I have returned to Alice’s shop through Teleportation Magic.

  It seems that my body is currently surrounded by a Defensive Magic made from the magic power of all the Six Kings other than Kuro, but I honestly can’t see any changes around me.

  [……It would have been nice if Ein-san had actually also helped out with this but……]

  [……You did say that Ein-san refused, didn’t you?]

  [Yes, she flatly refused…… saying she wasn’t interested in accepting my call.]

  [I see……]

  For Ein-san, who has sworn her utmost loyalty to Kuro and puts her first in everything, what I’m doing is an act of intruding Kuro’s heart…… It doesn’t seem like it’s something she would approve.

  I don’t intend to whitewash it and say that what I’m doing is for Kuro’s sake…… It doesn’t matter if Alice asked me earlier or not, because I’m confessing that I’m in love with Kuro because that is what I feel.

  I think it would be disrespectful to Kuro if it wasn’t.

  As I was thinking about this, I heard the door of the miscellaneous goods store open, a door that is rarely visited by customers.

  [……Excuse me.]

  [Wha!?]

  [Ein-san!?]

  The person who walked into the store was Ein-san, who had just come up in the conversation.

  Ein-san walked straight over to us and stopped in front of the astonished Alice and I, turning her light purple eyes to me with a cold expression on her face.

  [……Kaito-sama, I’ll go ahead and ask for myself. Are you going to have second thoughts now?]

  [……Please wait, Ein-san. What are you going to do with that kind of information?]

  Hearing her announce so with a cold voice, as if there’s no emotion held in it, I involuntarily step back, while Alice quickly stands in front of me and glares at Ein-san.

  The air between the two sides of the tense conversation seemed to creak…… Alice even had a knife in her hand before I knew it, as if she was going to cut Ein-san depending on her response.

  [……Shalltear. For the time being, I’ll clear up the misunderstandings in your mind. What you have told me before, it’s not like I’m thinking it’s impossible for Kaito-sama…… I think he has around 50% chance of succeeding.]

  [Then, why won’t you help us?]

  [It’s simple. It’s because it isn’t absolute.]

  [!? ]

  As they stared at each other, Ein-san and Alice sharply exchanged words.

  When Alice asks why she won’t cooperate, Ein-san nonchalantly replies that it’s because our chances aren’t 100%.

  [If the results of Kaito-sama’s actions bear fruit, Kuromu-sama will be saved…… but that doesn’t matter at all. Now, if Kuromu-sama has even a fragment of possibility of being hurt…… Did you think I would overlook that?]

  [……What are you planning to do to Kaito-san?]

  [I’m not going to hurt him. All I will do is just persuade him. Just so he could reconsider, “I will just have to persuade him no matter how many hours, days, years”…… If it’s with my abilities, I can do that.]

  [Wha!? Are you seriously saying that!?]

  Perhaps, no…… I’m sure, Ein-san can manipulate time. That’s why, what she’s saying isn’t a bluff.

  While the atmosphere around Alice is getting angrier, nevertheless, Ein-san remains calm and stares at me.

  [Kaito-sama, please take into account what I just said…… and reconsider it once again. Are you going to have second thoughts now?]

  [……I don’t.]

  [……Is that so…… No, I guess I should rather say I should have expected this…… It can’t be helped.]

  [!? ]

  No matter what Ein-san says…… I’m not going to change my decision.

  I don’t have any lofty reasons or cool thoughts…… It’s just because I love Kuro…… Just because I can’t give up on Kuro…… Just because of that.

  Hearing my words, Ein-san quietly nodded and then, pointed her hand at me.

  In response to her movement, Alice instantly stepped in between us but…… In the next moment, a sphere of magic power appeared in front of her hand, the same sphere I received from Alice and the others.

  [……Eh?]

  While Alice sounded startled, the sphere of magic power left Ein-san’s hand and flowed into my body.

  [……Ein-san?]

  [If it was the me from before, I would have done what I just said earlier…… It seems like my mind has also been poisoned by you huh…… Making me want to bet on something I shouldn’t have. So, for once in my life, and only this one time…… I will break my self-imposed rules.]

  With a smile so small that one wouldn’t have been able to tell if they don’t pay attention, Ein-san quickly turns on her heel.

  Looking at Ein-san, who is about to leave, as if her business is over, Alice lets out a big sigh and mutters.

  [That helps us. To be honest, If I were to fight against Ein–san with most of my magic power drained, it’s going to be difficult to protect Kaito-san.]

  [……Stop saying random things. It may just be me who is thinking of this but…… After Shallow Vernal-sama and Kuromu-sama, I believe that you are the third most powerful being in the world…… If I had been unyielding with my values, you would have taken out some sort of “trump card” you have, don’t you?]

  [……I don’t know, why are you asking me that? Don’t you think you’re just overestimating me?]

  Hearing the words Ein-san indifferently said, Alice unseriously shook her head.

  Not arguing with her taunting attitude, Ein-san walks to the door, where she stops once and speaks without looking back.

  [Kaito-sama, if you hurt Kuromu-sama, no matter what the outcome will be…… I will not forgive you.]

  [……Yes.]

  [……However, if you saved Kuromu-sama…… that debt…… I will never forget it for the rest of my life. I will definitely repay it.]

