I waited for a few minutes before one of the employees that entered the private room with Eliza exited and bowed.
"The Young Miss has been dressed, Your Holiness." She spoke in a polite tone and had a proud look on her face.
"Shall we look together, Esteemed Paladin?" Zaha asked, "Please, this way."
"Alright." I nodded.
"Fufufu, that was the best dress we have here. Young Miss will definitely look stunning in it."
"I am looking forward to it."
I followed Zaha as she guided me to the private changing room. The employee stepped to the side, giving us ways to step into the room after opening the door.
Once entering, Zaha stood to the side with a wide smile, gesturing to me to look to the left. I followed her instruction and noticed Eliza standing with a smile, her cheek was dyed slightly red from the blush makeup the employees applied.
She was wearing a light blue dress extending to below her knees. The skirt had a slit on the left to ease her movement, and it was an off-shoulders type of dress that connected the sleeves directly with the chest area, which only showed a bit of her cleavage.
The usual long hair was tied into a braided bun, making her look more mature and graceful. The employee that stood behind her smiled proudly and puffed her nonexistent chest.
"D-Don't stare at me too much."
My childhood friend lowered her gaze shyly. I never knew she could be embarrassed without getting angry.
I smiled softly and approached her, stopping in front of her.
"You look beautiful, Eliza." I praised her honestly and raised her chin, making her look at me. She blushed, fidgeting like a shy girl.
"Thanks…" She nodded, and we looked at each other for a while, just like a usual new couple.
Secretly, the employee and Zaha had left the room, leaving the two of us. That owner was a great woman and knew how to read the atmosphere.
I held Eliza's shoulders, and she jolted slightly. However, she knew what I wanted and smiled, pursing her lips and closing her eyes.
Slowly, I leaned closer and kissed her lovingly. Her hands, covered with white gloves, held my waist. I felt her soft breasts pressed against my chest as she pulled away; her long eyelashes fluttered open as she gave me a wide smile.
"This… I am happy, Arthur. Thank you."
"You're welcome." I smiled back and took a step backward, giving her my hand. "Shall we go to dinner, my Princess? I want to show you off to your friend."
Saying so, I used the quick equip function, one of the menus that weren't erased by the system, and changed into my formal Paladin clothes. My hair slicked back, giving me a neat appearance.
"You are acting funny, Arthur. Hehehe." Eliza giggled softly as she took my hand. "Please escort me, Mr. Paladin."
***
Evernight Restaurant.
It was the highest-grade restaurant often visited by high-ranked aristocrats and very wealthy merchants when they visited their children in Academy City. Only those with Viscounts rank and above could dine here as there was a dress code, and the price was costly even to those nobles.
Also, to reserve a table, one needed to inform the restaurant 3 days beforehand. It would usually be impossible for someone just to walk in and ask the restaurant to serve them without reservation.
However, such a restaurant had a custom where they would leave one table with the highest grade, to prepare for unexpected guests.
"Is the balcony table still available?" I asked the receptionist with a soft tone while Eliza held my arm on my left.
The receptionist was stunned, probably not expecting such a guest to visit the restaurant tonight. Still, she was a trained professional, so she recovered quickly and put a business smile back on her face.
"Welcome, Sir Paladin." She greeted me and bowed deeply. Raising her head, she looked at me straight, "The table is still available. If you will, please let me lead the way."
'Is that okay? Leaving the receptionist's table.'
I was about to ask that, but another employee dressed in the same uniform, which consisted of white and black clothes similar to a maid costume, appeared from a distance.
'I guess my worry is for nothing.'
We were guided to the highest floor, passing through the normal dining room, a corridor filled with private rooms, before finally arriving at a luxurious balcony on the fifth floor of the building.
A round table covered in white clothes with a candle flickered on it, and four chairs surrounding it were situated near a glass railing, giving us the scenery of Academy City's night.
Many greenery decorated the balcony. The night sky, with bright stars and moon above, illuminated the area, giving it a romantic atmosphere.
"This is your table, Sir." The receptionist, who turned into a waitress, bowed politely.
"Thank you," I said to her. "There will be two more people with the name Karin Greenway and Oliver Coppertree joining us later. Please lead them to this table and bring us the chef-recommended food after that."
"Certainly. In the meantime, please enjoy your time."
I nodded at her and walked to the chair near the glass railing that kept us from falling. Eliza sat on the chair beside me after I pulled it closer, making her giggle and tease me.
That didn't work, and I ended up giving her another kiss. When I did so, there was a knock on the door before it was pushed open by a waitress who brought a tray filled with drinks.
Eliza pulled away in a hurry and blushed, averting her face away and pretending nothing happened. The waitress, however, did see it. After she put an iced water on the table, she strode over to me and whispered.
"Forgive my impudence, but we can arrange a private after-party if you are interested, Sir Paladin. Many nobles requested it after they became tipsy from drinking, so we provided a room to 'rest' after they had a party."
I grinned at the waitress and nodded, secretly giving 5 Gold to her.
"Please enjoy your stay."
With a broad smile, the waitress bowed for the last time and left us alone. Eliza looked curious about what the waitress whispered to me, and I answered by caressing her thighs.
"Naughty." She commented with a red face, but her gaze told me that she was looking forward to it.
Before long, after a few minutes, the door was opened again, and this time Karin and Oliver showed up. Karin wore a bright orange dress with her hair tied in a side bun, while Oliver wore a simple suit with his brown hair slicked back.
"Wow!"
The orange-haired girl exclaimed in excitement.
"This is the VIP room!" She added, looking around before her gaze stopped at Eliza, and she gasped. "Oh, my Goddess! You look beautiful, Eliza!" She then ran toward my childhood friend and hugged her.
"Karin!" Eliza protested a bit before giggling with her friend.
Oliver walked slowly toward our table with a wry smile.
"It's an honor, Sir Arthur."
"It's nothing." I brushed it off and told him to sit up.
I let the girls talk to each other while I also answered a few questions about Knight from Oliver. His eyes sparkled with curiosity and appreciation. As expected, this guy was so simple and kind.
'Perfect for an innocent agent if I make him believe me more than the knight order.'
The dinner was brought in by many waitresses afterward, with two bottles of wine in a bucket filled with ice. They said it was a courtesy and was in the house, so I accepted it. Karin refused to drink because she lived in a dorm, but Oliver and Eliza drank with me.
We enjoyed the dinner served to us, four courses of chef-recommended food. They were delicious, making me want Milea to replicate them if possible.
'Maybe I can ask the chef to teach her? That will add some variation to our breakfast and dinner.'
Eliza enjoyed it too, and it made me happy.
The four of us also talked between our meals. The main topic was, as expected, the Academy Annual Tournament. I teased Eliza that she would definitely win if there were a general study, but she laughed it off and said the general study wasn't in an Annual Competition.
'If only she knows.' I thought in my mind.
Then, when we laughed and enjoyed our time, my ear picked up noise from the first floor.
"I am very sorry! But we have no table available at the moment, Madam Alesia, Duke Blacktomb."
Immediately my mind stopped for a second.
'Alesia and Duke Blacktomb?'
What a coincidence!
