The subject of pets that Kaori had casually brought up was, in a way, a landmine. Kaito absolutely adored his pets, Bellfried and Rin, and his level of enthusiasm reached an entirely different level whenever they became the topic of conversation.
However, unlike a certain god who tended to drown others in a crushing deluge of words, Kaito still possessed enough reason to consider his companion's feelings. Even though he spoke at length about his meticulous standards for Bellfried’s fur, he didn't talk so long that they actually lost time for their movie.
But that passion was immense. He keenly conveyed the depth of his obsession; even though he was supposedly speaking at a normal volume, the sheer intensity created a palpable sense of pressure.
"I’ve certainly learned my lesson," Kaori said with a wry smile. "Talking about your pets is just like when Akane-san starts in on takoyaki or okonomiyaki. It's not the kind of thing you should bring up unless you're prepared for the consequences..."
"I-I’m sorry. I got a little carried away before I knew it..."
"No, I understand the feeling. I think I’d get just as passionate if I started talking about the finer points of cooking. I guess anyone gets fired up when they’re talking about things they love."
When Kaito—now fully aware that his excitement had peaked too high—offered an apology, Kaori gave a bitter smile and told him she understood. She doubted her own culinary passion quite reached the heights of his obsession with pet grooming, but since she had her own fixations regarding food, she could at least relate.
"It took longer than I intended, but shall we head back to my room?" Kaito suggested.
"Understood. Well then, Bell-chan, Rin-chan, thanks for playing with me! See you later~"
"Gau."
"Kyu!"
After giving Bellfried and Rin a small wave, Kaori followed Kaito into the mansion. As they moved through the hallway, their conversation remained on the topic of animals, though it shifted back into mundane territory.
"Rin-chan was surprisingly affectionate, but Bell-chan stayed pretty cool until the very end, didn't he?"
"Bell is quite prideful, so he acts like that toward everyone except a select few. That said, he’s still a child at heart, so he fawns on me and Alice quite a lot."
"Alice-sama? Wait, he fawns on the Phantasm King as well?"
"Yeah. Alice was the one who named him, so he adores her like a mother. Bell is a smart boy; he knows to hold back when he's playing with me because of my physical ability. But since he knows he can play with his full strength without causing any problems for Alice, he gets really excited whenever she stops by."
In truth, Bellfried perceived Kaito as a father figure and Alice as a mother figure, and he showed them both the full extent of his childlike attachment. Particularly with Alice, there was no need for restraint, so he played with her with literally his full strength—a power that would turn an ordinary monster into mincemeat in an instant. To Alice, however, it was essentially no different than being pounced on by a hyperactive kitten, so she handled him without issue.
"Alice is quite caring in her own way, so she plays with him pretty often. Because of that, Bell obeys Alice more than anyone else besides me. Rin is generally friendly to anyone, though she's been talking to Nebula quite a bit lately."
"Heh. I think I can see why. Nebula-chan is adorable, but she also feels very reliable and composed. Even within her cuteness, she seems to radiate this incredible aura of charisma. I'm not surprised Rin-chan took a liking to her."
"It’s also a big factor that Nebula can perfectly understand Rin's magic power wavelength as conversation."
"Oh? Couldn't you do that too, Kaito-kun?"
"Not quite. I can understand the magic power wavelengths of people like Flare-san—er, Nizbel-san, the Dragon King's subordinate—as if they're speaking normally. But while I can get a general sense of what Rin is feeling, it's not very clear yet. I think it’s because she’s still young; her will-transmission via magic power wavelengths isn't as refined as someone like Flare-san's. I'm sure I'll understand her perfectly once she matures a bit more."
"I see. The way you casually bring up one of the Four Great Magic Dragons as a comparison point is so very 'you,' Kaito-kun."
Rin was still very much a young child. Thanks to the high-quality food she ate, her magic power was immense, but her ability to communicate via mana wavelengths was still in its infancy.
"But Nebula-chan can understand her, huh? She really is amazing. She's great at making things, right?"
"Yeah, Nebula is incredible. Craftsmanship aside, she's actually multi-talented in almost every field..."
"Wait, hold on. This feeling... Oh no, don't tell me! Is the topic of Nebula-chan a landmine too!?"
Kaori had spoken with the best of intentions, but Kaito’s voice had immediately taken on that same intense heat it had when he was describing Bellfried’s fur. Realizing she had inadvertently dug herself into another hole, Kaori could only smile bitterly as she watched Kaito begin to wax poetic once more.
(But still, seeing him like this makes me feel like he’s just a cute junior, no matter how much he breaks common sense... This isn't so bad.)
Serious-senpai: "She has her comical moments, but she's got that big sister attribute down pat. Kaori is definitely a formidable heroine..."