"Commander, I prepared a very special dinner just for you tonight. Won't you stay and enjoy a grand feast from Iris~?"
"Our Iris banquets are famous worldwide, you know~"
Levi helped straighten Richelieu's dress with a wry look. "You were planning this all along, weren't you?"
Richelieu didn't deny it—she only gave a playful little laugh. "Hehe~"
"You say it was all for penance and confession, but in the end, you still got exactly what you wanted." Levi sighed. "Same as last time—you've managed to trick me twice in a row now."
"No way~" Richelieu leaned in to plant a mischievous kiss on his cheek, smiling sweetly. "But… did Commander get what he wanted?"
Levi had to admit—on the level of enjoyment, yes, he did.
But…
Closing his eyes inwardly, he checked his system. The mission status was still stubbornly incomplete.
Hm.
So, satisfaction alone wasn't enough.
The goal wasn't indulgence—it was conquest.
And despite how thoroughly Richelieu had given herself to him—so much that she'd even brought up Plato herself—the system still didn't count it as true submission.
It was frustrating. He probably knew Richelieu's body more intimately than she knew it herself by now, and yet… no completion.
A bug? No. The system didn't make mistakes.
Which meant he simply hadn't shocked her deeply enough yet.
Alright then. Tonight, he'd give his Cardinal a little surprise she wouldn't forget.
"…Fine. Let's taste this 'world-famous feast of Iris.'"
"Commander, this way please~"
Richelieu led him ahead, her golden hair swaying lightly in the dusk. Levi followed, though after a moment he frowned.
This path… looked familiar.
And it definitely wasn't the direction of the Iris mess hall.
Richelieu seemed to notice his confusion. "Even as a Cardinal, I'm allowed to have a few selfish desires, aren't I~?"
Levi slipped his hand into hers like a boyfriend indulging his mischievous girlfriend. "And what selfish little desire might that be?"
Of course, there was nothing "little" about her—physically or otherwise.
"My selfishness…" Richelieu's fingers interlaced tightly with his, her face glowing with happiness. "Is simply wanting more time alone with you, Commander."
"Commander, do you know something?"
"What is it?"
She stuck out her tongue playfully.
At that moment, Richelieu didn't look like the imposing leader of Iris at all. She was just a mischievous, charming girl, brimming with warmth.
"Do you actually have a sense of how many shipgirls there are in this port?"
Levi sweatdropped. He had a rough idea… but no precise count.
"Every single shipgirl in the port carries a dream," Richelieu said, lips pouting faintly. "That dream is to have Commander all to herself."
"Unfortunately, I can't split myself into hundreds of pieces," Levi replied with a shrug. "So all I can do is try my best to care for the ones in front of me."
Richelieu rose on tiptoe and kissed his cheek softly. "That's one of the reasons I love you, Commander~"
Levi chuckled, rubbing his cheek.
"Alright, enough of that. It sounds like I'm accusing you of something when I'm not~"
"You dare to accuse me?" Levi teased, giving her a playful smack on her plush curves. "Your courage must be growing bold, to toy with me like this."
"I don't just dare to tease…" Richelieu whispered in his ear with a wicked smile. "I dare to push my Commander down myself~"
…
The park.
Levi paused, staring at the view. Of all places, Richelieu had chosen here.
The exact same spot where he'd once sat with Helena on one side and Saint Louis on the other. Even the angle of the sunset was almost identical.
"…You seem thoughtful, Commander?" Richelieu tilted her head.
"This place… it's the best view in the park, isn't it?"
"That's right," Richelieu said, standing before him with the sinking sun behind her. "From here you can see the horizon, without needing to go too far.
"And… it's said that being here brings a touch of good luck."
Levi blinked. So that was it. This rumor had Saint Louis written all over it.
But really, for the shipgirls of the port, any place where they could run into their Commander was a lucky spot.
Besides, this wasn't the only port.
Azur Lane's naval bases stretched across the world. Shipgirls were scattered globally for countless missions and purposes, only gathering here at the main harbor during certain times of the year.
That was why Levi dealt mostly with the faction leaders—they were the ones who spent the most time at home port.
At last, they reached their destination.
Richelieu slipped her hand from his, disappearing briefly into a small grove, and emerged pushing a dining cart.
The surprise on Levi's face made her beam with pride.
"Commander, I spent all afternoon making this feast just for you! Even Jean Bart has never tasted it~"
Beneath the cart, the heater still glowed faintly—proof that Richelieu had meticulously prepared everything in advance.
For a fleeting second, Levi worried she might be like some clumsy kitchen goddess prone to blowing up the stove. But no, Iris girls weren't cursed with that trope. He relaxed.
Richelieu wheeled the cart before him and began her introductions, lifting lids with the flourish of a priest unveiling relics.
"First, spring lamb stew." In the first compartment sat tender chunks of lamb stewed with fresh spring vegetables, rosemary, and bay leaf.
She lifted a piece, blew on it gently, and held it to his lips.
"Mmm… delicious."
"The second dish, walnut-braised duck breast." Her lips curved into a smile. "Seared to golden perfection, and with walnuts… well, let's just say it has special effects."
Levi's brow twitched. He felt he was catching on.
"The third is lemon-baked oysters~" Richelieu's teasing intent became clearer. "Oysters are rich in zinc, Commander. Very good for the body, you know?"
Levi: …
Seeing the disapproval in his eyes, Richelieu gave a guilty laugh and unveiled the last two dishes at once. "Sea bass with olive oil and garlic… and sautéed pig liver with spinach."
"Sea bass is high in protein and minerals, especially phosphorus and selenium…" she began to explain.
Levi cut her off flatly. "Richelieu. Tell me—what punishment do you think you deserve for this?"
"It's not like I did it on purpose~"
"Not on purpose, and yet you chose these dishes?"
"Well… after last time…"
Levi understood instantly.
The last time, thanks to the system's constraints, he'd been overly cautious—and Richelieu had misunderstood it as weakness.
She thought his performance had fallen short.
So tonight, out of devotion to her beloved Commander, she'd chosen dishes aimed at… supplementing him.
But now?
"Heh. Looks like you'll be the one eating this meal first…"
Levi tugged loose his belt with a decisive snap.
"Because tonight, Richelieu—no matter who comes, nothing is saving you."