Just as he'd expected, Mira did not look very pleased with the notion of pausing her reading session. It was a good thing she wasn't selfish enough to do much about it. They were on a date, after all. A date she'd agreed to go on.

After some time, the carriage lurched to a stop and the driver opened the hatch at the front by just a crack so his voice would carry inside. "We're here, valued customers."

"Thank you," Reivan called out in an even voice. He waited for the door to be opened by the driver before getting out, offering the lady inside a hand. "C'mon. You can read them later."

Mira hugged the small cloth sack to her chest. "You won't have to return them to the store yet?"

"I already bought them."

"Really? And you're giving them to me?"

Reivan shrugged. "If you behave."

"You make it sound like I misbehave all the time..." Mira groaned before taking his hand and climbing out of the carriage, once again exposed to the howling cold. She deposited the bag into her spatial ring before looking around. "The train station? So that's why we rode for such a long time... Hold on a second, are you taking me out of town?"

"No, no. There's a new place nearby. Just a short walk, but carriages can't really go there."

"Oh. Never heard of it."

"Didn't think so. It's only been there for a month, apparently."

"Neat."

Reivan cheekily didn’t let go of her hand and led her toward a nondescript path a few dozen yards away from the station. It was more akin to an animal trail than anything established by humans. But the dirt was heavily beaten down and hence, wasn’t muddy at all, providing relatively stable footing despite the subtle incline.

“I have to admit,” Mira began from right beside him. “A guy's never taken me through a mysterious hidden path that leads into the forest like this. Usually, I’d hex them if they tried.”

“Don’t hex me,” Reivan warned as he adjusted his pace to match hers. “I’m not planning to kill you in the forest.”

“You know what? I think that’s exactly what someone planning to kill me in the forest would say.”

“You got me. That is exactly what they would say.”

She giggled, looking around and taking a deep breath. “This is nice. If not a little cold. I hope the murder shack’s not too far away?”

“Don’t call it a murder shack,” Reivan retorted, lazily using his free hand to flick his wand. A moment later, orbs of glowing lights that spread warmth and warded off the cold appeared around them and orbited them as they walked. It was a very basic spell—a cantrip, even. But he felt ever so thankful for it. “And yes, it’s not that far. Just a ten-minute walk. Maybe.”

“Oh, well that’s not too bad. I’ve been feeling cooped up in the Tower.” Mira nodded in approval as she smiled. “I was planning to unwind in Lageton, but then stuff happened.”

“You can say that again.”

“I was looking forward to seeing the sights and trying to talk to tourists.”

Reivan frowned. “Why would you want to talk to tourists? Your English isn't very good. They would have just thought you were a weird local.”

“Eh, I would’ve bridged the gap with gestures and enthusiasm. It would’ve been fine.”

Rolling his eyes, Reivan snorted. “I just remembered, you tried to get into Aizen to read the stuff in its libraries, right?”

“Mhm. That’s right.”

“Those books are probably in English. With lots of big words and technical jargon too. Would you have been able to read any of it reliably?”

Reivan himself had read a few. And while this world didn’t have “Ye Old English” because the First King quite literally spread it around in its current state, a lot of the older books tended to lean on the long and fancy words to appear more impressive—just as a lot of works did.

Conversational expertise wouldn’t have been enough and Mira didn’t even have that.

She groaned at his question. “I would’ve hired a translator… While I got tutored by a native on the side.”

“Huh. And how much would that have cost?”

“...A lot. Most food’s really cheap in the kingdom, apparently, but services aren’t. And so is rent. The conversion rate of currency would have made things even worse.”

Reivan whistled under his breath. “And you were willing to go that far to satiate your curiosity? Impressive. Your parents must love you a lot.”

Mira groaned again, replying defensively. “I would’ve used my savings. So I wouldn’t have depended on them for all my expenses, you know?”

“I see, I see. How admirable.”

“...Stop making fun of me!”

He couldn’t help but laugh, causing her to try to pinch him. She would’ve succeeded too, if he hadn’t caught her hand just in time. “Alright, alright. My bad.”

“Minus points for being mean. You’re in the red, mister.”

