About the time I was picked up and adopted by Tallulah

Of course, it was different for Junjun who used to be an agent in Qiecheng. Most of the time, Junjun didn’t go to bed until 6 o’clock.

Since it was related to yesterday's mission, Orson naturally didn't dare to neglect it. He gently rubbed Kel'tsit's shoulders again.

"Kelsey, I have to go out."

"Mmmmm..."

Kal'tsit made a mysteriously cute sound from her nose, turned over and continued to sleep.

"Haa ...

It looks like Kal'tsit won't get up for a while, so let her have a good rest.

Orson carefully got up from the bed, covered Kal'tsit with the quilt, and buttoned up her open pajamas. Then he went to the kitchen and made a sandwich, which he put on the table after keeping it warm.

"Have a good rest, Kel'tsit. I'll come back and call you before noon."

Orson whispered to Kal'tsit and then left the hotel.

After going out, the room next door where Chen Huijie and Xingxiong originally lived has now become empty.

——Ghost Sister and Huijie should have gone to Dosoles now. By the way, where is Dosoles?

Orson found that he still had no understanding of the continent of Terra. For many places, let alone their specific geographical locations, Orson had never even heard of them.

But this experience was indeed wonderful. I was able to meet an acquaintance in a place so far away from Longmen, and we helped each other solve a local disaster.

Maybe this is what is called "fate"?

Orson came to the hotel lobby while thinking about what was useful and what was useless.

"Hmm? The store manager isn't here?"

Orson discovered that the person at the reception this time was not the uncle who had received him and Kal'tsit before, but a young girl.

"The manager... I heard he was taken in for questioning because of a national security issue. I'm covering for him for the time being. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Investigation? Well, it's nothing, actually. I just wanted to thank the store manager for the discount coupon."

Orson rubbed his hair. Although he didn't know what the store manager had done specifically, if he was taken away for investigation at this time, it was most likely related to the bug in Chen's room.

It seems that this hotel will not be able to continue operating for much longer. It is better to say that the city will probably move out one after another in the next six months.

After leaving the hotel, Orson went to a beach according to the address in the text message.

"This way, Orson."

Hei, who had arrived at the beach early to wait for Orson, waved his hand, and the two of them successfully reunited without encountering any problems.

Because Xiosta has an extremely rich nightlife, it is common for concerts to have encores at 1,2 or o'clock in the middle of the night. Therefore, in the early morning, there is almost no one on the coastline.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Miss Black."

Orson came to Hei's side and noticed that Hei was not wearing the transparent raincoat, light hot pants and tight vest combination as before, but was wearing a very ordinary coat and white tights.

"I've only just arrived. Besides... well, it feels a little strange that you're looking at me like that."

Hei noticed Orson staring at his 'new costume' and whispered awkwardly.

She had long been accustomed to her usual attire, which was somewhat revealing but extremely convenient for movement. Therefore, whether it was her previous "date" with Orson or today, wearing ordinary girl's clothes would make Hei feel a little embarrassed.

"Although my previous outfit was more comfortable to wear,... the young lady said it wasn't suitable for leaving the city-state and traveling to other territories, so I changed my clothes slightly. However, I have no relevant experience, so..."

It was as if Hei wanted to relieve his inner shyness and embarrassment. Although Orson didn't ask anything, he still blurted out the reasons for his behavior.

"Wearing black as an everyday style is also very cute, so don't be too nervous."

Orson smiled and said to Hei, and Hei felt that the words from the boy's mouth were not flattery, and gradually calmed down.

"Well, I see."

The corners of Hei's mouth rose slightly, and then gradually he no longer had the strange anxious and awkward look he had at the beginning.

The two came to a bench on the beach, facing the "ocean" in front of them, watching the sunlight shining on the sea, and the waves being twisted into red ripples.

The surroundings are so quiet that one feels peaceful. In this city that is always bustling and noisy, the only sound on the beach at this moment is the crashing of waves. It seems that "contracting" a piece of beach does not require too much money, and one only needs to arrive at the beach early.

"Speaking of which, the master's attitude in agreeing to our departure was much more decisive than I expected. This city-state was clearly going to be gradually relocated, but the master still happily laughed while encouraging my young lady and I to leave."

Hei said softly, looking at the "sea" in front of him.

"Although I'm happy to have the master's permission so easily, it also feels a bit strange to me."

Hei put his legs on the bench, hugged his knees with his hands, and wrapped himself in it. He spoke in a confused tone.

"I love the city of Xiosta. Although Rembilto is my hometown, I feel a sense of belonging in Xiosta. But when I was about to leave the city with my eldest daughter, and when I learned that Xiosta had been swallowed up by a volcano and destroyed... I didn't feel as scared or reluctant as I expected."

