"My suggestion is a cozy family restaurant. A place with a nice ambiance and good food where Morok's weirdness will still stick out like a sore thumb but will not get you kicked out." Phloria said.
"Excellent idea. Which establishment do you recommend me?" Quylla asked.
"In case you forgot, I've only recently got dismissed from the army. I only know several canteens and the fancy restaurants where my past dates brought me to. I never dated people outside our social status, except for Lith. Too many complications." Phloria shrugged.
"Friya, tell me you've got good news for me." Quylla said.
"The weather is nice and the temperature warm. Together with the full moon, it should make the evening perfect for a date." Friya pointed at the clear sky.
"Not that! I want you to recommend me a place or at least how to get out of it with class if things go badly." Quylla slapped her forehead in frustration.
"Sorry, but except during my time as assistant Professor at the academy, I always picked up men in taverns. Easy to find, easy to dump. It's amazing what loneliness can make you do after you drink enough liquid courage." Friya said.
"From my experience in break-ups, just be straightforward. Tell him that he's not the person you're looking for as a partner and that it's better to remain friends. Most men don't understand subtler signals and sometimes, to accept rejection they need to get their asses kicked so wear a nice dress and bring a weapon along."
Out of desperation, Quylla called Tista, who suggested to her a few restaurants in the Distar Marquisate.
"They are all nice establishments where I dined with my colleagues after I graduated from the academy. Lith was far away enough that men would muster enough courage to ask me out but his name still instilled enough fear to ward off idiots." Tista said.
"By the way, I'm honestly surprised by your bravery. My brother told me awful things about Morok and he's actually an Emperor Beast. Are you sure to have considered all the possible implications?"
"Good gods, I just want a date, not babies! Besides, he was a human just until a few years ago and if you spend a bit of time with him, you'll notice that Morok isn't much more insufferable than most guys who asked me out." Quylla said.
"Are you sure? I mean, the Griffon Kingdom is full of nice guys with no beast blood in their veins. You could have anyone." Tista said.
"My money could have anyone." Quylla scoffed. "But maybe you are right and finding a nice guy is easy. Why don't you ask your boyfriend to introduce me to some of his friends?"
"You know that I don't have a boyfriend!" Tista blushed in embarrassment.
"My point exactly. Thank you for your priceless advice about how to stay single." Quylla hung up the call and arranged her date with Morok at the Gluttonous Scorpicore, named after the ex-Lord of the forest of the White Griffon.
Scarlett the Scorpicore enjoyed its cuisine so much that thanks to her repeated visits and the amount of food she consumed each time, the owners had earned enough money to turn a small diner into a proper restaurant.
Even after her departure, the establishment was still famous for its jovial ambiance and large portions. They had no problems serving Emperor Beasts in their original form, so a shapeshifted creature like Morok was bound to go unnoticed.
Hopefully.
Quylla decided to wear a red blouse to emphasize her light pink skin, a silver necklace to draw attention to her slender neck, comfortable pants for a quick escape, and Bloodbind, the twin Adamant chains Orion had crafted for her, just to be safe.
Morok was pleasantly surprised by her lovely attire just like she was from seeing him dressed like a normal person for the first time since they had met. His long black hair with four streaks of different colors was clean and held in a ponytail.
His beard was kept short and well-groomed, giving him a mature look. He wore a light overcoat over a white shirt and brown linen pants. The only odd thing in his looks was his eyes, one red and the other blue.
"Looking good." Quylla said, trying to break the ice.
Morok was afraid to speak and say something inappropriate while Quylla felt more awkward by the second.
"Thanks, but it's all thanks to Ajatar the Drake, my new mentor. He beats the crap out of me on a regular basis, often for reasons I suspect are completely unrelated with my apprenticeship, but at least he knows how to dress." Morok said.
"By the way, you look…" He took a brief pause to look at his own right hand where he had written all the words to avoid, while the left contained a list of things that they could talk about.
"…stunning. The combination of red and silver sure draws attention to your… neck."
"Thanks, now let's get inside before we lose our reservation." Quylla walked through the door first, bracing for impact.
The Gluttonous Scorpicore looked much better than she expected, making Quylla inwardly thank Tista for her suggestion. The inner walls, the furniture, and the floor were all made of solid wood.
The interior was comprised of two rooms, both with square small tables with two chairs each, distanced enough to allow the clients to have enough space to guarantee their privacy.
Only natural fires lit the place, giving it a feeling that to commoners would remind them of home whereas to Quylla reminded solely of her missions on the field. Since she had become 12 years old and had enrolled in the White Griffon academy, the fire had become something she used only in her spells.
In a way, the lack of magical lights helped her to relax. The date felt akin to an exploration mission of uncharted territory to her so the fire set the mood right. Everything from the restaurant to the man in front of her felt alien.
"I didn't expect it would take you months to set our date. Did Faluel really gave you so little free time or are you here only because you lost a bet?" Morok noticed how tense Quylla was and tried to crack a stupid joke that unfortunately wasn't too far from the truth.
"No free time and no bets involved." Quylla blushed a little, mistaking the joke for Morok's usual bluntness. "It just-"
"What can I offer you tonight?" A nice-looking waiter in his middle thirties saved her from the embarrassment. He wore a simple white shirt, black pants, and a brown waistcoat.
"I don't know, man. I'm new here, so I'd start with a menu." Morok didn't like being interrupted, even less having to trust a stranger's taste about his food.
"I can suggest you-"
"Menu, dude. One of those pieces of paper with stuff written all over that are usually on the house. Do you want me to draw you a picture?" The waiter raised his hands in apology and handed them two menus before walking away.
"That was rude." Quylla said.
"Yeah, I know. The guy is free to give me the food he wants as long as he's the one paying for it." Morok nodded, glad they were on the same page.
