"Where am I even supposed to take her?"
Ignis let out a long sigh, deleted the freshly typed message inviting Jane Doe to a movie, tossed his phone aside, and slumped down onto the floor.
The Salamander stared at the blinking notification badge in his message app and felt like he was sitting on needles. He could plan a full-scale assault operation in minutes, yet the idea of asking someone out made his head ache. For the former, he had not only deep theoretical knowledge but also extensive real-world experience. For the latter—he was completely lost. His years as a safety officer had held no women and barely any vacations, and his life as a Space Marine had been nothing but battle and training. He couldn't exactly invite Jane Doe to an exhilarating duel, could he?
When it came to dating, all he knew were clichés he'd heard from coworkers: shopping, eating, watching a movie, then going to a hotel. As for anything actually interesting to do, he had no idea at all.
Maybe he could invite her fishing? Port Elpis had plenty of anglers, after all. Jane could even give him a custom rod—maybe she liked fishing too.
That idea was shot down in the next instant. Salamander had been swamped with work lately and had completely forgotten his lure-fishing practice. Invite her out just to watch him get skunked?
That would be way too embarrassing! And Jane Doe was notoriously sharp-tongued—she'd tease him about it for ages.
He thought about what he was good at. Other than fighting, there was blacksmithing. But he couldn't exactly drag Jane to watch him hammer metal, either. For a Salamander, forging was a way to relax, but for a typical New Eridu resident, it was far too hardcore.
He could only keep sighing, quietly cursing himself for not having watched more romantic comedies. At least then he'd have some ideas about how dates were supposed to go. Then again, Jane Doe wasn't some innocent high school girl anyway, so that kind of experience probably wouldn't help.
"What's wrong? I can hear you sighing all the way from the living room." Nicole pushed the door open, a face mask covering her face.
"What the hell is that black stuff on your face?" The Salamander stared at her, speechless.
"A face mask. Supposedly some deep-sea mud essence. It's actually pretty expensive. If I hadn't made a killing the other day, I wouldn't have bought it." Nicole sat down on Ignis's bed. "So? What's got you sighing like that?"
Ignis turned his head away, avoiding her eyes. Admitting he didn't know where to take someone out was… more embarrassing than any battlefield blunder.
"Hmm?" Seeing his reaction, Nicole knew it was something awkward. She closed the door, muffling Billy's voice from the living room. "Alright, he can't hear us. You can tell me."
She thumped her chest. "I swear I'll keep it secret!"
Ignis glanced at her for barely a second before looking away again. The giant sighed deeply, as if bracing himself.
"You swear you won't tell anyone… and you won't laugh?"
"Alright, alright. I swear I won't tell, and I won't laugh." The boss of the Cunning Hares raised her right hand solemnly.
"...Okay." He sighed again, voice low. "I messaged Jane Doe earlier, asking if she wanted to go on a Golden Week trip with me. She replied a few days ago, asking where I wanted to take her. But I still haven't decided."
"That's it? You've been moping around like the world ended over that? I thought something serious happened." Nicole didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"I really don't have any good ideas, so I don't know what to do." A dejected Salamander showed her his phone's empty input field.
"So that's why you looked like that when you came back from the C41 Hollow. I thought you ran into something nasty in there…" Nicole looked at her foster son. "If you don't know, why not just ask her?"
"Huh?" Ignis was completely thrown off.
"What, you think as the man you have to provide the whole date plan? That's pretty outdated, don't you think? Just ask her where she wants to go." Nicole shook her head in exasperation. "We're all working adults. Time is valuable. Nobody has the patience for all this beating around the bush."
"And besides, that's Jane Doe—criminal psychology consultant for the Public Security. For all you know, she already predicted this and is just waiting for you to ask."
Nicole lowered her voice, her tone shifting.
"By the way, you still haven't told me—last time you went to see her, you didn't come back for three days. What exactly did you two do?"
What did they do? Everything people in a relationship do.
"Uh… we just stayed together for three days." Ignis tried to deflect. "Do you have any good recommendations, Boss Nicole?"
"Three days is a long time. And from what she told us in the Hollow; you saved her several times. Didn't she repay you properly?" Nicole's eyes gleamed.
That deflection really wasn't working.
"We did what couples do. But she didn't confirm a relationship with me…" The Salamander sighed and told her the truth. "She cares a lot about her identity. She doesn't want me getting too entangled with someone who could disappear at any time."
"Huh? That seems… out of order?" Nicole was confused, though love was strange by nature.
"That's not the point!" Ignis looked at her helplessly. "Seriously, do you know any good places for a date?"
"How would I know? Do I look like some kind of expert at hooking men?" Nicole tapped her face mask as her phone vibrated. She glanced down at it.
"Boss, you dress up so nicely every day—don't you have any suitors?" The Salamander lowered his voice.
"Of course I do!" Nicole snapped like a cat with its tail stepped on. "I'm very popular! My standards are just high, that's all! If anyone wants to marry Nicole Demara, they'd better be at least TOPS Alliance–level rich."
Yeah. That was definitely Boss Nicole.
"In short, I have plenty of admirers!" she emphasized again as her phone buzzed repeatedly. She hurried to check it.
When she looked up again, her eyes were gleaming with her trademark mischievous grin—even through the black face mask, Ignis could tell.
"Ignis, my dear foster son." She dragged out the words dramatically. "I've just received two pieces of very good news. If you want to hear them, you'd better beg nicely."