"It's not just me. The master and the young lady, they all seem...more optimistic."

Hei said in a low voice, seemingly unable to understand his own feelings.

"The reason everyone is so optimistic... probably because we still have the future."

Orson thought about it for a moment and then gave his answer.

"future--"

"Well, the future! Although the things we possessed in the past will eventually dissipate, this is no reason to give up hope in life. Rather, it is precisely because we have expectations for the future that we can more easily and optimistically accept the present."

Orson said with a smile, while Hei fell into thought as he looked at the smile of the boy in front of him.

As a mercenary who lives and dies every day, Hei has never thought about the so-called "future". All she can do is live one day at a time.

For her, life was like an eternal night without light. It was not until she met Ceylon that she truly found that ray of light.

However, the arm that actually reached out and pulled him out of the quagmire and darkness was actually that of this young man whom he had once misunderstood as a bloodthirsty killer.

“…Yes, there is still a future.”

Hei looked at Orson, and after a brief silence, she nodded.

Perhaps even Hei himself did not realize that he was no longer the mercenary with no "future" in the past. At this moment, sitting on the beach, he had countless choices for the future.

"Speaking of which, Miss Hei, you said in your text message earlier that you had something else to tell me about the [mission]. Is it about the Security Bureau?"

Orson asked Hei about the real reason why she came here to find him, and Hei was stunned for a moment after hearing it. Her reaction was as if she had forgotten that she came to find this chimera for something.

"The mission... oh, there was such a thing."

Hei recalled her main purpose, but the next second her cheeks became a little warm and her eyes turned away from Orson slightly.

"I've already found the next successor for the Security Bureau. Although his ability isn't enough to become a commander, the Security Bureau itself won't exist for much longer, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Compared to the Security Bureau, then, that... Orson, do you remember... when we were in the cafe before, you said... well, after this is over, we'll start over..."

"Re-dating—is that it?"

"……Um"

Hei tried his best but was too embarrassed to say this, and finally Orson, who remembered this matter, helped him to say it.

Actually, this incident did happen. Orson tricked Hei out because of a mistake. After that, something went wrong with Kal'tsit, so she forcibly ended the "date" and promised to come back and start over seriously after that.

It seems that Hei also attaches great importance to this agreement.

...It's just that I just had sex with Kal'tsit last night, and now I have to go on a 'date' with Hei early this morning. It sounds a bit too bad.

But an agreement is an agreement, so Orson nodded and said it was okay.

"I'll be leaving at noon, but until then, if you don't mind, I'll stay with you for a while."

Orson stood up, smiled, and stretched out his hand in the gesture of a knight inviting a woman. Hei blushed at first, then stretched out his hand and placed it on the palm of Orson's hand, accepting the "invitation" of the little knight.

In this way, Hei, the former director of the Xiosta Security Bureau and Orson, one of the current leaders of the security company [Integration Movement], began their last morning in Xiosta, which was also their first date.

Following Hei's instructions, Orsen and his friend first arrived at a dessert shop. The sign said it would open at 9:8. Since they had spent some time at the beach, they happened to meet the owner who was returning from buying ingredients around :. The owner naturally welcomed them into the dessert shop.

"I always felt that this kind of place was a bit out of tune with me...so I never came in. Even when I occasionally went to some coffee shops that sold desserts with the young lady, I would only order drinks like black coffee...but today I was finally able to come in."

After entering the empty dessert shop, Hei looked around curiously. This time, Hei was not wearing her usual 'combat uniform' but casual clothes. She really looked like a girl who was a little naive and full of curiosity.

"Didn't Miss Hei also order black coffee when she was at the coffee shop before? Could it be that she doesn't like it?"

Orson asked curiously, while Hei showed a somewhat embarrassed expression.

"How should I put it... Actually, I've thought about ordering a cappuccino or a caramel macchiato before, but as soon as everyone sees me, they all offer me a cup of black coffee. I can't refuse, so I can only... well, just holding back my distressed expression is already difficult, and on top of that, I have to push a whole cup of coffee into my mouth while it's still hot..."

When talking about his experience drinking coffee, Hei's tail and ears drooped.

It seems that because of the initial misunderstanding and the lack of a suitable opportunity to clarify, Hei could only grit his teeth and keep putting the black coffee into his mouth.

"I understand, I understand. Actually, I don't like drinking spinach juice at all. I just have to drink it because of life's pressure..."

Orson nodded with an expression that said "I understand", but of course what they said were completely different.

