Chapter 103: Going on a date with the Shadow.

The Date.

As discussed with the girls, Lyra and Fanny agreed to let Kai and Carlotta go on their date alone, making their lord promise to take them on another next time.

This was not something he was aware of, not until the last minute, and of course, he was more than happy to accept it

Kai stood in front of the mirror inside his private chamber on the First Floor, staring at his reflection with the kind of intensity one would normally reserve for a final boss.

He was in his human form. Tall, lean, with semi-long black hair falling past his shoulders and sharp red eyes that glowed faintly in the dim light of the room.

But today, something was different.

He was not wearing his signature black suit. He was not wearing his mask. He was not even wearing anything remotely close to what the citizens of Rambosa had come to associate with the mysterious merchant known as Aron.

Instead, he wore a simple dark grey long-sleeve shirt, fitted but plain. Black trousers that could have belonged to any commoner, and a pair of dark leather boots that had no decorative elements whatsoever.

He looked like a regular man.

A regular, devastatingly handsome man, but a regular man nonetheless.

’Why am I so nervous about this? It is just an outing. A reward for Carlotta’s hard work. Nothing more, nothing less… Could it be partially because i have not been on a date before? arrgghhh!’

He adjusted his collar for the fourth time to calm himself.

’The idea of walking through a city at night with a woman who looks at me like I personally hung the stars is making my chest feel tight. What the hell is wrong with me?’

A knock came at the door.

“My Lord, are you ready?”

Carlotta’s voice was calm, controlled, and entirely too cheerful for someone who had been bouncing off the walls all morning.

“Give me a moment,” Kai responded, his voice as steady as ever.

He stared at his reflection one more time.

’I look like a peasant. Good. That is the point. Aron is too recognizable now, especially after everything that happened in Rambosa. A simple disguise is the smarter play.’

He paused.

Satisfied with the lie he told himself, Kai opened the door.

Carlotta was standing right outside, and the moment the door swung open, whatever composure she had built up over the last hour evaporated on the spot.

She was dressed in a dark red gown that hugged her figure elegantly, the fabric shimmering faintly under the torchlight of the corridor. Her long black hair, usually wild and untamed, had been brushed and styled to cascade over one shoulder. A thin silver chain hung around her neck, and the faintest hint of rouge colored her lips.

She looked stunning.

And she knew it, because the moment Kai’s eyes landed on her, she straightened her posture even more, her red eyes practically sparkling.

“My Lord, how do I look?”

Kai blinked.

For about three full seconds, his brain stopped processing information entirely.

’She looks… different. Not in a bad way. In a very, very not bad way. Come on, man, do not lose your composure over a dress.’

“You look presentable,” he said flatly.

Carlotta’s expression didn’t falter. If anything, her smile grew wider, as though she had decoded the compliment hidden beneath his indifference.

“Presentable. Hehe. I will take that, my Lord.”

She then noticed his outfit and tilted her head slightly, scanning him from head to toe. Her eyes lingered on the plain grey shirt, the absence of his mask, and the casual boots.

“My Lord, you are not wearing your usual attire.”

“That is correct. Tonight, I am not Aron. I am just a man visiting a city.”

“A man,” she repeated, her cheeks slowly turning pink. “Just a man. And I am just a woman. Walking beside him. Through a romantic city. At night.”

“Carlotta.”

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Stop narrating.”

“Right away, my Lord.”

…

They departed the dungeon through the eastern exit, with Carlotta using her magic to teleport them a short distance from Gatevally’s main gate to avoid drawing attention.

The city of Gatevally sat in the heart of the Traona Kingdom, nestled between two low mountain ranges that funneled cool evening winds through its streets year-round.

It was not as large as Rambosa, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in atmosphere.

From the moment they passed through the gates, Kai understood why Carlotta had chosen this place.

The streets were lined with lantern trees, tall, pale-barked trees whose branches hung low, each one draped with dozens of softly glowing orbs that pulsed with warm, amber light.

