CH 1

The conversation with the energetic grandpa I met by chance was over, and as I strolled around the city for a while, 2:00 pm, the time I had promised Mitsunaga-kun was getting close. In the square where I met with Mitsunaga-kun yesterday, I’m supposed to meet the second princess of the Symphonia Kingdom…… Princess Cattleya. Hmmm, I wonder what kind of person she is? From what I heard, it sounds like she’s a strong-minded person but……

[Hey, Alice.]

[What is it?]

[What’s Princess Cattleya like?]

[Fumu…… Like this.]

[You’re drawing her!?]

In response to my murmur, Alice appeared and taking out a paper and pen, she drew what seems to be Princess Cattleya’s face in a smooth, freehand manner. The image looked more like Lilia-san than Amalie-san, with Lilia-san hair in a loose vertical roll and the corners of her eyes were slightly slanted upwards. In short, she’s quite the beauty…… Lilia-san’s family’s facial deviation value really is incredibly high……

(T/N: Facial deviation value is apparently a criteria for the goodness and beauty of a human face.)

[……I see, what about her personality?]

[Please think of Duchess Lilia.]

[Eh? U- Unnn.]

[And add a bit more tsundere in it.]

[Hmmm?]

I didn’t really understand it that clearly, but in short, it seems that she has a personality that is similar to Lilia-san’s. At the same time I nodded my head in response to her description, the plaza came into view and Alice disappeared again. When I entered the plaza, I knew right away where Mitsunaga-kun was…… After all, in one corner of the plaza, there was a group of knights in armor that clearly had a different atmosphere compared to the rest……

They were probably, or rather, definitely Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun’s guards…… That’s an awesome number they have. When I met with Mitsunaga-kun yesterday, I felt a few emotions similar to alertness with my Sympathy Magic at a slight distance, so those emotions I felt probably were from the knights who were guarding him out of his sight. As for today though, Princess Cattleya is also meeting up with me, so the number of guards stationed here is probably even greater.

I mean, the trouble is, there are so many knights guarding them, so I can’t see Mitsunaga-kun and Princess Cattleya, who should be in the middle of their encirclement…… I guess I’ll just approach and talk to the knights huh. As I was thinking that, I approached the group of knights…… but when they sensed my approach, I saw a few of the knights turned vigilant.

[……Stop right there, who are you?]

[Ah, errr, my name is Miyama Kaito. I had promised to meet Mitsunaga-kun…… the child who plays the role of Hero……]

[ !? P- Please accept my apologies! We’ve heard about your visit, please go ahead……]

[Thank you.]

I was anxious that it would turn into that kind of development where they would point their swords at me while shouting something like “You suspicious b*stard!”, but it seems that the conversation properly got through, and the knights immediately led me to the place. Thereupon, I saw Mitsunaga-kun, and when he saw me, he approached me with a refreshing smile on his face.

[Miyama-san!]

[Mitsunaga-kun, my bad, am I late?]

[No, no, our side just finished a little ahead of our schedule…… I heard that a Supreme God had come to this city right now…… And I don’t know if the senators were tired or not, but they didn’t ask any testing questions in our meeting……]

[………………….]

You really had influence in all sorts of places, Fate-san…… I can’t really imagine it because of how she usually acts, but I guess she’s acting like a proper Supreme God huh? W- Well, it seems that thanks to that, Mitsunaga-kun ended the meeting early and was waiting for me here.

[……You must be Miyama-sama, right?]

[Eh? Ah, yes.]

When I turned my head towards the voice that called out my name, I saw an imposing woman standing there. Loosely curled bright blonde hair, blue eyes slanting upwards, looking really sharp…… The woman wearing a red dress that looks easy to move around in, yet elegant at the same time, looked like an epitome of a noble, and I immediately knew that she was Princess Cattleya. Princess Cattleya walked up to me and gracefully curtsied.

[It’s a pleasure to be your acquaintance, I’m the second princess of the Symphonia Kingdom, bearing the name of Cattleya Lia Symphonia. I have heard about Miyama-sama from my sisters. It’s an honor to meet you like this.]

