Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

Chapter 306 Date Night [Part 2]

From the top floor of the interior, Lucius and Kalliope could easily observe the rest of the dining establishment with ease. The entire building was furnished in a 'rustic style' as the staff had described it.

On the menu, they served a plethora of dishes, which changed on a rotating basis with whatever was in season, in addition to rare delicacies that they kept on hand for wealthier patrons. Many of the dishes were hearty-sounding, which Lucius assumed was to go along with their theme.

Kalliope seemed both excited and overwhelmed at the food options presented and asked their waiter for a recommendation.

"Yes, my lady. This week's special is a seared Alpha Deer steak in a red wine reduction. Served alongside a seasonal salad and a bowl of creamed vegetables. We also recommend pairing it with our personal wine label: Mountainside Reserve. It is a century-aged red wine made from a special variety of grapes that grow along the cliffs of the mountain above the palace.

Only a handful of bottles are produced annually, and I have it on good authority that this particular wine is a favorite of the Lady of the Mountain."

Lucius felt his eyes slightly gloss over at the wealth of unnecessary information regarding a simple bottle of alcohol. However, the feeling of being overwhelmed was combated by the intense annoyance at the special meat of choice. Kalliope also seemed unsure of what to do and simply responded to the waiter with a shrug of agreement.

She looked mildly confused at why he had a look of annoyance on his face, but Lucius simply shook his head and requested some sort of fish-based dish without even glancing at the menu. Happy to finally be left alone, Lucius smiled at Kalliope.

"What?" She asked simply.

"Nothing, just... I never imagined I would be able to do this with you. I had set aside how I felt because of my feelings for Rena, but now I don't have to."

"So, what are your intentions tonight?" Kalliope asked plainly.

Her brazen question, which would make other people question her tact, brought Lucius a smile. She had been acting the part of the shy maiden so far on the date due to the freshness of the situation, but she was still Kalliope at heart. He thought for a moment under the woman's watchful gaze. There was no sign of concern or blame in her eyes.

Rather, they contained a careful curiosity, maybe even a dash of hope.

"I have a few ideas, but they can wait. For now, we should enjoy ourselves." He said.

The two clinked together their glasses and laughed at the situation. A short while later, dinner was served. Kalliope seemed to thoroughly enjoy her steak. The food brought a large smile to her face as she tried to balance her desire to shovel the food into her mouth with the desire to remain 'civilized' given their surroundings.

Lucius also found the fish he was served to be very tasty. It had orange-colored flesh and was incredibly moist and soft, with a crispy skin on the bottom. They served it with a thick yellow sauce and sprinkled strange, green vegetables with a strong tang.

Though Kalliope's meal was served with expensive red wine, Lucius was provided with a white wine that was slightly tinged yellow. Unlike any other beverage he had seen before, the alcohol also possessed strange bubbles that clung to the sides and bottoms of the glass. Each slight movement of the glass or table made the bubbles float to the top, where they popped with a hiss.

"Ah! Yes, a fine eye, my lady," The proprietor beamed, "That is a traditional beastman marriage cuff. A rather unique piece in my collection. I picked it up from a merchant out of Eroa almost fifty years ago. Of course, there are very few beastmen in the capital and almost none of them ever come up this high... would you be interested in that piece?"

Kalliope went to answer and Lucius noticed she was beginning to mouth the word 'yes'. Before she could, he held up a hand and interjected, "No, thank you. We won't be needing that."

Kalliope had an aggrieved expression on her face for a moment that was quickly replaced with shock. "Actually, I should have something on reserve at the request of Princess Corva. My name is Lord Lucius Kane."

The elf's eyes went wide as he nodded quickly and left to the back of the building which was obscured by a doorway behind him with curtains drawn over it. A few moments later he returned with an ornate wooden box and reverently held it out for Lucius to grab.

Instead of taking it for himself, he gestured for Kalliope to open it. She did so gingerly and gasped at what was inside. Laying on a pillow of white silk was a similar item to what they just observed. This one, though, was made of a black metal. Instead of the gentle ornate designs and loops on the display cuff, this item had jagged and aggressive designs that looked more like bolts of electricity.

Running down the outside edge of the cuff was a series of small gemstones, each a yellow-orange color. The color seemed familiar, but she found herself unable to describe exactly how.

"Those stones are known as Desert Eyes." The shopkeeper explained. "They are usually found in Alorek and are often likened to the appearance of the sun behind a sandy haze. Not a common gemstone to request, but beautiful nonetheless. The metal itself is black silver. Unlike normal silver, it is a much harder metal resistant to damage and tarnishing."

"Desert Eye?"

"Yes," Lucius explained, "To represent where we first met. Rena has the cat charm on her choker to represent something important to our past. I wanted to do the same for you."

"You know what it means to give me this?" Kalliope said in a hushed tone.

Lucius noticed Kalliope's face becoming slightly flushed. For some reason something clicked in his brain that made his own face begin to heat up. The feeling was unique and both similar and dissimilar to how his body felt when with Rena in the physical sense.

Lucius coughed awkwardly, "I do. Shall I put it on for you? It may hurt for a moment."

Kalliope nodded furiously and leaned her head down slightly toward him. Her ears twitched slightly from the anticipation. With an ever-increasing heartbeat, Lucius gently placed the cuff around her left ear and clamped it closed. Thanks to her time as a warrior, the quick pain of the piercing point at the tip of the ear didn't even make Kalliope flinch.

Lucius pulled out a small healing potion and wiped away a tiny drop of blood before splashing a small amount on her ear, which quickly healed and prevented infection. Kalliope slowly looked up, her face almost completely red now. Lucius could hear her heart pounding against her chest, though he also couldn't tell if it was actually hers or his own.

Because Corva had measured nearly every part of Kalliope for the weapon she was making, she could sneakily grab a few extra measurements to ensure that this ear cuff was perfectly sized. The elf that ran this store was immediately contacted and was paid a very generous sum to perform a rush order.

"We need to go," Kalliope stated quickly before yanking Lucius out of the store and leaving the jeweler behind. Lucius silently thanked Yue for having the foresight of paying the jeweler in advance.