The cool quiet of the shop didn't suddenly warm up with Phoebe's arrival.
Ray remained the picture of exhaustion, punctuating the silence with yawns. The act of eating seemed almost mechanical for him, a programmed, weary motion of chewing to banish the persistent gnawing of hunger, with no trace of enjoyment.
Phoebe, however, was a stark contrast...
With each bite of pizza she took and savored, a look of profound contentment would bloom on her face, as if she were tasting the finest delicacy in the world.
"Truly, Miss Margherita's pizza is the best," Phoebe sighed happily, swinging her slender legs gently under the table, starlight dancing in her eyes. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ray. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy this."
She spoke sweetly.
But mid-sentence, she seemed to remember something important. Her gaze sharpened slightly.
Then, she gently set down the still-fragrant slice of pizza and began rummaging carefully through the delicate satchel she carried with her.
"Oh, that's right. As a Acolyte of the Order, I can't just accept a free meal. For this wonderful dinner, we should share the cost—"
Her clear voice trailed off into silence before she could finish.
Ray instinctively looked up, his focus shifting back to the suddenly quiet girl.
He frowned slightly, his eyes full of curiosity, trying to read the answer in her expression.
He saw Phoebe sitting perfectly still, head bowed. A faint blush was visibly blooming on her otherwise pale cheek.
Perhaps sensing his unabashed stare, Phoebe flusteredly turned her head away, her face reddening further as she lowered her gaze, fingers nervously fiddling with the ends of her hair in an attempt to hide her inner turmoil and embarrassment.
Studying the girl's slightly flushed face, Ray seemed to realize what was happening. A faint, amused smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
'Such a simple girl.
I already said it's my treat... well, technically Zani's treat.
Judging by her awkwardness, she's probably broke.
Well then...let's tease her a little?'
"No money?" he asked, deliberately drawing out the question, feigning innocence.
Phoebe's cheeks burned even hotter. She nodded in shame, her voice a tiny whisper. "S... sorry."
"Doesn't the Order provide a stipend?" Ray inquired.
Phoebe shook her head gently. "They do, but... it's not very much."
A glint of amusement flickered in Ray's eyes. "Not enough to cover pizza, huh?"
Phoebe waved her hands hurriedly, eager to clarify. "Oh, no! Of course it could cover pizza! It's just..."
"Just?"
"Today... there was a child's birthday at the orphanage. I... I used all my stipend to buy a cake and treats for the children."
Ray adopted a look of sudden understanding. "Ah, I see. What a kind and lovely acolyte. But... that's still not a good excuse for a free meal, is it?"
"I..." The girl's fingers twisted together, her lips pressed into a tight line. It seemed a thousand words were stuck in her throat, but none could find their way out. In the end, all she managed was a low, faint, "I... I'm sorry."
Seeing this, a trace of mischief flashed in Ray's expression. He purposefully put on an expression of extreme distress, shaking his head as if deeply troubled. "Sigh... If a simple 'sorry' could solve everything, what would be the point of the Order's strict discipline, Miss Phoebe? What do you think?"
"I... I..."
The girl was rendered speechless, her face flushing an even deeper red. A wave of shame washed over her, and she couldn't bring herself to look Ray in the eye.
"If this sort of thing got back to the Order... what would everyone think?"
A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Ray's mouth. He leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them, his voice taking on a coaxing tone.
"Miss Phoebe... you wouldn't want this to become known at the Order, would you?"
A slight tremble ran through Phoebe's shoulders, like a leaf shivering in an autumn wind. The pure-hearted girl of devout faith now saw herself as a sinner, filled with fear and anxiety.
"Ah, but you know, I'm not a petty person who makes a big deal out of everything," Ray continued, his tone shifting to one of magnanimity.
"But you understand, everything in this world has its price. There's no such thing as a free meal. If Miss Phoebe truly can't pay right now... perhaps you could consider offering something of equal value in exchange? How does that sound?"
Hearing this, Phoebe slowly raised her head. Her clear eyes, now clouded with confusion and lingering shame, fixed intently on Ray's face. "Something... of equal value?"
Ray didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leisurely straightened up, his gaze deep and meaningful as it slowly swept over the girl's still-youthful form.
At first, Phoebe was simply confused, not understanding his intent.
But as the seconds stretched on, a sense of dread began to creep into her heart.
She flinched violently, as if realizing something, and shrank back in her seat. Her arms instinctively wrapped around herself, her cheeks burning like wildfire. She shook her head frantically, her voice trembling. "N-no... you can't. Please don't."
"Can... can you please ask for something else?" she pleaded desperately, her tone full of helplessness and hope. "As a member of the Order, I... I must preserve the purity of my body. It's my faith. It's my vow."
Ray: "?"
'What was she saying?
Had she misunderstood something?'
After a moment of silence, Ray finally spoke. "Actually... I meant your staff."
Phoebe: "?"
For a second, the girl froze completely.
'Huh? The staff?
Huh? I misunderstood?
Huh? What was I even thinking?
Will the Sentinel forgive my impure thoughts?
I want to disappear…'
A whirlwind of thoughts was raging in Phoebe's mind, only broken when Ray's hearty laughter suddenly rang out beside her.
"Pfft— hahahaha! I was just kidding you."
"The bill's already been paid."
"Besides, didn't I say from the start this was my treat? You really don't need to feel burdened or owe anything."
Phoebe stared blankly at Ray, who was now nearly doubled over with laughter. She blinked slowly, still processing the sudden turn of events. "So... you were just teasing me this whole time?"
"Sorry, sorry," Ray managed between chuckles, taking a deep breath to calm himself, though a smile still lingered. "Work's been so dull lately, I couldn't help but tease you a bit for fun. If you're angry or upset, I sincerely apologize."
"I..." Phoebe's face was still flushed, a charming mix of shyness and embarrassment.
Angry?
More than anger, what filled her heart was an indescribable sense of shame and self-reproach.
After all, Mr. Ray had never harbored any improper intentions from the beginning... while she had...
"It's been a very entertaining dinner," Ray said, slowly rising to his feet and stretching his stiff arms with a satisfied, pleasant smile. "Full and content, so I should head back and rest. Goodnight, Miss Phoebe."
With that, he turned and walked straight toward the shop's wooden door, glowing with warm yellow light from within.
But just as he was about to step out, Ray paused, as if remembering something important. He stopped for a moment.
Then, he slowly turned his head, his gaze settling on the golden-haired girl. A subtle, teasing smirk played on his lips.
"Oh, and one more thing..."
"Regarding what you said earlier, Miss Phoebe... I promise I won't breathe a word of it to anyone."
"It'll be our secret. Rest assured."
The moment the words left his mouth, the golden-haired girl's face instantly flushed crimson all over again.
She hurriedly ducked her head, her whole person radiating a visible aura of mortification and awkwardness, as if steam were about to whistle from her ears like a kettle left too long on the fire.
...
...
A dimly lit alleyway.
Several figures, hidden in the shadows of a corner, watched as Ray emerged from the shop.
"That him?"
"Weren't there supposed to be two?"
"Whatever. One's fine. Grab him."