The winner of the harvest festival spends the night in the Spirits' Forest.
I've never camped out in the wild before, so I came to the shrine with a lot of anxiety in my heart, but then, for some reason, Kuro showed up, as if she just coincidentally passed by.
[...Seriously, you really show up out of nowhere every single time, Kuro.]
[Ahaha, I wanted to see Kaito-kun, so I went along with the flow and came here with you.]
[Rather than that, how did you know I'm here?]
[Eh? That's because of the technique used in Kaito-kun's neck... Of course, it's through my intuition!]
[Oi, wait a minute there, what were you going to say just now...]
You were just talking about a technique you used, right? Eh? What? Is she about to say that she used some kind of magic on this necklace to track my whereabouts?
How should I say this… I feel like that's something that shouldn't be overlooked, but the one in question, Kuro, just had a smile on her face before she spoke.
[Ahh! Kaito-kun, I heard you were hurt, are you okay?]
[Eh? A- Ahhh... It's all over now.]
[I see~~ I'm glad you're safe, Kaito-kun. Ahh, that's right! I heard you won in the harvest festival! That's amazing, Kaito-kun! Congratulations!]
[Eh? A- Ahhh... Thanks.]
I nodded my head, forgetting what I was going to ask, overwhelmed by Kuro, who told me those in rapid succession as if she was a machine gun.
Ad also, how should I say this, unnn... what the heck's happening...
"Congratulations for your victory", I've been hearing those words enough times already that I feel like they're still resounding in my ears. I'm sure I've already said this to the big shot elves, but I'm not feeling worthy of that victory at all.
However, when Kuro said those words to me, what surged up from within my heart... was joy.
Those words may be pretty simple, but it feels like my hard work paid off... I felt so fulfilled that I'm feeling that I have worked hard all day just to hear those few words.
Seeing me like that, Kuro let out a smile as bright as the sun, before taking out a familiar paper bag.
[For such a Kaito-kun, here, you can have this!]
[...I knew you would come out again, baby castella.]
[Fufufu, the baby castella is "Kaito-kun's victory congratulation version"! This is different from the usual!]
[...The heck's with that?]
I thought it was going to be the reappearance of the usual baby castella, but Kuro said that this time's baby castella was special.
Seeing the smug smile on Kuro while she's puffing out her flat chest, I wanted to ask her if she couldn't do something about her naming sense, but I held back and just picked up a baby castella.
It looks the same as usual, but is the filling the one that's different? Or is this one of those foods that was filled with strange things like that wasabi-filled baby castella I ate back at Shiro-san's place?
[Stare~~ Stare~~]
[You're not supposed to say that with your own mouth!]
[Staaaaaarrrreeeeeeee~~~~~]
[T- Thank you for the food.]
Kuro looks at me with expectations in her eyes, saying the onomatopoeia with her own mouth.
It seems that I can't choose not to eat it, so I made up my mind and brought the baby castella to my mouth.
[Arehh?]
[What do you think?]
[No, it's delicious as usual but... It's kinda different than usual?]
The baby castella I tried wasn't particularly different from the baby castellas I ate before, and I would have normally thought it was the same as the usual baby castellas.
However, how should I say this… I just felt that there was something different from the baby castellas I usually eat.
It's hard to describe, but the taste was a little rougher than usual, and I could really feel like this baby castella is handmade... To be honest, I like the taste of this one more than the usual.
[Hmmm. As I thought, it isn't as tasty as the usual?]
[Eh? No, as far as I'm concerned, I like the taste of this one more...]
[Really!? Thank goodness~~ thought I would be no good since I can't compete with Ein in cooking.]
[Unnn? What does that mean?]
[Ah, well... Actually, I was the one who made those baby castellas. I'm glad it came out great~~]
Apparently, these baby castellas were made by Kuro... Or rather, I thought Kuro had been the one making them all these times, but it was Ein-san who was making them!? Even those baby castellas filled with wasabi!?
While I was taken aback by Kuro's statement, I couldn't say anything since these baby castellas really fit my taste, as I popped them into my mouth one after another in a pace faster than usual.
After we finished eating baby castellas, I sat next to Kuro on the tatami mat, watching the beautiful moon through the hole in the ceiling.
Come to think of it, when I first met Kuro, didn't we also look at the moon together like this? I don't know why, it should have only been a month ago, but it feels like that happened a long time ago.
[Ah, that's right. Kaito-kun, "Shalltear" praised you before.]
(T/N: シャルティア / Sharutia)
[Shalltear? Who's that?]
[The society calls her "The Phantasmal King, No Face".]
[Huh?]
[She's a good friend of mine, and she would sometimes come over to hang out with me... The last time I met her, she praised Kaito-kun, saying you're "promising". It's really rare for Shalltear to praise someone, so receiving her praise is amazing!]
[N- No, wait a minute there, will you!? I don't think I've even met that Shalltear-san person before though?]
(T/N: As I mentioned before, the Phantasmal King's gender isn't specified. I'm just assuming her gender here based on her name.)
I never thought the name of the Phantasmal King would suddenly be mentioned here.
However, for her to be praising me... even after thinking about all the people I met before, I still have no idea which one she is.
[No, I think you never really met her before?]
[Eh?]
[Shalltear's ridiculous amount of subordinates wer spread out all over the world, and they are really everywhere. Shalltear is the most informed person in the world. She probably even knows Kaito-kun from the day you came to this world.]
[The heck is that, that sounds scary.]
Apparently, the Phantasmal King is a being that seems to know everything.
