CHAPTER 606: THE NIGHT TO REMEMBER

It was no wonder why one Imperial Crown Prince and his equally confused wife were surprised to see even more deposits.

"!!!"

"Xavier! Why did you transfer money again?! Is something wrong?" Luca asked, trembling as soon as he saw their account.

In reality, Xavier had only just transferred it over since he had received the message moments ago.

"No, no. Nothing is wrong. It is just that my parents seem to be very thankful. They said they enjoyed it so much but hoped you did not suffer losses just to send them something."

He said it calmly, but the actual message had been more of a frantic rave laced with panic, asking whether the beloved was all right after sending something so precious.

It worried the prince at first, but then again, anything his wife made or gave was automatically considered a treasure. After realizing this, he supposed he should not be surprised at all.

"So, in the end, what did you send them?"

Luca fidgeted, his cheeks faintly pink as he finally confessed, "I... ended up sending them wine and food. The elders helped me choose what was appropriate."

"Oh." Xavier’s brows lifted, his tone both curious and faintly amused. "Wine and food? There’s actually wine now?"

"Yes..." Luca looked down, his fingers tugging at his sleeve.

"And why did you agree to send that?" Xavier asked, his voice calm, deep with the huskiness of morning, the sound brushing against Luca’s ears like velvet.

The shy chipmunk shifted uncomfortably, then raised his gaze with surprising steadfastness. "Because... when I told the elders about love languages, they suggested giving something that melded both. Something like an experience." His voice was small but filled with hope, as though he fully believed in the reasoning.

Amusement sparkled in Xavier’s azure eyes. "So, then, what was this experience you gave them?"

Luca, face red and ears trembling, straightened with all the conviction he could muster. "A date!" he declared, as though he were naming a great invention.

Xavier blinked once, his lips twitching. "A date?"

Luca nodded earnestly, fists clenching at his sides to show his resolve. "Yes! The elders said that husbands and wives could enjoy a good dinner date with wine and food. Not only would they enjoy something tangible, but they would spend time together and be happy together!" His golden eyes shone with determination as he said it, completely serious.

For a heartbeat, Xavier held still. Then a low chuckle escaped him, rumbling from his chest before he could stop it.

Luca blinked up at him, confused. "...What?"

The Crown Prince reached over, brushing a lock of white hair behind his ear as he smiled down at his little wife with a look only Luca could ever receive. "No wonder they are especially thankful. It seems it really was the perfect gift."

The Imperial Prince, who looked like a lounging model even when sitting, straightened upright and leaned closer. Then he bent down to press a kiss against Luca’s forehead.

Luca’s entire body jolted. Heat crept up his neck, threatening to make him explode.

It was ironic.

They had already done far more intimate, even shameless, things together, yet something like this—just a kiss on the forehead—made his heart feel like it would burst.

"W-what’s the matter?" Luca stammered, still red in the face. He searched Xavier’s expression, but the prince only smiled and whispered, "Thank you for existing. And thank you for your sincerity."

Then Xavier gently lifted Luca’s hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it.

Luca overheated further. "N-no! I did not do anything! I only wanted to return their sincerity!"

"That is fine. I understand." Xavier’s voice lowered. "Even if it was unintentional, I hope you do not mind that I think of it as you thinking of me..."

Luca blinked, processing the words. Then he caught the wistful expression on Xavier’s face. His chest tightened. "Wait! No! O-obviously it was for you too! I-I wanted to be accepted by them!"

"You do?" Xavier’s face lowered to meet his. Luca’s eyes trembled with embarrassment.

"O-of course I do!"

"Really...? Why?"

Luca’s ears burned, his neck flushed like a ripe tomato, but he managed to puff out, "Because... because you’re my husband!"

The words left him trembling so badly he nearly fainted when Xavier’s grin spread wider.

"I am. And I am very fortunate to have the loveliest wife." Xavier’s voice deepened as he leaned closer.

By the time he whispered again, Luca was already pinned beneath him, caught between Xavier’s arms. The prince’s white hair draped around them like a silken curtain, closing them off from the world.

Xavier’s lips pressed softly against Luca’s before he breathed, "You really are my happiness..."

Luca’s mind went blank.

Or maybe it was better to say that it had been entirely overtaken by Xavier—his presence, his warmth, and everything about him. And yet he did not mind.

