At the time when the sun sets and the darkness of the night comes, Shea and Heart were sitting in their own chairs in a room in the royal palace, with somewhat tired looks on their faces.
[...I thought we would almost be done today, but it didn't go as far as I thought we would.]
[It can't be helped. Because of some idiot, God of Fate-sama's mood turned bad in the middle of work... She didn't make a move because the Phantasmal King already dealt with it, but there aren't many Humans who can speak out to God of Fate-sama when she's in a bad mood... It's inevitable that the meeting is prolonged.]
[I guess...]
Yes, the girls were in the same preparatory meeting they were in yesterday, but the discussions there didn't go as far as they would have liked.
Looking at how Fate was yesterday, they thought that all the work would be taken care of by the end of the day... But around in the early afternoon, Fate's mood suddenly turned sour.
The reason for this is that attack that Kaito almost got involved in. Alice was there so she didn't interfere anymore... For Fate, an act that could be seen as an attempt to take away her enjoyment, irritated her so badly, and put her in a very bad mood.
Naturally, if the highest-ranking person in the place, Fate, gets in such a bad mood, the senators can't speak out without a second thought, and furthermore, the place is in turmoil because of the information that there was an attack on the one who has the role of Hero... And as a result, little progress was made in the meeting.
[However, Miyama-sama had it rough, doesn't he? It's been disastrous since he came here.]
[Disastrous? He had only been involved in one attack, right?]
[...I wonder, did Senpai forget about it already?]
[Forgot what?]
Hearing the words Heart said with a somewhat pitying expression on her face, Shea asks back while tilting her head in curiosity.
[He was suddenly brought here by God of Fate-sama without even a word beforehand, and when he arrived, a certain heinous Senpai showed her undisguised hostility at him and took it out on him...]
[Eh? N- No, it's not like I meant to do that...]
[Even if Senpai didn't mean it, it must have been a terrible disaster for Miyama-sama. Ahh, poor guy, even though he's just a child of about 20 years or so... To be tormented by the frightening Senpai.]
[Eh? T- That's not it!?]
[I'm sure that "his pillow was wet in tears" last night.]
[.....]
Hearing the words that Heart indifferently said, which certainly contained malice, Shea's expression grew paler and paler.
Shea certainly almost took it out on Kaito, but she was originally a softhearted person to begin with... So she had honestly always felt bad about that.
However, Shea is inexplicably bad at talking, and until now, she hasn't been able to properly give out an apology or excuse.
For this reason, she's getting paler and paler when someone else told her that she has hurt Kaito's feelings.
[I guess there just really are some terrible Goddesses, right? Even the actions of God of Fate-sama wasn't Miyama-sama's fault... So why does he have to be reproached by someone he first met?]
[...I- I'm... going out for a bit.]
[Yes. Have a good day.]
Shea understood that these malicious words that Heart was saying was just the usual teasing... but that doesn't mean that the actions she did to Kaito will go away.
Shea flusteredly stood up from her seat, and leaving those few words, she disappeared, while Heart leisurely waved her hand in that empty room.
After a busy day, I was relaxing in my room at the inn.
Thereupon, a knock suddenly rang out from the door. I thought it was Fate-san again, coming to visit just like last night, so I opened the door, just reaching out my hand while moving my body away from in front of the door... I don't really want to receive a headbutt on my stomach for two days in a row.
[...Wait, arehh? Shea-san?]
[...…..]
However, the person outside wasn't Fate-san that I had expected... but Shea-san.
With only the hood part of her robe off and her white hair showing, Shea-san was silent, not even entering the room after I opened the door.
Even so, she really is stubbornly turning away her eyes huh... I wonder why? Can she see her eternal enemy who killed her parents at that forty-five degrees below diagonal direction?
It seems that Shea-san's favorability towards me is as low as ever. Well, we have hardly spoken with each other, so it can't be helped.
[Shea-san? Is something the matter?]
[...Here.]
[Unnn?]
At any rate, we can't just go on like this, so I called out to her, and out of nowhere, Shea-san pulled out five neatly wrapped boxes and handed them to me.