[I- I’m Miyama Kaito. Please treat me well.]

[Please treat me well too. I have often heard rumors about you……. That you were close with Underworld King-sama and World King-sama, I’m feeling envious of you.]

[N- No, that is……]

I’d like to say a few things to Alice here…… Where the heck is her resemblance with Lilia-san!? The way they talk is definitely similar, but compared to Lilia-san, who doesn’t look like a noble at all, Princess Cattleya absurdly feels like a noble, and I feel like the atmosphere was really tense, you know!?

[Miyama-san, you don’t have to be that nervous. Despite her appearance, Cathy is really kind.]

[Mitsunaga-sama! Haven’t I told you to stop calling me that in public!?]

[I- I’m sorry.]

[Good grief…… Please excuse me. Miyama-sama, we’ve reserved a seat for us, so we can talk over there.]

[Ah, yes.]

Ahh~~ However, I think the feeling I got when she was scolding Mitsunaga-kun earlier was exactly like when Lilia-san was angry. That look of impatience, rather than rage, on her face is a characteristic of Lilia-san when she’s angry…… Unnn, I felt that way because Lilia-san got angry enough times that I remembered her face while she was mad……

After lightly scolding Mitsunaga-kun, Princess Cattleya pointed at a table at a cafe adjacent to the plaza and suggested that we talk there. I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded and followed Mitsunaga-kun and Princess Cattleya as they started walking to the cafe.

[Mitsunaga-sama, you need to be a little more aware of your role as the Hero! You are fully responsible for each of your words and actions. You need to be very careful with the tone of your voice.]

[C- Cath……. Princess Cattleya. We’re in front of Miyama-san now, so can you excuse me for now?]

[I know that. That’s why I’m letting you get away with just this.]

I have some hunch about it, but it seems that Princess Cattleya has a slightly severe personality.

She seems to be scolding Mitsunaga-kun for calling her by her nickname, and with her sharp, slanted eyes focused on him……. It looks kind of scary, but it felt like she was complaining out of goodwill towards Mitsunaga-kun. Somehow smiling at seeing such a scene, I tried following behind them——- but at that moment, I felt an unspeakable, unpleasant sensation run down my spine.

Just like how I quickly pull my hand back when I touched a hot pot, I reflexively looked back. The moment I turned around, my gaze caught sight of the tall clock tower at a considerable distance…… I felt a part of that clock tower “glitter” for a moment……

[ ! ? ]

Immediately after, a shimmering sphere passed right by me. There was no time to say a word at that moment, as only my gaze followed that sphere……. As if time was compressed, I felt like I was looking at it in slow motion. The sphere headed in a straight line towards Princess Cattleya, with none of the knights around her being able to react…… Mitsunaga-kun alone moved to lay his body to protect Princess Cattleya——— And a burst of light exploded.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

On the top floor of a clock tower is located at a considerable distance from the plaza…… a man holding a thin long-range ejection magic tool had a smile on his mouth.

[……Finally done……]

He was commissioned to “attack” the Symphonia Kingdom’s Second Princess, or perhaps, the one who holds the role of Hero…… Yes, not to assassinate them, but to attack them. From his client’s point of view, his target shouldn’t die…… He can achieve his goal of diminishing the authority of Symphonia’s royal family and give himself the upper hand. The summoning of Heroes at the Festival of Heroes is carried out by the Human Realm in shifts, and the summoning nation will provide guards for the pilgrimage, while a member of the royal family with high authority is in charge of his guards…… If the person in charge of playing the role of Hero or anyone accompanying him was injured during the pilgrimage, it would be too much of a blunder for the summoning nation and would lead to distrust of the royal family. For this reason, the royal family guarded the person with the role of Hero with the best of their elites, and in fact, the past Heroes had completed their pilgrimage without any serious injuries.

