Sky Dining KLCC had always been a place where the city pretended to pause.
Far above the restless streets of Kuala Lumpur, curved glass walls wrapped around the restaurant, revealing a breathtaking panorama of lights stretching toward the horizon. From this height, traffic became slow-moving streams of gold and red. Towering buildings softened into elegant silhouettes against the night sky. The endless noise of the city seemed reluctant to climb so high, leaving only a distant murmur beneath the gentle hum of conversation and soft music.
It was the kind of place where people came to celebrate milestones.
Birthdays.
Anniversaries.
Proposals.
Moments they wished to remember.
Tonight, one of the quiet tables near the edge had been reserved.
For the first time in years, Isey found himself standing before a mirror and not immediately looking away.
The experience felt strangely unfamiliar.
The long, untamed hair that had become synonymous with neglect was gone, trimmed neatly and professionally. His face, usually hidden beneath exhaustion, stubble, and a permanent expression of indifference, was freshly shaved. The old scars remained, of course. Nothing could erase those. But without the fatigue and disheveled appearance surrounding them, they seemed less like wounds and more like reminders.
The black Bradley tuxedo he wore was neither expensive nor extravagant.
Simple.
Affordable.
Practical.
Yet it fit him surprisingly well.
Years of combat and training had shaped his body into something far more athletic than most people realized. The tailored suit emphasized broad shoulders and a straight posture that he normally disguised beneath worn jackets and casual clothing.
For perhaps the first time in a very long while, he looked less like a weary veteran and more like an ordinary man.
A normal man.
The thought alone felt bizarre.
Isey adjusted his cufflinks and stared at his reflection for another moment.
Then he sighed.
"This is harder than fighting Demon Lords."
The quiet admission earned a faint smile from himself.
Somehow, facing creatures capable of destroying cities felt simpler than attending dinner with Xuan.
At least Demon Lords were predictable.
Mostly.
When Xuan arrived, the atmosphere of the restaurant shifted.
Not dramatically.
Not obviously.
But undeniably.
She did not announce herself.
She did not need to.
Dressed in a white caped cady gown that flowed around her like liquid moonlight, she moved through the restaurant with effortless grace. The elegant fabric complemented her smooth fair skin perfectly, creating an image that seemed almost unreal beneath the soft lighting.
People noticed.
Men noticed.
Women noticed.
Even the servers hesitated for a fraction of a second as she passed.
Conversations faltered.
Eyes followed.
Some people possessed beauty.
Others possessed presence.
Xuan somehow managed both.
Yet despite all the attention she attracted, one person remained entirely unaffected.
Isey stood as she approached.
Pulled out her chair.
And nodded.
"You're on time."
Xuan blinked.
For a moment, genuine surprise crossed her face.
Then she smiled.
Not the carefully controlled smile she wore during negotiations.
Not the playful smile she used when manipulating situations to her advantage.
A real one.
Soft.
Warm.
Honest.
"And you," she replied, her eyes briefly scanning him from head to toe, "clean up surprisingly well."
Isey sat down.
"Don't spread it."
His expression remained completely serious.
"I have a reputation to ruin."
A laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
The sound was light and genuine.
For a brief moment, neither of them looked like members of Ultimatum.
They simply looked like two people having dinner.
The evening began easily.
Comfortably.
The food was exceptional.
Every dish arrived beautifully presented, prepared with the kind of attention only found in restaurants operating at the highest level. Xuan commented occasionally on the wine selection, discussing subtle flavors and pairings with surprising enthusiasm.
Isey listened.
Then admitted something without the slightest embarrassment.
"I have absolutely no idea what any of that means."
Xuan stared at him.
"You can't taste the difference?"
"I can taste that it's expensive."
She laughed again.
"That's not the same thing."
"Seems close enough."
For several minutes they spoke about nothing important.
Work never entered the conversation.
Neither did Demon Lords.
Or Great Gates.
Or the fate of humanity.
The topics drifted naturally from food to travel, from strange experiences to mildly embarrassing memories neither normally shared with anyone.
The more they talked, the easier it became.
The more natural it felt.
Eventually, however, reality found its way back into the conversation.
It always did.
"The Seoul Great Gate."
Xuan spoke softly, her eyes drifting toward the city lights beyond the glass.
"Union of Power and Sanctify have already crossed the point of no return."
Isey followed her gaze.
Far below, Kuala Lumpur continued moving as though nothing extraordinary was happening in the world.
"They're strong," he said.
"Strong enough to survive."
Xuan's fingers traced the edge of her wine glass.
"Survival isn't the same as victory."
"No."
He nodded.
"But it buys time."
That earned a faint smile from her.
"Time is expensive."
"I know."
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Not awkward.
Not uncomfortable.
Simply peaceful.
The kind of silence that only existed between people who no longer felt pressured to fill every moment with conversation.
Far too comfortable.
Two tables away, a woman wearing oversized glasses and a floppy tourist hat leaned forward slightly too far and nearly knocked over her drink.
"Elise," a voice hissed.
"You're staring."
"I am not," Elise whispered back immediately.
Then she continued staring.
"I'm observing."
Across from her, Clara adjusted a scarf she had clearly purchased at the last possible moment and sighed heavily.
"This is the worst disguise you've ever worn."