While they were chatting, the desserts they ordered were delivered, including freshly baked cream mousse cake and Black Forest chocolate cake.

"Is this a real dessert? I seem to have seen it when I was a child, but I have no memory of it anymore - um...!"

Hei picked up the fork, cut a corner of the cake and put it into her mouth. A happy and joyful expression instantly appeared on her face, but she immediately noticed that Orson was sitting opposite her, and she instinctively restrained her expression.

Hei suppressed his happy expression and secretly glanced at Orson who was sitting opposite him. He found that Orson didn't notice that he had just made such an embarrassing expression. He was also tasting the Black Forest cake in front of him, but the expression on his face was not so much "happy and cheerful" as "extremely solemn and focused".

"Orson... don't you like dessert?"

Seeing Orson's look, Hei asked with some concern. Although Orson was "accompanying" him on a 'date' today, Hei didn't want to see any compromise between him and Orson on their last day in Xiosta.

"Hmm? No, the Black Forest cake in this shop is really great! I haven't tasted anything of similar quality in Longmen! As for Casimir and Checheng, let's not talk about them. I don't know why 7% of Casimir's desserts are carrot-flavored, while Checheng's desserts are all condensed milk and sugar... But this cake is really delicious!"

Orson complained quietly, while giving the cake in front of him a particularly high evaluation.

"Then why-"

"Is the secret to the smooth texture the eggs? Or the cream... or the heat? Setting that aside, the chocolate has a stronger bitterness, is it to neutralize the cream? Hmm... I'm definitely far behind in the dessert world...!"

"Uh, Orson…Orson?"

Hei blinked. Although the boy in front of him was concentrating on tasting the dessert with a fork just like him, his expression looked very solemn, and there was even a feeling of self-blame in it.

"Uh-uh, Hei? Ah, I'm fine here. It's really delicious. It's great to be here, isn't it?"

Hearing Hei's call, Orson came back to his senses. He immediately smiled and praised and affirmed the dessert. However, when Hei, who was standing by, heard these words, the expression on his face was not as happy as it was at the beginning.

How should I put it… I went to a dessert shop with a boy, and I was impressed by the delicious food, while he was seriously thinking about the preparation method and taste…

Although Hei never thought of himself as a very "feminine" guy, he still felt a little weird when encountering this situation.

After leaving the dessert shop he had been longing for, Hei took Orson to the only mechanical parts repair shop in Xiosta.

"I really like this shop, unlike the previous dessert shop. Even for me, it doesn't feel strange to come to a place like this."

Hei said with a relaxed expression, and entered the store very naturally.

The interior structure of the store was similar to the store that Orson and Maria had visited in Casimir, except that there were no various knight equipment here.

"Miss Hei! You're here again! I've already prepared the suit you requested!"

When the store manager saw Hei, he greeted him naturally, and at the same time bent down to take out a scroll-like package from under the counter and handed it to Hei.

"Well, thank you for troubling me all this time, Manager."

Hei happily took the package and spread it out on the glass display stand. Inside were various sophisticated repair tools and some props that looked like maintenance parts.

"Hmm... the workmanship is very sophisticated, and each set of equipment also comes with replacement parts... It's really great."

Hei gently stroked the tools used to repair, clean and modify crossbows, and his tone softened a little.

"For me, maintaining a crossbow is like putting on makeup—hmm, did I say something strange…"

Hei said as he carefully put away the repair tools, and then realized that his interest in such things might seem a little strange in Orson's eyes.

"Hmm? Not at all. Rather, Miss Kuro seems to be able to chat with Maria, Snow Pheasant Klucil, and the others. Later, when we go to Rhodes Island Dragon Gate and Casimir, I will introduce them to them~"

"U-well, I'll leave it to you then, Orson."

Hei was stunned for a moment, then smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly.

Yes, how could this boy think that he was weird because of something like this? Orson was definitely not that kind of person.

"Yeah! Besides Kiri Castle, I'm still a little popular in other places, right?"

Orson said this proudly, putting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest. If it were anyone else, this combination of words and actions would just be misunderstood as a mindless joke. However, for Orson, the "honorary knight" and the "designated son-in-law of the ruler of Lungmen (?)", this statement was most likely modesty.

"But then again, I'm actually not particularly interested in these mechanical things. Should I say I just don't get enough of them? I prefer things that are closer to nature—"

When Hei got the maintenance kit and was about to leave with Orson, Orson, who was talking about "not liking mechanical manufacturing", suddenly stopped at a glass shoe cabinet at the door.

"[Built-in 5-speed height-increasing mechanical boots, can increase height by up to 10cm]..."