It doesn’t matter which one of them gets hurt, whether it’s the second princess who’s in charge of the guards or the leading actor of the festival, the one who holds the role of Hero…… Whichever one of them is injured, the faith in Symphonia’s royal family will collapse and his employer will be able to suck the sweet juice of the results. He has been staying in this city for two months now to do some preliminary research. He had prepared for every situation he needed as a sniper. After the one who had the role of Hero visited the city, he didn’t act quickly and waited for his opportunity…… He kept waiting for the right moment when the guards were no longer in the sniper’s line of fire.

He thought that maybe the opportunity would never come and the mission would fail…… “Fortunately” for the man, his targets appeared in the plaza to meet with the acquaintance of the one who held the role of Hero…… The acquaintance’s visit made the guards give a slight opening to let this person through. That’s the best time he could hope for, and his magic bullet definitely slipped through the guard’s vigilance…… It’s no exaggeration to say that it was a combination of various miracles, and the man felt that he may have been lucky…… Therefore, he has committed “the worst mistake he can make”.

Yes, he should not have shot at this time today…… Not only should he have looked into the princess and the one who has the role of Hero, he should have investigated the acquaintance who visited them as well. If he had investigated, he would have realized that attacking this acquaintance…… that an attack involving Kaito is an act “that is tantamount to suicide”……

As the man smiled and looked through the scope of his sniper to check the results, the explosive smoke that had enveloped the plaza cleared out of his gaze.

[…….Wha…… Wha…… Wh…… y……]

The people who emerged from it weren’t harmed at all…… And not only that, even a speck of dust wasn’t on the second princess, the one who played the role of Hero, and on Kaito’s clothes, there appeared a figure wearing a black robe riddled with chains…… But in the eyes of that man, it’s as if he had seen the Incarnation of Despair.

[……No way…… P- Phantasmal King……]

[Let me explain one thing to you……]

[!? Ahh, ahhhhh……]

Faster than he could mutter, the Phantasmal King’s figure disappeared from his vision, and soon after, a high-pitched voice came from beside him.

[Whether the princess of Symphonia Kingdom dies or that guy holding the role of Hero dies…… I don’t really care about that.]

[……Ahh, hyiiihh……]

With her high-pitched voice echoing around, the Phantasmal King No Face was there. She was leaning out of the window of the clocktower, beside him…… Standing perpendicular to the wall of the clock tower, as if to say that gravity doesn’t matter……

[However, if those two got injured…… Kaito-san will probably get sad. His emotions will get hurt…… That is to say, isn’t it that? You just tried to “hurt Kaito-san’s heart” right in front of me”…… Isn’t that what it means?]

[ ! ? ! ? ]

Her voice was so cold and intimidating that one would think that their head had been cut off just by her killing intent alone. Just like a criminal waiting for the death sentence that he couldn’t escape from, as if the right of life and death is already out of his hands……The man understood that in an instant.

[……It’s just, well, my master is very kind and sweet…… I’m sure that if I kill you, he will feel responsible for that…… That’s why I won’t kill you.]

[……Eh?]

[I’ll give you two options.]

[……Op…… tions?]

As if there was no longer anything but fear in his heart, the man only parroted No Face’s words, but his face was so pale…… He was so terrified that he couldn’t even sweat. However, when he heard the words No Face muttered about how she won’t kill him, he felt as if a faint glimmer of hope appeared…… He looked just slightly better. However, those fleeting hopes were shattered by the words that followed.

[……If you obediently speak out who is the one who commissioned you to do this…… “I’ll forgive you that I would let you off only after turning you into someone who can satisfactorily conduct your daily life again”.]

[ ! ? ]

[If your pride as a professional prevents you from revealing your client, that’s alright with me…… After all, the results won’t change. You will eventually speak out who commissioned you with your own mouth. Though, in that situation…… You’ll probably be saying “Please, just kill me” after you’ve told me everything…… Now then, you can choose either one of the options, you know?]

[Ahh, aaaaaahhhhhhh…… Uaaahhh……]

Her words that are too cold and ruthless…… Moreover, No Face also knows that he had been commissioned as if it was obvious. Even though she knows all of this, she still made the man pick a choice…… Whether he can drop everything and live in misery, or he can keep his pride, and go through hell and die with that pride of his…… Having to pick between those two dreadful options……

[Come on, choose…… I’ll give you a few seconds.]

