It's Christmas today. Christmas is a very popular event in this world and I watch people going about their business from the window.
However, looking back on it, I remember how painful Christmas was for me before I came to this world.
Of course, I enjoyed the Christmas days I spent with my parents when I was a kid, but after they passed away... The Christmas days became lonely, and I felt like even the neon lights illuminating the city seemed to be sparse.
However, a lot of things that have happened since I've come into this world have changed me... And thus, a merry Christmas is about to...
[Uwaaaahhhhhh!]
[...Why are you suddenly yelling?]
[This is weird! How can something like this happen!?]
[And what exactly are you talking about?]
Even though I was feeling bored, I was soaking in happiness, but that feeling was drowned out by Alice, who broke the silence and started screaming.
Alice, dressed in a Santa Claus version of her stuffed cat costume with a red hat on her head, as she lies face-down on the counter, cradling her head with both of her hands.
Why does she stubbornly try to wear a costume when she's going to guard the store? Even now that I've known her for a long while, for some reason, this is the only thing I don't understand.
[We're in a store, you know!? A store! Speaking of Christmas, isn't this the time when stores have the greatest profits! They're supposed to be loosening their purse strings and start buying all sorts of stuff!!! And yet, look at this store!!!]
[...I mean, it's not like you get any customers normally...]
[I know that! Can't you just wrap that part for a bit!!!?]
Alice asked me to look around her store, but it was quiet as usual... And not a single customer wanted to be here. Well, as expected of Alice's miscellaneous goods store. Her popularity in the masses is pretty stable.
[Uuuuhhh….. Even though I prepared a limited-edition Christmas product... What in the world is the problem here?]
[...the shopkeeper, I guess?]
[Eh? Me? I'm like the symbol of this place, you know? If you remove me here, there's nothing that would be left here...]
[Then, isn't that why you're in this situation?]
[Gwaahhhh!?]
When I told her the truth, Alice fell over on the counter with an exaggerated movement.
However, Christmas-only products huh... Hmmm, I think it would be done quite well, but selling it is out of the question when it wasn't exposed to the public eyes in the first place...
[Well, never mind... I'm going to go shopping, okay?]
[....Kaito-san has become cold... I'm coming too.]
[Take that stuffed costume off.]
[Nooo~~, Kaito-san, you pervert~~ Telling a beauty like me to strip in broad daylight...]
[Hupp... and go.]
[Uhyaaahhh!?]
I think I heard her usual frolicking words, so I took a long spear from the racks of weapons and wielded it with all my might... Well, she was able to easily evade it though...
[Tsk...]
[Kaito-san, did you just try to kill me? You were definitely going to kill me, weren't you!?]
[...Isn't it that? Isn't it that act of strong trust that it won't be a problem even if it hits you?]
[What an unpleasant trust, that is... Alice grows up with love! If you don't pamper me—— Ouch!?]
Now then, putting aside Alice being the same as usual, I guess I'll just go buy some food for Christmas.
I've been shopping for a while now, but what I just bought are just standard stuff, so it was quick and easy to finish, and we're now going back home.
Because Alice insisted, I bought a huge turkey, a gorgeous cake, and various other foodstuffs... as per usual, with my money.
Well, at any rate, this idiot just came back home this morning from a monster race for the Christmas Cup or something like that... Seriously, if I just lose sight of her for a bit, this would immediately happen.
It's not like any customers would come, but just in case, I put up a "close" tag in front of the store, locked the door, and moved to the residential space behind the counter.
[Alright, since it's a good time, let's Alice-chan show you her skills!]
[...Whoa, that's unusual. However, Alice's food is awesome, so I'm grateful for that.]
[Ahh, errr... I'm kinda getting a little embarrassed when you compliment me so straightforwardly...]
Alice's cooking skills are top-notch, and she's on par even with that Ein-san.
However, the person herself is proudly saying that "the best food in the world is the food that is bought with other people's money", and she rarely cooks, so it's unusual for her to offer to cook for me like this.
Perhaps, this is one of the benefits of the Christmas event.
And thus, Alice cooks really quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the table is lined with gorgeous Christmas dishes.
It's not the amount of food that can be eaten by two, but Alice eats so much that I'm wondering where she fits all those food inside her small body, so this amount should be a problem... Or rather, I'm afraid that this amount may not even be enough.
[Come on, let's eat.]
[Yeah... ahh, wait a moment, Alice.]
[Fuehh? What is it?]
[...When we're alone together?]
[Ughhh....]
Quickly stopping Alice from sitting down at the table to start eating, I told her so, holding some kind of meaning... Alice's cheeks blushed as if she was shy, and she moved her gaze hesitantly a few times.
And then, after a little while, she lets out a sigh. Touching the opera mask on her face, she removes it.
[I- Is this alright?]
[Unnn.]
[Uuuuhhh… As expected, even though I'm used to it, I'm still getting embarrassed...]
Her sapphire blue eyes restlessly moving about, Alice mutters while her face is blushing red.
Alice and I had previously made an agreement that she would take off her mask only when we were alone, and I didn't know if that was because of that or not, but it seems that Alice has gotten used to it a little more recently.
[...It's only Kaito-san.... that's asking me such an embarrassing request...]
[I know. Thanks.]
[Auuuuhhh...]
Sitting down at the table with the unmasked Alice, we began to eat the Christmas food that had been prepared for us.
When I opened a bottle of wine, which was a bit more expensive than usual, I tasted the absurdly delicious food... That's when I heard Alice mutter.
[...Kaito-san... Thank you so much for today.]
[Unnn?]
[N- No, I mean... for spending Christmas like this with me...]
[...….]
Turning her face down in embarrassment, her voice is just barely enough for me to hear... When I heard that, I am aware of the smile that naturally appears on my lips, and even though I feel embarrassed at the same time, I responded.
[...That's kinda unusually straightforward.]
[Whoa there, I didn't expect that you would speak ill of me there. This Alice-chan has always been an honest and cute beauty, you know!?]
[...Unnn. I think you're really cute today.]
[U- Uuhhh... Like I said, such straightforward compliments are...]
Even I myself feel embarrassed, saying such honest compliments... Chuckling at Alice's response that is typical of her, I get up from my chair and approach her.
As I stare back into Alice's eyes, who's looking at me with her head tilted, as if she doesn't understand my intentions, I hugged her little body that perfectly fits in my embrace.
[Hyaaahhhh!? K- Kaito-san!? W- What are you suddenly doing...]
[...Thank you. I'm having fun with Alice today.]
[...Kaito... -san.]
We had already been in a relationship for a long time... And I can brag that I know the real Alice better than anyone else in the world.
Was that the reason why? ... It's just that I felt like I had to do this. She's never been very honest, but today, she spoke her mind a little bit... That's why, I will receive her thoughts.
Alice stiffened while she was in my embrace, then slowly, she put her hands behind my back and rubbed her face against my chest, as if she were clinging to me.
[...Kaito-san... Please don't go anywhere... I...]
[Unnn, it's alright. I won't leave you alone...]
[...Yes... I love you. Kaito-san...]
Christmas... This day has been one of the painful days I had a few years back then... But this Christmas, I was able to receive the love and affection of my beloved girl as much as I could, and I was able to spend that day very happily.