It had been two days since I returned to the Royal Capital from Rigforresia.
Now that the fatigue of the Treasure Tree Festival had finally faded, I found myself taking a leisurely stroll through the city streets. I had only been in the elven lands for about four days, but perhaps because so much had happened, it felt as though I had been away for a very long time.
Thanks in part to my title as the Harvest Festival winner, many of the elves had expressed their genuine regret at my departure, telling me to come back and visit whenever I liked. I truly did want to thank Rei-san and Fia-san properly for all their help again, so I planned to return with some souvenirs in the near future.
Anima was still back in Rigforresia, assisting the local security forces. Lilliwood-san had committed to a full reorganization of the guard, but since that wasn't something that could be finished in a day or two, I’d decided to let Anima work hard there until the transition was complete. I felt a bit guilty for pushing the work onto her, so once she returned to the capital, I made a mental note to take her out for a nice meal to reward her.
Lilliwood-san herself seemed quite busy. We hadn't been able to talk much since our chat in the Spirit Forest, but she had made a proposal just as I was leaving. Regarding my promise to visit Isis-san's home... Lilliwood-san offered to come pick me up when the time came. The Demon Realm is apparently teeming with monsters, and Isis-san’s house is located far from any civilization, so I was incredibly grateful for the escort. We still needed to coordinate the details with Isis-san, but it looked like I’d be heading to the Demon Realm very soon.
If there was one major change following the Treasure Tree Festival, it was the relationship between Lilia-san and Sieg-san. Their long-standing awkwardness had vanished. Before, I rarely saw them speaking to one another, but since our return, I frequently saw the trio of Lilia-san, Lunamaria-san, and Sieg-san spending time together. Lilia-san in particular looked genuinely happy; the bright smile she wore, as if a weight had been lifted from her soul, left a lasting impression on me.
Anyway, my reason for being out in town today was to share some of my prize fruit with Alice, the general store owner I’d met recently. To be honest, when they told me the prize was a "fruit assortment," I’d imagined a modest basket... but the actual quantity was absurd. It was such a staggering amount that even after handing out shares to every servant at Lilia-san’s mansion, I still felt like I had enough to feed an army. Rei-san had mentioned that the yield was higher than usual this year, but I couldn't help but wonder if they’d inflated the prize just because Lilliwood-san was watching.
Regardless, I couldn't possibly eat it all myself, so I was heading to Alice’s shop as a thank-you for selling me those magic tools at a discount. Given that I’d spent nearly 5,000R there last time, I assumed she wouldn't be struggling for food anymore, but...
I turned into an alley off the main street and found the small shop with the sign that still simply read "General Store." I reached the door, pulled it open without a second thought—and immediately slammed it shut.
I thought I’d just seen something strange. No, I must have been mistaken. There was no way a cat suit was lying motionless on the floor... was there?
"...This is bad, y'know... My stomach isn't even touching my back anymore. It feels like a literal hole is opening up inside me..."
"..."
"I seriously can't move... I won't survive another step..."
"..."
There it was. That familiar cat suit, splayed out face-up on the floor, muttering to itself. To be honest, the urge to turn around and go home was overwhelming, but I suppressed it and looked down at the "idiot" before me.
"...Hm? Ah, Kaito-san? Did you come to buy something again? I mean, please, you gotta treat me to something!"
"Hmph!"
"Eek?! Wh-Wait a second! Why are you trying to stomp on me?! That's dangerous!"
"...Sorry, I didn't see you there."
"Liar! Our eyes met perfectly just now! You looked me in the eye and then went for the stomp anyway!"
I had tried to step on the reclining cat suit while pretending it was an accident, but unfortunately, she dodged with surprising agility. She could clearly move just fine.
"To think you'd try to stomp on the face of a beautiful girl the moment we reunite... Just how violent are you, Kaito-san?!"
"Considering our height difference, my foot wouldn't have even reached your face from that angle."
"...Well, technically true. You’d probably only hit my mouth."
"Then it’s fine."
"I see! You're right! ...Wait, no! That's still wrong!"
A perfect double-take. This girl was definitely not your average shopkeeper.
