Whenever I hung out with Alice, I usually went to her miscellaneous goods store. She was basically always guarding me, so even if I were to call her in my room, Alice would show up…… but it had become somewhat a habit from back then, so when I wanted to play a game with Alice, I would go to her miscellaneous goods store.
Incidentally, this time, it seems that the commercial version of the feyblade that we played at the previous Six Kings Festival was completed, and before it goes on sale to the public, I’m visiting to play with her.
I got the impression that the game had been improved since the Six Kings Festival, making it easier for younger players to play, so I had a feeling that it would be popular.
After that, Alice and I played a board game together. Although I say that, it wasn’t chess or shogi, which I wasn’t very good at, but a different version of the sugoroku game we had played before.
[……Ummm, Kaito-san?][Unnn?]
[……No, it might not just be my imagination……]
Thereupon, Alice stopped the hand that was about to make her move, looked at me and spoke…… Rather than Alice not knowing exactly what to say, it seemed like she was hesitating in saying it.
[……Why do I feel like Kaito-san’s gaze towards me today is overflowing with kindness?]
[………………..]
[No, I don’t really have any basis for it, but your gaze feels rather itchy and I can’t calm down……]
[Even if you say that……]When Alice told me such a thing, I had thought of something…… but it was very difficult to explain why in words.
[No, I don’t really understand it either…… but somehow, looking at Alice makes me smile……]
[Eh? What’s with that?]
[Hmmm. I really don’t know why…… but it somehow makes me smile.]
[Ehhhh, your words don’t answer anything though…… I mean, Alice-chan really feels really uncomfortable here! You’re making me nervous here!!!]
Alice complained in an embarrassed manner, but I couldn’t figure out the cause of her complaint either. I really just somehow really felt like smiling when I looked at Alice.
I don’t really know why I felt like this, but this feeling is somewhat similar to the feeling I had when I asked Iris-san about Alice’s past.
It kinda feels like, even though Alice says all sorts of things, the fact that she’s a kind person makes me smile.
But what’s troubling though is I don’t know what the cause of this is. It’s not that I’ve heard anything from Iris-san, or I’ve learned something new about Alice’s nonchalant expression of kindness.
[……Though you say that, I don’t know what’s causing it either.]
[H- Hmmm…… I wonder what that is. Your gaze kinda makes me embarrassed here…… Well, if you don’t know the cause, I guess it can’t be helped.]
[Unnn. Well, if I think of something, I’ll tell you.]
She seemed to believe me when I said that I had no idea what I was talking about, and Alice returned her gaze to the board game with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face.
Hmmm, seriously though, what is this? However, this doesn’t really feel that bad…… If anything, it’s like I have an even better impression of Alice than before or something like that.
I don’t know what the cause is, but I probably shouldn’t worry too much about it since there’s no real damage. Well, except for Alice looking somewhat embarrassed.
Yesterday, I was on a deserted island with a starry sky in sight…… and in front of me was a woman with a mechanical wing.
[I haven’t seen you since yesterday, my child! I had such a good time talking to you yesterday that I called you back again today!!!]
[Y- Yeah…… So that’s why huh.]
[Unnn?]
[Ah, no, it’s nothing. It’s just that a question I had in mind has just been answered.]
I looked at the woman in front of me, Makina-san, and got the answer to the strange exchange I had with Alice during the day. I see, I heard about Alice’s past in my dream last night for about 20 minutes…… and I may have forgotten about that in itself, but the favorable impression I had of Alice remained in my mind, which is why I had been feeling that way.
[Errr, good evening, Makina-san…… This place is?]
[Good evening! Fufufu, this is the place I told you about yesterday, the deserted island where Alice and I first met when we were humans.]
[Heehhh…… So this is that place……]
[By the way, this is what Alice looked like then!]
As soon as Makina-san said that…… a hologram-like image of Alice appeared in front of me. However, this Alice had semi-short hair and was dressed in jeans and a jacket, just like the ones in my world.
[Ohhh, short hair looks pretty good on Alice too.]
[Unnn, unnn, I agree with that. Today, let’s continue with yesterday’s story…… Errr, where were we yesterday?]
When I saw Makina-san smiling as she made the hologram Alice disappear, I also smiled gently. She looked a little more childish than Eden-san, but I somehow feel that this is her true self.
I’ve thought of this before, but I think Makina-san likes to talk to people.
[Errr, if I remember correctly, I think you’re still talking about your trip to Japan.]
[Ahh, that’s right! After that, you usually go towards what was nearby, right? And yet, the next place Alice brought me to was Australia, you know? Since we went to Japan by ship, we rode a plane this time……]
When I saw Makina-san talking happily, wondering if Alice would look restless again tomorrow, I couldn’t help but smile.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [……The consecutive title count continues…… In other words, the date with Alice would still happen in another arc…… This feels painful.]