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

I didn’t immediately know what had just happened. A sphere of magical power suddenly flew towards Princess Cattleya and seemed to “explode before it hit” Mitsunaga-kun, who was protecting Princess Cattleya with his body. Immediately after that, Alice appeared in the form of the Phantasmal King, and I had also confirmed that Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun were safe.

[…….!? Seigi! A- Are you alright!? Are you injured? Does it hurt anywhere? I- I’ll get a doctor right away…… N- No, a healing mage……]

[I- I’m alright, Cathy. I’m not injured anywhere……]

[I- Is that so…… Thank goodness. Wait, why the heck did you do that!? I’m more powerful than you! Something of that extent won’t deal much damage…… Covering me with your body, what will you do if something happened!!!?]

Princess Cattleya looks flustered and confirms Mitsunaga-kun’s safety while calling him by his name “Seigi”, which is what she probably calls him when they’re alone. Thereupon, after confirming that Mitsunaga-kun was safe, she heaves out a relieved sigh and began vigorously scolding Mitsunaga-kun. Hmmm, how should I say this…… I think I can understand now why Alice said that Princess Cattleya has a personality similar to Lilia-san’s. Something about how she was really flustered just now looks the same as when Lilia-san was worried about my health.

[I- I’m sorry. However, look, it’s alright.]

[You really are…… T- Thank you.]

Once again realizing how close Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun are, just as I felt a small smile appear on my lips despite the situation we’re in now, Alice appeared in front of us.

[P- Phantasmal King-sama!? T- That just now was……]

[Kaito-san, I’ve secured the person who carried out that attack. While I’m at it, I’ve also investigated who was behind the scenes as well~~]

She just ignored Princess Cattleya.

[T- Thanks…… Errr, what about the attacker……]

[It’s alright. I didn’t kill him.]

[I- I see……]

Should I say that it’s to be expected from Alice? She did a really quick job of catching the attacker and investigating their background as well. After reporting this to me, Alice finally turns to Princess Cattleya and speaks to her in the high-pitched voice she uses when she has the appearance of the Phantasmal King.

[Second Princess of Symphonia Kingdom…… You don’t mind if we take care of this matter, right?]

[Y- Yes. Of course.]

[Well then, Kaito-san. I will go deal with some fools.]

[Eh? Ah, unnn…… but……]

[I know. Don’t ever kill, right?]

Alice nods, saying that she knows what I was talking about, but that isn’t exactly what I was about to say, so I’ll correct her.

[No, that’s not it.]

[……Eh?]

[Just do that “if it’s possible”…… If Al—– No Face was about to get hurt, you can just kill them without hesitation.]

[……Kaito-san.]

Yes, just do that if it’s possible. It’s not that I’m concerned about the life or death of a stranger. I’m just telling her to try not to kill as much people as possible. Even if I’m telling Alice not to kill, it isn’t like I’m speaking for her enemies, I just don’t want to see Alice kill others.

[Rather than the life or death of a stranger, No Face’s safety is much more important to me…… Just kill them if it’s necessary……]

""

[I- Is that so…… I- I- If you say it like that, I- I would feel embarrassed……]

[Ah, errr…… Anyway, I’m counting on you.]

[……Yes. By my lord…… by your will.]

When I told her that, Alice gave me an ostentatiously dramatic bow and disappeared. If I leave it to Alice, I can be relieved now, or so I was thinking…… but I heard a voice from behind me.

[Well, the one going there is just my clone, and this loooooooovely~~ Alice-chan’s main body would still be here! It’s alright! Your beloved Alice is right here, so it’s OK to give her lots of love!]

[……And you had to ruin all of it.]

[……Eh?]