  [……Eh?]

  [I wish you good luck……]

  Saying those few words of support, Ein-san left the miscellaneous goods store.

  It had been a little while since Ein-san left and I was thinking about leaving too, when Alice spoke to me in a calm voice.

  [Kaito-san, do you remember…… when I asked you if there’s power dwelling within our hearts?]

  [Eh? Yeah, I think it was when we met at the gate, right?]

  The words Alice told me in the form of the Phantasmal King when we encountered each other for the third time at the gate after I returned from the Demon Realm.

  At that time, I haven’t thought much about it, but Alice seems to want to tell me something.

  [……There’s power dwelling in the heart. If your heart is strong, you can perform as many miracles as you want.]

  [……Alice?]

  [These are the words of an idiot who was weak and not strong enough…… defeating the upper echelons using fighting spirit and willpower, and along with the bonds she formed and some few tricks, before she knew it, she was called a “hero”. Please take this to heart.]

  [……Got it.]

  (T/N: Hero here is “Eiyuu”, unlike the Hero used for Neun and the Festival of Heroes, which is Yuusha.)

  I didn’t know what the heck her analogy was about. However, I don’t know if that’s something that strangely happened in real life or not, because it sounds as if that is something she had personally experienced.

  Speaking of which, she also mentioned that phrase “the world I was in”…… It seems that Alice still has a few more secrets she’s hiding.

  [Please do your best. I will be rooting for you. From the bottom of my heart……]

  [……Thanks.]

  Even so, this isn’t the right time to question it…… For right now is yes. Let’s just think about Kuro.

  I think that would also be the best way to thank Alice for her sincere support……


  [Kaito-kun? What are you thinking about?]

  [Eh? Ah, no, just thinking about some stuff for a bit.]

  In the middle of my conversation with Kuro, who visited my room at night as if it’s something normal, I was apparently thinking about what had happened during the day.

  It might be too much of a stretch to tell me not to be aware of it, and this might be something that can’t be helped…… but I didn’t ask Kuro anything.

  [Ahh! I think I got it! You were thinking about our date tomorrow!]

  [U- Unnn…… Something like that, I guess?]

  [I’m so looking forward to it~~ I’m gonna get dressed up for my date with Kaito-kun!]

  [……Yeah.]

  I’m sure Kuro would notice that the other members of the Six Kings and Ein-san’s magical power were forming a barrier around my body…… No, she is definitely aware of it.

  However, she never mentioned it…… Or perhaps, she doesn’t dare mention it.

  As I looked at Kuro with that in mind, I felt that her behavior was somewhat different than usual.

  Her tension is strangely high, but it’s as if it isn’t like Kuro…… but I feel like there’s something out of place.

  She doesn’t want to touch the subject, acting cheerful, but she seems to be inwardly impatient.

  [……Hey, Kuro?]

  [Unnn? What is it?]

  I stared into Kuro’s eyes when I quietly called out her name, while she tilted her head towards me.

  Those beautiful golden eyes that seemed to hold me captive, I felt them shaking as if she was somewhat uncertain.

  Unnn…… That’s right.

  Tomorrow is my date with Kuro, and I was really looking forward to it too…… I was looking forward to it so much, that I’m feeling nervous and restless.

  Tomorrow’s date should be fun. If I want to laugh with Kuro and walk together with her in this beautiful world…… Then, should the decision be made now?

  Procrastinating about it is something simple…… No, easy to do. However, at the end of the day, procrastinating would still be the same thing as running away.

  I don’t want to go on a date with Kuro while she’s having this feeling, this feeling of impatience.

  So…… Prepare yourself! Gather your courage!

  My hands tremble slightly from nervousness. My throat feels in desperate need of water, and the reflection of Kuro in my eyes looks many times more beautiful than usual.

  I’ve never confessed in my life…… So, how can I be this nervous? I feel myself stiffening, as if I’m being pressured in a vise from all directions.

  In front of Kuro, who is still tilting her head, I take out the golden fruit that Alice gave me from the magic box with my trembling hands…… and slowly presented it to Kuro.

  [……Please take this.]

  [!? Wh…… Why……]

  When she saw the fruit I held out to her, Kuro’s eyes greatly shook.

  A great deal of turmoil and mixture of fear, Kuro’s eyes opened wide…… and stared at me, stunned.

  Dear Mom, Dad—— I’ve often heard that you don’t need a reason to love someone, but I really think that thing is true. There are certainly some triggers to have such feelings, like being helped or saved, but it seems that my reason isn’t related to any of that, I just naturally fell in love with Kuro. Anyway, today, at this time and place——- I’m going to tell my feelings to Kuro.

  **********

  {Author’s Notes}

  {After capturing Kuromueina’s flag, Ein’s capture flag is now unlocked.}

  Serious-senpai: [Ehhh!? Wait, isn’t it too fast!? I thought you’d give it after the date!? You’re flying! You’re toppled! You’re going off-course!!!]

  Next Chapter: “Serious-senpai’s Death”


  Serious-senpai: [Eh? Already? I’ve only had two chapters of screen-time, you know……]

  I’m already conceded when I let you have three chapters in a row until I give you death. Now then, die.

  Serious-senpai: [Bfuwaahhh……]

  T/N: 41/209