I Have An SSS-Rank Service System: Hire Me For Anything!-Chapter 13: Going On A Date

Unfortunately, the package that offered skills for clothing and fashion was at a price of 20,000 Service Points, and Dory was fifteen thousand short. He had followed Liam to the seamstress and bought a beautiful gown for ten coppers after collecting it from Horg before leaving home.

And now he was going to the hardest part of it... presenting it as a gift to a girl.

He hid behind a cart with Liam opposite their shop.

Today was a free day since Horg said he would be going to the Foothills to get materials for new iron ingots. Apparently, he does not believe in the deal yet and wants to continue making iron ingots to sell.

Dory would have followed him there, but he had much more important things to do. One of them was meeting with Maya, and other things like spending the day with Maya, teaching Maya how to make the apple plums, and cracking jokes with Maya.

... Very, very important things.

Liam noticed Dory smiling again and then put his palm on his face and shook his head.

"Dory, come on. She is in her shop, just go and stop daydreaming."

Dory jolted back to reality, almost falling off. Maya, who was currently arranging the groceries, looked at the cart from afar and turned away when she saw no one, continuing with her work.

"I am not daydreaming. I just felt it would feel inhumane and wrong to hand someone a gift without any specific reason."

Liam sighed. "Just tell her you do not like the clothes she wears. I guess she will understand," he grinned.

Dory frowned. "Oh, you think that is a good idea?"

"No, it is not.. Arghhh.. Just tell her, ’Hey, I got you a new dress and I hope you like it.’ Women are simple beings. But they do not like you giving reasons. Too many reasons will later make them start doubting. And trust me, you do not want to get on a girl’s bad side. So go there now."

Dory frowned and stood up. ’How does he know so much about girls? And ah, I think girls are complex and not simple.’

As he got to the shop, an angry expression appeared on Maya’s face as soon as she saw him.

Beads of sweat formed on Dory’s forehead. ’I guess she is still angry about the promise I made.’

"Stop right there! Do not you come close, you liar. Seriously, I do not blame you; I am the fool that keeps trusting you. No customer came yesterday and I do not see them coming today! Or are they also hiding behind the cart like you were doing?"

’Ah, she saw us.’

Dory took a wary step forward. "I am really sorry for making a promise and not fulfilling it, but business takes time to grow. Customers will pour in, do not worry."

Maya placed her palm on her face and shook her head. "You truly are a fool. You are still making promises instead of giving me the dress you bought and cracking some jokes, and spending the entire day with me. Is not that what you planned?"

Dory went numb. "How? How do you know that?"

Maya stepped forward, which made Dory’s heart skip a beat. She was really close to him, and he could feel her breathing on his face. She stared at him with a serious expression and suddenly burst into laughter.

"It is written all over your face, dumbass. And Liam is not exactly a secret keeper, you know?"

He threw a glare at Liam behind the cart and faced Maya again with a forced smile. He handed her the brown parcel with shaky hands. Maya smiled and collected the parcel from him and took it inside, then came back outside without it.

’Eh?!’

"What are you waiting for? The first place I want you to take me to is the city," she said with a confident smile and grabbed him by his hand, rushing him forward.

’What is happening right now?!’

He glanced at Liam, who waved at him with a grin. His boots scrambled to keep up with Maya’s brisk pace as she practically dragged him toward the village exit. Behind them, he could hear Liam’s muffled, hysterical cackling from behind the cart.

"The city?" Dory stammered, his mind racing through logistics. "Maya, the city is a three-hour walk. The sun is already climbing, and the administrative overhead of a spontaneous urban excursion is—"

"Stop," Maya commandingly interrupted, not letting go of his hand. She glanced back at him over her shoulder, her eyes dancing with a mix of triumph and mischief.

"No big words. Just walking. You said you wanted to spend the day with me, did not you? Or was that another one of your ’marketing strategies’?"

Dory went quiet, his face heating up. "It was not a strategy."

"Good," she chirped. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

They bypassed the main trail, taking a shortcut through the high-grass meadows that bordered the village. For a while, the only sound was the rustle of the wind and their footsteps. Dory’s hand felt small in hers, but the grip was firm.

... And he did not mind it one bit.

By the time the stone walls of the city of Agusta came into view, Dory had finally regained his composure. He had spent the walk telling her about the apple plums, and how they could eventually be sold as a gourmet delicacy to the city nobles.

It was needful also, since he had plans on how to make a great sale from them and every other delicacy that could be made with their groceries. With his modern knowledge, he could make replacements for pizzas, hamburgers, and much more.

’Slow and steady wins the race,’ he thought with a smile as he stared at the back of Maya.

’I wonder why she did not wear the dress.’

Maya had listened, occasionally poking fun at his big words, but her grip on his hand had not loosened once.

He wanted to ask her why she did not wear it, but she also wanted to say something and beat him to it. She pointed forward.

"We are here," she breathed.

The tall walls of Agusta were in full view. A lot of people were entering and coming out of the gate.

’Ah, this is going to be a long day.’