I feel like the slightly cool air she had just now has just turned to nothing. Why can’t this woman just stay cool until the end…… I know that I can rely on Alice, but how should I say this——– In a way, Alice is the only one staying the same as always.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

Unfortunately, after the ruckus caused by the attack had settled down, the tea party with Princess Cattleya and the others was canceled. I guess that can’t be helped. From what I heard, it seems that this is the first time they’ve received such an audacious assault on the one who holds the role of Hero’s group, so they need to make adjustments, along with making some revisions for the guard system.

Well, the reason for that is just a pretext, and it’s actually because Princess Cattleya didn’t listen to Mitsunaga-kun and insisted on bringing him to see a doctor…… Mitsunaga-kun said he was fine, but Princess Cattleya still seemed to be anxious like the worrywart Lilia-san, as she forcibly brought Mitsunaga-kun away, saying that he should be examined just in case. Even her usually stern words and actions shows Princess Cattleya seemed to really care for Mitsunaga-kun, and how should I say this…… Seeing her acting that flustered is making me smile. Anyway, that settles this case…… but unfortunately, that isn’t the case, and I was currently in more trouble than I was willing to admit.

[N- No, like I said…… I didn’t receive a single injury at all, s- so can you calm down!?]

""

[……These fools…… tormenting Kaito…… I will kill them.]

[No, no, I’m telling you, the attacker was already taken away long ago…… I- Isis-san!? Can you calm down for now……]

[……I will turn him into ice…… and break him into pieces…… so that not a single piece of his flesh…… would be left in this world.]

[………………….]

Yes, currently in front of me was the angry Isis-san, her veins popping out of her forehead, as if she really wants to beat someone up. The magic power of death she’s clad in turned outrageous, as if she’s wielding her sword around with her tremendous fury, and along with her arrival, the people who were around have fled, quickly turning this city into a ghost town. No, what’s worse is that it wasn’t just Isis-san…… As just her arrival might not have turned this situation into something this disastrous……

[That won’t do, Isis, don’t just easily kill him off…… Let’s make sure that he won’t pass out from the pain, and make him “disappear” from his fingertips, a little portion of his body at a time.]

[Can you also calm down, Kuro!? I’m telling you, I’m fine!!!]

[……As expected…… of Kuromueina.]

[Isis-san!? There’s nothing that should be expected here, you know!?]

Yes, what’s worse is that there’s also another one here…… Kuro. Kuro also seems to be quite angry, as black mists were spewing out from her body, and cracks are appearing on the ground because of the aftermath of her magic power being released. Soon after Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun left, the two of them appeared, clad with a terrifying killing intent and pressed me with the question of where the attackers were. It seems that they threw out the preparations for the Six Kings. I think Lillywood-san who should be near them is probably holding her head in their hands right now.

A- Anyway, let’s just put that aside……. Why the heck am I frantically trying to protect the attacker? No, I think I can understand why…… It’s because sending Alice towards them is already an overkill, so when these two are added to the mix, no matter how much that guy attacked us, I would start feeling sorry for them. Or rather, if they were this angry, I feel like the attacker, along with this entire city would get erased, so I must stop them at all costs.

[……A- Alice! Can’t you do something about them!?]

[That’s impossible…… If I poorly stop them, I would just become their target……]

[If that’s what it takes, so be it.]

[What about me!?]

No, I mean, I think that if it’s Alice, she would somehow be able to get away from it……

In the end, it took me a long time to appease Kuro and Isis-san. I was really, really tired…… but I’m glad that I’ve managed to convince both of them to leave it be.

[Haahhh…… I’m tired.]

[Ahaha, good work over there. As expected of Kaito-san.]

[……You really didn’t help me at all……]

[Well~~ I’m telling you, that’s impossible for me. The only one who can calm down Kuro-san and Isis-san when they’re that angry is Kaito-san.]

[……Haahhh……]

I let out another sigh in front of Alice, who was chuckling at the side. Good gracious, I’m really tired. Well, their appearance shows how worried they were about me, so I’m honestly glad about that but……

[By the way, Kaito-san.]

[Unnn?]

[I think I did pretty well this time.]

[Y- Yeah, well…… You didn’t really help me out with just now, but I’m really glad that you’ve protected Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun.]