The only thing Luca managed to think about was how Xavier had always been the same for him, and even more. Happiness, security, affection. And Luca could not even dream of being any happier than he was in that moment.

Just like many others whose happiness had been restored, or perhaps reinvented entirely.

Because while there was one little girl and her trusted butler who could no longer hide their delight, there were also her parents—an Emperor and an Empress—who found themselves graced with an experience they knew they would never forget.

Getting over the first sip was the hardest hurdle. Alcohol was not foreign in the Empire, but it had never been popular. Not when every so-called "acquired taste" drink seemed better suited as a cleaning agent than as something to enjoy.

Yet because of visual resonance, even if the drink had tasted like sand, the ruling couple would have forced themselves to hold on and drink.

But who could have known? Who could have imagined that when they uncorked one of the four bottles, the scent that drifted out would be faintly floral—something more fragrant, more delicate, more alive than any artificial flower bred and planted in the Imperial Palace?

The Emperor and Empress looked at each other. A silent agreement. Then they each raised a glass and sipped.

The moment it touched Empress Gisella’s lips, her eyes widened. A flavor she had never once expected wrapped around her tongue, smooth and harmonious, worlds away from the harsh sting she had braced herself for. It was nothing like the taste of typical alcohol, that sour fire which could double as a floor-cleaning solvent.

"!!!"

Her hand trembled as she lowered the glass.

The Emperor had the same reaction.

He swallowed once, eyes narrowing as if he had just glimpsed a secret of the universe. Clearly, this was something they had never expected to taste in this life. And had it not been for the clear note inside the instructions reminding them to consume moderately, he was quite certain they would have abandoned dignity and simply chugged the entire bottle then and there.

"Honey... what do we do?" the Empress asked, her voice weak with disbelief.

The Emperor exhaled heavily, gripping his glass with reverence. "I know. I understand. But for us to express our gratitude sincerely, we should also enjoy all this... as sincerely as possible."

And that was exactly how they went on with the night.

Each dish nearly brought them to tears.

The flavors, the textures, the aromas—it was overwhelming.

When they first tasted something called a dumpling, they immediately looked at each other with the guilty thought of stashing some away for their children. Because truly, how could they in good conscience eat something so heavenly all by themselves?

But Butler Henry, who was personally serving them, quickly intervened. "Please refrain, Your Majesties. Your child has already received her own rations. The food is similar, only adjusted. Her alcohol has been turned to juice. And she has been given her favorite desserts."

The couple sat there, dumpling still in hand, eyes shimmering with tears.

"Even desserts?" the Empress whispered.

"Definitely desserts," the butler confirmed, bowing solemnly.

It was too much. Far, far too much. But considering the lengths Xavier’s beloved had gone through for them... they couldn’t possibly ignore the sincerity.

It was then that the couple decided to follow the instructions to the letter and enjoy everything that had been served.

Just like when they had first lifted their glasses, they now found themselves staring in disbelief at a dish called steamed fish with ginger and herbs.

For one thing, they could not even believe fish still existed like this. And for another, they could not believe it could taste like that. The flesh was tender, fragrant, and refreshing, with each bite layered in herbs that seemed to soothe every corner of the body.

The Emperor blinked once. The Empress blinked back. And then they both broke into a chuckle, realizing just how ridiculous they had been reacting all evening. But how could they not be glad? How could they not feel lighter, livelier, after learning all this while about their son’s heart, and now being gifted a night such as this?

The night was splendid.

Conversations that had long gone unsaid finally flowed with grace and ease. Words they had not dared to speak, worries they had buried under duty, slipped out into the open like water from a spring.

They shared laughter. Their cheeks warmed. Their hearts hammered in their chests, no longer from battle or governance, but from joy.

The silence between them stretched at one point, filled with the soft glow of lamps and the faint scent of wine. Then it broke—not with another word, but with a laugh that melted into a kiss.

It was, without a doubt, a night to remember.

And it was not only within the palace.

Across the Empire, similar occasions were unfolding. Households, neighborhoods, even entire communities sat together with their own small shares of food, doing their best to keep their wits while savoring flavors they had never dreamed of. Even if people only got bites, they were bites they never thought they’d be able to have.

It was chaotic. It was tender. It was life.

And through it all, one vendor echoed silently in their hearts.

Star Mall Vendor 11820251002.

All over the Empire, people wished him the best things in life, even as they cried for themselves, for their families, and for the vendor who somehow loved them all.