Initially, Adam's plan was quite simple. He wanted to go to the bakery, choose a cake he liked, buy it, and meet Silvana to give it to her.

But... fate turned out to be much harsher than he could have expected.

Even though the owner of the bakery had been baking the cake for half an hour, Adam still remembered the failed cream bowls with a shudder.

"Brrrr! That cream will haunt my nightmares! But..." He smiled weakly. "I hope it was worth it. It smells delicious already!"

About an hour later, everything was ready.

The girl who had met Adam was finishing packing the cake when Adam turned to the woman.

"Thank you. Seeing how skillfully you moved around the kitchen, I now understand why I failed so many times to make the cream."

"Hahaha, don't flatter me, you cheeky thing. You're a Phantom, you can move in ways I can't even imagine. I'll never match your speed and dexterity, but..." She bit her little finger as her eyes scanned him. "I'll take that as a compliment. You didn't have enough experience, that's all."

"Miss! Everything's ready!" The girl waved her hand.

The woman nodded deeply. "Great, let's see what we've got."

Tap.

Adam received a black box with a purple wave pattern. The box wasn't very big, about two and a half palms in size, but it was clearly more than enough for two people.

There were no bows or balloons attached to the box. It was a clean and stylish option, not a gift for a children's party.

"Carry it carefully, don't shake it, and don't turn it upside down. Otherwise, all our work will be wasted."

"I see... How much do I owe you?" Adam asked.

The woman waved her hand.

"Just go. Consider it a favor for reminding me that this grumpy old man is still alive. You have no idea how hard it is to even get a letter from him."

Adam scratched his cheek.

"You know he works at the coffee shop at the hotel, right?"

"Sure, but I have a job too! Pffft! I want him to take the initiative and make time for me, is that so hard to understand?"

She exclaimed and leaned in, staring right at Adam's soul.

"Although, who am I telling this to? You're a man too!"

Adam didn't know what to say. He had never been in this situation before, but in the end, everything turned out well.

The only problem was that it took him a long time. In a few hours, it would be evening, so their meeting had to happen as soon as possible.

Adam and Silvana agreed on a place and were already heading in that direction.

They decided to choose a simple park in the far part of the First Ring. Like the hotel and bakery where he had been in the morning, this park was part of the private sector, so at least until evening, they would be the only visitors here.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam stopped after a few confident steps. He looked around as there were large trees casting shadows on the stone paths, a bench, and a small fountain, purely decorative.

In his hands was only a black box and nothing else.

From time to time, gusts of wind blew past him, ruffling the ends of his hair, but it was nothing compared to the fierce currents at the Tarnished Lands.

Strangely enough, Adam felt safe here. Now, he was strong enough to stand up for himself almost anywhere in the world, except for the far reaches of the Tarnished Lands and the Dark Shore.

Still, the Citadel was his home.

"I don't think I'll ever forget the slums. After all, I was born there, even though it's nothing more than a shit hole. But now, considering what I know about the world, the entire Citadel has become my home. Hah, it's kind of sad, really..."

When Adam lived in the slums, the limit of his dreams was to get out of that difficult situation and end up at least at the Third Ring. Sure, he wanted to get to the First Ring and live at the top of one of the skyscrapers like some rich guy, but he understood that it was impossible, not in this life.

"And... now I am here, waiting for my Operator with a cake in my hands."

Adam's lips curved upward into a bitter smile.

"What can I say? This is much better than living at the top of a skyscraper."

Sure, Adam wasn't just referring to his relationship with Silvana. The fact that he had met her meant that he was a Phantom, and in perspective, that was worth more than all the riches in the world. It all depended on how far he could go and how many victories he would win before reaching his limit.

Adam glanced at his NEP. He had arrived a little early, so...

"She should be here any minute now," he nodded slightly.

At the same moment, a calm, gentle voice came from the side:

"Hey, looks like you're ready?"

Adam turned around as she saw Silvana for the first time in several months. Meetings in his inner space or in her spectral form did not count. It was not reality.

"Hah..." Adam shuddered, unable to take his eyes off her. She did not abandon her usual formal style, but now her clothes looked much looser, as did her black hair, which fell like a calm flame to her shoulders.

She had prepared for their meeting as much as she could, from her clothes and makeup to her perfume and hairstyle. But the truth was that even if she had come in a potato sack, Adam's reaction would have been the same.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Silvana asked, concerned. For several seconds, Adam just stared at her as if he had seen a ghost.

Adam shook his head.

"No, just..."

As soon as Silvana appeared, he saw something around her that he hadn't noticed before he departed from the Tarnished Lands, or maybe she just didn't have it before?

Silvana exuded a powerful aura — a bright light with a distinct purple hue.

"It looks like someone stole my light."

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