In the peaceful wooden house floating within the Spirit Realm, Klein was sleeping peacefully with his head resting comfortably on Orpheus’s lap.

Orpheus sat with her back against the headboard, gently patting his head with slow, affectionate strokes.

A soft smile graced her lips as she looked down at him.

"You’ve worked hard," she whispered softly, almost to herself. "Rest well, Klein."

She kept patting his head gently, content to stay like this for as long as he needed.

---

Klein opened his eyes inside his room on the second floor.

The sky outside the window was bright in the early morning. He felt significantly stronger after absorbing the energy stones and resting in the Spirit Realm.

He stood up, rolled his shoulders, and glanced at the clock.

His mind drifted to the woman.

’She should be resting in her room by now... Now that I think of it, I never asked her name.’

After a brief moment of thought, Klein decided to check on her.

He stood up, put on a simple shirt and trousers, and stepped out of his room quietly.

The hallway was silent except for the faint sounds of the inn waking up below.

He walked down to the room she had mentioned earlier and knocked softly on the door with three light taps.

A few seconds later, the door opened slightly.

The woman peeked out, her brown hair slightly messy from sleep and her eyes still a little sleepy.

She was wearing a simple, loose nightgown that clung gently to her figure.

When she saw it was him, a mix of surprise and mild annoyance crossed her face.

"Good morning," Klein said with a small smile.

She stared at him for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh and opened the door wider, allowing him to step inside.

"You really don’t know the meaning of personal space, do you?" she muttered, closing the door behind him. "It’s barely morning."

As she turned around after closing the door, Klein gave her ass a playful slap.

*Plah*

"That’s a sexy nightgown you got there," he muttered with a grin.

The woman froze for a split second, then turned around with wide eyes and a deep flush spreading across her cheeks.

"You...!" she hissed as she raised hand to rub her asscheek "What the hell do you think you’re doing, you bastard?!"

Klein chuckled, "Just appreciating the view. You look good in the morning light."

The woman glared at him in irritation and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, the loose nightgown shifting slightly with the motion.

"You really are shameless," she grumbled in annoyance.

"I let you in to check on my condition, not so you could slap my ass first thing in the morning."

She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, still glaring at him.

"...Whatever. Did you come here just to harass me, or do you actually have a reason?"

Klein’s expression turned more serious as he stepped closer.

"I wanted to check how you’re feeling after yesterday. The blockages I cleared... any side effects? Any improvement in your mana flow?"

Her glare softened slightly as she remembered the relief she had felt.

"...It’s a lot better. I can circulate my mana more smoothly now. The pressure is almost gone in some areas."

With a thoughtful nod, he spoke "Now then, back to the main topic, we can go to the black market at night. Before that let’s go on a date around the capital for a little."

The woman blinked, clearly caught off guard by the suggestion "...A date? You want to go on a date?"

Klein shrugged, "Why not? We have time until nightfall. We’re going to be working together, so we might as well get to know each other better."

"Besides, it’s only been three days since I came to the capital... I didn’t enjoy much time of it."

She stared at him for a moment and then let out a defeated sigh "Alright. We can go on a date, you clueless flirt."

She stood up and stretched her arms above her head, the loose nightgown shifting with the movement and briefly outlining her figure in the morning light.

Klein’s gaze stayed on her, staring at her shamelessly.

She noticed and rolled her eyes. "At least pretend... you are openly staring at me?"

Klein grinned "I find honesty saves time."

Upon hearing this, she shook her head helplessly "Give me thirty minutes. And wait outside. If you peek, I’ll stab you."

With a chuckle, Klein stepped closer as she turned toward the changing screen and gave her ass a firm slap.

"Y-YOU FUCKING BASTARD! DO YOU KNOW I AM? HARASSING ME LIKE THIS!"

"Oh yeah, that reminds me... what is your name?"

She glared at him furiously "...Lyra. And if you do that again, I will really stab you." she hissed through gritted teeth.

He just smiled and stepped outside, closing the door behind him ’She is fun to tease.’

About thirty minutes later, the door opened.

Lyra stepped out wearing a simple green blouse, practical trousers, and a light cloak. Her brown hair was neatly tied back, and she looked much more composed.

---

They left the inn together and began walking through the lively morning streets of Crownfall.

They started with a simple breakfast at a small outdoor café, where they sat and talked. Lyra was still somewhat guarded, but she gradually opened up as they ate.

"So," Klein asked between bites, "how long have you been in Crownfall?"

"About two months," she replied. "I came here hoping to find help for my condition. The rumors about the Dark Church being active here are stronger than in other cities."

They continued their date by strolling through a lively market district.

Klein bought her a skewer of grilled fruit, and she reluctantly accepted it.

"You’re really committed to this date thing, huh?" Lyra muttered, taking a bite. The sweetness seemed to soften her expression just a little.

Klein smiled "When I commit to something, I do it properly."

They continued walking and talking about the capital, her life before the blockages became severe, and vague hints about her political marriage.

Klein shared some surface-level information about himself.

Despite her initial reluctance, Lyra gradually relaxed.

By the time they sat down at a café for lunch, she was even smiling faintly at some of his teasing remarks.

"You know," she said, taking a sip of her drink, "you’re not nearly as annoying as I first thought."

Klein chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You’re not as icy as you pretend to be either."

Lyra rolled her eyes, but the small smile remained on her lips.

They spent the early afternoon wandering through a park overlooking the river that ran through Crownfall.

They sat on a bench for a while, watching boats pass by as they continued their conversation.

Lyra even laughed softly at one of Klein’s jokes about his terrible sense of direction when he first arrived in the capital.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, they started heading back toward the inn to prepare for the night’s main event at the black market.

Lyra glanced at him as they walked side by side "Thank you... for today. It was... nicer than I expected. I haven’t had a normal day like this in a long time."

Klein smiled warmly "Anytime..."