The glow was not from fire or magic crystals but from the trees themselves, a natural bioluminescence that bathed the entire city in a golden haze.

The cobblestone roads were wide and clean, flanked on both sides by open-air stalls selling everything from roasted meats to handcrafted jewelry. The sound of a string instrument drifted from somewhere deeper in the market, accompanied by the murmur of hundreds of voices and the occasional burst of laughter.

It was lively, warm, and undeniably beautiful.

’I have to admit, this is not bad at all. It reminds me of those night markets from my former world. The ones I always wanted to visit but never had the time for.’

Kai walked with his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed for once.

No one looked at him twice. No stats hovered above his head thanks to the Eye for Eye artifact he always kept active, but in a city like this, that was hardly unusual. Plenty of people used similar concealment items, especially merchants who didn’t want their wealth broadcasted.

Carlotta walked beside him, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she was not bowing her head or standing three steps behind him.

She was right there. Next to him. Close enough that their arms almost touched.

“My Lord, have you ever been to a night market before?”

“Not any that i can think of, no.”

Carlotta’s eyes lit up.

“Then allow me to guide you. I scouted this city quite thoroughly during my return from the meeting with King Desmond. I know every corner.”

’She scouted the city. For a date. This woman planned this before I even agreed to it.’

Despite the mild exasperation, Kai allowed himself to be led.

They stopped at a stall selling skewered meat glazed with a sweet, amber-colored sauce.

Carlotta ordered two without hesitation, handing one to Kai with both hands as though she were presenting a sacred offering.

“Please try this, my Lord. The vendor told me this is their specialty. It is made from mountain boar, marinated for three days.”

Kai took the skewer and bit into it.

The flavor was rich, smoky, and slightly sweet. The meat was tender enough to fall apart with barely any pressure.

For something sold at a street stall, it was genuinely impressive.

“This is good,” Kai said honestly.

Carlotta’s reaction was immediate.

She covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes going wide as though she had just witnessed a miracle.

“He likes it,” she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with joy. “My Lord likes the food I chose for him.”

“Carlotta, it is just a skewer.”

“It is not just a skewer, my Lord. It is the first meal we have shared together outside of the dungeon, in a city, at night, just the two of us.”

Kai chewed slowly, choosing not to argue with that logic.

They continued walking.

The deeper they went into the market district, the more vibrant the city became.

Stalls gave way to small restaurants with open seating areas. Performers juggled enchanted orbs of light in the town square.

Children ran between the legs of adults, chasing each other with wooden swords.

At one point, a florist pushed a bouquet of pale blue flowers into Kai’s hands and said, “For the lady, sir. She has been smiling since you arrived.”

Kai looked at the flowers, then at Carlotta, who had suddenly turned her entire body away and was pressing both hands against her cheeks as though trying to physically contain her emotions.

’This is ridiculous. She is a Level 888 vampire witch who could level this city in seconds, and she is acting like a teenager at a festival.’

He handed her the flowers anyway.

Carlotta accepted them with trembling hands, holding the bouquet against her chest like it was the most precious artifact in existence.

“I will preserve these forever,” she said with absolute conviction.

“They are flowers. They will wilt in three days.”

“Then I will use my magic to preserve them forever.”

Kai sighed, but the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly upward.

…

They found a quiet spot at an outdoor restaurant overlooking one of the city’s canals.

The water below reflected the glow of the lantern trees, creating a shimmering ribbon of gold that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Carlotta sat across from him, the bouquet resting neatly in her lap. She had ordered for both of them, a roasted duck with herbs, fresh bread, and a bottle of red wine that the waiter claimed was the finest in the region.

Kai didn’t drink, but he poured a glass for her regardless.

“Thank you, my Lord,” she said softly, accepting the glass with a warmth in her eyes that had nothing to do with the wine.

For a while, they simply ate in silence. The kind where two people did not need to fill every gap with words because the presence alone was enough.

Eventually, Carlotta spoke.

“My Lord, may I ask you something personal?”

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