When Alice suddenly changes the subject, I nodded my head in affirmation. Indeed, the MVP of this time is definitely Alice. Not only did she protect Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun, she also protected the guard knights who were in the vicinity of the explosion, quickly caught the attacker, and is currently investigating the one who was behind it as well. If it hadn’t been for Alice, Princess Cattleya and Mitsunaga-kun would have been injured…… or even worse, die. The attacker would also have fled in the confusion and disappeared like smoke. I can’t thank Alice enough, and I’m really glad that she’s guarding me…… However, why is she suddenly mentioning that?

[Right!? I did my best, you know…… Now then, I’m going to change the subject but……]

[Unnn?]

[It’s just about time for dinner, you know~~ I’m also getting hungry.]

[……………….]

[I guess this me who did her best deserves a reward~~ ……Well, this is just me talking to myself though.]

[………………..]

This f*cking woman…… She’s going around in circles, but in short, because she did her best, I should buy her a meal!? However, well, Alice certainly did great today, so I feel like that isn’t a bad way to thank her.

[……What do you want to eat?]

[Eeehhh!? Could it be…… Kaito-san!? You’re going to buy me a dinner~~]

[Your intentions are so transparent!]

[Well~~ I’m feeling apologetic, even though I’m just doing something natural…… There’s a restaurant that serves delicious fish dishes over there!]

This shamelessness and annoyingness…… Alice really is the same as ever. Moreover, she even has the nerve to demand going to the expensive, high end stores.

[……Haahhh…… Well, fine. Let’s go.]

[Great~~!!! As expected of Kaito-san! The ideal boss who treats his employees well! You’re making me fall in love, you know? I’m fine even if we do it all night, you know?]

[I firmly refuse.]

[A really powerful and direct refusal!?]

Looking at such a hopeless Alice, who quickly started teasing me right after I complimented her a bit, I let out a big sigh again and decided to walk down the dimly lit street to the high-class restaurant Alice had mentioned.

[Haghmm, whamuu, omnomn…… Ah, seconds here please!]

[……Hey, Alice. Do you know what table manners are?]

The restaurant that Alice led me to is indeed like a high-class restaurant, and the fish dishes they serve here look as stylish as french cuisines. And then, there’s this one idiot here who looks so disappointing, piling up food into her cheeks like a squirrel, as if to say that she doesn’t give a damn about manners…… Sitting on the same table with her makes me feel embarrassed. No, I don’t know much about table manners either, but I can clearly see that this woman’s way of eating is nonsensical.

""

[……Kaito-san, table manners are for those 'spoiled brats”, you know?]

[……Huh?]

However, this idiot is someone who thinks that always being an idiot is the right way of life, as she started to say something with an incomprehensible smug look on her face.

[Eating well is the most respectful way to express gratitude to the chef! Eating elegantly is just something that someone selfishly established.]

[……Wouldn’t the people of this restaurant be angry at you?]

[Ahh, that’s alright. The owner of this restaurant is my subordinate.]

[……………….]

M- My head hurts…… I’ve thought about this a lot already, but is this really something that someone, who is supposedly one of the Six Kings, should do?

[Excuse meeee. I also would like this part of the menu until this part!]

[…………………….]

However, this idiot didn’t seem to mind, and started ordering one dish after another as if she was ordering snacks in a pub.

[……Alice, do you know what being reserved means?]

""

[Unfortunately, it isn’t written in my dictionary. Food eaten with other people’s money is the tastie——- Fugyaahhh!?]

[……For the time being, I’m confiscating this.]

[Aaaahhhh!? My meunieeeerrrreee!?]

Haahhh…… Seriously, how should I say this…… She’s reliable in times of need, but since she’s usually like this, it’s quite a shame. Well, I guess this is what makes her Alice, right?

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

At the time when the sun sets and the darkness of the night comes, Shea and Heart were sitting in their own chairs in a room in the royal palace, with a somewhat tired looks on their faces.

[……I thought we’d almost be done today, but we didn’t go as far as I thought we would.]

