After Eden-san left, Alice and I spent our time together only with each other again, leisurely looking after the store.
[Fuhehe... For white gold coins, there's one, two... so many... Fueee—— Fugyaaahhh!?]
[You really are...]
[Isn't it fine? It's been a while since I sold a lot. With this much money... I could "lose" about 200 times——— Fugyaaahhhh!?]
[Why the heck are you trying to lose on purpose...]
I knocked Alice on her head, as she counted the large number white gold coins she received from Eden-san with an ugly grin on her face.
Even though you don't have to lose on purpose anymore, why the heck are you calculating on the instance that you would lose purposely... How should I say this... Alice really is Alice huh.
[...Ahh, speaking of which, I almost forgot. I had something to give Kaito-san.]
[Something to give me?]
[Yes... Errr, I think it's around here somewhere... Ahh, found it!]
[...What's with this money?]
Saying that she has something to give me, she hands me a cloth bag full of gold coins.
However, I don't know why she's handing me this... Or rather, I can't get my head around this unusual situation where Alice is giving me money.
Seeing my expression, Alice explained with a smile.
[You see, I got the idea for the futon that I made before from Kaito-san... Those futons were selling like crazy. No, well, this shop isn't getting any customers as usual... but I heard that Kuro-san's shop they're selling so much that they can't keep up with the production. So, that's 20% of the profit.]
[Fumu... Hmmm. I don't really know what I would do with them even if I get more money...]
[Kaito-san should learn how to be extravagant too~~ Like you know, buying Alice-chan a meal, buying Alice-chan clothes, or buying Alice-chan some accessories... Something like that.]
[All rejected.]
[Can't you at least think about it for a little bit!?]
I threw a tsukkomi at Alice who was joking around again. Somehow, even though this is just our usual exchange, it was strangely fun.
It seems like Alice was feeling like that too, as Alice and I looked at each other and laughed.
[Ahaha, ahh~~ As I thought, it's this feeling. However, I feel like it's been a rather long time.]
[That's just because Alice turned a bit strange.]
[Ahh~~ I'm sorry about that. But you see, I'm also growing up to become the new Alice-chan, you know?]
[Fumu, and what exactly changed?]
[I didn't hit that stupid God.]
[...H- Hmmm.]
That's quite the subtle growth you have there. Or rather, if you hadn't become the new Alice-chan, you would have hit her huh...
As I looked at her with a doubtful expression on my face, Alice chuckled again and lightly snapped her finger.
Thereupon, I heard the sound of the door of the miscellaneous goods store being locked. And then, I don't know if it's the sign that changed from "Open" to "Close", but I heard the sound of something hitting the door.
After that, Alice takes off her mask to reveal her face, and as her cheeks blushed red from embarrassment, she spoke.
[...Well, all jokes aside... If it had been the me from before, I would have been more acrimonious with that God. Thinking that I need to protect Kaito-san... But thinking about it like this, I could clearly see it. That I had lost my presence of mind back then.]
[...And now, it's different, right?]
[...Yes. The thought of protecting Kaito-san hasn't changed but... even though it's just a bit, something has changed.]
As she said this, Alice gently laid her hands on mine. Holding each other's hands with our fingers interlocked, she continued.
[...Now, I stopped pushing myself. What I want to do is "to protect this happiness I have together with Kaito-san"... That means I also have to make sure that I myself am safe.]
[...Unnn. That's right...]
[Well, but as Kaito-san knows... I'm an idiot, so I'll be needing Kaito-san to save me a lot of times too.]
[Yeah, me too... I don't think it's impossible for me when it comes to situations that need strength, but I want to be able to support Alice's heart. I want to protect the feeling of happiness Alice has for being together with me.]
Hearing Alice's determination, I tell her my thoughts, tightly squeezing back her hand.
Thereupon, without saying a word, Alice slowly leans against me.
The gentle warmth I feel from my hands and shoulder, and without saying a word, I also lose myself in the happiness that seems to spread from the depths of my heart.
Our first meeting was a coincidence for me, and something contrived by Alice. The impact I felt when I first saw her, wearing that stuffed cat costume, in the miscellaneous goods store is still very clear in my memory.
Looking back on it now, it may have been partly because she wanted to leave an impression to me.
In fact, I continued to visit Alice's miscellaneous goods store afterwards and developed a friend-like relationship with her.
I was repeatedly taken aback by her idiotic behavior, and I even lectured her for not planning ahead. But when I think about it, Alice is the second person, after Kuro, that I've talked to in a natural way without any pretense since I came to this world.
Was that the reason why? As for Alice, she was planning to sever our connection when I was abducted... when Alice betrayed me. But even when that happened, rather than resent her, I was more inclined to forgive her.
Perhaps, at that time... Alice has already become very important to me.
Even after I found out that Alice was the Phantasmal King, my attitude towards her didn't change... No, I never planned to change my attitude.
To me, Alice is more than just one of the Six Kings... As expected, my impression of her being my important friend was stronger...
At least, not at that time, I didn't expect that I would become lovers with Alice.
I thought our relationship where we make silly snide remarks and chuckle together would last forever... No, I may have just been convincing myself that it is the case.
I've been aware of Alice as a woman for some time now, and not once or twice have I thought that her casual gestures were cute.
The reason I pretended not to notice it was because with the change of our relationship to one of lovers... It was because I was subconsciously thinking, and perhaps, Alice as well, that the easygoing relationship we had before was going to change.
However, in the end, it turned out to be just needless fear and the relationship we had changed for the better. Even now, we are still carefreely talking and laughing with each other... and with the addition of love in our relationship, everything we do with each other brings us happiness.
I'm sure it will continue to be like this in the future. My easygoing friend, my beloved lover... She's protecting me, while I protect her, the both of us walk side by side..
Needless to say, that's happiness... That's why I'm also going to do my best to protect Alice's heart.
I wish for this relationship filled with happiness... to last forever...
[...Kaito-san.]
[Unnn?]
[I just want to call your name.]
[...What the heck?]
[Fufufu.]
[Hahaha.]
[...Kaito-san.]
[...Unnn?]
[...Please stay with me forever. Please don't leave me alone.]
[It's alright. I won't let you be alone. I promise you that.]
[Yes.]
[...….]
[...….]
[...Kaito-san.]
[What is it now?]
[...I love you.]
[...I love you too.]
Dear Mom, Dad———— She would sometimes say stupid stuff with a smile on her face, and even utter things that makes me feel astounded. I think I've let out a lot of sighs after I met her, and I think I will still be sighing in the future. However, I don't dislike it. That's because, indeed——— Alice's heart and mine are connected.