At first glance, they looked like snacks, but what's this? What does she want me to do with this? I don't know... Seriously, I don't know what this person is thinking or her intentions at all.
[...I couldn't eat all of it and I have some leftovers. so I'll give them to you.]
[Eh? N- No, but... No matter how I look at these, these look new...]
[I! Have! Some! Leftovers! So! I'll! Give! Them! To! You!]
[Ah, yes, roger that!? They're leftover, right? I'll gratefully receive it!]
Arehh? That's weird? I'm receiving snacks now, right? Why is she yelling at me?
As I was confused, Shea-san kept glancing at me while averting her gaze, before she slowly spoke.
[I- If that's not enough, I'll listen to just one request.]
[R- Request?]
What should I do? I seriously don't know what Shea-san is talking about.
[I don't have any ill will at all, okay!? I'm a generous God after all! As a reward for letting me take it out on you, I'll grant you one request!!!]
[...Eh? Ah, yes.]
Errr... Does this mean... that? Could it be that Shea-san is apologizing to me right now?
...It's difficult to understand! In short, what she's saying is that she'll grant me one request as an apology for taking out her emotions at me... H- Hmmm. She's really the type of person I've never met before. I'm clueless on how to respond to her.
[That's why, quickly say your request!]
[E- Errr...T- Then, y- you don't really need to apologize but... I- In that case, errr... I know! If you could treat me to a meal next time, that would be enough.]
[What!? How rude!]
[Ehh? Eh?]
[Y- Y- You're just a human, a- and to ask me on a "date", what blasphemyyyyyy!?]
...No, I never said that, did I?
[T- That wasn't my intention... My apologies. In that case, there's no need to apologize or anything like that, you know?]
[Ugghhh...]
[Eh?]
[...That means... you won't forgive me if it isn't that... Saying it that way... is despicable...]
[...…..]
What's going on in this woman's head? Is everything I say auto-converted to a negative direction? Why the heck are you making it sound like I'm blackmailing you? Hey, why?
As I was dumbfoundedly looking at her, Shea-san hangs her head down. After her shoulder shook for a while, she raised her bright red face.
[Fine! If that's what you want, fine!!! Whether it's a date or anything, let's do it!!!]
[...Huh?]
[I'll tell you my schedule later! Wash your neck and wait!!!]
[Eh? Hey... Wait——- She isn't here already!?]
Then, after telling me all sorts of stuff, she disappeared.
Seriously, I don't understand Shea-san... Eh? I mean, is it decided that this is a date?
...How did this happen?
After staring at the empty hallway for a moment, I let out a loud sigh before walking back into my room.
Then, feeling unspeakably tired, I accidentally looked at the box of snacks in my hand.
I'm feeling tired and I want to eat something sweet... Since she gave them to me, I guess I should eat some, right?
While thinking like that, I open one of the wrappers at random, revealing an assortment of bright red snacks inside.
Is this strawberry flavor? No, they may have been decorated to look like apples. Anyway, they look pretty tasty, so let's take a bite first...
[!? Wha, thesh….. S- Spicy~~!?]
When I picked one of the red snacks and ate it... After chewing it a bit, a fierce spiciness spread through my mouth.
What the heck is this!? Spicy!? No, it hurts my mouth already!!! It feels like my mouth is on fire, you know!?
It's as if it was a bundle of pure spiciness without any gentleness mixed in it at all, as if I filled my mouth with chili peppers, and it makes me sweat all over my body.
I hurriedly grabbed a jug of water and gulped it down without even transferring it to a glass.
[Haahhh~~ Hiiiiiihhh~~]
Even after drinking lots of water, there's still some spiciness left in my mouth... How much spicy ingredients were used in this?
I mean, why the heck did Shea-san give me these murderous snacks? ...Is this harassment? No, could it be that perhaps... She gave me this absurdly spicy snack to me because she really thinks that they're delicious?
Dear Mom, Dad———– Shea-san was the type of person I hadn't been around before, and I didn't really know how to respond to her. I even had to make some strange promise to her. Putting that aside, these snacks that Shea-san gave me———- It was so spicy, I feel like I can breathe fire.