[It can’t be helped. Because of some idiot, God of Fate-sama’s mood turned bad in the middle of work…… She didn’t make a move because the Phantasmal King already dealt with it, but there aren’t many Humans who can speak out to God of Fate-sama when she’s in a bad mood…… It’s inevitable that the meeting is prolonged.]

[I guess……]

Yes, the girls were in the same preparatory meeting they were in yesterday, but the discussions there didn’t go as far as they would have liked. Looking at how Fate was yesterday, they thought that all the work would be taken care of by the end of the day…… But around early afternoon, Fate’s mood suddenly turned sour. The reason for this is the attack that Kaito almost got involved in. Alice was there so she didn’t interfere anymore…… For Fate, an act that could be seen as an attempt to take away her enjoyment, irritated her so badly, and put her in a very bad mood. Naturally, if the highest-ranking person in the place, Fate, gets in such a bad mood, the senators can’t speak out without a second thought, and furthermore, the place is in turmoil because of the information that there was an attack on the one who has the role of Hero…… And as a result, little progress was made in the meeting.

[However, Miyama-sama had it rough, didn’t he? It’s been disastrous since he came here.]

[Disastrous? He had only been involved in one attack, right?]

[……I wonder, did Senpai forget about it already?]

[Forgot what?]

Hearing the words Heart said with a somewhat pitying expression on her face, Shea asks back while tilting her head in curiosity.

[He was suddenly brought here by God of Fate-sama without even a word beforehand, and when he arrived, a certain nefarious Senpai showed her undisguised hostility at him and took it out on him……]

[Eh? N- No, it’s not like I meant to do that……]

[Even if Senpai didn’t mean it, it must have been a terrible disaster for Miyama-sama. Ahh, poor guy, even though he’s just a child of about 20 years or so…… To be tormented by the frightening Senpai.]

[Eh? T- That’s not it!?]

[I’m sure that “his pillow was wet in tears” last night.]

[………………..]

Hearing the words that Heart indifferently said, which certainly contained malice, Shea’s expression grew paler and paler. Shea certainly almost took it out on Kaito, but she was originally a softhearted person to begin with…… So she had honestly always felt bad about that. However, Shea is inexplicably bad at talking, and until now, she hasn’t been able to properly give out an apology or excuse. For this reason, she’s getting paler and paler when someone else told her that she has hurt Kaito’s feelings.

[I guess there just really are some terrible Goddesses, right? Even though the actions of God of Fate-sama wasn’t Miyama-sama’s fault…… So why does he have to be reproached by someone he first met?]

[I don’t really care what happens to a single human. It’s just, ummm, I remembered that I have some business I have to deal with……I- I’ll just be doing that…… so I’m going out for a bit.]

[Yes. Have a good day.]

Shea understood that these malicious words that Heart was saying was just the usual teasing…… but that doesn’t mean that the actions she did to Kaito will go away. Shea flusteredly stood up from her seat, and leaving those few words, she disappeared, while Heart leisurely waved her hand in that empty room.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

After a busy day, I was relaxing in my room at the inn. Thereupon, a knock suddenly rang out from the door. I thought it was Fate-san again, coming to visit just like last night, so I opened the door, just reaching out my hand while moving my body away from in front of the door…… I don’t really want to receive a headbutt on my stomach for two days in a row.

[……Wait, arehh? Shea-san?]

[……………..]

However, the person outside wasn’t Fate-san that I had expected…… but Shea-san. With only the hood part of her robe off and her white hair showing, Shea-san was silent, not even entering the room after I opened the door. Even so, she really is stubbornly turning away her eyes huh…… I wonder why? Can she see her eternal enemy who killed her parents at that forty-five degrees below diagonal direction? It seems that Shea-san’s favorability towards me is as low as ever. Well, we have hardly spoken with each other, so it can’t be helped.

[Shea-san? Is something the matter?]

[……Here.]

[Unnn?]

