Adam and Silvana always spent time together after Adam returned from the Dead Lands with a difficult mission. Sure, it was the longest case of all, but that only meant that their desire to spend time with each other was stronger than ever.
Moreover, since Silvana spent most of her time in her office while Adam was in the Dead Lands, she had plenty of opportunities to think about the future and what they could do when Adam returned.
"Do you want us to buy a house?" Adam asked, slowly bringing a piece of bacon to his mouth.
Silvana nodded, her gaze more serious than ever.
"Look, maybe Iām rushing into this, but... Adam, weāre at least Operator & Phantom, girlfriend & boyfriend case. Ahem, itās too early for us to think about something more important like children, but doesnāt it annoy you that weāre acting like students?"
"Hmm?" Adam raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "You know I didnāt go to school or academy, right?"
Silvana rolled her eyes.
"Thatās not the point! You live with your family, although itās worth admitting that youāre rarely there. My apartment was assigned to me the day I started working as an Operator. Itās just a few old, gray rooms, the largest of which I use as my office."
She leaned on her hand.
"What Iām trying to say is that itās more of a workplace than a real home for me. Sure, this hotel suite is incredible. The view is great, there are lots of different services, and a comfortable bed... But we need something permanent!"
While she was talking, Adam pulled the ice cream toward him and began to eat it slowly, one small spoonful after another.
"Are you even listening to me?!" Silvana slammed her hand on the table.
Adam nodded with a carefree expression.
"Look, I donāt mind, but donāt you remember that even when I was buying a house for my family, you helped me with it? I mean, I donāt know whatās on the market right now and what exactly we need. Although..."
He lowered his gaze.
"I wonāt hide it, coming back from the Dead Lands to my home, to you, sounds way better than going to some hotel, even if itās a luxury one like this one."
"Exactly! And, for a convenient location, I think we should choose a place in one of the skyscrapers to start with."
Adam tilted his head, narrowing his eyes.
"To start with?" He slowly ate a spoonful of ice cream. "What does that mean?"
Silvana blushed quickly as she mumbled.
"Well... Maybe in the future, it will be more convenient for us if we have a big house somewhere in the private sector, you know... when our family grows..."
Even for the calm and usually cold Silvana, it was difficult to say something so embarrassing out loud.
However, when she looked at Adam, he just smiled and nodded.
"Alright, I understand you, so letās start with an apartment in a skyscraper?" Adam smiled as he looked around. "Unfortunately, this is a hotel, so weāll have to look elsewhere."
Silvanaās eyes sparkled. She was glad to hear that answer.
Then, the corners of her lips curved as a sly smile spread across her face.
"Sure, there are enough skyscrapers at the First Ring for us to choose from, but while weāre here, donāt you want to have some fun?"
"Hmm?" Adam looked at their table. "Do you want to order something else for breakfast?"
Silvana shook her head.
"No, Iām already full, and at the First Ring, you can get food anywhere. Thatās not a problem. How about something more risky? You like to take risks, donāt you?"
"Agh?"
...
Adam didnāt understand what Silvana was talking about, but when they went down to the third floor of their skyscraper, his eyes widened.
Bright lights covered the ceiling, and many people sat at tables and slot machines, while waiters served drinks and snacks to anyone who wanted them.
Silvana had brought him not to a restaurant or a movie theater, but straight to a casino.
"Hey... You know that nothing but defeat awaits us at the casino, right?" Adam was skeptical of her idea. "I like to win, not lose."
In response, she leaned against his arm and pointed to the stand in front of them.
"Come on, when was the last time you spent money to have fun? Nothing bad will happen if you do it just once!"
In fact, Silvana didnāt know what to expect any more than Adam did. She had never been to a casino before and hoped they would enjoy this new experience. She thought it would be a great way to spice up her routine days at the office and Adamās cycle of sleeping, eating, fighting, and repeating.
Sure, if a person went to a casino to make money, then, with rare exceptions, that person could only expect failure and large financial losses.
However, if a person understood that a casino was not a way to make money but simply a form of entertainment, then the outlook changed.
The most important thing was that a person had to be prepared to lose a certain amount of money and not exceed it.
Step. Step. Step.
Adam and Silvana approached the stand where they were greeted by a woman with long black hair falling over her shoulders.
"Welcome to our casino. Is this your first time here?" she asked with a bright smile. Only a casino employee could smile like that. Everyone knew that.
Adam looked around again, seeing the joy on the faces of those who had won and the men who were pounding their fists on the tables and slot machines in anger at their losses.
The woman nodded.
"Yes. Our casino offers free drinks and snacks, and you also need chips to play."
Adam nodded. He had expected something like that and didnāt mind.
"So, how much do we have to pay to get in?"
"A minimum of 10,000 credits, but for that money, you get chips for the same amount. The only rule is that you have to play and enjoy the process!"
Adam sighed inwardly.
āWell, I feel like Iām in for one loss after another, this damn casino!ā