English
Indonesia
Chinese (Simp)
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
Portuguese
French
German
ArabicArknights: The Holy Son's Leisurely Life — Chapter 36
Chapter 36: Thank You, Lucian!
“Angelina, I’ll walk you through the kitchen first.”
Stepping into the back of his Soy Milk Shop, Lucian felt an immediate wave of comfort wash over him. The lingering scent of roasted soybeans and warm dough was as familiar as his own breathing. This kitchen was his true sanctuary. Only here, amidst the gleaming stainless steel and rising steam, did he feel that absolute, exhilarating control he once wielded as a Holy Son.
Angelina trailed closely behind him. She nodded vigorously, her hands clasped tightly in front of her crisp apron. “Please don’t hesitate to teach me, Master Lucian!” she declared, her voice bright with energy.
Out in the dining area, Exusiai and Croissant were managing the floor. Thanks to these outwardly stunning—yet inwardly chaotic—women of Penguin Logistics, the shop was thriving. Situated in a prime commercial district of Lungmen, Lucian’s modest storefront had become an absolute lifeline for the morning rush of exhausted office workers.
Lucian moved with practiced efficiency, prepping ingredients while speaking over his shoulder. “Our main focus is the breakfast rush. Speed and freshness are everything. We prep the bulk of the ingredients the night before, so mornings are just about execution. The oven is on your left, the steamer is on the right, and the deep fryer sits right in the middle. Your first task is to memorize our menu and the exact components of every dish.”
“Yes, Master!” Angelina immediately pulled a small, worn notebook from her apron pocket, carefully jotting down every word.
With her striking looks and naturally endearing personality, Angelina would have been perfect for the front counter. She would have drawn in customers effortlessly. But the harsh reality of Lungmen dictated otherwise. The Infected were treated with bitter prejudice here. The more she showed her face, the higher the risk of drawing unwanted attention. Keeping her in the back minimized her contact with outsiders.
In truth, she didn’t need to work at all. She could have simply stayed hidden in his apartment. But Lucian had waved off her anxieties. A person needed purpose. If Angelina was going to survive and eventually settle in Lungmen, she needed to understand the rhythm of the city. Stagnating in a locked room would do her no good. Angelina, sharp as she was, fully grasped his underlying kindness and accepted the job with deep gratitude.
As the morning rush finally ebbed, the relentless clamor of the storefront faded into a low murmur. The kitchen cooled, the frantic pace slowing to a comfortable crawl.
Finding a quiet moment while wiping down the counters, Angelina leaned in close. “Thank you so much, Lucian,” she whispered, a sweet, genuine smile gracing her lips. “Just pulling me away from the cops… ah, I mean, the Lungmen Guard Department… that was already more than I could ever ask for. But you gave me a safe place to shower, a warm bed to sleep in. And Croissant, Exusiai, Texas… none of them look at me differently just because I’m Infected. They treat me so well. I really don’t know how I’ll ever repay this kind of debt.”
Lucian let out a dry, amused breath. “You’re overthinking it. If we followed that logic, considering how long I’ve been taking care of those three women, shouldn’t they have offered themselves to me by now? You can repay their kindness however you see fit, but you don’t owe me anything. Just helping out around the kitchen is plenty.”
Angelina blinked, tilting her head. “Have you known Croissant and the others for a long time?”
“Exusiai is the oldest connection. We’re childhood friends,” Lucian explained, his hands pausing as the memories surfaced. “Texas and Croissant came later, after I moved to Lungmen. I basically picked them up off the streets. Pretty similar to how I found you, actually.”
He sighed, suddenly realizing just how much time had slipped through his fingers.
His initial journey to Lungmen with Exusiai had been fueled by rumors of Mostima. They had tracked her past to Penguin Logistics. Upon arriving in the sprawling city, Lucian had managed to secure legal identities for them with the backing of Big Sister Hoshiguma and Rat King Lin. But by the time they reached Penguin Logistics, Mostima had already vanished, deliberately avoiding him. That heartless scoundrel was always like that—perfectly willing to take advantage of people, but too much of a guilty coward to actually face them.
