{Author’s Notes}

  I was a little busy and couldn’t write today’s chapter, so I’m going to share a past bonus short story again…… This time, it’s a bonus SS for Volume 2 and it’s about Alice finding out that Kaito is weak at board games.

  ※ This is around the time of the Sacred Tree Festival.

  **********

  Alice’s miscellaneous goods store, where I have been coming more and more often lately. Sitting on the chairs in front of the counter together with Alice, we chatted over a cup of tea that Alice had made for us.

  Today is just like any other day, where no other customers have come into this miscellaneous goods store. No, I really feel like I’ve seen so many other customers that I feel more like I’m visiting a friend’s house rather than coming to her store to shop.

  Since tea and a seat had also been prepared for me, it seems like Alice doesn’t dislike my frequent visits, so I guess it’s alright?

  As I was looking around the store, a product caught my attention.

  [……That kinda looks like a shogi board.]

  [It is a shogi board.]

  [Eh? Is that so? Shogi also exists in this world huh.]

  [Yes, one of the people who played the role of Hero back then liked it so much that he made his own that he made his own board and pieces and propagated it. Well, in the end, it didn’t spread that much, so it’s only known by knowledgeable people.]

  [Heehhh~~]

  As I listened to Alice’s explanation, I picked up the shogi board and found that it was quite solid. The pieces seemed to be written with the letters of this world, but it was the same as the shogi I knew.

  [Since we’re at it, do you want to try it out?]

  [Unnn? Is that alright? That’s a product, right?]

  [Customers won’t come anyway~~ Alice-chan is pretty bored, you know?]

  [……Hmmm, in that case, let’s play a game then.]

  To be honest, I’m not very good at board games like this. But it’s just a game to pass the time, and it’s not a serious competition, so why not?

  Besides, I heard that it’s not very popular, so Alice shouldn’t be that strong. I guess even I would be able to have a good game.

  Agreeing to Alice’s suggestion, we put the shogi board on the counter and facing Alice, I started the game with my first move.

  The shogi match between Alice and I…… was quickly settled.

  [……It’s my loss.]

  [……E- Errr, we have our own strengths and weaknesses…… L- Let’s play one more game! In the next round, I’ll remove the rook and the bishop…… I also won’t use the gold and silver generals, okay!?]

  [……Unnn.]

  I’m not going to lie, even though I know how bad I am in this game, it was a really shameful loss for me. A- Alice is strong…… She had an extremely high skill in shogi.

  U- Unnn. That’s right…… It was impossible to play against such an opponent without a handicap. It seems like we’ll play the next game with 6 pieces less for her, so I should be able to somehow manage……


  Given quite the handicap, we played the second game…… And in a really deplorable way, the second game was also settled early.

  Of course…… I was defeated.

  [……It’s my loss.]

  [……Kaito-san…… You’re weak…… Super weak. Y- You’re so weak that I’m feeling sorry here, you know!? W- What’s going on?]

  [N- No, it’s just that I’ve always been weak at board games……]

  [I- Is that so…… T- Then! In the next match, I’ll only have my king and my pawns on my field!]

  [……Yes.]

  As Alice increased the handicap with a look of concern on her face, to be honest, I still don’t think I could win even with that condition.

  My premonition came true, as we played several more matches after that, with the handicaps increasing.

  After the 10-piece less match, in which she uses no pieces other than pawns and her king, there is an additional handicap where she couldn’t re-enter my pieces that she took…… before finally, Alice came to play with me with her king alone.

  The lone king, riding atop his white horse…… It’s a battle of one against twenty, and if I lose here, I’m just too far gone that there’s nothing that could be done about this.

  (Note: In shogi, pieces aren’t killed like in chess, but captured instead. Thus, you can place a captured piece instead of moving at any point in the game, though there are still some additional rules about placing these pieces.)

  And now, in front of me, Alice is shivering, looking as if she’s trembling in fear.

  [……Ummm, K- Kaito-san?]

