Taking a bath together with Kuro, she’s currently sitting on my left thigh, leaning against my chest with a happy smile on her face.

  Trying to keep my mind off what I had been feeling on my left thigh for the time being, I continued my conversation with Kuro.

  [That’s right, since we’re at it, I guess I’ll use this one too.]

  [Unnn? What’s this? A stick attached to a toy duck?]

  Kuro created a black vortex in the air and took out a stick with a magic crystal that looked like a magic tool with three toy ducks attached to it.

  What did she take out now? I couldn’t understand what their purpose was.

  [This is a toy to play with in the bath. It’s operated with magic, and when you press this button…… Look, the duckies depart and come back when they hit the edge of the bathtub.]

  [Ohh, that’s interesting. It’s like a duck race.]

  [Isn’t it? This is made by a toy company, but you need a big bathroom to use it, and being a magic tool, it’s rather expensive, so I guess only the wealthy would be able to buy it.]

  [You also have a company specializing in toys huh…… Come to think of it, I used to play with bathroom toys too.]

  [Eh? Really? I’m curious to know what the toys from another world are like.]

  My memory is a little hazy, but I think there were toys that changed colors when dipped in hot water, and toys that allowed you to do things like drawing in the bath.

  When I explained this to her, Kuro looked very interested, especially in the toy that changes color when put in hot water, so she might make something similar one day.

  [……However, I see, the reason why Kuro brought that toy duck and that magic tool to the bathroom was that you were trying out your products.]

  [Eh? Ahh………………………… Yep, that’s right.]

  It seems like it wasn’t the case. It seems that she simply brought them for herself to play with. Chuckling at how Kuro shows her childishness in strange ways, I enjoyed bathing together with Kuro.

  As I got out of the bath and came back to my room, I suddenly noticed something out of place.

  Kuro going back here in this room isn’t the problem. It’s natural since we were in the bath together. The problem isn’t that……


  [……Hmmm, is it just my imagination?]

  [What’s the matter, Kaito-kun?]

  [The clothing you’re wearing, Kuro…… those are sleepwear, aren’t they?]

  [They’re sleepwear.]

  [Kuro doesn’t usually sleep, right?]

  [Almost never. It’s not like I needed it after all.]

  [……What’s that under your right arm?]

  [A pillow.]

  [I seeeee……]

  That’s strange? In the course of the conversation so far, and Kuro’s appearance…… It looked like she’s going to stay here for the night. Arehh? Have we talked about this topic earlier?

  [Ahh, Kaito-kun! Let’s go out on the balcony and watch the stars before we go to bed!]

  [Eh? Y- Yeah, I guess so.]

  While I was thinking about this, she called out to me and I nodded reflexively…… Arehh? Iit feels like it’s already decided that she’s going to stay over…… Arehh?

  I felt like I was being swept along by the momentum, but I just followed the happy Kuro out onto the balcony.

  Thereupon, Kuro held up her hand and brought out a balcony tatami.

  [……This is kinda nostalgic, isn’t it?]

  [Right? When Kaito-kun and I first met, we laid out a tatami here and watched the stars together.]

  [Yeah. I remember that day well.]

  After that, Kuro took me up to the sky…… and just as Kuro told me, it really felt like that day was when my story began.

  It shouldn’t have been that long ago, but because of all the things that happened, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

  [Kaito-kun.]

  [Unnn?]

  [Come on, here.]

  Sitting on the tatami mat, she began tapping her thighs…… I smiled once at the sign that she was going to give me a lap pillow, then nodded and laid down, laying my head on Kuro’s thighs.

  Her soft and warm touch, this intense relief I’m feeling…… It’s so comfortable that if I’m not careful, I might fall asleep right away.

  Basking in the atmosphere of the quiet night, me laid down and looking at the sky, and Kuro stroking my head…… After a few moments of such peaceful silence, Kuro suddenly muttered.

  [……Do you remember? Our conversation back in Rigforeshia, at the shrine of the Spirits.]

  [I remember. Come to think of it, I was also laid down on your lap on a tatami mat at that time.]

  [You’re right…… At that time, you know, I really only had a faint hope……]

  Thereupon, Kuro turned her gaze from the sky to me, and muttered with an inexplicably gentle and happy smile on her face.

  [……”You had found it, didn’t you?”]

  [!? ]

  Ahh, I remember. Clearly at that…… Kuro looked so lonely at that time. She said there’s something she wanted, but can’t have…… and that if I had found it, she would be happy…… With a look that is hard to describe, as if she had given up and trying to bury down the slightest bit of hope in her heart……


  When I heard Kuro’s words, I felt a strange itchy feeling come over me. Looking at Kuro’s happy smile, which was different from that time, I feel very proud that “I was able to find” that smile.

  [Kaito-kun, I couldn’t tell you that time while you were awake but…… I love you, Kaito-kun……]

  After telling me this in a gentle voice, Kuro gently brought her face closer to mine and placed her lips on mine.

  **********