huh?” Texas let out a soft, bewildered sound.
Lucian leaned in, his expression entirely serious. “I’m asking if the person coming after you is a beauty. Judging by your tone, she’s a girl, right? And her handwriting is elegant. As the saying goes, the writing reflects the person. A girl with penmanship like that has to be gorgeous.”
Texas flushed, her cool facade slipping as she tried to explain. “No, it’s not like that. It’s just a product of her Siracusan upbringing. I mean… you couldn’t call her ugly, and we are around the same age. But her talkative, easygoing nature is just a mask. She’s the type to smile warmly while cutting someone down.”
“Talkative, easygoing, and loves to smile? Isn’t that even better?”
Lucian’s interest spiked. Without hesitation, he slipped his arm around Texas’s waist and pulled her forward. She landed squarely on his lap, their sudden proximity leaving barely a breath of space between them.
With their noses almost brushing, Lucian offered a soft, steady smile. “No matter what you become, I’ll be watching. Don’t underestimate me. Even if you get disfigured or grow old, I’ll still like you exactly the same. No matter how unhinged your yandere childhood sweetheart gets, we can handle her together.”
“…I never said she was my childhood sweetheart.”
Texas released a helpless breath, the tension draining from her shoulders. She didn’t fight the intimate hold, allowing herself to rest comfortably against him. But she wasn’t about to let his earlier phrasing slide.
A faint dusting of pink touched her cheeks as she held his gaze. “You just said you like me. Was that a confession?”
Lucian blinked, his expression the picture of innocence. “If I said it was strictly platonic affection between ordinary friends, would you believe me?”
“I’d believe it. And then I’d go straight to Exusiai and tell her.”
“Hey, hey, hey… have some mercy.” The man knew exactly when to fold.
Still, he stubbornly tried to defend his honor. “I think it’s perfectly natural for a healthy guy to appreciate a female friend who is gorgeous, has a great figure, and lives under the same roof. I don’t buy into that pure, untainted friendship between men and women. That’s just a myth invented by scumbags.”
Texas let out a soft snort. “Then what about Exusiai? By your logic, the child you two eventually have should be calling me godmother.”
“…She’s a bit special.”
Lucian averted his eyes, suddenly finding the room’s architecture fascinating. A clear sign of a guilty conscience.
‘Special, huh.’Texas silently chewed on that heavily loaded word. A dull ache tugged at her chest. This man truly didn’t get it. His constant need to make an exception for the energetic Sankta only proved how deeply entrenched she was in his heart. Compared to a casual affection that could be tossed around so easily, Exusiai held a place so delicate that he didn’t even dare to confront her feelings.’That’s practically cheating…’ Texas sighed quietly. She arched an eyebrow. “Tell me something. How exactly do Laterano marriage laws work?”
Lucian blinked, genuinely pondering the question. “They are… pretty standard, I guess? If two people want to tie the knot, they head to the Notarial Hall, pay nine LMD for the registration fee, and get their certificate. That’s about it. If there’s any unique quirk, it’s that theoretically, all marriage certificates are stamped and authorized by the Holy Son. Marriage is considered a sacred bond bestowed by him. It means I have an endless mountain of paperwork to stamp every single week. I’ve practically developed a superhuman arm from all the stamping…”
Texas narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Wait. Why are you the one stamping them?”
“Ah, nope, I didn’t say anything. Really, I swear, you heard nothing.” Lucian shook his head rapidly, mimicking a rattle-drum.
To put it into perspective, before Lucian—the legitimate Holy Son—was born, the high priests of the Grand Basilica exercised authority in his name. Theoretically, every Laterano citizen’s rights were granted by Lucian, and every law was enacted by his divine will.
This created a massive loophole.
He made the laws. He granted the rights. From basic citizenship to driver’s licenses, the people only enjoyed them because he allowed it. However, one couldn’t exactly issue a household registry or a driver’s license to oneself. Therefore, Lucian was technically Laterano’s only undocumented resident.
He had no official registry, no formal citizenship papers, and no driver’s license. The rules simply could not bind him. This wasn’t a case of a monarch being above the law; to the people of Laterano, he was a living deity. Thus, the sacred, monogamous institution of marriage established under his own blessing technically did not apply to him.
Naturally, Lucian wasn’t about to explain all that, and Texas remained blissfully unaware. Seeing him brush off the slip-up, she let the matter drop.
Instead, she murmured thoughtfully, “Siracusa is theoretically monogamous as well. But mafia families completely ignore those laws. An alpha wolf will take multiple mates. It’s designed to ensure the strong reproduction of their bloodline, which usually leads to siblings slaughtering each other for power down the line.”
“How incredibly pragmatic,” Lucian muttered dryly, sounding nothing like a holy figure.
Why was she bringing this up? The usually aloof Lupo’s face was burning red. She visibly struggled with her words for a long moment. “If you ever wanted to start a family of your own, it’s not like I couldn’t… No, that would be too unfair to Exusiai. I refuse to hurt her.”
“Who? Where is this person hurting Exusiai?” Lucian immediately swiveled his head, playing the fool.
Texas felt a flash of exasperation at his deliberate density, but it quickly melted into a soft, genuine laugh. She sighed, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. “Let’s just leave it at that for now. I care about Exusiai, and I like the life we have right now. Thank you, Lucian. Thank you for taking me in.”
“You’re welcome.” Lucian smiled back, his gaze softening. “I like our current life a lot, too. We have plenty of time. There’s no need to rush into changing anything.”
Texas’s lips curled into a faint smile.
“Those are other people’s rules anyway. Our relationship doesn’t require anyone else’s approval. Let them talk.” Lucian spoke with a refreshing, almost dashing honesty.
Texas felt no trace of anger. He always teased her for being too careless, for lacking a traditional feminine touch, but she was still a woman. And no woman despised being cherished. Despite her calm exterior, her fluffy Lupo tail betrayed her entirely, wagging with a rapid, excited rhythm against the chair.
Keeping her hands on his cheeks, she leaned in closer, the distance between them vanishing. “Don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t anything special. It’s just… hush money. Everything that happened just now stays between us. Especially… from Exusiai.”
While the energetic Sankta remained sprawled out asleep inside the room, the two figures outside shared a quiet intimacy, their breaths mingling, their shadows merging into one. Carrying a sliver of guilt toward her best friend, yet intoxicated by the warmth of the moment, Texas allowed herself to savor the taste of her first love.
But because she was so deeply immersed, her usually sharp Lupo senses failed her.
‘Brother Lucian and Miss Texas…!’Angelina gasped silently from her hiding spot.’Are they actually in that kind of relationship?!’Beside her, Croissant was vibrating with excitement.’Oh man! Texas is actually making a move! I gotta get a picture of this! LMD, here I come!’
Very soon, a certain Defender would learn exactly how fatal it was to try and extort a former mafia boss.