It was early in the morning of my fourth day in the Hydra Kingdom. I had come to see Mitsunaga-kun off in front of the city gate.
[Miyama-san, thank you for coming to see me off. I'm sorry, we end up not being able to talk that much.]
[No, no, it can't be helped. You're busy with your playing a Hero... Speaking of which, I saw your speech yesterday and it was very impressive.]
[Thank you. I'm still not as good as Miyama-san, but I'll do my best to improve, one step after another.]
That's strange... It sounded like Mitsunaga-kun just said something strange like him being no match for me, you know?
No, I'm sure that I just heard wrong. It's not like Mitsunaga-kun would need to try being my equal or anything like that.
[...J- Just in case I heard right, let me ask Mitsunaga-kun something.... You didn't just say that you're not as good as me, right?]
[Eh? Ah, yes. After all, Miyama-san has been in contact with the Six Kings. You even have the Phantasmal King-sama under your control, and so that should mean that you already have one of the most powerful people in the world under your control.]
[...N- No, they aren't that big of a deal... Especially the Phantasmal King.]
[...Eh?]
It seems that Mitsunaga-kun has heard a lot of rumors about me through Princess Cattleya, and it seems that he really thinks that I'm an amazing person.
However, that's a big misunderstanding. It's the people around me that are amazing, not me. I'm just one of the ordinary people you can find anywhere... ordinary... Was it no-good to describe myself as ordinary? I feel like describing myself like that is slowly getting forced...
As I was chatting with Mitsunaga-kun for a while, Princess Cattleya, who had finished their preparations for departure, approached us.
[Miyama-sama, thank you so much for your help in this matter. If it weren't for Miyama-sama's presence, it would have been quite unfavorable to us.]
[Ah, no, the only one who helped you was Phantasmal King so...]
[Yes, please tell Phantasmal King-sama that I was truly grateful to her as well.]
[I understand.]
I didn't know about it, but it seems that when the one with the role of Hero gets attacked, it can be a big problem.
But in the previous incident, Alice moved quickly, and since everyone involved, including the mastermind, was quickly apprehended, it really helped Princess Cattleya's position.
[Well then, Miyama-sama. We'll take our leave now. I sincerely hope that we can meet again.]
[Me too, please be safe on your journey.]
[...I think there would be more troubles on Miyama-sama's side though, so please do your best.]
[Unnn. Mitsunaga-kun too, do your best in acting as Hero.]
[Yes! So long!]
With their goodbyes, the carriage that was on standby started moving. As Mitsunaga-kun greatly waves his hand and Princess Cattleya gives a small bow, I see them off.
After Mitsunaga-kun's group disappeared from sight, I walked towards the city and spoke to Alice since she should be next to me.
[Alice, Princess Cattleya said thank you.]
[I'm not interested in that at all~~ I wouldn't have helped them if it weren't for Kaito-san.]
[Still, it's a fact that you helped them... That's why, I'll say it again for me this time, thank you.]
[Uuuuu... Y- You're welcome...]
When I thanked her as well, Alice sounded a little embarrassed when she responded to me before she disappeared.
Now then, after reaching my goal of seeing Mitsunaga-kun and his group off, it's time for my promised date with Fate-san.
As I think about the places we should go to, I meet up with Fate-san in front of the inn.
[Kai-chaaaan~~ I'll be in your care today~~]
[Yes. I'll also be in your care today... Then, how about we go?]
[Alrighty! Then, let's go!]
Fate-san didn't seem to be dressed any differently than usual, but she seemed to be in a very good mood. As she raised her hand with a big smile on her face, she started walking with me towards the city.
One step, two steps, after walking for three steps... Fate-san suddenly stopped in her tracks.
[...I'm going to die.]
[Isn't that too fast!?]
You have only taken three steps, you know!? And why the heck did you start slacking off on the ground!? Couldn't you try a little harder!?
When I dumbfoundedly looked at Fate-san, whose tension clearly plummeted down, she glanced at me and spoke.
[Kai-chan, I have something I'd like to discuss with you... but how about... we just go make out in a room, or perhaps, become one?]
[Rejected!]
[Ueeeehhhh.... I- I'm that, you know. I steadily lose a lot of my vitality under the sun.]