"...Aren't you impressed by the wrong thing? Seriously, Kaito-san, aren't you a little too harsh on me? Give me some love! Some affection!"
"..."
"...Ahem. Welcome back, Kaito-san. When did you return from the festival?"
"Two days ago."
I stared at Alice with cold, dead eyes as she stood up and spread her arms wide. After a moment, she cleared her throat and greeted me properly, resetting the conversation. I gave her a wry smile, and Alice skillfully rubbed the paws of her cat suit together.
"So, did you come to shop today? What can I get for you!"
"Actually, I'm not here to buy anything today..."
"Tch... a window shopper, huh? You just came to watch me suffer while you eat your lunch, didn't you?! You're the type who thinks other people's misery is as sweet as honey!!"
"...I brought a bunch of fruit as a souvenir from the festival."
"Wow, Kaito-san! I've missed you so much! Honestly, I was so lonely while you were away. It’s only been a few days, but it felt like years! Here, here, take a seat. I'll brew some tea right now!"
"..."
God, I really want to punch her.
I watched as Alice pulled a complete 180 and scrambled to set a chair in front of the counter. I fought back the urge to smack the back of her head and sat down. Alice then began to shed the cat suit, revealing her usual opera mask.
"Oh? You're wearing the mask inside the suit this time?"
"Yeah. I can't afford a repeat of last time where Kaito-san strips me and lewdly ogles me in broad daylight."
"Stop phrasing things like that. It's misleading."
"Never mind that! Kaito-san! Food! Where is the food?! Take it out! Hurry!"
"O-Okay..."
Flinching slightly at her desperate intensity, I began pulling a massive quantity of fruit out of my Magic Box. Alice’s eyes lit up—at least, I couldn't see them through the mask, but her body language screamed excitement.
"All of this?! Can I really have all of this?!"
"Yeah, of course."
"Kaito-san, you're a total hunk! A stud! I wouldn't mind letting a guy like you have his way with me!"
"Please, spare me the offer."
"A refusal so blunt you went formal?!"
She was as noisy as ever. Alice looked genuinely thrilled as she quickly brewed some black tea and immediately started gorging herself on the fruit.
"Uuugh... my first meal in four days... It's so good..."
"...Four days?"
"Yeah. Since you were here last, Kaito-san, the number of customers has been a shocking zero. I was seriously preparing for the end."
"Wait a minute. I spent nearly 5,000R here last time, didn't I? What happened to that money?"
I couldn't help but ask. 5,000R was the equivalent of nearly 500,000 yen. Even allowing for differences in the cost of living, that was enough to live comfortably for at least two months in this world. I couldn't fathom where it had gone.
Alice lowered her head, her voice dropping to a tiny, strained whisper.
"...It’s... it’s all gone."
"But how? Are you in debt or something?"
"..."
"Wait... if there's anything I can do to help..."
I didn't know much about Alice, but she’d mentioned being broke when we first met. Maybe there was a reason. It would explain why she’d been so desperate to sell me things. Maybe her parents had left her with a massive debt, or she’d been swindled.
Dammit, I should have asked more questions. Maybe Alice was going through something terrible and was just acting cheerful to hide the pain. If I could do anything to help her out of a hole like that—
"...I just can't quit, y'know? Gambling is just too—gah!?"
I didn't even think. The moment those words left her mouth, I delivered a sharp knuckle-sandwich to the top of her head.
"Why'd you hit me?!"
"Why did you think I wouldn't?! Wait, let me get this straight. You're starving and broke... because you lost everything gambling?!"
"I-It’s fine! My luck was just down this time! I’ll get it all back in the next round!"
"That is exactly what every person who goes bankrupt from gambling says! Look, I'm not saying you can't have hobbies, but learn some restraint! Don't gamble away your grocery money!"
"Kaito-san, I can't... I can't breathe..."
I grabbed Alice by the collar and began shaking her violently back and forth. I’d suspected she was a bit of a mess, but this was beyond—or rather, below—my wildest imagination. My sympathy from a moment ago felt like a total waste.
Dear Mother, Father—I met up with Alice again and learned a bit more about her situation. How do I put this? Alice was... a total loser.