[Ren’s POV]
I had a feeling Sera Voss was enjoying herself.
Not that she was doing anything particularly obvious. She sat across from me with the same composed expression she’d maintained throughout our conversation, her fingers resting lightly against the arm of her chair. There was no nervousness in her posture, no unnecessary movement, and certainly no indication that she’d been inconvenienced by my visit.
Still, there was something about the way she looked at me that suggested she knew more than she was letting on.
Then again, that described practically everyone I’d met in this place.
"So," she said, "will you be visiting again?"
I leaned back slightly. "You sound rather eager to see me."
"Should I not be?"
"Not at all. I’m simply surprised. I was under the impression that my visits were becoming a nuisance."
Sera smiled faintly. "I didn’t say that."
"No, you didn’t."
"Would you prefer that I did?"
I considered her question. "That would certainly make things less complicated."
"Would it?"
Probably not.
I was beginning to suspect that having a conversation with Sera Voss was less like talking to someone and more like playing a game in which the other player had already read the strategy guide. Every answer seemed to lead to another question, and she had a remarkable talent for making me feel as though I was the one being investigated.
Not that I minded.
She was attractive, intelligent, and possessed enough confidence to make most people reconsider their words before speaking. There were worse ways to spend an afternoon.
I glanced towards the window. The light outside had begun to soften, and I knew I should probably be making my way back to the inn. I still had Joseph to find, and despite the progress we’d made, the search was far from over. Sera’s people had managed to confirm sightings of Clara and Maren, but nobody had yet provided a reliable location. Joseph was still proving difficult to track.
I could keep pressing her for information, but I doubted that would accomplish much today.
Besides, there was something else I wanted to ask.
"Sera."
"Yes?"
"Would you like to have dinner with me?"
She looked at me for a moment.
I waited.
It wasn’t that I was particularly nervous. I’d asked women out before, and my Charm stat made the whole process considerably easier than it had any right to be. Still, there was a difference between relying on an ability and actually wanting someone to say yes.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, though the faint smile remained.
"Is this another request for information?"
"No."
"Then what is it?" she asked.
"An invitation."
"An invitation to dinner?" she raised a brow.
"Unless you’d prefer breakfast." I answered with a smile
She laughed softly. It was brief, but genuine enough to catch my attention.
"And what exactly would we discuss over dinner?" She asked again, maintaining deep eye contact that me almost look away. Almost.
"Whatever we want, I guess." I responded quickly.
"That’s rather vague."
"I was hoping we could manage a conversation without discussing business for once." I said, trying to make her see my intention without being too overbearing about it.
Sera studied me. I couldn’t tell whether she was considering the invitation or trying to determine what I wanted from her. Knowing her, it was probably both.
"You realise that I don’t usually have dinner with men who approach me with requests."
"Then it’s fortunate that I’m not making one."
"You’re asking me out."
I smiled. "I was hoping you’d notice."
She lowered her gaze for a moment, seemingly amused by something. When she looked back at me, her expression had softened slightly.
"All right."
I blinked.
That was easier than expected.
"Really?"
"Would you like me to reconsider?"
"No, no. I wouldn’t dream of interrupting such a promising development."
"Then it’s settled."
I leaned forward. "Tomorrow evening?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Unless you have something important planned."
"I usually do."
"That’s unfortunate."
"But I can make time."
Well, look at that. The side quest had been accepted.
I resisted the urge to check whether the system had registered anything. It was probably best not to turn every interaction with a woman into a quest objective, even if the system seemed determined to encourage that particular habit.
"Where were you thinking?" she asked.
"I was going to choose somewhere in the city. Somewhere quiet enough that we can actually talk."
"Do you know Haremdale well enough to make that decision?"
"Not particularly."
Her smile widened.
"Then perhaps I should be concerned."
"You’re welcome to suggest somewhere."
"No. You invited me. You can choose."
I stared at her.
That was a trap. I could feel it.
If I chose somewhere too ordinary, she’d probably wonder whether I had any taste. If I chose somewhere too expensive, she’d think I was trying to impress her. And if I asked her to choose, she’d remind me that I was the one who had invited her. I was beginning to understand why negotiating with this woman was probably a nightmare.
"Fine," I said. "I’ll find somewhere suitable."
"I look forward to it."
She rose from her chair, and I followed suit. One of her attendants appeared near the doorway, but Sera dismissed him with a small gesture before turning back to me.
"Until tomorrow, Ren."
"Until tomorrow, Sera."
She accompanied me towards the entrance, where I paused long enough to give her a final smile before stepping outside.
The door closed behind me.
I stood there for a moment, looking at it.
Well.
That went better than expected.
I had come here hoping to make some progress with the search, and although I hadn’t found Joseph, I’d somehow managed to secure a dinner date with the leader of the Thorn Collective.
Not exactly what I’d planned, but I wasn’t complaining.
I opened the system interface.
[HERO SYSTEM]
Companion Candidate: Sera Voss
Bond Progress: 15%
Status: Active
I stared at the notification, ffteen percent. Still fifteen.
Apparently, asking a woman out wasn’t enough to impress the system. Fair enough. I wasn’t doing it for the numbers anyway.
At least, that was what I told myself.
I dismissed the interface and started towards the street. I still needed to find a suitable restaurant, and I had very little knowledge of the city’s dining establishments. I could hardly take her to the first tavern I came across and hope for the best.
That would be a disastrous opening.
I had standards. Or at least, I was trying to develop some.
As I walked, my thoughts returned briefly to Joseph and the two sisters. The search could wait until tomorrow. Sera’s people were still working on it, and I had no reason to believe they would suddenly forget their assignment.
Besides, if the information eventually came through, I’d be in a much better position to act on it.
For now, I had a date to prepare for.
And somehow, that seemed considerably more complicated than hunting down a missing man.