[It's alright. You're not a vampire, you're a god.]
As I shuddered, remembering how our bodies are entwined with each other yesterday, I guess Fate-san was still the same as usual. A refreshingly straightforward request... It immediately gave me a headache.
Letting out a big sigh, Fate-san looks as if she was thinking for a little bit before she looked at me with her hands outstretched.
[Well then, in that case! Kai-chan, piggyback~~]
[That's rejected. I reject it.]
[Ueeeehhhh...]
Seeing Fate-san with her arms outstretched like that was very cute, but as expected, I decided to reject her because I think going on a date while your partner was in your back is kinda difficult.
[Uuuuuu, in that case, I can't walk~~ I'm going to die here~~]
[...How lazy can you be...]
[Ahh~~ What a blunder. I shouldn't have left my cushion if this was going to happen...]
[...Huhh...]
I was feeling dismayed when Fate-san started acting spoiled, but thinking about it, Fate-san usually travels on a flying cushion and I rarely see her walking.
Even when we were going towards this city, she was also riding on my back... and it seems that walking feels troublesome for her.
Letting out a big sigh again, I feel like our date won't go on like this, so although it changes the order of my plans, I decided to give her the cushion I prepared for her as a present.
[...It can't be helped. I was actually going to give it to you at the end of our date but...]
[Unnn? What is it? What is it?]
[Here, the present I have prepared for Fate-san.]
[O- Ooohhhhh!!!]
As I said that, I took out from the magic box the cushion that makes people useless made by Alice... In short, it's a squishy bean bag.
When Fate-san sees this, her eyes widened and she looked at me with sparkling eyes.
[I- It's a cushion! A cushion Kai-chan prepared just for me...]
[I didn't know what Fate-san liked, so this is what I thought.]
[I- I'm so happy——– Haahh!? Whoa there... I'll just say this now, Kai-chan. Even if it's Kai-chan's present for me, I'm still going to be very picky with my cushions, you know? If you think that you can satisfy me with just some half-heartedly made cushion, you're mistaken!]
She was about to say she was happy for a moment, but it seems like she has some kind of weird pride regarding cushions, as Fate-san regained her attention and declared that with a serious expression on her face.
The way she looks like that is so cute that I can't help but chuckle.
[I'm sure it's okay... Because this is the cushion famous in our world for making people useless.]
[What's with that really fantastic item!? A cushion that makes people useless!? It could make people useless!? Isn't this the greatest!?]
[...No, your reaction to it was the weird one.]
Why the heck do you look so happy after you heard that it turns people useless... Also, please be relieved. You're already a useless Goddess from the moment I met you. As for that assessment, that hasn't improved at all.
Anyway, Fate-san seemed to be interested in this cushion and received it from me... Thereupon, her eyes widened.
[W- What is this~~!? T- This cushion is... H- How squishy. It's as if this cushion is sucking in my finger with my touch!]
[It was filled with lots of little beads in it, making it very squishy.]
[Fuuoooohhhh! This is amazing, Kai-chan! This is amazing... P- Poke, poke...]
As expected of the cushion that makes people useless. It was frighteningly effective on the useless Goddess, as Fate-san happily touched the cushion around, and after a bit of time, she deployed what seems to be State Preservation Magic on it before jumping on it.
[Aaaaahhhhh~~ Amazing. Dish is amashiiinngg... Fuaaahhhh... I'll go live here from now on...]
[...]
It seems that Fate-san and the cushion have quite the affinity with each other, as she was so charmed by the cushion that her body already looks like melted cheese... As I looked at Fate-san while she lazily lay down on the cushion, the cushion floated and lined up next to me.
[Kai-chan... this is the best... Thank yooouuuu~~]
[I'm glad you liked it.]
[Unnn, Kai-chan really is fantastic~~ I love you so much~~ How about I give you a kiss in return?]
[No, thank you.]
[Do you really have to be that quick in refusing me!?]
Somehow, isn't she more languid than before? W- Well, I guess that's how much she liked it but.... Well, whatever.
Dear Mom, Dad———- My date with Fate-san started, but Fate-san is still the same as ever. I ended up having to change the order and give my present to her first, but for the time being——– I'm glad that she liked my present.