The restaurant was a place of quiet elegance, nestled on the upper floor of a well-known establishment near the city's inner ring. White moonlight streamed through large arched windows, casting a warm hue over the polished wooden floors and velvet-lined chairs. Crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, their brilliance illuminating every corner. A quiet hum of conversation, the soft clinking of glasses, and the rustle of fine silk garments painted a picture of luxury that Shirou was not used to.
Shirou and Amelia sat near one such window at a table adorned with white linen, golden cutlery, and a floral centrepiece. Amelia glanced outside, her brown eyes reflecting the light.
"Well, nice choice," she said, smiling faintly. "The view from here is good."
Shirou nodded absentmindedly, his gaze sweeping across the restaurant's interior. The place was nothing like the modest eatery he frequented every day. Every detail—be it the hushed tones of the guests, the slow and deliberate way they moved their forks, or the expensive fabrics draped over their shoulders—screamed of affluence. Even the aroma of the food carried a note of refinement.
In his previous life, he would've avoided a place like this. Not because of the price, but because of the expectations. Here, you weren't allowed to eat freely or comfortably. No loud chewing. No messy bites. Everything had to be proper, dignified, and poised. It was the kind of performance he had no interest in. Not that he had many chances to be in such places—just twice, maybe. And both times, he hated it.
His train of thought was interrupted by the polite voice of a waiter, who approached with a practiced smile and a bow.
"What would you like to order today, sir?"
Shirou quickly recalled the dishes Miss Flora had recommended to him earlier. Trusting her culinary expertise, he confidently placed an order for both himself and Amelia.
The waiter bowed again. "An excellent choice," he said before vanishing into the kitchen.
Shirou leaned back in his chair, trying to relax. I really hope that dish is as good as she said… No choice but to believe in Miss Flora and her tastebuds.
Just then, Amelia turned to him, her voice casual but inquisitive. "So Shirou… what do you do for a living?"
The question caught him off guard. He had just brought her to an upscale restaurant, ordered a high-end meal, and even wore a clean new outfit. Of course, she would be curious. Suspicious, even. But Shirou kept his expression calm.
"Well," he said smoothly, "I came from a rich family."
Amelia gave him a flat look. "No, you didn't."
Shirou chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, fine. Truth is… I found the money lying on the ground. I mean, how lucky can I get, right?"
"That's the best you could come up with?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"No," Shirou replied with a shrug. "I could do better, but it would still be a lie."
Amelia leaned forward slightly, her tone lowering. "You're the one who killed the murderous thief a few days back… aren't you?"
Shirou blinked. "What thief—? I mean, that guy tried to kill me first. It was self-defence… kind of."
Amelia leaned back with a smirk tugging at her lips. "You really are terrible at lying."
Shirou furrowed his brows. "Wait, how did you even know about that?"
"I didn't," she said, crossing her arms. "It was a bait. And you fell for it."
Shirou's face stiffened. Damn it.
Amelia continued, her tone shifting to something more analytical. "A body was found in the alley. A woman who escaped from that thief earlier confirmed that the dead man wore the same outfit. So yeah, he was the murderer. But here's where it gets interesting—his body had no money or weapons on him. Whoever killed him, took everything. Out of greed… or maybe," she leaned in again, "to buy a sword."
Shirou stayed silent, lips drawn in a thin line.
"And then there's the dagger wound. The killer used a dagger—just like the one you said you bought yesterday. Because, and I quote, 'you didn't have enough money for a sword.' Now, suddenly, you have enough for a full meal in a luxury restaurant?"
A smile crept onto Shirou's face. "Could've been anyone," he said smoothly. "Plenty of people use daggers."
"True," Amelia nodded. "Like I said, it was just bait. But you did fall for it."
Shirou exhaled. "Let's say I did do it. There's no evidence pointing to me."
And that was true. He had burned all traces with his flames, used his inventory to dispose of the thief's belongings elsewhere, and made sure no one had seen him. As far as he was concerned, he'd covered his tracks well. I really wonder how investigations even work in this world...
Amelia grinned playfully. "Yeah, shame there's no evidence. I mean, that guy had a bounty of twenty gold aether."
Shirou's composure cracked for just a second. "Twenty… gold?"
"Yeah," Amelia said, clearly enjoying the look on his face. "Turns out he accidentally killed the daughter of some noble. The father issued a private mission through the bounty guild. Twenty gold to anyone who brings him the thief's head. But as far as I know, no one has claimed the reward yet. Maybe the killer was some heroic vigilante or something."
Shirou opened his mouth, then closed it. The hell. Should I go claim it? No… I don't have any proof left.
"Shirou?" Amelia said, nudging him.
He looked up to see the waiter returning, carrying a tray with their dishes.
"Your food, sir and madam," the waiter said, setting the plates down gently. "Grilled moonbeast steak, drizzled with nightberry reduction sauce and a side of herb-roasted sunroot. And for dessert, caramel-glazed frost petals."
Shirou took one bite of the meat, and his eyes widened. "Damn… this is way too good."
Amelia took a bite, too, and smiled brightly. "Right? This is amazing."
"I might actually start liking these places," Shirou muttered.
As they ate, something clicked in his mind. "Hey… earlier you said the mission was given to private squads?"
Amelia nodded. "Yeah. There are private squads that take up bounty missions or contracts issued by individuals. There's even an official guild organization that verifies and distributes the missions. The harder the mission, the better the reward. But they don't just give any mission to any squad. First, the team members' ranks are evaluated."
Shirou leaned in. "So how do you join?"
"Well," Amelia said, sipping her drink, "first your rank gets tested. Then your combat ability. Once that's done, you get an ID card that shows your level. After that, you can join or form a squad—but a squad needs at least three registered members. Once formed, the squad itself is ranked. Higher-ranked squads get higher-tier missions."
Shirou processed that carefully. If they test my rank, that might be a problem. I'm only Apprentice right now. But once I finish the dungeon… yeah, then I'll be stronger. Maybe strong enough to cause suspicion.
Amelia chewed thoughtfully. "You should try it sometime. Plenty of squads out there are always looking for one more person. Most missions are just things rich people want done, so they're not all life-threatening."
Shirou gave a small nod as he absorbed all the new information. It was definitely something worth considering.
After finishing their meal, Shirou paid the bill without hesitation, as promised. The two of them stepped outside into the fading light of evening, the air a bit cooler now.
Amelia placed her hand on her stomach. "Ugh… I ate too much."
"I can walk you home," Shirou offered.
"I'm fine," she said at first, but after a moment of his insistence, she smiled and agreed.
Her house wasn't too far, just a few streets away. When they reached her front gate, Shirou turned to leave.
"Think I'll go now."
"You sure you don't want to come in? Meet my parents?" Amelia teased.
"Nah, maybe next time."
She gave him a playful smile. "Who said there is a next time?"
Then, after a pause, her voice softened. "There's a festival coming up. In thirteen days. To honour the great heroes we lost during the war. It's one of the grandest festivals here. You should come… if you want."
Shirou smiled. "It's not like I have much to do anyway. I'll be there."
"Okay. See you then."
As they parted, Shirou walked alone down the quiet street, the evening breeze brushing against his face. Then he stopped.
Wait… wasn't I supposed to go to Ravaryn?
He stared up at the sky, then sighed.
"Nah. Ravaryn can wait… at least until I get a little stronger."
With that thought, Shirou turned and headed toward the inn.