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As dusk fell and the sun began to set, Jacob left Maximus's office to find the sky already painted with the warm glow of the setting sun.
As the old saying goes, when the moon hangs above the willow trees, people meet after dusk falls.
This time of day was absolutely perfect for a romantic date.
Though only a few days had passed, Jacob felt as if ages had gone by. He walked briskly through the corridors, humming a cheerful little tune, and arrived at Nina's dormitory door.
Jacob searched around in the usual hiding spot, retrieved a spare key, and skillfully unlocked the door, quietly slipping inside.
The moment he entered, Jacob found himself face-to-face with a massive Kommo-o head staring directly at him.
"Good grief, Kommo-o, are you trying to scare me to death?" Jacob whispered urgently. "Where's Nina?"
Kommo-o, hearing the unexpected sound, had initially assumed there was an intruder and had quickly approached the door to investigate. Upon recognizing that it was Jacob, it lowered its enormous raised fist.
Hearing Jacob's question, Kommo-o pointed one scaled finger toward the inner room, clearly indicating that Nina was inside.
"Alright, I understand. You continue training hard, but keep the noise down, okay?" Jacob put a finger to his lips, gesturing for Kommo-o to remain quiet, then tiptoed carefully toward the inner room, planning to surprise Nina.
He stealthily opened the door, believing his movements were quiet enough, but the Cottonee in the living room still immediately heard the disturbance. It turned around, spotted Jacob, and its soft, cotton-like body flew directly toward him.
"Who's there?"
Cottonee's unusual behavior also caught Nina's attention. She rose from her seat and looked toward the door, instantly spotting Jacob sneaking into the room.
"Why are you here?" Nina looked at Jacob, her face beaming with joy that was clearly evident in her expression. "Have you eaten dinner yet? Wait just a moment, I'll get your slippers."
Nina spoke as she stood up, walked to the entrance, bent down gracefully, revealing her perfect curves, and retrieved a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet.
They were the same pair Jacob regularly wore when visiting, and she placed them carefully in front of him.
Watching Nina bend down to retrieve the slippers, Jacob felt a warm wave of affection wash over him.
Jacob's gaze remained fixed on Nina throughout. After their long time apart, Nina seemed to have become even more beautiful than before.
Even while relaxing alone at home without any makeup, she remained naturally stunning. Her long, light brown hair was casually tied back in a simple style, giving her the comfortable appearance of a woman at ease in her own space.
Jacob noticed that since he hadn't visited Nina's dormitory in quite some time, she had become much more diligent with housekeeping. He remembered the first time he had come here, the room had been cluttered with various items scattered about, and there had even been beer bottles left on the floor.
It had been messy and chaotic, nothing like what one would expect from a woman's living space. Now, however, the room was clean and well-organized, with a much more lived-in and welcoming atmosphere.
"Nina, you promised to have dinner with me. Today, I'm finally free, so how about we go out to eat?" Jacob walked further into the room, gently holding Cottonee in his arms, and smiled warmly at Nina.
"Right now?" Nina turned to glance out the window. The golden sunset light painted the ground in warm, golden hues; dusk was already settling in.
"Yes, right now."
"Then please wait for me." Nina gently brushed her hair back with her fingers and nodded in agreement. "I'll go wash up and get ready. Just wait for me for a little bit."
"Of course."
While Nina went to freshen up, Jacob naturally settled onto the comfortable sofa, entertaining himself by watching television and playing gently with Cottonee.
An hour later, Nina emerged wearing an elegant, long red dress with delicate spaghetti straps. Her face was adorned with exquisite makeup, her lips painted with vibrant red lipstick that made them appear perfectly red while highlighting the whiteness of her teeth. Her skin was as fair as fresh snow, and her figure was tall and graceful. Her long, light brown hair cascaded beautifully behind her shoulders, and she wore stylish high heels that made her only slightly shorter than Jacob.
Jacob was momentarily speechless with admiration. Nina's facial features were delicate and refined, her skin appeared flawless, and she exuded a charming and gentle aura that was completely captivating.
Among everyone Jacob knew personally, purely in terms of facial beauty, only Raya could compare with Nina. However, Nina was taller, with longer legs and a more slender waist, making her incomparably beautiful in her own right.
Perhaps Jacob's gaze was too intense and obvious, as Nina lowered her head slightly in response. Her cheeks and her long, slender neck flushed a beautiful, translucent shade of crimson.
Nina was secretly delighted by Jacob's obvious reaction, feeling that the considerable time she had spent on her makeup and careful dressing had been entirely worthwhile.
"Nina, you look absolutely beautiful." Countless poetic words flashed through Jacob's mind in that moment.
Like a lotus flower emerging from clear water, naturally unadorned yet perfect.
No legendary beauty throughout the ages, but certainly a pleasing sight for all who beheld her.
Her demeanor was rich and sophisticated, her intentions pure and distant, yet she remained virtuous and true; her skin was fine and smooth, her bones and flesh perfectly proportioned.
Ultimately, however, Jacob uttered the most common and ordinary compliment possible.
"Such a smooth talker. Getting impatient, are you? Let's go then." She picked up her small evening bag and walked toward the door with light, graceful steps.
Driving through the city streets, Nina took Jacob to the bustling downtown area of the capital.
The streets were busy with heavy traffic flowing in all directions. Nina's luxury sports car wasn't particularly rare in the capital, where wealthy and powerful individuals were commonplace, but their striking combination of good looks was quite uncommon and eye-catching.
When the two emerged from the sleek sports car, the handsome man and beautiful woman immediately attracted the attention of numerous passersby. Even though both wore masks and sunglasses for privacy, their undeniable aura and presence still shone through clearly.
"What would you like to eat?" Nina turned to Jacob and asked, her bright eyes sparkling like brilliant stars in the evening light.
"Hmm..." Jacob thought for a moment, pondering his options carefully. His gaze lingered appreciatively on Nina, taking in the elegantly dressed and absolutely stunning woman before him. A slightly mischievous idea suddenly sprang into Jacob's mind. "How about we eat at a street food stall?"
"Anything is perfectly fine with me." Nina nodded in immediate agreement. "Whatever you decide we should eat, that's what we'll eat."
Although he had suggested "street food stall," Jacob still guided Nina into an upscale restaurant instead. After all, Nina had dressed up so carefully and beautifully today, and if Jacob actually took her to a simple street stall, it would completely ruin the romantic mood they had established.
If a woman takes the time to dress up carefully and is still willing to go to a street stall with you, you shouldn't be ungrateful and actually follow through with taking her to such a casual place.
The two entered the elegant, high-end restaurant and were escorted to a private dining room. They removed their masks, and the dim, romantic lighting made Nina appear even more dazzling and radiant than before.
"Nina, would you like to have some red wine tonight?" Jacob's heart stirred with anticipation, and he asked Nina hopefully. "Just a couple of glasses to enhance the evening."
Nina hadn't consumed alcohol in quite a long time, and hearing Jacob's suggestion, she found herself somewhat tempted by the idea. However, she also noticed Jacob's intense gaze lingering on her with obvious interest and intent.
At twenty-six years old, Nina certainly understood Jacob's underlying motives and desires. Her face flushed slightly with a delicate blush, and she nodded gently, her voice becoming as soft as a whisper. She didn't refuse Jacob's suggestion outright. "Just a little bit, only a very little."