"l. Are you sure this is where we’re going to eat?"
"Of course! This is the best spot in the Southern District!"
"If you say so..."
Lila looked skeptically at the run-down bar restaurant. It is tucked away at the end of the street, with a crooked wooden sign on top. The wall’s paint faded like peeled skins, revealing weathered stones from beneath.
l pulled Lila inside to reveal a holy interior. Waxed candles flickered softly on holders, and tables made with carved wood sat idly by, spotless and dust-free.
[ Ta-da! My favourite restaurant! A bit expensive, but the food is more than worth it! ]
l’s lips held back a chuckle at the System’s quip, before glancing at the bar table at the side, musing on how the wide selection of alcohol on display would have attracted a particular Witch of Gluttony.
She mumbled inwardly. Are you sure it’s all right to eat in a Bar Restaurant? Don’t you have traditions and everything?
[ Pft. Traditions? What traditions? I’m but a humble System, and I’m here to guide the Host for yours truly! ]
Fair enough. She guided Lila to sit down. I’ll bring you here next ti.
[ Hehe. Thanks l. It’s a promise. ]
After the short banter, l glossed over the paper nu before facing Lila, who sat beside her. "Want sothing light or heavy, fresh or oily?"
Lila (in l’s observant gaze) glanced down at her lover’s full, healthy bosom, then at her own, noticeably smaller in comparison.
She grumbled as if her heart suddenly beca heavy (but not as heavy as l’s). "A steak, please."
l, totally unaware of Lila’s little complaint, rely glanced at the waiter approaching them. "Ah. Here! One steak for , dium rare, please! The drink is li tea. And Lila..."
"Sa with her." She hesitated before adding. "Extra large. dium rare. Cherry Bloosm Iced Tea."
The waiter blinked, her eyes flickering downwards, before nodding knowingly. "Understood. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes. dium is prenium on the nu after all."
During the wait, the couple chatted for a while, with Lila not forgetting to sneak in a few complaints about the ’l Decoy’ Incident.
From here, l learned more about how Saria looked visibly concerned about ’l’, how Samantha’s eyes glossed over her in suspicion, and how Rosana the Dragoness held an amused grin at the debacle.
l’s eyes narrowed as she propped her elbow on the table, resting her cheek against her hand. "Was I really that depressed-looking back then?"
Lila pouted. "That decoy did. Luckily, Saria and Samantha treated you as if you were worried about my safety. Can’t say the sa for that prying cat, though."
A chuckle escaped from l. "Well, you’ll have to face her in the academy. Rosana is infamous for being obsessed with those stronger than her."
In the OG tiline, before Greed beca the Witch of Greed, Rosana’s uncontrollable desire to challenge everyone reached even the Saintess once, before she was promptly shoved into the ground like a wack-a-mole rat.
She did laugh out loud in the end, so maybe she’s a masochist? A rude thought flashed in l’s mind, a jab she promised not to bring upon the Dragoness later.
Unaware of l’s rudeness, Lila rely sighed. "Well, I’m mostly fine with it. I know l wouldn’t like such a clingy, annoying, bloodthirsty person."
"..."
"...why are you looking away, l?"
l chortled playfully. "Well, well. Let’s say I treat all beauties equally."
She couldn’t tell Lila. In her previous life, when Rosana was released as the first, playable Witch gacha character, she dumped almost 4 months of salary into her.
She rembered how she bragged on social dia back then, only to be shot down by the crazy spenders who bought copies of her, her signature weapons, her extra costu skins, and so on.
As such, Rosana held significance for her in more ways than one.
Unaware of her sentint, however, Lila’s cheeks bloated again into a pout. "l."
l’s ears perked up, her heart ward with the slight grumble that escaped Lila’s lips.
Her hands stretched out to squeeze puffy cheeks, enjoying Lila’s complaining whimpers.
Their food arrived soon after on a plate with the drinks, steaks with sparkling salts atop, potato wedges set aside as snacks.
l cut the steak with cutlery and took a bite with practiced grace, humming satisfily at the juiciness.
She eyed beside her, with Lila clumsily cutting the steak piece by piece. She smirked at such a gesture before sinking her fork into one of the sliced pieces.
"Ah-l..."
Lila, seeing through l at a glance, blushed hard.
l admired the ’extra tomato’ in the form of Lila’s cheeks, prompting her to nip at the steak’s salt that remained in her teeth.
She stretched her fork to Lila’s moist lips, tempting. "Co on now. Don’t be embarrassed."
As Lila slled the spiced scent just below her nose, she swallowed her hesitation. At l’s approving glances, she parted her lips, bit into the at, and leaned back slightly.
"Good?"
"...too good."
Lila hung her head, her erald eyes welling with embarrassed tears of enjoynt as they t l’s softening gaze.
In this instant, she felt she was too pampered, as if this was a new form of comforting cradle, with l as her one and only solace.
[ Envy’s heart swelled for more need of a motherly love! What a fetish that would surprise even the Divines! ]
[ Envy Favourability: 86 -> 89 ]
l looked back at the al. "Glad you like it."
She cut and munched on the steak again, a glint of pure indulgence flashing through her expression.
The rest of the als went along quietly with a few banters in between. l chatted about the Academy matters, rules, regulations, and teachers Lila needed to take note of, as well as all information provided by her system.
Then, her eyes caught two unexpected individuals, their tall figures entering through the restaurant’s door.
One of the figures’ brows raised in surprise, before strolling to the couple, the other following lazily in the distance.
"Oh. You two." Saria, in her vested uniform, greeted the couples.
l leaned forward, curving her eyes playfully. "Hi hi, Sis. Cheating on Emilia so soon?"
Her tease was imdiately rewarded with Saria’s light hand chop.
"Hm." Samantha, watching the two’s regular everyday exchange, held her chin. "You know each other?"
The Radiant Knight sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. This brat lived with back in the village."
"Heh....."
Samantha contemplated deeply. Yesterday’s ’l’, although acting as cheerful as she observed, was off.
It could be justified away as a friend’s worry, but she has seen enough of the demon spies that small details like these would not be missed.
Yet, a tired, subdued breath escaped her lips. She was in the middle of slacking off and escaping from her teacherly duties.
And she was still confident in her Archon ranked strength in case of ergencies, aside from a Witch’s appearance.
Just a brat? Nah, she’d rather drink.
[ Hm? Host, Samantha, seed to be still suspicious of yesterday’s behaviour! ]
l’s knowing eyes swept over Samantha before curving in playfulness.
"Hey. Miss Samantha."
She called out in the most friendly tone possible.
"Thank you for saving Lila back then. I was too distraught back then, but now I want to thank you and Saria properly."
Let’s bait her a little. Suspicion and animosity are better than complete ignorance after all.
l smiled with an ’exaggerated’ politeness. It is ti for her to play for the long haul.
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