After finishing their usual round of carving the magic circles in discreet corners of the city, Akira would often lead Ryuu to small cafes or cozy shops.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by warm lighting and the sweet aroma of freshly brewed drinks and pastries.

The quiet atmosphere inside offered a brief escape from the curious gazes and gossip outside. It was like entering a small haven, far away from the bustling world.

Once seated, Ryuu removed her mask, letting out a quiet breath of relief.

She looked at the table—at the carefully plated pastries and the steaming cups of coffee—and her expression gradually bloomed into a soft smile.

Akira, watching her silently, felt an unexplainable warmth in his chest. Just seeing her happy over something so small made it feel worth all the effort.

And so, he quietly promised himself—I'll take her to even more places like this in the future.

Inside that fragrant little shop, filled with the soothing scent of roasted beans and fresh bread, they sat together in comfortable silence.

They spoke in soft tones. Nothing urgent. Nothing grand.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

By the time they stood up to leave, the sky outside had already darkened.

Still holding hands, they walked together beneath the glow of streetlamps, their shadows stretching long behind them.

The breeze was gentle, brushing past them like a whisper, adding an extra touch of tranquility to the evening.

But as soon as they returned, the warm atmosphere they'd shared was shattered without warning.

Standing in the hall, waiting like mischievous wolves who had sniffed out prey, were Alise, Kaguya, and the rest of their lively companions.

The moment the front door opened and they stepped inside—

"Hey, look who's back?" Lyra said with a grin that could only spell trouble.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she stepped forward and teased, "Our precious Akira! You're off duty already today? How was your little date with Ryuu?"

Alise smirked and crossed her arms. "That's right! You two have been inseparable for the past couple of days. Come on, spill it—where did you go? What did you do?"

Ryuu's cheeks turned crimson in an instant. She fidgeted, hiding her left arm behind her back while grasping it tightly with her right.

"I-It wasn't a date." She insisted, voice flustered and quick. "I was just… accompanying Akira."

Her eyes darted to the side—toward Akira—silently begging for backup.

Akira scratched his head, a sheepish smile on his lips. "Aha… we were just setting up some magic circles. Maybe took a few detours here and there…"

Trying to escape the topic, he quickly added, "What about all of you? Did you notice anything unusual during your patrols?"

But no one was buying it.

Kaguya raised an eyebrow and leaned forward with a teasing grin. "Oh? You mean you set up those magic circles... while holding hands and drinking coffee together in a cafe? Sounds like a pretty romantic warding spell."

Everyone burst into laughter. Their teasing echoed through the hall like a tidal wave.

Akira and Ryuu could only lower their heads in embarrassment.

"Alright, enough crowding the entrance. You two, come sit down." Astraea finally said with a warm smile.

Her eyes shimmered with affection as she gently pulled them toward the chairs beside her.

The moment Akira sat down, he was ambushed again.

Two familiar arms, sun-kissed and strong, wrapped around him from behind.

It was Iska, smiling brightly as usual. She leaned over and declared with enthusiasm, "Next time, Akira, you're coming with me to the cosmetics store."

Before he could even react—

"Wait just a second! You snuck in again!"

Noin's voice cut through the room as she stormed over, eyes filled with jealousy. She squeezed herself between Akira and Iska, pressing against him and grabbing his other arm.

"I want to go to the dessert shop with Akira next."

Now Akira was being pulled from both sides—his body swaying slightly with every tug.

He muttered under his breath, "…Does my opinion even matter anymore?"

Across the table, Kaguya leaned in with a smug smile.

"Don't forget." She said while gently pinching his cheek, "You owe each of us a request. This is your repayment."

Akira raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to twist my arm—I'll go!"

"That's more like it." Alise said proudly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Then… I—" Ryuu suddenly spoke up.

She took a small step forward, gathering her courage. "I'd like to ask Akira to go on another—"

But before she could finish, the room echoed with a collective shout.

"NO!"

Ryuu froze, completely dumbfounded. Her eyes widened as she looked at the group in disbelief.

"E-Eh!? Why not?!"

Lyra shrugged and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Because you've monopolized Akira for two days straight."

She folded her arms and added, "It's time to give the rest of us a turn."

"Well… I guess there's no way to argue with that."

Ryuu looked as though she were about to cry, a defeated expression taking over her fair features. A hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes as the others ganged up on her, barring her from monopolizing Akira any longer.

"Don't be so down."

Astraea, seeing Ryuu's desolate look, gently comforted her. Reaching out, she softly stroked her silky hair, her eyes filled with fondness and maternal warmth.

"There's still plenty of time for you two to be together."

Ryuu had changed—grown more expressive, more open. To Astraea, that alone was enough to make her smile.

That morning, after completing the final set of dimensional magic circles around Orario, Akira had planned to return to his room for some training and adjustment.

Yet fate had other ideas.

Instead of a quiet moment to himself, Akira was quickly roped into becoming the "time management master" of the day—juggling the task of accompanying all the girls on their shopping trips, store hopping with a patience that was nothing short of heroic.

But before he could even make it back to his room to catch his breath, Astraea summoned him.

When he arrived at the hall, Astraea was already there, seated elegantly on the sofa like a blooming white lily. Her every movement was graceful, and the faint, intoxicating fragrance she exuded filled the room with a calm serenity.

As Akira stepped forward, she smiled, her expression gentle, and handed him a neatly folded document.

Akira accepted it. The parchment was smooth and cool to the touch, of higher quality than standard paper.

"A commission?" He murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Without even realizing it, Astraea leaned closer. The delicate scent from her body wrapped around him again—sweet, soft, and reassuring.

Her fingers, slender and well-maintained with light pink nails, traced across the parchment as she spoke softly, "I had planned to send Alise or Kaguya to deal with it, but then I thought—if it's you, Akira, it'll be handled with no issue."

Akira's gaze followed her fingertip as it moved gracefully across the page. After skimming through the commission, his brows raised in mild surprise.

"…Subjugate the Goliath?"

Wasn't this something the Guild could easily resolve by deploying a squad of elite adventurers?

Yet despite the unspoken question in his heart, Akira didn't refuse.

Instead, he straightened up and replied, "Then I'll head to the dungeon. Astraea-sama, please let Iska and the others know I'll be back soon."

Astraea, trusting him implicitly, simply waved her hand and replied with a smile, "Go on, but do be careful."

Akira nodded and turned around without hesitation, his footsteps swift and steady as he headed toward the dungeon.