Chapter : 679

"I feel like a rental boyfriend," Ken mumbled. He put on a goofy pout. "And I feel like I am giving a massive discount. A real rental boyfriend gets paid. They get free meals. They get hazard pay. This job is very dangerous. What if the noble challenges me to a duel? I hate duels. Duels require cardio."

Laxmi cheered loudly. "If he challenges you to a duel, I will fight him for you! I will roast his fancy clothes!"

"Nobody is going to duel anyone," Olivia stated strictly. "We are just going to go on a simple date in the public market. We will hold hands. We will look happy. The guy will see us. He will get his heart broken. He will go back to his territory."

Ken sighed. He knew he could not escape. He looked at Olivia.

"Fine," Ken agreed lazily. "But I have specific demands. You have to buy me snacks. I want strawberry tarts. I want sweet buns. And I refuse to wear that itchy tuxedo. I am wearing my normal clothes."

"You cannot wear sweatpants on a date," Olivia scolded. She crossed her arms again. "You must wear a clean shirt and proper trousers. I will not be seen in public with a slacker."

"My sweatpants are very fashionable," Ken argued.

Naomi laughed a soft, musical laugh. She stood up. "I will help him find a clean shirt, Olivia. Do not worry. He will look presentable."

Olivia nodded. "Thank you, Naomi. We leave in twenty minutes, Ken. Do not make me wait."

Olivia marched out of the living room. She went to her room to prepare.

Ken slumped face-first into the sofa cushions. He let out another loud groan. He hated going outside. He hated dates. He just wanted to eat his potato chips in peace. The peaceful afternoon was ruined.

---

The city market was crowded. People walked everywhere. Street vendors yelled their prices. The smell of roasted meat and sweet pastries filled the warm afternoon air.

Ken Eliot sagged his shoulders. He wore black trousers and a simple white button-down shirt. The shirt was actually tucked in. Naomi made sure of it. But he still looked very lazy. He dragged his shoes on the cobblestone street. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff.

Olivia walked right beside him. She wore a beautiful, simple dark-blue dress. She looked very elegant. But her posture was rigid. She marched like a soldier on patrol. She scanned the crowd with sharp, strict eyes.

"You are walking too fast," Ken complained loudly. He took a bite of a large, sugary sweet bun. "Dates are supposed to be slow. You are marching. We look like we are going to a military inspection."

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Olivia slowed down slightly. She glared at him. "Stop eating for five minutes. You are getting sugar all over your face. We need to look like a romantic couple."

"Eating is very romantic," Ken mumbled with his mouth full. "Couples share food. Do you want a bite of my bun? It is very good."

Olivia sighed. She reached out. She grabbed his left arm. She linked her arm through his. She pulled him closer to her side.

Ken froze. He almost dropped his sweet bun. The physical contact felt weird. Olivia was usually yelling at him to do push-ups. Now she was holding his arm tightly.

"Smile," Olivia ordered quietly through her teeth. "He is here. I saw him near the fountain. He is watching us."

Ken looked toward the large stone fountain in the center of the market. He saw a man standing near the water. The man wore an expensive, bright purple silk suit. The man stared directly at Olivia. The man looked very angry.

Ken instantly put on a goofy, bright smile. He leaned closer to Olivia. He pointed at a nearby fruit stand.

"Oh wow, look at those apples, honey," Ken said in a loud, fake, overly cheerful voice. "They are so red! Just like my love for you!"

Olivia cringed. She pinched his arm very hard. "Do not say things like that. You sound like an idiot from a cheap romance novel."

"I am acting!" Ken whispered lazily. He rubbed his pinched arm. "You wanted a boyfriend. I am giving you a premium performance. This is prime slice-of-life romance material."

They walked past the fruit stand. They walked toward a small outdoor cafe. They sat down at a small round table. The angry noble in the purple suit followed them from a distance. The noble hid behind a large cart of cabbages. It was a very bad hiding spot.

Ken leaned back in his chair. He signaled a waiter. He ordered three slices of chocolate cake and a large lemonade.

Olivia sat perfectly straight. She folded her hands on the table. She looked at Ken. Her strict expression slowly changed. She looked very serious. She did not look like she was acting anymore.

"He is still watching us," Olivia noted softly. She leaned across the small table. "We need to keep talking so it looks real."

"We can talk about the cake," Ken suggested. "I plan to eat all three slices."

Olivia shook her head. She looked directly into his sleepy dark eyes. Her gaze was sharp. She observed every single detail about him.

"I want to talk about you, Ken," Olivia stated quietly.

Ken blinked. He slouched his shoulders. "I am a very boring topic. Let us talk about potato chips instead."

"You are not boring," Olivia countered smoothly. She kept her voice very low. The busy market noise covered their conversation. "I have watched you very closely since I returned to the unit. I observe everything. It is my job as a disciplined soldier."

Ken chewed on a leftover piece of his sweet bun. He did not say anything. He kept his goofy smile intact.

"You act like a lazy fool," Olivia continued. She did not blink. "You complain about training. You trip over your own feet. You hide under tables during battles. You pretend to be a useless commoner."

Olivia leaned a little closer.

"But I know you are hiding your power," Olivia whispered.

Ken stopped chewing. The goofy smile remained on his face, but his eyes stopped looking sleepy. He looked back at her. He did not panic. He did not sweat. He just waited for her to finish.

"I saw the way you stand," Olivia explained logically. "Your balance is always perfect, even when you pretend to fall. I saw you during the underground labyrinth mission. You accidentally kicked a stone that tripped an enemy. It was not an accident. The trajectory was mathematically flawless. You deflected an attack without even looking."

The waiter arrived. The waiter placed three slices of chocolate cake and a glass of lemonade on the table. The waiter walked away.

Ken picked up a small silver fork. He cut a piece of cake.

"You watch too many cartoons, Olivia," Ken replied lazily. He ate the cake. "I am just a very lucky guy. Clumsy people get lucky sometimes."

Olivia did not smile. She did not accept his lazy excuse.