Lucian had originally intended to keep chasing her. But a quick mental calculation of his finances—zero savings, empty pockets, and a hungry Exusiai to feed—forced a change of plans. Chasing a ghost across Terra without a single LMD to his name was a fool’s errand. He decided to plant his roots in Lungmen, at least until he could build up a decent nest egg.
It was meant to be a temporary stop. Yet, before he knew it, the days had turned into months. He had opened a business, tangled himself up with the female officers of the Lungmen Guard Department, and found himself completely anchored to the city.
“We also have the boss of Penguin Logistics to thank for this setup. He’s a complete weirdo,” Lucian continued, pulling his thoughts back to the present. “After I took in Texas and Croissant, he… or rather, it… dumped the entire logistics operation onto my lap just so he could focus on opening a bar. When you’re old enough to drink, Angelina, I’ll take you there. It’s quite the experience.”
“Hehehe. Thank you, Lucian.” Angelina beamed, a warm flutter in her chest making her feel as though she had suddenly gained an older brother.
Back in Siracusa, the mafia families ruled the shadows, but they had always been a distant reality to her, something she only saw in movies. Since meeting Lucian, her fifteen years of life had been injected with a thrilling, expansive sense of freedom—much like the rush she felt when she first became a messenger.
Yet, his unconditional generosity still left her feeling overwhelmed. After chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, she voiced the unease lingering in her mind. “Lucian… I really am incredibly grateful. But honestly, why are you willing to go this far for a complete stranger?”
Lungmen was notoriously unforgiving toward the Infected. Sheltering someone with Oripathy meant inviting a hundred different risks without a single tangible reward. Angelina had wondered if perhaps Lucian had family members who were Infected, which would explain his empathy. But everyone at Penguin Logistics was perfectly healthy. His boundless tolerance simply didn’t make sense in a world this cruel.
“Why do I help the Infected?” Lucian stopped wiping the counter, genuinely considering how to phrase it. He reached out, his tone turning deadpan. “First off, you’re a cute girl. I happen to like cute girls. Therefore, I like you. That’s reason number one.”
“W-Wha—! Lucian!” The thin-skinned high schooler instantly flushed crimson, lightly punching his arm in embarrassment.
Lucian didn’t flinch; he was merely stating the unvarnished truth, entirely stripping away any polite filters. Enjoying the light massage of her frantic punches, his expression gradually sobered. “There are other reasons. In the past, I’ve hurt a lot of Infected. I carry a certain amount of guilt for that.”
“Eh?” Angelina froze, her hands dropping to her sides.
Lucian’s eyes were dark and serious. There was no trace of a joke in his voice.
“Of course, it’s only a little guilt,” he added smoothly, the heavy atmosphere dissipating as quickly as it arrived. “If you asked me to move mountains or change the world for the Infected, I wouldn’t do it. But to ease my own conscience? Helping one out when they cross my path is a small enough price to pay. So don’t overthink it, Angelina. I’m helping you simply because I want to. To put it bluntly, it’s pure self-gratification. I haven’t done you any massive favor, and you don’t need to lose sleep over how to repay me. It’s much better for both of us if we just get along without all that psychological baggage.”
Lucian smiled, reaching out to gently play with the ends of her full, curly hair. The soft, thick texture was incredibly soothing against his fingers. Angelina felt a rush of heat to her cheeks, but she didn’t pull away.
To her, this fallen angel was becoming more enigmatic by the second. Just when she thought she had peeled back a layer of his personality, she stumbled into a deeper well of secrets. But she also knew that a person’s true core couldn’t be unraveled in just a few days.
The clever Vulpo girl looked up at him, a bright, teasing smile breaking across her face. “You’re a good person, Lucian. I can personally attest to that, so you should be a little more confident in yourself, okay? Ya!”
In response to the high schooler’s sudden burst of arrogance, Lucian administered swift justice, ruthlessly ruffling her carefully brushed hair until it was a frizzy mess. Her indignant protests echoed through the kitchen, filling the small shop with a warm, joyous air.