Having promised to meet Alice’s best friend, we discussed the schedule before we parted ways. Alice still had this complicated expression on her face until the end, but I was looking forward to meeting her best friend.

  And thus, with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation within my mind, I went to Alice’s miscellaneous goods store.

  [……We talked about meeting up here in your shop, but where’s your best friend?]

  [Ahh~~ We’ll be heading to her place now. She had some circumstances and was unable to come over here…… Well then, shall we go?]

  As Alice said this, she took out a palm-size cogwheel and held it up in the air…… the cogwheel was sucked into the empty space, and immediately afterwards, the empty space glowed in light and opened like a door.

  It certainly was a mysterious sight, but it’s already too late for me to be surprised by something like this now. This just feels the same way as when I went to visit Gluttony-san.

  As I stepped into the spatial rift without paying any particular attention to it, my vision turned white for a moment before I found myself in a completely white space.

  When I turned around, I couldn’t find the spatial rift anymore and I felt like I was standing in a large space.

  When I looked around, I saw nothing but gears floating around…… but to be honest, this place looks familiar. Rather, for the first time, I understood why Alice had that complicated look on her face.

  Turning towards Alice who has appeared in this space after me, a complicated look also appears on my face as I speak.

  [……Alice, I know why you looked like that.]

  [Ehh?]

  [I see. Your best friend…… is Makina-san……]

  [Arehh? Unnn? You have…… met her before?]

  Yes, I remembered it the moment I came to this space. I remembered Alice’s best friend…… Makina-san is the God of the world I used to live in, as well as the main body that operates Eden-san.

  No wonder Alice had such an expression on her face. Of course, since she was talking about the one behind Eden-san, I can now understand why she was that reluctant to let me see her.

  [……Rather than met her, I’ve talked to her several times in my dreams……]

  [I see, you have already…… been in touch with that girl huh. But the fact that you’re bringing it up just now…… Does that mean you can’t remember it outside of this space?]

  [Exactly. I forgot all the things about Makina-san.]

  [I see…… I guess that’s a countermeasure against Shallow Vernal-sama huh.]

  As expected of Alice, she sorted out the information within just a short conversation, nodding her head in understanding.

  Immediately after that, what sounded like fanfare suddenly rang out and a huge neon sign saying “WARM WELCOME” appeared in the air and lit up.

  At about the same time, a familiar girl appeared in front of the sign, smiling broadly with her arms open wide.

  [Alice, my child, welcome! I’ve been waiting for you!!!]

  [ [ ………………… ] ]

  This is bad, she seemed to be pretty excited right from the start. While in my dream, she was trying to control herself so that Shiro-san wouldn’t notice her, but what about now that I directly went to see her? Thinking about how she’d go on a rampage like Eden-san is pretty scary……


  As I was thinking about this, Alice ambled towards Makina…… and drove a hand chop on her forehead.

  [Ouch! Eh? Why!?]

  [Well, I feel like you were getting too excited.]

  [Eh? Because I’m excited, you’re going to smack me? Aren’t you too unreasonable?]

  Hmmm, I wonder why? I somehow feel like things would be alright…… Why though? When she’s with Alice, Makina-san feels relatively flat, or rather, mentally calm.

  As expected, was it because they’re best friends?]

  [Shaddup…… I mean, you’ve made quite a bold move this time, eh? Would your contract with Shallow Vernal-sama be alright?]

  When I heard Alice’s words, a question popped within my mind as well. In my dream, I remember her saying that it would be bad if Shiro-san found out about this and about how her actions were something within the gray area, but I wonder if it’s okay for us to meet directly like this?

  [It’s alright, after many negotiations…… Finally…… Finally! On the promise of “just one minute”, I’ve convinced her to allow me to bring my child here!]

  [……Isn’t a minute already passed?]

  [Don’t worry, my child…… “No matter how much time you spend here, it would only be a minute over there”, so you can stay with me as long as you like!!!]

  […………………]

  Is she allowed to do that? Also, I got nothing but chills regarding the second half of her words, so let’s pretend that I didn’t hear it.

  [……I’m sure you’ve had a lot of arguments about this…… I can already imagine the hardships Shallow Vernal-sama went through. I mean, even though you already hung out with Kaito-san before, you’re still not satisfied?]

  [Wait, Alice…… You’re having a misunderstanding here. This time, I hold no guilty thoughts, inviting you two with the pure intentions of having some fun with my child and Alice. Well, of course, I want to pamper my child! I want to lick my child! However, that’s not the main purpose of my invitation today……]

  [Heehhh…… And, your true thoughts are?]

  [It’s not fair! Shallow Vernal is going to spend some time with my child at that festival, right? And yet, I barely got to spend any time with my child during the Six Kings Festival!!! That’s so unfair! I want to enjoy a festival with my child too!!!]

  [……Isn’t that purely for your selfishness then……]

  ……By your actions just now, would your majesty as a God be alright? Well, as I thought, with Alice adding to the set…… I feel like there wouldn’t be any problem.

  **********