At any rate, we can’t just go on like this, so I called out to her, and out of nowhere, Shea-san pulled out five neatly wrapped boxes and handed them to me. At first glance, they looked like snacks, but what’s this? What does she want me to do with this? I don’t know…… Seriously, I don’t know what this person is thinking or her intentions at all.

[……I couldn’t eat all of it and I have some leftovers. so I’ll give them to you.]

[Eh? N- No, but…… No matter how I look at these, they look new……]

[I! Have! Some! Leftovers! So! I’ll! Give! Them! To! You!]

[Ah, yes, roger that!? They’re leftover, right? I’ll gratefully receive it!]

Arehh? That’s weird? I’m receiving snacks now, right? Why is she yelling at me? As I was confused, Shea-san kept glancing at me while averting her gaze, before she slowly spoke.

[I- If that’s not enough, I’ll listen to just one request.]

[R- Request?]

What should I do? I seriously don’t know what Shea-san is talking about.

[I don’t have any ill will at all, okay!? I’m a generous God after all! As a reward for letting me take it out on you, I’ll grant you one request!!!]

[……Eh? Ah, yes.]

Errr…… Does this mean…… that? Could it be that Shea-san is apologizing to me right now? ……That’s really hard to tell! In short, what she’s saying is that she’ll grant me one request as an apology for taking out her emotions on me…… H- Hmmm. She’s really the type of person I’ve never met before. I’m clueless on how to respond to her.

[That’s why, quickly say your request!]

[E- Errr……T- Then, y- you don’t really need to apologize but…… I- In that case, errr…… I know! If you could treat me to a meal next time, that would be enough.]

[What!? How rude!]

[Ehh? Eh?]

[Y- Y- You’re just a human, a- and to ask me on a “date”, what blasphemyyyyyy!?]

……No, I never said that, did I?

[T- That wasn’t my intention…… My apologies. In that case, there’s no need to apologize or anything like that, you know?]

[Ugghhh……]

[Eh?]

[……That means…… you won’t forgive me if it isn’t that…… Saying it that way…… is despicable……]

[……………..]

What’s going on in this woman’s head? Is everything I say auto-converted to a negative direction? Why the heck are you making it sound like I’m blackmailing you? Hey, why? As I was dumbfoundedly looking at her, Shea-san hung her head down. After her shoulder shook for a while, she raised her bright red face.

[Fine! If that’s what you want, fine!!! Whether it’s a date or anything, let’s do it!!!]

[……Huh?]

[I’ll tell you my schedule later! Wash your neck and wait!!!]

[Eh? Hey…… Wait——- She isn’t here already!?]

Then, after telling me all sorts of stuff, she disappeared. Seriously, I don’t understand Shea-san…… Eh? I mean, is it decided that this is a date?

……How did this happen?

After staring at the empty hallway for a moment, I let out a loud sigh before walking back into my room. Then, feeling unspeakably tired, I incidentally looked at the box of snacks in my hand.

I’m feeling tired and I want to eat something sweet…… Since she gave them to me, I guess I should eat some, right? While thinking like that, I open one of the wrappers at random, revealing an assortment of bright red snacks inside. Is this strawberry flavor? No, they may have been decorated to look like apples. Anyway, they look pretty tasty, so let’s take a bite first……

[!? Wha, thesh….. S- Spicy~~!?]

When I picked one of the red snacks and ate it…… After chewing it a bit, a fierce spiciness spread through my mouth. What the heck is this!? Spicy!? No, it hurts my mouth already!!! It feels like my mouth is on fire, you know!? It’s as if it was a bundle of pure spiciness without any gentleness mixed in it at all, as if I filled my mouth with chili peppers, and it makes me sweat all over my body. I hurriedly grabbed a jug of water and gulped it down without even transferring it to a glass.

[Haahhh~~ Hiiiiiihhh~~]

Even after drinking lots of water, there’s still some spiciness left in my mouth…… How much spicy ingredients were used in this? I mean, why the heck did Shea-san give me these murderous snacks? ……Is this harassment? No, could it be that perhaps…… she gave me this absurdly spicy snack because she really thinks that they’re delicious?