Elise looked offended.
"You are one to talk."
She pointed accusingly.
"That jacket screams suspicious undercover operative."
"At least I don't look like I got lost in a souvenir shop."
"I was trying to blend in."
"You failed."
A server walked past.
Both women immediately looked in different directions.
The server narrowed his eyes suspiciously before continuing onward.
The moment he disappeared, Elise leaned forward again.
"So."
Clara already knew where this was going.
"No."
"Dinner date."
"No."
"Dinner date."
Clara rubbed her forehead.
"I told you something was going on."
"You implied."
Elise nodded confidently.
"I confirmed."
Together, they watched Xuan listening attentively to something Isey was saying.
The expression on her face was unlike anything either woman had seen during missions.
No calculations.
No schemes.
No hidden agenda.
Just simple enjoyment.
"...Huh."
Elise blinked.
"She looks like she likes him."
Clara's lips twitched slightly.
"Don't tell anyone I said this."
"Oh, this should be good."
"I think he keeps her grounded."
Elise stared at her.
Then slowly pointed.
"You're jealous."
Clara immediately glared.
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am not."
The argument ended abruptly.
At the nearby table, Isey reached across and adjusted the edge of Xuan's cape where it had slipped from her shoulder.
The motion was completely natural.
Thoughtless.
Instinctive.
Neither of them seemed to realize anything unusual had happened.
Elise slowly lowered her forehead onto the table.
"I don't like this."
Clara sighed.
"Why?"
"Because it feels like I'm intruding on something important."
"That's because you are."
"...We both are."
Elise groaned.
"...Should we leave?"
Clara glanced toward the pair again.
Then shook her head.
"Not yet."
Dessert arrived shortly afterward.
The city outside had grown even brighter, thousands of lights reflecting against the glass walls surrounding the restaurant.
Xuan stirred her spoon absentmindedly.
"You know," she said, "when I asked you to dinner, I wasn't entirely sure you'd say yes."
Isey considered that.
"That's fair."
Her eyebrow rose.
"Really?"
"I considered running."
She laughed immediately.
"But?"
"I figured Demon Lords were less dangerous."
The laugh that followed drew several curious glances from nearby tables.
Xuan covered her mouth politely.
For a few seconds, she simply smiled.
Then her expression softened.
"Thank you."
The words carried more weight than they appeared to.
Isey noticed.
"For what?"
"For trusting me."
Her gaze met his.
"For telling me things you didn't tell others."
The city lights reflected in her eyes.
Isey held her gaze steadily.
"You asked for honesty."
A small pause followed.
"Not comfort."
For a moment, Xuan simply stared at him.
Then she smiled.
Slowly.
Warmly.
"That might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me."
Isey raised an eyebrow.
"Your standards concern me."
"Good."
The smile remained.
"That means you'll keep surprising me."
At the surveillance table, Elise suddenly sat upright.
"There."
Clara immediately knew something was wrong.
"What?"
"She's smiling like that."
Clara groaned.
"Which 'that'?"
"The dangerous one."
"...Oh."
They both looked over.
Sure enough.
There it was.
The smile.
The one Xuan wore whenever she was three steps ahead of everyone else.
The smile that usually preceded chaos.
Unfortunately, this version looked significantly happier.
And somehow, that was even more alarming.
Meanwhile, Isey leaned back comfortably in his chair, completely unconcerned with the attention surrounding them.
For once, he looked relaxed.
Genuinely relaxed.
The sight felt almost surreal.
Elise watched them for several more seconds before releasing a long sigh.
"Alright."
Clara narrowed her eyes.
"What now?"
"I understand."
"You understand what?"
Elise pointed vaguely toward the pair.
"I support whatever this is."
Clara blinked.
Then immediately smacked the table.
"You what?"
"I said I support—"
"He is married, idiot."
The words hit Elise like a truck.
She froze.
"...Right."
Several seconds passed.
"...I forgot."
Clara stared at her.
"You forgot?"
"There are a lot of things happening."
"He has a wife."
"Yes."
"A wife."
"Yes."
"A daughter."
"...That one I remembered."
Clara buried her face in her hands.
Elise stood up.
"Let's leave."
"Agreed."
"Before Ling finds out."
"Definitely."
"And starts asking questions."
"Absolutely."
Both women hurried away before the situation became any more embarrassing.
Behind them, the city continued shining beneath the night sky.
Neither Isey nor Xuan noticed their departure.
Or perhaps they noticed and chose not to acknowledge it.
Either possibility felt equally likely.
The evening continued.
The conversation drifted.
The food disappeared.
The world remained distant.
For a few precious hours, there were no Demon Kings.
No Great Gates.
No strategies.
No contingency plans.
Only two people sharing a rare moment of peace.
High above Kuala Lumpur, surrounded by lights, glass, and a city that refused to sleep, they sat together—not as leaders, warriors, or saviors.
Not as the Time Merchant and the man destined to challenge the end of the world.
Just a man who had carried too much weight for too long.
And a woman who understood better than anyone how precious time truly was.
Below them, humanity prepared for war.
Beyond the horizon, Demon Kings moved their pieces across the board.
The future marched steadily toward conflict.
But for one evening, none of that mattered.
For one evening, the world was allowed to wait.
And for both of them—
That was enough.