After parking my bike, the two of us walked into a restaurant.
The restaurant's interior looked so luxurious, making me hesitate to proceed further. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling of the room. Unconsciously, my feet stopped in front of the door.
"What's wrong?" Charles asked after realizing I had stopped walking, with only three steps separating us.
"You're not going to ask me to pay for your meal, are you?" I replied suspiciously, being very cautious, worried about being tricked.
He let out a long sigh, glancing around, and I just realized that my actions had caught the attention of some people.
"Don't worry, I won't do that," Charles spoke gently, making me feel a bit at ease as I saw a golden aura around him, indicating that he was speaking honestly.
I nodded slowly, took a step, and followed Charles. He led me to a dining table with two chairs in white paint located near the window.
The chairs were quite beautiful with flower-like carvings, and on the table, there was a white tablecloth and a vase of flowers.
He took a seat in one of the chairs, and I occupied the remaining one. I felt somewhat nervous as it had been a long time since I had sat at the same table as a noble, especially in front of a man exuding a mysterious charm.
"Would you like to order something?" Charles asked as he perused the restaurant's menu with his gaze fixed on the open pages. His slender fingers gently turned the pages.
"No, no need," I replied shortly. I tried to avoid unnecessary expenses as I was sure all the dishes here must be quite expensive.
A waiter then approached and greeted us politely. He stood there in a tuxedo with a bowtie and clean, tidy shoes.
Confidently, Charles placed his order, "I'll have the Filet Mignon with red wine sauce as the main course, Carrot Vichy as the side dish, and for dessert, I'd like the Panna Cotta. And for my friend here, please serve the same order as I've chosen."
I was surprised by his sudden act of ordering for me. Was he trying to treat me to a meal? I looked puzzled as I tried to understand his intentions.
The waiter politely took note of Charles' new order and then asked, "Very well, thank you for your order. Would you like to try red wine or white wine to accompany your main course?"
"Please provide me with the recommended red wine, and also, please have some apple juice for my friend."
After the waiter noted the drink orders, he politely said, "Thank you for your order. Please wait a moment." Then he left with our order notes.
Once the waiter had left, I looked at Charles and asked, "What are you really up to? Why did you order food for me?"
Charles smiled gently, and his gaze remained as mysterious as ever. "I felt that we could have lunch together, and it seems you're hungry. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I don't want your money. Besides, there are a few things I'd like to ask you."
I was a bit impressed by his gesture, and I spoke up again, "Go ahead, ask your questions, I'll answer."
"Will you answer truthfully?"
I paused for a moment as his intense gaze met mine, filled with deep curiosity.
'What kind of questions does he want to ask that would make him look so serious?' i wondered, shifting my attention to the view outside the window. "My answers will depend on your questions," I replied.
"Hmm, very well," he said briefly, and then he fell silent until the dishes arrived.
Not long after, the waiter returned to our table with our dishes. He brought two plates emitting a delightful and enticing aroma. Charles received the Filet Mignon with red wine sauce, perfectly presented on a beautifully carved plate. The Carrot Vichy, his side dish, looked fresh and inviting.
I received the exact same dish as ordered by Charles. My plate was also beautifully adorned, and the Panna Cotta as the dessert looked delicious with layers of caramel sauce on top.
The sight of the food in front of us was so tempting, and the wafting aroma only made my stomach growl louder. As we began to savor our dishes, the fragrant scent of the savory Filet Mignon with red wine sauce permeated my senses. As I cut into the meat, the knife slid effortlessly, and the outer crust of the meat was crispy. When I first tasted that piece of meat, it was so flavorful. The meat was incredibly tender and burst with flavor on my tongue. The red wine sauce flowing over it provided the perfect sweet and tangy touch.
The fresh and tender Carrot Vichy provided a perfect contrast to our main course. They were both sweet and savory, with a hint of seasoning that added a special touch. It was so indulgent, making me want to savor every bite.
Then, it was time for the Panna Cotta, the dessert that looked soft and tempting. As I slid the spoon into it, its smooth and velvety texture immediately melted in my mouth. When the sweet and caramel caramel sauce merged with the Panna Cotta, it was incredibly satisfying. It was the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and smooth.
"Wow, this is delicious," I exclaimed in awe as I watched my emptied plates.
Then, my eyes were drawn to Charles's untouched dessert. It looked so tempting, making me want to taste it.
'Hold on, Eliana, don't be too greedy,' I cautioned myself internally while swallowing saliva and diverting my attention to the glass of apple juice on the table, trying to quell my voracious appetite.
I reached for the glass filled with the pale yellow juice and sipped it slowly, savoring its sweetness and freshness flowing smoothly down my throat. It was truly delightful.
Suddenly, Charles asked his question with seriousness,"Eliana, answer honestly, if in addition to seeing mana, can you see fairies and aura of a person?"
This question was truly surprising. I was taken aback and immediately felt a choking sensation upon hearing it. My reflexes forced me to stop drinking, my eyes widened, and a sudden fit of coughing ensued.
"Are you okay?" asked Charles with concern in his eyes after seeing my sudden reaction.I nodded, still a little taken aback by the question, as I wiped away the remnants of the drink still dripping around my mouth with a tissue.
I raised my face and looked at Charles. With a slight hesitation, I answered his question, "I'm not quite sure what you mean, sir. Are you serious about fairies? They're just myths and fairy tales, aren't they?"
"Fairies are creatures that never show themselves to humans. Only those with the eyes of truth are able to see their existence. Because of this, fairies are often regarded as unreal essences. However, basically, it has always been fairies who help humans with their work," he gave a long explanation, and his voice sounded calm.
"I see," I smiled awkwardly and nervously. Not knowing what to say next. Due to the fact that the owner of the eyes of truth was myself, in this situation I could guess what would happen next.
"I'll ask you once more, can you see fairies? If you answer truthfully, I'll give you my dessert," a smile so sweetly etched on her face, she asked in a gentle tone.
Glek
'Well, look at that. He's cheating!'
I swallowed my saliva back, as I looked at the dessert that looked so soft and tempting on the table.
"Sir, I'm just an ordinary human. It's impossible for me to see fairies," I replied as I looked down nervously, cold sweat pouring down my forehead.
"Ah, look at this, I'm going to eat it. If you're lying,"
I tried to lift my face and saw her scooping up the dessert, I became panicked.
"Alright, alright! I'll tell you the truth, I can see fairies and auras!" I said quickly and frantically as Charles was about to eat the dessert.
With that, he smiled with satisfaction after hearing my answer, placed his spoon on the plate, and abandoned his intention to eat his dessert.
My eyes sparkled as he placed the food right in front of me, "Enjoy your meal slowly because there are still many things I want to ask you."
In an instant, my expression turned flat. He had asked in the midst of my drink earlier, causing me to choke. And now? He was going to ask while I enjoyed my food; did he want to make me choke again?
I took a deep breath before speaking again, "I still have a lot of work to do, can we do it another time, please, Sir?" I said with a pleading expression.
Charles fell silent for a moment before nodding slowly, "Very well, I won't push you."
My eyes lit up with joy, and I had to think of a way to avoid meeting him in the future. He knew about the eyes of truth, but I didn't know his intentions for approaching me. Moreover, I needed to find out more about him through the fairies.
As I savored my dessert, my thoughts remained fixated on the man's intentions in front of me, trying to unravel what he wanted to learn or gain from me.
-To Be Continue