“What if I give you the books though?”

Mira closed her mouth and grumbled to herself before nodding. “Okay. I accept your peace offering.”

Reivan smirked. “There are more, actually. I could probably convince the store owner to give me a few more…”

“Really!?”

“Wanna come with me next time?”

“Yes!” She eagerly nodded, her grip on his hand tightening.

Reivan chuckled as he gestured forward. “Great. We’re close to the place now.”

“Mhm… I’m looking forward to.. it… Wait a minute.” Mira’s brows furrowed in suspicion. “Did you just get me to agree to a second date?”

“Yes," he nodded. "I believe I did.”

“I almost didn’t notice…” Mira shook his arm. “Actually. Just tell me where it is. I can go on my own.”

“Hm. Lemme think. On one hand, I have the perfect excuse to spend time with my gorgeous beauty of a captain. On the other hand, I get a pat on the back. Oh, woe is me, whichever shall I choose?”

“You’re not funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to. Anyway, the answer is no. Let’s just go together.”

“Grr… In times like this, the man is supposed to give in.”

“True enough. But remind me again, how many men have gone on second dates with you?”

“Huh? Ah… Well… Zero, I guess?”

“Exactly.” Reivan squeezed her hand lightly while grinning at her. “I’m going to be different from other men.”

Silence reigned for a few moments before she muttered. “I could just ask the driver…”

“Hey, c’mon. Don’t be just a spoilsport. It’s not like you hate spending time with me. Not so far, right?”

Mira groaned. “Well, no…”

“Great. So we’ll just go together next time. Maybe tomorrow. Who knows?”

“...Fine.” she gave in, looking away as she muttered about how sleazy he was.

Reivan smiled in triumph as he looked forward.

----------------------------------------

After a few more minutes of relaxed walking that wouldn't have been relaxing at all if they weren't physically fit, they finally caught sight of a building in the middle of a flat clearing that crowned a hill surrounded by luscious greenery. It was, by his estimation, trying for a cottage-in-the-woods aesthetic but was sadly failing at it because of how decidedly uncottage-like it was.

No cottage was three stories tall and was as wide as a small palace, after all. They normally didn’t have big wooden arches at the entrance either.

Or guards, for that matter.

Reivan nodded at the guards who gave him and his date a quick once over before bowing respectfully. Not saying a word, they returned to imitating stone statues. Their hospitality left him wanting, but he had to admit they looked quite dependable as protectors.

“What’s this place?” Mira asked as she looked around with a hint of doubt. “A hotel…?”

“Yes.”

“I knew it! You sleazebag!”

He chuckled and stopped her from marching off. “Relax. It’s not just a hotel. There’s a nice lounge on the third floor. The food’s apparently okay too.”

“Well, okay then…” Mira let herself get pulled into the building.

‘The Star sure works fast.’

Mira must not have noticed it earlier, but the Star of Fortune’s mark was on the wooden archway they passed through earlier.

This building was but one of their business ventures since Aizen slowly started to trickle down the rights for the stations. As it turned out, Aizen owned the land the stations were on, but not the areas around it. In cases where the stations weren’t in the middle of a town or city, however, the kingdom often owned the land around it as well. It was to secure the area against monsters and other harmful wildlife.

The Star of Fortune made use of that fact by establishing the business Reivan and Mira was patronizing at the moment.

Conceptually, it was a hotel that doubled as a lounge of sorts. Which wouldn’t have been all that appealing if it didn’t offer an incredible view all around it.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Oh, wow…” Mira’s brows rose up as far as they could as she spun on her heels, trying to take in the entire third floor of the building.

It was just one giant room with tables, armchairs, and sofas among other things. But the best part was the massive walls of glass on all sides, offering a stunning view of nature. And on the left was Vel Ayala in all its glory, with its floating islands chained to the Spirit Tower.

Given Mira’s background as the daughter of a somewhat famous restaurant, it would have been an exercise in foolishness to try to impress her with fine cuisine. She would have probably eaten at all the good places already.

