Chapter 37: The Double Date

Draven stood near the grand fountain in the Central Plaza. The morning sun was bright and warm. He casually adjusted the collar of his black jacket as he waited.

"Draven!" a cheerful voice called out.

He turned around. Estella was running toward him with a bright smile. She was wearing the frilly white dress lined with silver lace. It suited her perfectly.

"You actually picked the right one," Draven said with a rare and genuine smirk. "You look beautiful."

Estella blushed deeply. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you. You clean up pretty nicely yourself."

A moment later, Aegon and Reina arrived at the plaza.

Aegon was wearing a sharp navy button-down shirt. He looked incredibly nervous.

Reina walked next to him. The fierce Berserker was wearing a surprisingly elegant crimson blouse and dark jeans.

"Wow," Aegon blurted out while staring at Reina. "You look amazing. I mean... really amazing."

Reina crossed her arms and looked away. Her face was burning a bright red.

"Shut up, Aegon," Reina muttered defensively. "Let us just go already."

Draven chuckled at the sight. "Lead the way, Aegon. You said you knew the best spot."

"Yeah! Just trust me. I know my way around these parts. So, don’t worry and follow me!" Aegon said confidently.

"Looking at your style, it makes me wonder if you really know the best spot, son." Draven chuckled.

Aegon took the lead. He proudly guided them to the Zenith Galleria. It was the largest and most expensive shopping center in Bastion Seven.

For the next three hours, it was absolute chaos.

Estella and Reina dragged the two boys from one high-end boutique to another.

"Draven, does this blue skirt match this top?" Estella asked. She held up two different hangers with an expectant look.

"They are literally the exact same shade of blue," Draven replied flatly.

"No, they are not!" Estella pouted in frustration. "This one is azure and that one is cerulean. Honestly, you boys have no eye for fashion at all."

"Okay, the cerulean looks good. Try that one."

Draven wanted to wrap it up fast. Estella had some other plans.

"Really, but I liked azure one better. Check again! Does this look good or this one?"

"Okay then, try the other one." Draven said looking defeated.

Estella pouted, "Hey we are here for shopping. Stop being so buffed out."

"You just look good in everything you wear!" Draven shot the shot.

"Now, you are just lying! Full of flattery!" Estella was not that easy to fool.

On the other side of the store, Aegon was nodding along to every single thing Reina picked out.

He was completely terrified of giving the wrong answer and triggering her Berserker rage.

Normally, boys on a shopping trip were reduced to human pack mules. But Draven and Aegon had a massive advantage.

SWOOSH!

Draven simply tapped his spatial storage ring. A massive pile of shopping bags instantly vanished into his inventory.

"I have never been so thankful for spatial magic in my entire life," Aegon whispered with a sigh of relief.

"Do not celebrate just yet," Draven muttered.

"Why? Looking at them, they are about to finish. Then we can go and eat something good." said Aegon.

"Aegon, my friend. You do not know how the mind of a woman works. You are new in this game buddy." said Draven.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Aegon as his head was churning.

"Exactly!" Draven replied monotonously.

Reina suddenly grabbed Draven and Aegon by their collars. She dragged them forcefully toward the men’s section.

"Our turn is over," Reina declared with a scary smile. "You two are wearing the same boring combat gear every single day. We are buying you proper clothes right now."

"Wait, what?" Aegon panicked.

"Do not fight it," Draven sighed in defeat.

"Some fights are not to be fought. Sometimes, defeat is the true Victory."

The girls forced them into the dressing rooms. They made Draven and Aegon try on tailored jackets, sleek trench coats, and casual streetwear.

They completely ignored Draven’s complaints and bought several outfits for them.

After the exhausting shopping spree, Aegon led them to a high-end restaurant called The Foodie Royale.

The interior was massive and decorated with glowing crystal chandeliers.

They grabbed a comfortable booth and ordered the chef’s specials.

When the food arrived, Aegon took a massive bite of his meat. His eyes rolled back in pure bliss.

"Oh my god," Aegon mumbled with a full mouth.

"This Wyvern steak is literally melting in my mouth! Is that a spicy crust on the outside?"

"It is Fire-Lily ash mixed with crushed black pepper," Draven pointed out. He cut a small piece of his own steak.

"It sears the juices inside perfectly. Good choice, Aegon."

Estella held up her silver fork. It was dripping with a thick and creamy white sauce.

"You guys have to try this Moon-Truffle pasta," Estella urged them with wide eyes.

"The cream sauce is so rich and buttery. It has this incredible earthy flavor that just explodes on your tongue!"

Reina took a sip from her steaming bowl.

"This Abyssal Crab soup is crazy. It has a tiny kick of frost magic at the very end. It instantly cools your throat after the spice hits you."

They ate like starving wolves. The conversation was light and genuinely fun.

Draven listened to them bicker and laugh over the food.

He felt a strange sense of peace. He had never experienced a normal lunch like this in his past life.

After paying the hefty bill, Draven stood up from the booth.

"Alright," Draven said while stretching his neck. "The date portion is over. We have an errand to run."

Aegon looked confused. "Where are we going?"

"To the slums," Draven answered simply.

He led the confused group out of the wealthy shopping district.

They walked for a long time until they reached a dirty and narrow alleyway on the edge of the city.

Draven stopped in front of a rundown workshop. The wooden sign hanging above the door was barely recognizable.

CLANG!

CLANG!

The sound of a heavy hammer hitting a metal anvil echoed aggressively from inside the building.

Draven pushed the rusty door open and stepped into the heat.

Inside the shop, a young boy was standing over a roaring forge. He was covered in black soot and sweat.

He was also a student from the Academy. He was hammering a glowing piece of iron with unblinking focus.

Estella coughed from the thick smoke. "Draven, who is this?"

Draven stared intently at the boy. His Tactical Appraisal was already open.

The blue screen showed a massive hidden potential. This dirty junior was destined to become the greatest Blacksmith God in history.

But right now, his talent was completely dormant. He was just a struggling kid making cheap horseshoes.

Draven needed this kid in their party. He needed his unmatched forging skills for the brutal wars to come.

"He is the guy who is going to forge our weapons," Draven said with a confident grin.

"But first, he needs to get out of this trash hole."

Draven took his hands out of his pockets and stepped directly toward the flaming forge.