Chapter 417: Dart’s concern

Luke spent the morning with Roxanne, leaving only after she had woken up. He told her he would be having breakfast with Monica and the others since he needed to explain things to them as well.

"I’ll try to get Thea out of her room today. Perhaps I can convince her to spend some time in my workshop as well," Roxanne had said, already making plans for the day.

Thea was better now but to recover better it was important she steps out of the house and talk to more people. Luke himself had made a mental note to have a chat with her later when he would be coming back to check on the reinforcements sent by Kalish.

Just before leaving, Luke had encouraged her not to worry too much about her recent weight gain. His only concern was that she and his other lovers remained healthy, and he intended to keep a close eye on their well-being.

As a precaution, he had also made a habit of checking their blood regularly to ensure nothing was amiss.

With that taken care of, he continued on his way.

"Hmm?" It wasn’t long before he spotted someone to whom he owed an apology.

"Dart." Luke raised a hand in greeting as the man stepped out through the gate of his house.

"Luke... where the hell have you been, man?" Dart asked with a sigh. There was a weariness in his voice, a noticeable lack of the usual energy he carried himself with.

"I ran into a bit of trouble. By the time I got back, I could barely stand, let alone attend the gathering." Luke offered his explanation truthfully.

The exhaustion that had overcome him the previous day was unlike anything he had experienced before. According to the system, the sudden transition from spending his time beneath two moons to being exposed to full daylight had forced his body to undergo a rapid adjustment.

It had nothing to do with his Beast Tamer skill, whose aftereffects his body had already overcome. This was an entirely different matter, a consequence of his body adapting to a new environment.

"I understand that much, but you could’ve at least stayed long enough to hear my speech." Dart shook his head. "Everyone who heard it said I did great, but the two people I wanted to hear me speak in front of a crowd for the first time were both absent."

Luke’s eyebrows rose. "Nadia didn’t attend either?"

Dart’s expression turned sheepish. "Well, she wasn’t feeling very well, though she did show up near the end." He sighed, his concern becoming more apparent. "I’ve been worried about her lately. The morning sickness is one thing, but I don’t think she’s been eating properly either."

Luke had a feeling he knew exactly where this conversation was headed. His instincts urged him to make a quiet escape before things became any more complicated, but he was already too late.

"Hey, Luke, why don’t you spend some time with her? Maybe you could explain why it’s so important for her to eat properly."

Dart lowered his voice, his expression turning earnest. "She takes your words more seriously than anyone else’s. Besides, you’ve always had a way of speaking bluntly when you need to. It usually gets the point across."

Luke exhaled slowly, lowering his head as he considered the request.

The last thing he had wanted that morning was to get dragged into a conversation like this. Yet, as much as he disliked the idea, he knew that putting it off would only allow the problem to grow.

Worse, it might eventually become a source of tension between him and Dart, something he had no intention of allowing to happen.

After a moment’s hesitation, Luke turned to face his friend.

"Dart... you might not like what I’m about to ask, but are you genuinely comfortable with me being alone with Nadia?"

Dart blinked, caught off guard by the question.

"I mean, I’m still a man, and under certain circumstances, Nadia and I have shared intimate moments. No matter how much we might want to, neither of us can simply erase those memories. Doesn’t it ever cross your mind that something like that could happen again?"

Luke had wanted to address the matter sooner rather than later.

As far as he was concerned, Nadia was an unpredictable element in his relationship with Dart, someone whose presence could easily complicate a friendship he had come to value far more than he once realized.

He also had no desire to take Dart’s trust for granted. Pretending to be an honest and dependable friend while keeping a secret relationship with Nadia was one thing. Continuing to enjoy that trust without ever confronting what it meant was another.

In the past, Luke might not have given the matter much thought. Whatever had happened between him and Nadia had seemed like something he could leave behind without consequence.

But things had changed. Over time, he had come to recognize just how much Dart meant to him, how rare it was to find someone he could genuinely call a friend.

And that realization had left him facing an unfamiliar kind of hesitation.

For the first time in his life, Luke found himself reluctant to approach a woman.

Dart remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "I won’t lie. It has crossed my mind. And if I add another uncertain assumption to the mix... I feel Nadia is already attracted to you, Luke."

Luke was taken aback. "You... uh, why do you think so?"

Dart offered a faint smile. He seemed to understand what Luke had been about to say, but rather than press the matter, he answered his question.

"As you said, we’re people with emotions. I was the one who told Nadia to spend time with you and form a physical bond with you. I was selfish. I wanted a child of my own, even though I was incapable of giving us a new family member."

Luke rested a hand on Dart’s shoulder. "It’s not something you chose for yourself."

Dart smiled faintly. "I know, but that’s the truth. And since I allowed Nadia to grow closer to you, it’s only natural that she might develop feelings for you." He chuckled. "Hell, if I were a woman, I’d have fallen for you too."

Luke chuckled and shook his head.

The silence between them settled into a comfortable calm before Dart spoke again. "I just want Nadia to be happy. But I won’t force you to see her if you don’t want to."

Luke found himself at a loss for words.

"Are you sure you’ll be fine with it?"

Dart gave a short nod. "As long as it’s you, I know I can trust you." He gave Luke’s shoulders a gentle squeeze before walking away.

Luke remained where he was for a while, his gaze eventually settling on the house next to his own.

Seriously, sometimes I feel like you don’t deserve him, Nadia...

~~~

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