"Do you know any of these dishes?"
Place asked as he looked at the menu.
"No idea," was the response he received.
He turned to the table beside.
"Babis? You've been here before. Any recommendations?"
Babis nodded once, then looked at Malia.
"Do you have any preferences for food?" Place picked up on the question Babis wanted asked, and asked it on his own.
"As long as it isn't too bland, or too flavorful, it's fine."
Babis acknowledged the requirements and walked over to the window to the kitchen to make whatever order he planned.
"Would you mind if we made small talk?" Place asked whether Malia would mind conversing while they waited for their food.
"Eh," Malia said that she didn't mind either way.
"If you don't mind, I noticed that your body is well-trained. Do you mind letting me know how you train?"
"You want to know the Blackheart's physical training methods?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"If they are secrets, then please just forget that I asked." Place immediately retreated a step.
"Nothing secret about them." Malia scanned him again. "I don't think you need them, you seem to have some of your own that are equally as good."
"Thank you for your praise. I am quite proud of what my body can do."
Malia let out a hum as a glint appeared in her eyes, and Place couldn't immediately place it, but he had a good idea.
"Are you any good with a sword?" She questioned, and he understood what she was thinking.
"I believe that none of the people I know exceed me in swordsmanship." Place stated simply, letting a bit of pride seep into his words.
He truly believed that as well, he had tested his blade against all the 'better' swordsmen under his family's employ, and none of them had defeated him without the use of magucla reinforcement.
"Really?" The glint in her eyes grew, and Place felt he could name it now.
'Battle-lust'
"As far as I know, and Father wouldn't let me grow arrogant." He was confident in both his skill and his father's eyes.
"I see..." A dangerous aura emerged from her, and Ernote tensed.
"I would like to test your blade against mine." Malia stated, but her tone made it clear that this was a demand, not a request.
"No problem." Place accepted the duel. "An after-meal exercise would do me some good anyway."
He let a bit of his anger slip into his gaze.
Malia was taken aback for a moment, then a grin split her face.
"How interesting..." She said as Place locked his anger back away.
Someone approached their table, and both of them turned to look.
Babis and another man carried over trays of food.
Babis took his seat against Ernote and placed a tray in front of him.
"Something light for you, young sir, and a bit of spice for the lady."
The man, who, by the stains on his clothes, was a member of the kitchen staff, placed down the trays.
"Please, enjoy your meals, and let me know if you need anything." He spoke the standard words and left.
Place glanced at Babis and Ernote's food.
Nothing more than simple sandwiches.
He frowned. He would have to talk with them about their choice of food, how did they expect to function on such little food?
He ignored the fact that they probably had emergency food pills and were probably only eating so little because of who was sitting in front of him.
He looked down at his food.
Enough to sate his hunger, and that was enough.
The meal passed in silence as both Place and Malia concentrated on their meals, and the other two concentrated on them.
Place finished first, he leaned back and spoke.
"Shall I go and inform the guards of our duel?"
Malia looked up from her food.
"What for?" There was a look of genuine confusion on her face.
"So they don't think that we're fighting without reason and try to arrest us?"
"We can just tell them if they interfere." Malia replied nonchalantly.
"It would be better if they know upfront, so that they don't interfere." Place pointed out a benefit.
The Blackheart shrugged.
"Do what you want." She left it up to him to deal with the guard as he desired.
Place stood up [ from his chair.
"I will return soon enough. Please wait here." With that request, he walked out of the restaurant.
Ernote immediately stood up and followed after him, while Babis stayed and watched Malia.
A few moments passed in silence as Malia continued eating.
Then, she suddenly snapped her eyes at her watcher, and smiled with all her teeth.
Babis frowned as they made eye contact.
"Don't worry, I have no malicious intentions towards him." She assured the guard, who just snorted in response.
"I'm afraid that the fame of your family is worrying." He said.
She shrugged and turned back to her food.
"Don't say I didn't say so."