  [……Yes.]

  [I only had my king left on my field, you know…… I- I don’t know how to give you an even more handicap than this……]

  [To be honest, I still don’t feel like I can win.]

  [……If I were to be honest, I also don’t think I can make Kaito-san win either.]

  [……………………]

  [……………………]

  A very heavy silence descended between Alice and me. Seemingly bewildered by how weak I was, Alice’s gaze restlessly wandered about.

  [W- Well, it’s that, you know? Everyone has their own weaknesses…… Ahh, l- let’s play reversi! Let’s play that one instead!!!]

  [……Let’s do that then.]

  (Note: Reversi/Othello is that board game with black and white pieces, and when they’re captured in between your color, they are turned over to join the capturing player’s color.)

  I didn’t realize it until now, but perhaps, Alice is actually quite a good fellow? She doesn’t make fun of my shogi skills, which are probably inferior to even elementary schoolers, and was trying to support me instead.

  I’m very grateful for her thoughts, and it makes me like Alice even more than before. However, unnn, I’m sorry, Alice…… Actually…… I’m weak at othello too.

  In an attempt to give me back my confidence, she suggested that we stop playing shogi and play reversi…… othello instead, but as I had expected, the result ended up being disastrous.

  No matter how many times she tried, the board always somehow turns out to be one color faster than we could even fill in all the squares……


  I was well-aware that I’m not very good at board games, but when the game is just this bad, as expected, even I would start feeling a little depressed. As I gloomily nodded my head, Alice patted me on the shoulder.

  [……No, errr…… Being strong in board games doesn’t have any use in life! That’s why, it doesn’t matter if you’re not strong in games like this!!!]

  [Alice…… You’re a great woman……]

  [Oiiii~~, Kaito-san? Your mind seems like it’s about to die, you know? It’s no secret that Alice-chan is transcendentally pretty, a devilish woman who captivated the men of the world……]

  [No, I didn’t say that much though.]

  [What? You’d like to buy this Transcendental Cutie Alice-chan a meal? Yes, I’d love to! Speaking of which, there’s a restaurant nearby that serves great food——— Migyaaahhh!?]

  When I praised Alice for supporting me through my losing streak, she started getting carried away, so I smacked her on the head to shut her up.

  Seriously, if it weren’t for the way she jokes around whenever she gets a chance, she would have been a great fellow……


  [Ouch…… At any rate, I’m glad that you’re feeling better.]

  [Alice…… I guess so, unnn. Thanks.]

  [Right!? Now, now, keep it up and continue praising Alice-chan! I’m the type who grows with praise! COME ON!!!]

  [……Why are you such an idiot?]

  [Even though I asked you to praise me!?]

  How should I say this…… Feeling that Alice is the same as always, I couldn’t help but smile.

  Unnn, I really think I have great affinity with her. My closeness with her is different from Kuro’s…… Just like close friends, my relationship with her feels quite comfortable.

  [……I’m hungry. Wanna go get something to eat?]

  [Thank you for the treat!]

  [You’re going to assume I’m treating you from the start huh…… Well, I don’t really mind.]

  [As expected of Kaito-san! I could really depend on you! How dreamy, please embrace me~~!]

  [……Stop it, you’re creeping me out.]

  [You do realize that your words can still hurt my heart, right!?]

  I haven’t known each other for a very long time…… but I’m really glad that I met Alice.

  She’s boisterous, cheerful, and even rather annoying, but she’s a pretty nice fellow…… There’s a part of me that truly enjoys the time we spend together.

  [……Speaking of which, what about your store?]

  [……There won’t be any customers anyway.]

  [……Indeed.]

  It’s just a hunch, but I feel like I can continue to be close to Alice and laugh with her in the future.

  This way of thinking is probably because even though I complain about Alice a lot, I like her.

  I’m not going to tell this to her because she’ll definitely get carried away…… but Alice had already become what I would call a dear friend to me.