The Romaria's Bar, one of the most popular pubs in the central town of the West Kingdom. The delicacies are surely one the best around the kingdom. It is located in the central part of the town where a giant statue of the Elemental Goddess of Light, Celestia, was built as a symbol of faith.
The bar entrance was facing the left side of the statue, on the right side of the bar is a small entrance to a big weapon and armor shop and on the left side is a small alley leading to the back of the bar.
The owner of the bar, Romario Escanoir who's a veteran high adventurer and a retired war hero, decided to settle down with his wife named Maria and make a living by running the place.
Since the past decade, the Romaria grow very popular. Every day it becomes crowded by adventurers, townspeople and academy students who want to have a taste of the bar's specialty which is also popular to the important people of the empire.
Because of the frequent visits of those important people of the empire, the Romaria bought the spot next to it to expand the bar and make a few private rooms for occasions like that. Although very pricey compared to the normal to the main bar outside, the service and the privacy definitely worth the payment of the customers.
The past few days for the bar is the same as always, the Romaria is crowded by the townsfolk and the students from the Academy of Time Axel. All private rooms are already occupied except for the most special private room of the pub.
That one very special room is hardly being used but Romario and his wife always maintain it. Even the important people of the empire won't be able to use it save for Romario's comrades in arms from his adventuring days and the few important people he knows. But tonight Romario specially prepared the room for usage...
—because a young friend is bringing his little girlfriend for a date.
Romario was spending this day normally when he suddenly received a notice late in the afternoon. On the golden circular plate hanging on the kitchen of his bar, a sentence saying 'I'll be visiting tonight with the princess.' suddenly appeared etched on it.
That was the most prized plate Romario has in his collection and it is being displayed for a sign of good luck. A golden plate made of very hard material that can block even a single full brunt attack from a Paladin level knight.
Luckily the crowd of the customer is very low at that time so he was only idling in the kitchen and immediately perceived the plate's sudden change. He hurriedly asked a worker in his bar to quickly procure some special ingredients for the menu he's planning to serve tonight for his very special visitors.
It was quarter past seven in the evening when a few regular customers noticed that the special private room seems to be having a guest. They observed that Romario and his wife have been going back and forth to bring some things to that specific room for quite a while now.
"How rare! The old man has a special visitor coming!" exclaimed by a young adventurer when he saw Maria holding an old expensive wine bottle entering the special room.
The people eating inside the bar felt curious about the identity of the bar owner's visitor. Romario brought out his 'big guns' that he normally never did.
Another old customer suddenly remembered a few years ago, when a high ranked noble from the east kingdom requested a bottle of wine the same as the one just now, he was smacked at the head by Romario and was yelled at.
That noble visitor can only swallow back his displeasure. 'Who would dare cause trouble with someone like that? That's a high ranked adventurer and a war hero at that. Isn't that just asking for a beating?'
Sadly for the customers waiting to see the arrival of special visitors tonight, they didn't know that the reason why the Escanoir couple is going back and forth to the special private room is that the guests are already inside!
How can they know that there's a special entrance at the back of the pub that was hidden by magic?
Turning back an hour before this scene—
Regis and Arias neared the giant statue of the beautiful goddess of light. This part of the town is always crowded since this is the central part and many of the best shops in the kingdom are gathered in this place. The same can be also said for the restaurants around here.
The crowd of people noticed their arrival and few hushed conversations arose from them. Just like before, the pair ignored the gallery and came inside the surrounding stores for a short window shopping.
Although Arias didn't know anything about Regis' current savings or the money he's using for his everyday expenses, she knows that he is somewhat related to Manaria so it should not be a problem for him.
'This is similar to what I heard from the girls in class...! A normal date~' A charming smile blossomed in Arias' face and her eyes twinkled in delight.
For Arias, even just the act of walking around the town with Regis, going into some shop and try some cute hat—to experience this normal date with him was enough to keep her going until tomorrow without sleeping due to the bursting happiness.
What more if later, her eight long years of waiting to tell him about her feeling, was answered, how can she even last until tomorrow? She might as well ascend to the afterlife immediately!
"It's about time we eat. I know a shop around here that serves a portion of good food." said Regis and lead Arias to an alley beside the pub named 'The Romaria's Bar '.
"I know this bar. This is quite famous around the empire." she said as they enter the narrow path on the side. She
"The food here is great, but aren't we supposed to enter in front? Why are you leading me here at the back...?" Arias said as they enter the narrow path on the side. Although the path has well illuminated, she's quite puzzled why they are walking through there.
"Just wait and see." Regis reassured her and gently added a small force in his hold to her hand.
With that all said, Arias in return, smiled at him not asking anymore.
After the very short walk through the alley, Regis quietly uttered a few strings of words in front of a vacant wall at the back of the left part of the bar.
It was very quick and soft for Arias to catch everything but as she wonder what did he did just now, the answer revealed itself to her.
A wooden door with carved decorations of a pair of crossed sword behind a shield. In the shield, mark-like head of a dragon facing in front was etched,
"...Is this?" asked the surprised Arias.
"Yes, this is a secret entrance inside the bar—No, this is the secret entrance in a very special secret room in Romaria's Bar." He answered as he proceeds and opened the door. Leading Arias by the hand, Regis entered the room.
Arias was astounded by what she saw. The room is dark and a pair of candles was lit up on top of the table. Across the room are faintly glowing petals of roses are floating around slowly.
Without realizing it, the rate of her heartbeat increased, and her heart seemed like it was about to bounce out from her throat.
'A candlelight dinner!'