So instead, he’d focused on picking out a place that emphasized atmosphere and relaxation. He’d accurately predicted that she’d want to engross herself in reading, too impatient to wait until they got back to the Tower.

And to that end, this place was perfect.

There was a wonderful view. The tables and sofas were a fair distance from each other, offering a certain level of peace and quiet. Also, the place wasn’t very well known yet, so not many people would even come here.

Actually, in typical Aizenian fashion, Reivan had multiple plans to see how Mira reacted to the books. If she wasn’t too enthusiastic about them, he would have redirected the carriage driver somewhere else. As it turned out, she loved the translated books. And was very eager to have a crack at them.

The worst thing he could do right now was to stand in between her and that desire.

So he wouldn’t.

“Have you had breakfast yet?” Reivan asked as he escorted Mira to a table very close to the window that showcased more of the unmolested greenery rather than the one marred by train tracks or a massive city of magic.

“Not yet…” Mira sat down and ran her palms down the velvet chair’s arms.

“Right. Me neither.” He sat down too and picked up a very small menu and offered it to her.

The place was very similar in concept to a cafe, where seating didn’t have a cost and you could stay for hours, but everything on the menu was quite pricey.

Despite that, Mira didn’t really react to the cost. Though perhaps that was par for the course given her background. And in any case, the rates here weren’t significant enough to scare two battlemages off. “I’ve never seen some of these before.”

“Some of the recipes are from Pentagoria, apparently. While some are from Aizen.”

“Really? Which ones?”

Reivan smiled and got up, standing behind her chair to get a better look at the menu. Though he’d heard some things, he hadn’t bothered to look into the entire list of what the place offered. “Pancakes. And French toast is from Aizen, I believe. The rest of the stuff you don’t know about should be from Pentagorian principalities.”

Thankfully, there were painted illustrations of what each dish looked like.

“They both looked really good…” Mira’s gaze flitted back and forth between the two, obviously troubled over which to choose.

Reivan hummed in thought. “How about you order both?”

“I can’t eat that much for breakfast.”

“Then I’ll eat the one you like less. Or we can split. How’s that?”

Mira’s eyes brightened as she nodded. “That’s a great idea.”

“Tea? Should I order a pot? They have a special brew, apparently.”

“Is it sweet?”

“No. But the dishes we ordered are already sweet, so…”

“Okay, then.”

With their orders decided, Reivan hailed nobody in particular as he sat down. They were told the waiters would generally stay out of sight but were ready to respond to their calls at any time. True to their words, a waitress climbed up the stairs to the third floor and walked briskly but gracefully in their direction.

Reivan ordered for them both and watched the waitress sashay away, earning a light kick from his date. He smiled sheepishly at her. “I wasn’t looking at her ass, by the way.”

Mira rolled her eyes. “Men.”

“I’m telling the truth, though… And why would I bother with her when I’ve got you right in front of me?”

She scoffed. “Don’t think you can get me with those cheesy lines. I’ve heard them all!”

“You’re so annoying.” Reivan rolled his eyes. “Just take out the books you want to read so much and get to it already.”

“What? But aren’t we on a date?”

“We are.”

“Then…”

Reivan shrugged as he flicked his wrist dismissively. “Wouldn’t you say that you’d have more fun with that than talking with me?”

“That’s a bit harsh… though I can’t deny it...”

“Besides, it’s not like we don’t already know a bit about each other. The entire point of a first date—getting to know each other—is pointless for us. We even had an entire episode where our lives were on the line. I doubt there’s anything more exciting than that.”

“That’s true.” Mira giggled, smiling as she took out the books and placed them on the low table between them. “Alright. I like this. If you're sure you don’t mind, that is.”

“I don’t. Oh, but if you want excitement, let me remind you that this place is a hotel. I can show you lots of exciting things if you want me to.”

She squeaked in surprise before picking up a book and raising it over her head, threatening to chuck it at him.

He raised both hands in surrender. “It was a joke. Well, no, it wasn’t really a joke. The offer’s always there, I won’t pretend it isn’t.”

“I can’t believe you…” Mira scowled but still lowered her improvised weapon. She crossed her legs and reclined, popping the book open where she’d stopped earlier. Her right brow rose as she looked at him skeptically. “Are you sure I can just read?”

