Working at the palace was never easy and even exhausting for most. Eternal pressure from the count and the count's court, servants close to them who considered themselves greater. It was especially difficult for the plague doctors who worked to find a cure for the red plague in the underground palace premises.

So Julian was surprised when, heading from Lucio's chambers back to the laboratory, he heard curses and saw a colleague passing by, who glanced at him briefly and nodded, quietly greeting him.

The man could only imagine what could have happened behind the doors from which this person had just come out, but the state of affairs was clearly not the best, so he decided to give his colleague some encouragement.

Quickly catching up with pace of their steps, he walked alongside with a small smile, until hisvelvety, but slightly low, voice echoed in the corridor walls with hint of teasing. “Has work really exhausted you that much? Maybe you should ask for a vacation?”