As we enjoyed the wine pairings with our course meal, our conversation flowed easily. By the time we stepped out of the restaurant, the sun had fully set.
Well, it was already evening when we arrived, so nightfall was only to be expected. The High-end Shop Area was filled with beautiful architecture; the buildings took on a certain charm at night, illuminated by the soft glow of lighting magic tools.
"It’s quite dark out now... though with how bright it is around here, it hardly feels like night at all."
"They use high-quality lighting magic tools in this district... so it stays very bright, doesn't it...?"
Indeed, the High-end Shop Area was exceptionally well-lit. It wasn't a blinding glare, but rather a soft, daylight-like luminosity provided by the various devices installed along the streets.
"But the sky is definitely dark. It has a nice atmosphere in its own way."
"Yes... the crisp night air feels wonderful, doesn't it...?"
"Since we’re already out, shall we take a detour and walk home?"
"With pleasure..."
In truth, my house was quite close to the High-end Shop Area. To begin with, Lilia-san’s mansion was located in a very affluent neighborhood, surrounded by the estates of high-ranking nobles like Counts and Marquises. It made sense for the high-end shopping district to be nearby. Since we had walked here today, the return trip wouldn't take long either; we could be home in no time if we wanted.
However, going straight back felt like a bit of a waste, so I decided we should take a walk to help digest the meal. It wasn't too late yet, and with many shops still open, we could do some window shopping as we went.
"Is it alright if we take a different street than the one we used earlier? Quite a few shops are still open, so we could stop and look if we see anything interesting."
"That sounds lovely... If we walk down this street... there are many shops that sell daily necessities... so we might find something nice..."
"Oh, is that so? Do you happen to buy the supplies for Lilia-san’s mansion around here?"
"Some of them, yes... However... Milady has connections with various trading companies... so many things are ordered in bulk through those channels..."
"Oh, I see. Come to think of it, I do occasionally see wagons arriving at the manor."
It made sense. Since Lilia-san was a Duke, most of the daily items used in the mansion were of high quality. I had assumed those items were bought here in the High-end Shop Area, but it seemed they were mostly delivered directly by the businesses she dealt with. Still, as Illness-san mentioned, they likely picked up smaller, miscellaneous items locally.
As I walked, I visualized the surrounding streets in my head. If we passed through the shopping area and took the long way home, I could arrange our route so that we stopped by a park. It wasn't as large as the park we had visited earlier—just an ordinary neighborhood park—but I wondered if it would be a good spot.
The truth was, I had prepared a small present for this first date with Illness-san, but I had been agonizing over the right moment to give it to her. In hindsight, the ideal time would have been at the table after our meal, but the nerves of dining at such an opulent restaurant had driven the thought completely out of my head.
I really wanted a moment where it was just the two of us, so the park seemed like a strong candidate. At worst, I could wait until we got back to the house, but I decided to play it by ear and see how the situation developed.
Serious-senpai: "I thought 'Park Date' was a clickbait title... wait, what!? A new park...?! And then that ominous statement... a 'present'?"