After completing all my tasks, including checking the launch preparations, it was almost time for dinner. As usual, I made my way to the dining hall on the Black Lotus to enjoy a meal prepared by our chef, the renowned Tetsujin… or at least, that was the plan.

“Why do you look like that? You seem like you've swallowed something sour.”

“Maybe it’s because I just saw my lovely fiancée about to finish an entire bottle of wine, despite not being very good with alcohol.”

“M-Mmph… W-Well, I can’t help it, can I?”

My fiancée—Serena, wearing an elegant evening gown—blushed and turned her gaze away as she spoke.

☆★☆

While I was checking the launch preparations, I explained the situation to Serena and told her we might be leaving the imperial capital as early as tomorrow. She quickly cut off the communication in a panic, only to contact me again about ten minutes later.

“Um… well… ouch!? Ugh… um, would you spend tonight with me…?”

An embarrassed Serena asked, her face bright red on the small communicator's hologram. When you ask like that, how can I refuse? When I think about it calmly, it makes sense. Serena has her military duties, so she can’t come with me. Plus, after this, I plan to head to Earl Dareinwald's territory and then to the Holy Vuelzarus Empire. Since I’ll be leaving the empire, running into her during my travels like before won’t be an option. In other words, I won’t have any chances to see Serena for a while.

“Okay. I’ll make time to spend tonight with you, Serena. And please thank whoever is with you.”

I noticed someone behind Serena on the communication screen; she isn’t usually that forward, so this person must have encouraged her. No doubt about it.

“Ugh… Well, I’ll see you later then. I’ll send the plan to your terminal right away.”

With that, Serena ended the call, and as promised, the date plan was sent over immediately, but…

“The date plan keeps changing constantly…”

I’m not sure how it worked, but the plans Serena sent for the night kept shifting dramatically; the only constant was ‘boarding the escort vehicle in front of the Black Lotus’. One moment, we were going to a restaurant for dinner, then to a holo-theater in a fancy hotel, and from there to the bar. The next moment, it changed to visiting a custom-made sword and clothing shop for nobles, followed by a lavish dinner in a suite with a private pool in another luxury hotel. Seriously? Going straight to a hotel that’s clearly meant for that? Isn’t that a bit too direct?

Clearly, there are multiple planners doing whatever they want. I suspect my future mother-in-law and the other two ladies are behind it, but Serena’s married older sisters might also be involved. I haven’t met them at Marquis Holz’s estate, but I’ve heard that some of them live there with their partners even after marriage. After all, the estate is ridiculously large. I’ve heard that there are houses for branch families or other related nobles built within the estate grounds, too.

“…I’ll just ignore it until it’s time. Ah, I should at least ask about the dress code.”

I’d prefer to go in my usual mercenary outfit if possible, but I guess I’ll try to meet their expectations as much as I can. It’ll probably be an overnight stay… As I watched the date plan continue to change, I began to think about what I would wear for the date, but in the end, I decided to consult Mei.

☆★☆

And so, after all that, here I am having dinner alone with Serena.

In the end, the plan settled on something simple: dinner followed by some relaxation. It’s a plan that prioritizes the three basic desires, no doubt.

“This is my first… my first time having a date alone with a man.”

A flustered Serena said this with a slightly uneasy expression. That’s true; at least it’s her first date alone with me. Until now, I always made sure Mimi or Elma were with us to avoid being alone together.

“When we met again in the Alein System, you even planned a private dinner at a restaurant, so why are you so flustered now?”

“Well, that’s because… back then, our positions and everything else were different, weren’t they? And, well, this time, we are going to do that at the end…”

“So you’re nervous because you’re thinking about that…”

I couldn’t help but smile wryly as the fierce Captain Serena downed her wine in a fluster, her face flushed. I see, she’s worried about her performance later. But drinking more because of that seems counterproductive.

“I think it’s a bit late to worry about that now. But I understand why you are worried; still, let me tell you this: you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“…Do you really think so?”

“Of course. For whose sake do you think I fought an Earl House?”

“…But back then, you didn’t fight just to rescue me; Mimi-san and the others were with me, so you fought to save them, right?”

Serena pouted a little while saying this, her face still red. Ah, I see what she’s getting at. She’s worried that the only reason I fought so fiercely against the private army of Earl Ixamal House was because Mimi and the others were captured, and that she was just an afterthought.

“If it had been just you and me on that ship, and we ended up in the same situation, I think I would have done the same thing.”

“Really?”

“Probably. I mean, haven’t there been plenty of times before when I stayed by your side even though it was dangerous?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Serena pouted again and turned her head away. Honestly, she can be such a handful.

“And besides, it’s just the two of us now, isn’t it? Isn’t that enough?”

“Hmph… I feel like you’re trying to dodge the question.”

“I’m not dodging anything.”

I chuckled as I used my knife and fork to take a bite of the lavish dinner. We were in a very upscale restaurant in what was clearly a high-class hotel, but thanks to the private room, I didn’t have to worry too much about formal dining manners. That is a relief because I only know the bare minimum about dining etiquette.

“The food is great, but the portions are a bit small.”

“At places like this that cater to nobles, they never serve enough to fill you up.”

“Is that so? I guess there must be some historical reason behind that.”

Maybe it’s considered unrefined to eat until you’re full, or perhaps nobles dislike the drop in concentration that comes after a large meal. Or maybe it started as a way to reduce food waste and just became a tradition over time. I vaguely recall an anecdote from my old world: during wartime, a certain tea-loving country almost created a tradition of eating a type of bread that wasn’t very tasty but was highly nutritious. This custom continued long after the war ended, or something like that.

“…Are you sure you’re not trying to dodge the question?”

“I’m really not. Serena, you know you tend to get tipsy in a bad way when you drink too much… If you get too drunk and pass out, it’s going to be a problem later. I can’t let you keep thinking that I don’t love you, so I’ll have to show you just how much I love you afterward.”

“…Pervert.”

“Can’t deny it.” In that sense, maybe this restaurant’s modest portions are just right for tonight. Hmm, you learn something new every day.