"Please tell me, Boss Nicole!" Ignis played along with exaggerated theatrics.
The terrible acting left even the Cunning Hares' boss momentarily stunned. With a sigh, she handed him her phone.
"Look. The Proxy says the C41 Hollow has entered another recession phase. Roadblocks in the surrounding area are lifted, so residents there can safely enjoy Golden Week. To celebrate our heroic feat, Von Lycaon from the Victoria family secured a private beach we can use for a vacation." Nicole looked smug. "The Cunning Hares and Belobog Heavy Industries are both invited—and the Proxy said we can bring friends too."
"A private beach! No crowds, full freedom, and full service from the Victoria family!" Nicole's eyes sparkled. "That's something only the elite of the Faunus Quarter gets to enjoy!"
Ignis understood perfectly. In a city with such limited space, a private beach was an outrageous luxury. Lycaon must have paid a heavy price to curry favor with them. And that last condition felt… very pointed.
He regretted mentioning his troubles to Belle before leaving the C41 Hollow. Those women were far too nosy about romance.
"What about Anby? She still needs care for her injuries, right? Is it okay to leave her in the hospital?" Ignis tried to change the subject again.
"Relax. New Eridu's hospitals are incredibly experienced with this kind of injury. She'll be discharged tomorrow—after that it's just recovery. She's coming with us. Nekomata volunteered to take care of her."
"In the end, it's up to you—whether you invite Jane Doe or not." Nicole sat back down on the bed. "But don't forget, there's another piece of good news."
Ignis was curious. What could possibly match that?
"I booked a suite at the Willow Resort before, planning for the Cunning Hares to go. But with the Proxy's invite, we probably won't use it." Nicole pouted. "That place is hard to book. If you don't want to go with us, you could take Jane Doe there. Much more private. Hard to get cozy when you're stuck with a big group, right?"
That really was good news—and it would help keep his relationship with Jane discreet. But… did he really need to hide it?
"I'll wait for your answer. Let me know by tomorrow." Nicole patted his chest. "If you choose a private getaway, I'll cover for you. We'll tell everyone you're off on some mission."
"…Thanks." Ignis nodded quietly.
"No need to thank me for this."
When Nicole closed the door behind her, the giant was left alone with his thoughts. Not for long, though. She was right—when you don't know how to choose, give the choice to the other person.
He sent both options to Jane Doe and waited to see what she would decide. Either way, he was fine with it.
Going with everyone would be fun and lively. Going alone with her would be more intimate.
His two hearts beat faster as he waited for her reply.
About ten minutes later, Jane Doe's ID showed "typing." Salamander swallowed hard. He knew her choice would define what their relationship would become.
"What do you think?"
Those words felt like the sky falling. She'd thrown it back at him.
What did he think? He wanted to make things official with her, of course. They'd already done everything couples do—he couldn't just be her secret lover forever.
That wasn't bad, but Ignis wanted something deeper.
Yet he was afraid that if he pushed too hard, he might scare her away. Jane looked fearless, living as an undercover agent, even seeming to enjoy it. But beneath that, she knew better than anyone that her life could end at any moment.
Her sense of duty demanded she continue until all the crime lurking in New Eridu's shadows was wiped out.
Ignis supported her dream—but feared losing her. He still remembered that the Rat Thiren clinging to him, confessing her fears, saying everything should end here.
Even though she later took those words back, they left a thorn in his heart. He only looked like a brute; in truth, he was painfully sensitive. He knew how fragile their connection was—if Jane ever wanted to vanish from his life, all she had to do was delete her Inter-Knot account.
With her skills in disguise, intelligence, and official backing, she could disappear without a trace.
That was the one outcome Ignis couldn't bear. He had promised to be her armor, her blade, her shield.
From initial irritation, to curiosity, to finally acknowledging his feelings—across two lifetimes, this was the first time he had truly fallen for a woman.
He even imagined maintaining this fragile balance forever, just meeting now and then.
But his soul cried out. He wanted her—wanted to see her anytime, hold her, kiss her.
Love really did make one blind. Even as a Space Marine, his soul was still that of a man longing for affection.
His fingers trembled. Desire surged, barely under control.
"How about going to the private beach with everyone? The Victoria family will provide full service."
He tried to make it sound casual, almost joking—but his true intent was unmistakable.
Jane Doe couldn't possibly miss it. He was waiting for a reply—no, a verdict.
Time dragged on. Every heartbeat felt like decades.
His Lyman's Ear picked up Billy cheering in the living room—the robot was excited about the vacation. Outside, the night market was packed; tomorrow was a holiday, and many people had come to explore this new scene.
But none of that mattered. He waited for one woman's judgment.
"Typing…" appeared again. Ignis's heart slammed in his chest. His breathing quickened, three lungs working overtime as his enhanced brain focused entirely on the screen.
The mouse's message box appeared.
"Then I'd better start preparing properly. What kind of swimsuit do you like?"
She agreed. Emperor above—she agreed!
Ignis felt his mind boil, blood rushing to his head in a dizzying surge.
"Something sexy, or something more conservative?"
Several photos followed—various swimsuits laid out on the same mattress she had used before.
His eyes locked onto a V-shaped bikini. He was very interested… but wasn't that a bit too bold?
"Just something normal is fine."
The Salamander, a little calmer now, sent his reply.
===BREAK===
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