In short, there were agents lurking all over the world, and all kinds of information were being gathered by the Phantasmal King... Honestly, in a way, she might be the most fearsome among the Six Kings.
[I feel like she's also interested in Kaito-kun, so she might come and meet you soon.]
[Eh? W- Would that be alright? It's just that Lillywood-san told me to be careful of the Phantasmal King...]
[Hmmm. It's true that Shalltear can be dry in some ways... but I can talk to her easier compared to Megiddo, so it's okay.]
[Megiddo... was the War King, right? Eh? Is that Megiddo-san worse than her?]
[The first thing he'll probably say to you when you meet is "Let's have a fight". He loves to fight after all.]
[The heck is that, that sounds scary.]
For him to suddenly challenge someone right as he met someone for the first time, that's one heck of a berserker he is. Or rather, if someone like him is being compared to the Phantasmal King, doesn't that mean that the Phantasmal King is quite dangerous!?
I still haven't met the War King, the Dragon King and the Phantasmal King... but for two out of those three to be dangerous... N- No, but well, it isn't decided that I'm going to meet them... and that doesn't mean I'm going to meet them soon, so it's alright. It would be alright.
[...Kaito-kun, your hearts beating pretty fast.]
[...Unnn? What's with that, all of a sudden...]
When my mind was in chaos because of the Phantasmal King and the War King, Kuro muttered with a gentle tone in her voice.
[Kaito-kun has been working harder and growing up more than I ever thought you would...]
[....]
Kuro, who muttered that, didn't turn towards me, her gaze was still fixed on the moon in the sky.
Probably because she was originally cute, her figure as she basked under the moonlight looked something out of fantasy, as if it could only be found from artworks.
[...There's something I want to acquire.]
[Eh?]
[I've wanted it for a long, long time, but I couldn't find it, and wasn't able to get it... I've been searching for it for a long time. Probably, even right at the moment I was born in this world...]
It was hard to imagine the answer to those words she quietly muttered.
She is powerful enough to fight against the God of Creation, has the most money in the world, is well-liked by her family and followers, and has the reputation of being the pinnacle of the Demon Realm.
What is it that Kuro, who has everything, hasn't been able to get since she was born? Is it something very valuable? Or could it be something else that doesn't exist in this world?
Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Kuro turns to me and smiles.
[It isn't something that unusual. I'm sure that everyone else, including Kaito-kun has it. However, I can't get my hands on it... no matter how many times I tried, I wasn't able to get it. I couldn't even find it.]
[...What in the world is that...]
[...It's a secret. However... Let's see. If Kaito-kun finds it... I will... probably be happy.]
[...….]
[Under the moonlight, the girl with many secrets smiles.]
It's a smile so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off of it, though it's as fleeting as the moonlight.
[Well, leaving that aside, I think it's about time for Kaito-kun to sleep, right? You must also be tired from all the things that happened today.]
[Eh? Ah, well... Unnn. You're right.]
Kuro's words, which abruptly changed the topic... felt more like a plea to not step into it any further.
In the end, my question remained unanswered as usual, and there are still many things I don't know about Kuro.
However, I do know of one thing. She's looking for something, something she truly wants... I felt like if I knew that, I could get a lot closer to Kuro.
[...a blanket and tatami mats, I guess I wouldn't get a pillow, but I think this should be enough for me to sleep.]
[What are you talking about, Kaito-kun? If it's a pillow, there's one here.]
[Eh? Where?]
[Look, here.]
Saying that with a smile on her face, Kuro pats her lap.
[N- No, as expected, that is...]
[It's not like it's the first time you slept on my lap, so you don't need to be that reserved.]
[...Uuuhhhh, alright.]
[Unnn, yeah, just being upfront really is the best.]
In the end, I wasn't able to resist again, putting my head in Kuro's lap, feeling embarrassed.
Thereupon, a small hand was immediately on my head, gently stroking my hair.
That's all it took before I closed my eyes, feeling all my consciousness leave my body and letting myself get drowned in pleasant drowsiness.
While feeling Kuro's warmth from behind and in front of my head, my consciousness slowly sinks into a slumber.
[...Good night, Kaito-kun.]
[...Unnn... Good night... Kuro...]
Dear Mom, Dad——- Kuro is still the usual, someone hiding many secrets. However, I can feel it for sure. That little by little, step by step—— I'm getting closer to Kuro...
Stroking the head of Kaito, who was peacefully sleeping on her lap, Kuromueina have slightly lonely smile on her face.
[...Seriously, what a cruel child you are, Kaito-kun... Even though I should have given up long ago...]
Gently and compassionately stroking Kaito's head, Kuromueina murmured to no one.
The expression on her face seemed to show the complexity within her heart, as she didn't know whether she should be sad or happy.
[...Even though you"ll be gone in a year... Why do you trouble me so much?]
Her beautiful voice echoes in the quiet shrine, a voice that somewhat sounds like it's crying.
A voice filled with very deep feelings, slightly lamenting, and yet, filled with happiness.
[...How many times has Kaito-kun betrayed my expectations? That conversation with Shiro... that encounter with Isis... that time when Chronois-chan told you about me...]
Thereupon, Kuromueina's hand that was gently stroking Kaito's head stops, and slowly so as not to wake him up, she hugged his head.
[...Because of that, I began hoping... That perhaps, if it's Kaito-kun...]
Continuing her embrace as if she were handling a treasure, her cheeks dyed red, and Kuromueina said her thoughts that she would never have told Kaito directly "right now".
[...I love you... Kaito-kun.]