Even after parting ways with the Scott Count couple, I continued playing catch and leisurely chatting with Illness-san, spending quite a long time in the park.

Originally, our goal was to visit a café, so we started in the early afternoon, and now the sky had begun to turn a crimson hue.

[I suppoooooose it’s about time we head home, don’t you thiiiiink?]

[That’s right. It’s starting to get dark, so maybe we should leave the park.]

[Yeeees…… Oya? Leave the paaaaaark?]

Though I felt a little reluctant to part from the peaceful time I spent with Illness-san, we decided to leave the park as it was getting darker.

However, that didn’t mean the date was over.

[No, actually…… Since it’s a rare chance to be on a date with Illness-san, I thought it would be a shame to end it with just a visit to a café…… Since we’re both wearing fairly decent clothes and we’re heading toward the upscale district, I made a reservation at a slightly high-end restaurant. So, if it’s alright with Illness-san, how about having dinner there with me?]

[Of course~~ It’s my pleasuuuure. The fact that Kaito-sama went out of your way to plan something for me makes me so incredibly happyyyyyy.]

Yes, we came to the park this time at Illness-san’s request, but even if not, I had been thinking of doing some window shopping, so I made a reservation at a dinner spot.

I had hesitated for a bit, but considering Illness-san’s mature atmosphere and the fact that we were both dressed in fairly formal attire, though not quite formal wear, I chose a restaurant in the upscale area.

Of course, I had narrowed down our options using magazines and checked the details with Kuro’s eating tour guide, so I also confirmed there was no dress code.

Hearing my words, Illness-san smiled happily and gently took my hand. As I squeezed her hand in return and smiled, we began walking together, leaving the park behind.

Incidentally, the restaurant I chose this time was featured in a tourism magazine about Symphonia Kingdom, recommended as a great spot for dates with couples or spouses.

Kuro’s eating tour guide also gave it high ratings. Despite being a high-end restaurant, it has a somewhat casual atmosphere, making it an ideal introduction to upscale dining in the luxury district.

Kuro herself tends to prefer more down-to-earth foods, but she’s also well-versed in fine dining, having eaten plenty of it. However, Kuro’s ratings seem to focus on the “eating experience”, so if a dish is complicated to eat or not immediately clear in how to approach it, she tends to deduct points. Still, if something tastes great, she does give it a proper score…… Since it’s not a commercially available book but rather a personal hobby shared with close friends, Kuro’s preferences are heavily reflected in her guide. While her guide is quite useful, it’s important not to rely on it too much, so I also gathered information from other magazines.

……As a side note, any shop that serves baby castella starts with at least an 8-star rating, so her assessment of any shop that has baby castellas is quite lenient. Kuro even has a special edition of her guide called the “Baby Castella Edition”, where her preferences and plans are in full force.

Even though I eat baby castella almost every day, I don’t feel like eating it outside…… Just the fact that Kuro had written 20 of those “Baby Castella Editions” terrifies me, which is why I hardly read those at all.

[It seems like the restaurant isn’t too strict about manners, so that’s reassuring.]

[I think Kaito-samaaaa already has the basic manners down just fine thouuuugh.]

[Ahaha, as expected, I’ve gotten used to it, and since I often have meals with Lilia-san, I’ve learned a lot just by watching her. Her way of eating is incredibly beautiful, as to be expected of a Duchess…… But personally, I think the most elegant eater among my acquaintances is Illness-san……]

[Oya? Meeee?]

[Yes. No, I haven’t really seen you eat formal meals much, so I can’t say for sure, but when we’ve had drinks or snacks together, your way of eating was incredibly refined, almost mesmerizing.]

[Kuhihi, I think you’re overestimating me a biiiiiit, but hearing you say that makes me happyyyyy.]

In terms of manners, there are others who are perfect as well, but there’s something about Illness-san’s way of eating that exudes elegance, making you regard her as very elegant.

Of course, Lilia-san also has an elegant presence while eating, truly embodying someone of nobility, but Illness-san has a unique adult charm about her.

Well, as for my own dining manners, I’d say they’re just okay. Since I still eat in Lilia-san’s dining hall, I’ve gotten used to the nobles’ way of eating and naturally picked up a lot of table manners.

But if you ask me whether I could really manage in a strict, high-end restaurant with rigid manners, I’d say it would be difficult…… Well, since the restaurant we’re going to isn’t like that, I think we can relax and enjoy ourselves.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Well, considering he’s been living in a noble mansion for over a year, it’s natural that he’d pick up some manners.]

? ? ? : [That said, there’s the first impressions, you know? Lilia-san should have perfect manners as a Duchess, but probably because of her personality, you can’t exactly connect with the word elegance.]

Serious-senpai : [No, if you’re talking about that, Alice is even more so…… Yeah, I’m sure if they were to go to a fancy restaurant, her manners would be perfect, but to be honest…… I could only picture her shoveling rice into her mouth from a bowl.]

? ? ? : [Eating your food deliciously is the best dining etiquette there is!]