In order to truly understand Alice, I decided to lodge at her general store for a time.
After overriding her bewilderment and convincing her to let me stay, I dropped my luggage in the room she provided and returned to the living room.
"……By the way, Kaito-san. Exactly how long do you plan to stay?"
"Hmm. Until I feel like I really know you, I suppose?"
"Does that mean in a sexual sense—Gah!?"
"……Did you say something?"
"IT’S NOTHING."
We ate the dinner I had bought together, and since it had been an exhausting day, we headed to bed early.
Alice’s behavior seemed the same as ever on the surface, but a sense of incongruity lingered. It felt as though she was being intentionally upbeat, trying her best to steer the conversation away from anything serious.
Or perhaps I just hadn’t noticed it before, and she had been playing this part all along……
The next morning, the 9th of the Month of Light, I went to watch her work in Alice's Workshop.
Usually, since Alice is busy acting as my guard, her Split Body is the one crafting the items for the shop. This time, however, I had asked to watch the Main Body at work, and she had reluctantly agreed.
"……Um, Kaito-san?"
"Yeah?"
"I-It’s really hard to focus with you staring at me so intently……"
Unable to settle into her work under my gaze, Alice kept stealing glances at me while clutching her forging hammer.
Was she making a sword? This was the first time I’d ever seen blacksmithing in person, and it was honestly impressive. Thanks to Shiro-san's Blessing, I didn't feel the heat from the forge, allowing me to focus entirely on her craftsmanship.
"……I’ve never seen you so serious about making something, Alice. It’s actually really cool."
"!? Ah……"
"Ah……"
The moment I offered that sincere praise with a smile, a sharp crack echoed through the workshop. The sword Alice had been working on snapped clean in two.
"K-Kaito-san, what are you saying all of a sudden?! It’s a given that Alice-chan is always cool and cute, isn't it?!"
"Well, you’re not wrong."
"Ugh…… N-No, no, Kaito-san! That was where you were supposed to retort! You’re supposed to say, ‘What kind of stupid thing are you saying?’ and drop a fist on my head! Why are you just praising me like it’s normal?!"
I’d given her a compliment, yet for some reason, she was complaining. I couldn't quite wrap my head around her logic.
Still, setting that aside, it was true that Alice had a mountain of flaws—she was a handful who spent half her time joking around—but she was also undeniably strong, knowledgeable, and reliable.
Besides, although the impact of that mask usually overshadowed everything else, Alice’s true face was as delicate and lovely as a doll's. Calling her cool and cute wasn't an exaggeration at all.
"……Hmm. Well, the constant joking can be a bit much, but I really do think you’re reliable. And cute."
"Wha—!? Ka—!? ……Uuuu…… You’re completely throwing me off my rhythm……"
Alice’s face turned red enough to be visible even through the mask. She hurriedly turned back to the forge as if trying to pull herself together.
Seeing a reaction she had rarely shown before made me feel like I had learned something new about her, if only a little. A small smile naturally formed on my lips.
I continued to sit there for a while, quietly watching her work.
The day passed peacefully without any major events. We spent the hours chatting and relaxing, and after dinner, I went to take a bath.
A full day had passed since I'd forced my way into her home. While I hadn't made any grand discoveries, I’d made small gains. Seeing Alice act like a normal girl—getting flustered by a compliment or frantically trying to change the subject—was fresh and surprisingly heartening.
Unfortunately, I still hadn't found a way to address my original goal. Alice didn't seem inclined to talk…… though she did look my way occasionally for no apparent reason. Perhaps she was wavering, caught between speaking and staying silent.
In any case, I wasn't in a position to push her any harder than I already had. I had to wait.
Lost in these thoughts, I finished my bath and headed toward the living room where I expected Alice to be.
"Alice, I’m out of the—"
"……"
"Are you asleep?"
When I entered the room, I was met with a sight I had never seen before. Alice was slumped over the table, fast asleep, and her mask was nowhere to be seen.
After everything that had happened with Eden-san, it seemed that even an existence as powerful as Alice wasn't immune to exhaustion. The fatigue from that battle, followed by the stress of my sudden intrusion, must have finally caught up to her. I wondered if I should have waited a few more days before coming here.
It would be a shame to wake her, so I decided to let her rest. I remembered I had the blanket from the Treasure Tree Festival washed and stored in my Magic Box.
I smiled at her adorable sleeping face as I pulled the blanket out. But as I moved to drape it over her shoulders, I froze.
A glint caught my eye—tears were tracing paths down her cheeks even as she slept. Alice was crying in her sleep.
"……"
What kind of heavy burden was she carrying in that small body? It was agonizingly frustrating not to know.
I reached out toward her face, intending to gently wipe the tears away with my finger, when her blue eyes fluttered open.
"……Eh? Oh—!?"
"……"
The moment she saw me, Alice’s expression shifted to one of pure shock. She scrambled to rub her eyes and frantically pulled her mask back on.
"You’re finished with your bath, I see! Wow, as expected of Kaito-san, you really look the part of the dashing hero with water dripping from your hair! Ahaha……"
"……Alice."
"……Kaito-san…… Do you…… really want to know that badly?"
Alice had tried to laugh it off and pivot the conversation, but when she realized I was looking at her with absolute sincerity, she lowered her head and spoke in a tiny, fragile voice.
"Isn't it fine…… even if you don't know? Can't we just leave things as they are? I act like an idiot, you scold me…… it's fun, we're happy…… Isn't that enough?"
"……"
"I’m…… I’m scared of you knowing about my past."
It was the first time she had ever shown such clear, undeniable weakness.
"Isn't the way things are now good enough? Please don't make me face this." Her voice was weak and full of pain. I understood her feelings all too well. She was terrified that if I knew the truth, the happy status quo we shared would shatter.
I felt that same fear myself. As Chronoa-san had pointed out, the reason I had been so indirect was because I was just as afraid as Alice was.
A part of me wanted to comfort her, to tell her she was right and that we didn't need to change anything. But I had already reached for that door. I had already resolved to step into the deepest parts of her heart.
And more than anything…… I wanted something more than what we had now.
"……Alice. I want to become someone who can protect you."
"……Protect? You, me?"
"Yeah. I know my power doesn't even come close to yours. I understand that you’re stronger, more experienced, and better than me in every way."
"……"
"But I can't forgive myself for being unable to help you when you’re suffering. I’m tired of being the one who’s only ever protected. I want to protect you, too…… I want to protect your heart, Alice."
"……Why……?"
Hearing my quiet confession, Alice’s voice sounded like it was about to break.
I hadn't given her the details, but I knew exactly what she was asking. So, I gave her the only honest answer I had.
"……Because you’re already irreplaceable to me. You said the way things are now is enough, but I want to reach a point beyond that. I don't want to just be the one you look after; I want us to support each other as equals."
"……"
"That’s why, Alice…… I want to know who you really are."
"……"
I had said my piece. If she refused me now, pushing any further would only be cruelty. I went silent and waited for her answer.
Alice kept her head down, and a heavy stillness settled between us.
How much time passed? A minute? Ten? It felt as though time itself had ground to a halt. Finally, Alice spoke.
"……It isn't a pleasant story."
"……I know."
"You might regret it. You might wish you’d never heard it."
"I won't. I promise."
"……I understand."
Seeing that my resolve was unshakable, Alice let out a long sigh and slowly nodded.
Dear Mother, Father—Alice’s past had always felt like a heavy, locked door in my mind. It was the weight she carried alone in that small body, the history she kept buried. This was only the starting point, but as that thought crossed my mind, the door to her heart finally, quietly opened.