I Have An SSS-Rank Service System: Hire Me For Anything!-Chapter 14: A Great Date! But A Kiss On The Cheek Would Have Been Better

"So where are we going first?" Maya asked with a smile.

They were already in the city, walking through the streets. It was bustling indeed, and in Dory’s view, it looked much more serene and beautiful than modern-day streets.

He replied to her with a warm smile. "I know a very good restaurant in the market. I bought food there yesterday; it was really tasty."

Maya’s eyes widened with childlike happiness. "Oh really? Then take me there!"

Dory nodded and held her hand tightly, making Maya blush a little. They walked through the city, enjoying each other’s company.

"Is it really this simple to woo a girl? Tsk, tsk. Gen Z ladies have it hard. I should have died sooner."

What went on in his head was a sharp contrast to his warm smile.

"I am truly mad, I guess," he thought, the smile not fading from his face as he glanced at Maya and then back at the street.

After a few minutes and countless instances of Maya pointing at things, they reached the market. The statue of the Demon King was still there at the center of the square. The circular market was so crowded that one couldn’t immediately tell it was circular.

As they walked, he glanced at their spot from yesterday. It was now occupied by a fruit seller. Shops here were expensive to rent and basically a death sentence to buy, so those without their own personal spaces, like a shop in the market, fought over shade from straw umbrellas, tin roofs, and much more.

Not interested in diving into his business mind today, Dory ignored the marginal differences in the market and walked through it. Most of the time, he had to hold Maya tightly to keep her from mixing into the crowd and getting lost.

They pushed through the throng, Dory instinctively moving to Maya’s outer side to shield her from the more aggressive porters lugging crates of salted fish. The Market Square was a sensory explosion. To the left, a man was selling exotic spices that made Dory sneeze; to the right, a row of drapers displayed silks so vibrant they looked wet.

After navigating many hurdles, he was able to locate the small restaurant from yesterday. It was a private shop built from sturdy timber, with a low-hanging sign that read The Hearth’s Rest.

Dory guided Maya inside. The sudden shift in atmosphere was immediate. The roar of the haggling crowd died down, replaced by the clinking of ceramic spoons and the chatter of satisfied diners. The air here was thick with the rich, heavy aroma of slow-roasted mutton and caramelized onions.

"Table for two?" a young girl with a stained apron asked, not even looking up while scribbling on a flat piece of wood.

"By the window, if it is free," Dory said, dropping a few coppers onto the counter as a tip. The girl’s eyes widened slightly, and she immediately led them to a corner booth that overlooked the bustling street they had just escaped.

Maya slid into the seat, her eyes darting around the interior. It wasn’t exactly a noble’s palace, but to someone who spent her days selling groceries in a dusty village, the polished wood and clean tablecloths felt like another world.

"Dory, this place looks... expensive," she whispered, leaning across the table. "Are you sure? I could have just eaten from a street vendor."

Dory leaned back. "Maya," he said softly, reaching across to tap the back of her hand. "Don’t worry about the price. Just look at the menu... or rather, listen to me, because I already know what is good."

He ordered the house special: two deep bowls of thick stew with chunks of tender meat, a side of herb-crusted bread, and two mugs of chilled cider.

When the food arrived, Maya didn’t even wait for a spoon. She tore off a piece of the bread and dipped it deep into the gravy. As she took the first bite, her eyes fluttered shut.

"Oh my gods," she managed to say through a mouthful of bread. "It is... it is actually real meat. Not the gristle my dad usually brings back."

Dory chuckled, taking a more measured sip of his cider. It was crisp and tart, cutting through the richness of the stew perfectly.

They spent the next hour talking. They spoke about things that didn’t matter to his business plans: how the village chief’s cat always tripped the people who visited, the way the forest smelled after a heavy rain, and Maya’s dream of one day owning a shop that sold more than just wilted cabbage.

"I want to sell things that make people stop and look," Maya said, her chin resting on her palm as she watched a carriage pass by outside. "Like the drapers we saw earlier. Something beautiful."

Dory watched her, the sunlight from the window catching the flecks of gold in her eyes. "You will. I am sure of it."

Maya looked at him, her expression turning serious for a heartbeat. "You say that like you can just make it happen, Dory. Like you are a magician."

"I am better than a magician, Maya," he teased, standing up and offering his hand. "I am a businessman. Now, come on. We still have half the city to see, and I promised you would see it all."

They spent the afternoon wandering through the district where the streets were paved with white stone and the guards wore polished breastplates. They stopped at a flower market where the scents were so sweet they made Dory’s head swim. He bought her a single, deep-blue rose, an exotic bloom that cost him more than lunch had.

As they walked back toward the gate, the sky turning a bruised purple and orange, they passed a row of closed shops. Maya stopped in front of a bookstore, pressing her nose against the glass.

"Can you read, Dory?" she asked quietly.

"Better than most," he replied.

"Teach me?" she turned to him. "When we have time? I don’t want to be the girl who just counts plums forever."

Dory reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I will teach you everything I know, Maya. Books, numbers, the world... everything."

They reached the city gates just as the guards were beginning to light the torches. The walk back to the village was quieter, the adrenaline of the city replaced by a comfortable, weary silence. Maya walked close to him, her head occasionally leaning against his shoulder.

By the time the forge came into view, the moon was high. Dory passed it and walked her to her house, which was not far from Horg’s as it was also behind their own shop.

"Today was..." she paused, searching for the word. "It was the best day I have had in years, Dory. Thank you."

She leaned in, and for a second, Dory thought she might kiss him. Instead, she squeezed his hand one last time and ducked inside, her face a bright shade of red.

Dory stood there for a moment as the silence of the village settled over him. He turned toward the forge, his footsteps heavy but his heart light.

"Tsk. A kiss on the cheek would have been better."