The restaurant's dining room was bathed in a soft golden light, giving it an air of sophistication, enhanced by crystal chandeliers and walls paneled in dark wood. The tables were spaced far enough apart to provide privacy, though Leonar felt like every gaze was on them.

Mary, sitting across from him, seemed to fit perfectly in such a place. Her uniform, with its tailored black jacket and golden accents that highlighted her slender figure, harmonized seamlessly with the elegant atmosphere.

Leonar, on the other hand, was entirely out of place in his casual sportswear—dry now but still faintly reeking of sweat.

Before him lay a plate that made his appetite roar: a perfectly cooked steak bathed in a thick red wine sauce, accompanied by mashed potatoes so creamy they looked like clouds. A small bundle of asparagus adorned one side of the dish, garnished with a sprig of parsley for the finishing touch.

Nearby, a couple of empty glasses and a nearly finished bottle of wine hinted that Mary had made much better use of the occasion than he had.

She sliced small pieces of her food, her attention seemingly divided between her plate and the occasional glance she cast at Leonar. When the waiter returned with a fresh bottle of wine before quickly retreating, Mary looked up, her voice calm but laden with meaning.

“Don’t think for a second that this is going to make me forgive you.”

Leonar set his fork down on the plate and leaned back slightly. His eyes studied her for a moment before a faint smile curled his lips.

“I wasn’t expecting you to. I’m just... glad to see you’re still eating well.”

Mary let out a short laugh and shook her head, returning to her plate.

“Eating well? There are cheaper places to eat well, you know. Though, of course, that wouldn’t be your style, would it?”

Leonar shrugged, propping his elbows on the table and intertwining his fingers.

“I told you before. This is the least you deserve for waiting.”

Mary put down her knife and fork, a soft pink coloring her cheeks. Still, she didn’t let the moment soften her entirely. Taking a sizable bite of her food, she chewed quickly and chased it down with a generous sip of wine before speaking.

“You do know your compliments don’t work on me, right?” Mary said, though her tone had lost some of its initial sharpness.

Leonar let out a brief laugh and leaned back in his chair.

“Of course. But it doesn’t hurt to try.”

For a moment, silence settled between them, broken only by the clinking of cutlery against plates. Mary was the first to speak again, steering the conversation toward a topic that had clearly been on her mind for a while.

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“Your sisters have been asking about you.”

Leonar raised an eyebrow, taking a sip from his glass, though he’d barely touched the wine.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes,” Mary continued, her gaze fixed on him. “I’ve told them you’re working, but... what are you really doing?”

Leonar held her gaze for a moment before responding.

“I’ll be gone for a while longer.”

Concern flickered in Mary’s eyes, though she tried to mask it with a quick gesture, as if tucking back an imaginary strand of hair.

“Are you... still gambling?” Mary asked, her voice almost a whisper, as if dreading the answer.

Leonar offered a faint smile, though there was a bitter edge to it.

“No. I’ve found another job. Something more... stable.”

Mary’s reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened with surprise, and a spark of hope lit her face.

“Are you serious?”

Leonar nodded, though his expression didn’t mirror her enthusiasm.

“Yes. But I can’t give you many details yet. It’s something that’s still being finalized.”

Mary leaned slightly toward him, resting her elbows on the table.

“How long do you think it’ll take?”

Leonar shifted his gaze to the newly opened wine bottle and shrugged.

“That’s yet to be seen.”

Mary frowned, clearly frustrated by his vague answers.

“Is this a joke, Leonar?” she asked, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

Leonar shook his head, exhaling a sigh.

“It’s complicated.”

Mary watched him in silence for several seconds, as if trying to decipher something in his expression.

‘It’s impossible... I can’t figure out what this idiot is thinking...’ Mary thought, letting out a sigh. She finally returned her focus to her food, though her attention was still clearly divided.

At that moment, Eleonora’s voice echoed in Leonar’s mind, cutting through the uncomfortable silence.

“When are we going back to training?”

Leonar pressed his lips together and responded mentally.

‘Not now. Take this time to rest.’

Mary leaned back in her chair, placing her fork on her plate.

“I’m getting sleepy,” she said, her voice tired but tinged with satisfaction.

Leonar glanced at the spread before her. While Mary had tried a bit of everything, it was clear she hadn’t finished much of it.

In normal circumstances, when he had plenty of money, he wouldn’t care about such details. But now...

“Mary... you’ve barely touched most of what you ordered...”

Mary shook her head, waving her hand dismissively toward the plate.

“I’m full. Can you take me somewhere to rest?”

Damn it!

Maybe he should’ve taken her somewhere cheaper after all.

Leonar let out a low laugh, trying not to think too much about how much the meal was going to cost. As he got up and headed toward the reception desk to pay, Mary stopped him, raising a hand.

“There’s no need. I know the owner of this place.”

Leonar raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You’re kidding.”

Mary let out a light laugh and stood up, swaying slightly before steadying herself with a hand on Leonar’s shoulder.

“What do you think?”

Moments later, Leonar was climbing the stairs of a nearby hotel, carrying Mary in his arms.

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, he couldn’t help but notice how carefree she looked, her eyes closed and her head resting against his chest.

“Oh, this is great training. But if this human weighed any more, I think—”

‘Shut up,’ Leonar cut in before Eleonora could finish.

The reason Leonar had been avoiding Mary was simple: he owed her a significant amount of money. Naturally, he didn’t have the courage to spend time with her like he used to. Yet, to his surprise...

Mary hadn’t shown the slightest embarrassment in asking him to carry her in front of everyone, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Her attitude reminded him of someone.

‘She’s just as shameless as you, Eleonora,’ he thought.

“What? Me? Why?”

When they finally reached the hotel room, Leonar gently placed Mary on the bed. But as he turned to leave, she stopped him, her voice tinged with annoyance.

“You’re just going to leave like that?”