“I’m sure.”

“We can only have a first date once, you know?”

“I just want you to have fun.” Reivan shrugged. “Name something you’d rather do than read these transcribed works.”

Mira paused to think on it for about a minute before she eventually shook her head. “Can’t think of anything.”

“Exactly. Do as you wish.”

“Well, okay…”

Mira smiled as she looked down, immersed in her reading, not even noticing when the waitress arrived with their order.

Reivan, on his part, took one of the only books he hadn’t read yet, partaking in a bit of reading as well. Though he didn’t get to do it much these days, few things relaxed him more. Whether it was through a phone screen or with a fragrant book in front of him, immersing oneself in literature was wonderful.

It reminded him of times past. Times that may not have been very pleasant, but still held enormous value to him.

Before that, he had to break Mira out of it so they could have breakfast warm.

----------------------------------------

The pancakes, french toast, and the tea were all wonderful. Mira ended up eating both dishes, despite her previous statement about being unable to do that exact thing that she did.

Reivan didn’t mind, and he actually offered his halves to her, ordering a more filling breakfast instead—which was honestly better for him, because he was more curious about the dishes from Pentagoria than the ones he’d already eaten plenty of times before and after getting reincarnated.

After breakfast, the two bookworms promptly forgot about each other and dove into the books of their choice. Mira was still flipping through the treatise on how stupid and harmful slavery was—a superb work, that one—while he partook in a slightly raunchy story about a dairymaid and two knights passing by.

The setting of the fictional story took place in an era called the Pre-unification Era, where the First King had yet to unify the peninsula that Aizen now occupied. It was a time of great strife, with wars fought between small nations and terrifying monsters still roaming the lands. Technologically speaking, the people lived like slightly civilized barbarians compared to how Aizen was right now.

Reivan supposed it was the equivalent of modern earth writing historical fiction set in the medieval ages.

‘Good lord, this is just smut. But with extra steps and with prettier prose.’

He should not have included it in the books he’d give Mira. But he wanted to include fictional works and there hadn’t been a lot of options on the store’s shelves. Which made sense, because it wasn’t a bookstore, but a carriage rental and touring service. The books were for decoration.

Admittedly, he’d just grabbed what was there. How the hell could he have known that “The Arlesian Fantasy” was a smut story? The title wasn’t clear enough about how much sex was in the thing.

‘At least they're really good about depicting the scenes.’

It was, he was ashamed to admit, quite a fun read.

In the end, Reivan and Mira had lunch there too before sinking back into reading. He was a somewhat speedy reader, so he finished off the unexpectedly raunchy story and picked up a thin book of children’s stories—which, as he’d expected, all depicted knights in some way. Some of them had probably made it to Arkhanian bookstores already, but there were a lot of old ones that even he wasn’t aware of.

He found them quite enjoyable as well. Mostly because of how different authors of this world wrote compared to the ones in his past life.

Before the two of them noticed, the sky was already beginning to turn orange. And they were forced to admit that their bladders had gotten quite full from consuming prodigious amounts of tea while they were there. Reivan called for the waitress to hand them their bill and tried to pay for it.

“I’ll pay for my share,” Mira announced, already in the midst of handing over a few gold coins from her spatial ring.

“No, let me pay.” Reivan got to the waitress first, telling their servant to keep the change. “I invited you out. So I should pay, no?”

“But I can’t let my junior pay…”

“I’m older than you though.”

Mira groaned. “We’ve had this conversation before…”

“I know.” Reivan chuckled. “Anyway, I’ve already paid for it so you can’t do anything about it. If you feel guilty, just get me something next time.”

“I suppose that works.” She nodded, putting her money back into her spatial storage artifact, not even noticing that she’d once again agreed to a next time. “Anyway, that was fun!”

“You’re welcome.” Reivan smugly grinned, offering his hand to help her get up. Though she didn’t need it, obviously, it was the gesture that counted. “You wanna do something else after or should we just head back to the Tower?”

