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As soon as Luna stepped into the dining hall of the Lenovile estate, accompanied by Inara, every gaze turned in her direction.
Maids and servants paused their tasks, watching each graceful step Luna took.
Their eyes lingered especially on her long silver hair that swayed gently, on the ethereal dress in shades of blue and pink, and on the butterfly-shaped necklace resting delicately upon her chest.
Nothing in Luna's appearance resembled her brothers, who were seated at the main table in the center of the grand hall.
The one seated in the middle, staring at her with clear disapproval and a furrowed brow, was named Arnesto. He was the eldest in the family, with light blue eyes and delicate, almost soft features, though his personality clashed with his appearance.
He was impulsive, overly emotional, and often abandoned reason — a trait he had been forced to control over the years after becoming the head of the Lenovile family. Now, those impulses were simply restrained, as poorly thought-out decisions could lead to irreversible consequences for the family.
Beside him sat Tinel, the middle brother, around nineteen years old — seven years older than Luna and three years younger than Arnesto. His expression was calm, smiling softly as he looked at Luna.
Tinel resembled Arnesto in appearance, sharing the same dark hair and blue eyes, but his temperament was entirely different.
Serene and methodical, he rarely acted without thought.
Still, his excessive rationality was something that deeply irritated Luna — there was too much coldness in the way he perceived human relationships.
— Took your time getting here, didn't you, little sister? Over ten minutes late. We almost started without you.
Tinel spoke calmly, but behind the polite smile was a clear note of annoyance.
His face may have shown gentleness, but there wasn't a trace of real warmth within him — only control and calculation.
— Late again today — added Arnesto, watching his sister walk with her usual indifferent expression.
Luna, however, didn't bother to reply.
She ignored them completely, walking lightly to one of the chairs furthest from both brothers and sitting down without haste.
She gathered her loose hair back with her fingers in a calm motion, then picked up a fork resting near her hand. Without sparing them a glance, she selected one of the dishes placed in the center of the table.
She looked at the feast before her, which no longer resembled what she used to call lunch in her past life. She chose only a bit of the fruit salad, its vibrant colors and soft aroma evoking something divine and delicious.
Without any ceremony, she brought a spoonful to her mouth.
— Mm...
In that instant, the sweet nectar of the mixed fruits spread across her tongue, creating an almost magical sensation. The intense, honeyed flavor enveloped her, making her close her eyes briefly, enchanted.
As she savored it, she used one fork to eat and the other to gently move her silver strands away from her face — as effortlessly as a daily habit.
While Luna ate in silence, completely ignoring them, her brothers' expressions grew tense with disapproval — they were seconds away from acting impulsively.
However, Tinel took a deep breath, turned his gaze away from his sister, and murmured to Arnesto:
— What are you going to do?
— Obviously, she needs a lesson. That's not how a proper lady of a noble family should behave.
Arnesto replied with a furrowed brow, visibly annoyed.
— I wasn't talking about her, brother. I meant the trade routes. We can't allow the situation to continue like this.
— Are you really bringing that up at the table, Tinel? — Arnesto shot back, squinting. — You know that belongs in the office. Don't throw that headache at me now.
— Handle it before it worsens. The taxes on trade routes have always been outrageous on our planet Tabel because of the Corporate Sector, but now they're unbearable.
Tinel said firmly, watching his brother massage his forehead in frustration.
Still, he didn't stop:
— The noble houses are taking advantage of this crisis. You should do the same.
Arnesto turned to his brother in surprise, shaking his head in denial.
It was, in fact, an effective approach.
But a risky one.
— You're asking me to take an illegal route?
— Yes — replied Tinel bluntly.
— I can't. Trusting smugglers is like playing Russian roulette. If the Corporate Sector finds out, we'll be eliminated.
— And if we do nothing, we'll die just the same — Tinel shot back coldly. — At least we'd be trying something, even if it's not within the law.
Even from a distance, Luna clearly followed the conversation and the economic turmoil surrounding her family.
The Lenovile house was no longer exactly prosperous — not anymore — but still floated on enough wealth to maintain prestige and the appearance of stability. It was with that capital they had founded their own planetary import corporation, called Lenoviles.
To keep their operations legal, they had to pay heavy taxes to the Corporate Sector, an entity subordinate to the Trade Federation.
In practice, the family's corporation functioned as an interstellar-scale transport company, handling import contracts from their planet and export between worlds, dealing with diverse demands and influential clients.
However, it remained a small-scale business. And despite being based on Tabel — a planet privileged by its strategic position on trade routes and proximity to the Central Rim worlds — the cost of operating there was immense.
The taxes levied by the Corporate Sector were exorbitant, almost punitive, consuming a large portion of their profits.
Luna suddenly had an idea, and as she cast a distant glance toward her brothers, she chuckled softly.
She drifted into thought as she chewed calmly, revisiting memories from Rin that arose spontaneously, paying no attention to the atmosphere around her.
— Lu...
— ...Una.
— Na...
— Luna.
If they were any smarter, they'd have thought of something better than just dumping everything in the hands of smugglers.
— Luna!!!
— ...?
The shout pulled her out of her daze. Luna blinked, surprised, meeting the gaze of Arnesto, who now looked ready to explode.
— Luna Lenovile! How dare you laugh in front of us and ignore our presence?! Are you deaf?! I called you several times!
Arnesto's voice echoed furiously, his gestures exaggerated, and spit flew from his mouth like some wild animal.
— Dammit.
She muttered, realizing she couldn't even sit quietly without drawing attention.
— What?
Arnesto had already stood up from his seat, now walking toward Luna.
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