The Taste of Coffee

So, a few hundred years ago, this might have happened with swords. Jude might have pulled out a bow and just shot people with arrows for a chance of victory.

"Probably a good idea," Jude admitted. "I think if you did that whole thing, the Veil would have freaked out, and the whole thing would have been a mess. Never mind, you know, people getting killed."

He considered for a moment, and then gave a little smile.

"Is this whole thing a way to choose the partner of Choróin, by any chance?"

That waits to be picked. Jude flicked mentally back, and then-

"Oh fuck," Jude said, immediately clapping his hand over his mouth. "Oh- sorry! I didn't -"

Well, he was good and flustered now.

"I think I failed his test. He worded things... in a tricky manner. I thought he and the proctors wouldn't pact so they could be neutral, but..."

Jude let out a little huff at the realization.

He was like a fae. Telling the truth, but only in the trickiest way possible. Maybe Jude would have to track him down and give it a second shot.

"Well," Jude admitted. "I can tell. Part of my powers are, uh, knowing the powers of other people, and that includes species. So even at a distance, I can tell who is or isn't a Regalia. That's how I figured out you were, actually."

He paused for a moment, considering her words.

"I assumed they wouldn't because it would affect... I guess impartialness? But I suppose there's multiple proctors - as long as a proctor wasn't monitoring their own pactee, it wouldn't be an issue..."

He considered that for a moment.

"Does that mean you are up for maybe pacting?"

Reasons why she'd want to. Easier said than done, considering he didn't know all that much about her.

"I mean, that's fair," Jude admitted. "I'm kind of taking up a lot of your time on the clock, and you probably have things to do. We could always get together later and talk about stuff? I figure, even if you're looking to pact because of the tournament, you're probably also looking to get to know someone before you sign this whole... magical bonding pact thing."

If she was a bit younger, it'd almost sound like a date, but Jude was very firmly of the mind that it was in the realm of just friends.

"And, I mean, it'd be helpful if I knew what you were hoping to get out of it. Most of the non-Regalia are pretty up front, but the Regalia are really tight lipped."

That was so... so wholesome. Even if Choróin was the proctor and technically higher ranking, Jude decided that he liked Lucianne a whole hell of a lot more. She wasn't trying to trick him (as far as he knew, anyway), she was up front, and she wanted... well, kindness and honesty.

"It's a nice dream," Jude said. "Its... I guess something I can relate to."

Not that exact dream. But wanting to help people.

"I'll stop by the bookstore though. One, you said? And then-"

Jude glanced over his shoulder, watching another customer come in. "And we can talk more then."