While what he said may have been construed as an invitation for raunchy action, it was not entirely so. Though old-fashioned, it was rude to keep an unmarried lady out at night unless they were participating in a festival or an event that could only happen at night.

Quite obviously, this was normally not observed anymore. Not in urban environments, anyway. The night was the perfect time to hunt for people to share a bed with, after all. But Mira was old school, as she had mentioned, so he wouldn’t keep her for too long.

Unless she wanted to continue. There was nothing in the old Arkhanian traditions that said you couldn’t keep a lady out if she wanted to be out.

Sadly, Mira didn’t seem inclined. “No, I think we should head back now.”

A slightly disappointing outcome, but one he’d expected. Rome wasn’t built in a single day, after all.

In any case, they both left the establishment after each borrowing the comfort rooms. The walk and the carriage ride back were relatively jovial, and there was barely any silence because they could simply talk about what they'd just read. Mira was quite happy to share her opinion and praise the insights of ancient Aizenian scholars, hoping that Arkhan fully abolish slavery in the country soon.

Reivan didn’t bother sharing his own opinion on what he’d read because she would read them in due time anyway. He may have been a somewhat gentlemanly pervert and a questionably murderous bastard, but even he would never sink low enough as to intentionally spoil a fellow bookworm. There was low, then there was really low. Sormon help him, he wished he never fell to the latter.

All in all, Reivan was quite sure he’d made the correct decisions today. Maybe they weren’t the best. But Mira’s Favor was now in the sixties—a significant improvement from before. If she was an ordinary Arkhanian girl, she would already be in bed with him by now. As it turned out, she had a high barrier to entry because of her proper upbringing.

‘Nice. This is good data for my Favor research.’

The carriage dropped them off at the Tower and Reivan flipped the driver a coin before taking Mira inside, where they decided to split off so the other squad members didn’t get suspicious. Not that they needed to hide, but they were both aware that plenty of minor inconveniences would sprout up if their closeness was revealed.

Particularly, Aldimir wouldn't let them hear the end of it. There was also Alini to be considerate of, though Reivan was of the idea that she'd snap out of it if he left her alone long enough.

“Uh, thanks for today, Clover.” Mira pursed her lips and smiled shyly up at him. “That was more fun than I’ve had with one of these dates.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Reivan smiled, feeling a bit mischievous. “Did you have a good enough time to give me a kiss?”

“Wha— No!” She squeaked, taking a step back with blushing ears. “I already told you—”

“Even just a peck?”

“No!”

“What about on the cheek?” Reivan turned his head and grinned, tapping his right cheek. “Pretty please?”

Though significantly less intense than a kiss on the lips, one placed on the cheek was still beyond what a demure Arkhanian from an old-fashioned household would grant to anyone but a serious romantic partner or a family member. As such, he hadn’t really expected her to go through with it.

That was why it was all the more surprising when Mira took a step forward and stood on the tips of her toes, planting her soft pink lips on his defenseless cheeks. It was a mere peck that lasted barely a second, but it was real. And it happened.

“Th-there!” She jabbed a finger on his chest, blood rushing up her face. “Satisfied?”

Reivan gulped and rubbed the spot. “Barely felt a thing. I think I'm gonna have to ask you to do it again.”

Mira smiled sweetly at him as she raised her hand and flipped him the magic finger. “Screw off.”

Leaving those parting words behind, she turned around and ran toward the teleportation platform before disappearing in a flash of light. As for Reivan, he chuckled smugly to himself while recalling his first sister’s words. Truly, no matter what boundaries a woman set down, they would all be ignored by the person herself when they met someone they liked enough.

And it seemed Mira liked him enough to give him a kiss on the cheek—which wasn’t much, to be honest. But it was far more than anything she’d given out and he saw that as a big win.

That said, if every date cost as much as today's date though, he wouldn’t be going to a whole lot of them in a single month. The cafe expenses weren't much, but the carriage rental and buying all those books put a nice gaping hole in his finances that wouldn't be recovering for a while. He wished the day when he was so rich he didn't even need to know how much something cost to buy it.

‘I need a fucking raise.’

Wooing women the right way, it seemed, was a very costly enterprise.