Once Alice finally finished "rebooting" herself, we arrived at the Art Square—which was currently its tentative name.
It was a vast plaza with a fountain at its center, pulsing with an energy quite distinct from the standard street stalls Alice had described. A minstrel sat near the fountain, plucking at a harp-like instrument. In one corner, a painter caught the bustling landscape on canvas, while a sculptor worked on an unidentifiable statue. Just watching the various performers was entertainment enough.
According to Alice, puppet shows were a particularly popular attraction here.
"Since they work on the same principles as Golem Manipulation, they’re relatively easy to manage," Alice explained. "It’s also simple to spice things up with magical effects. Most of them are short plays, around ten minutes or so."
"I see, I see."
As she spoke, Alice conjured a palm-sized golem and made it move with a flick of her fingers.
That made sense. I’d seen Aoi-chan setting up magic formulas for her golems before, so I could see how the same logic applied to puppetry. With the addition of magical special effects, it sounded like it would be quite the spectacle. I found myself genuinely looking forward to it.
Just as my excitement was ramping up and I was about to suggest we find a show, Alice’s expression twisted into one of sheer annoyance.
"…Kaito-san, on second thought, can we go somewhere else?"
"Eh? Why?"
"…Because someone incredibly tiresome is here."
"Tiresome? Who do you—Whoa! What was that sound?!"
Just as I started to ask who she was talking about, a thunderous roar echoed through the square, sounding like a bomb had detonated.
I spun toward the source of the noise and saw a figure carving a massive hunk of metal—I wasn't sure if it was iron or something else—with their bare hands. Wild, crimson hair cascaded down to their lower back like a lion’s mane, flickering like a roaring fire.
The figure stood nearly two meters tall, even taller than Chronoa-san. Their tanned skin was draped over muscles so well-defined I could see the power in them at a glance. It wasn't the bulky, overblown physique of a gorilla, but rather something refined and perfectly sculpted.
The person possessed a sharp, androgynous beauty and wore a bellicose smile. They punched the block of metal one last time before pulling back. To my astonishment, the struck metal had been transformed into the shape of a bird taking flight. I stood there, stunned by the sheer impact of this unique artistry.
They certainly have a commanding presence… I wonder if they're an acquaintance of Alice's?
As that thought crossed my mind, the figure turned toward us. Their eyes widened in surprise for a fraction of a second before they let out a boisterous laugh.
"Oh! If it isn't Kaito and Shaltier!"
"…Huh?"
"Fancy meeting you in a place like this! What are you two up to?"
"E-Eeeeh?!"
What was going on? Did this person know me? I had no memory of meeting them—and I was certain I wouldn't forget someone with such a massive presence. While I stood there tilting my head in confusion, I heard Alice click her tongue beside me.
"Shut up, you Red Gorilla. Go home."
"Hah?"
"I should be the one asking what you’re doing. What are you doing here, Megiddo-san…?"
"Eeeeeeeeeh?!"
Wait, this person was Megiddo-san?! Seriously?! Now that she mentioned it, I could see a faint resemblance… No, he still looked far too different!
"Y-You're Megiddo-san?!"
"Hm? Oh, right. I guess I never showed you my humanized form before!"
"Wait, humanization?"
"For a high-ranking demon, changing one’s appearance is a simple task," Alice explained. "Though there are upper and lower limits to how much you can deviate from your original size."
I knew Humanization Magic was a common trope, but seeing the demonic-looking Megiddo-san transformed into such a sharp-featured beauty was a massive shock. Alice, however, didn't seem to care about my surprise. She kept her focus on him.
"So, what are you doing here?"
"Hah? Can't you tell? I'm making art."
"Gorilla-san, please go look in a mirror. You couldn't look further from 'art' if you tried."
"I don't follow… Creativity is power! So isn't it only natural to polish that power?"
"Ah… I see."
It felt a bit rude, but I completely agreed with Alice. Art didn't seem to suit Megiddo-san in the slightest. The bird statue was magnificent, sure, but the context was all wrong. He looked like someone built entirely for destruction, not creation.
"…"
"Kaito-san, I know it's hard to believe, but despite Megiddo-san's personality, he's actually quite intelligent," Alice whispered.
"Really?!"
"Yes. You could call him a training maniac. He polishes his skills relentlessly, regardless of the field."
"Damn right! There’s nothing better than honing one’s power!"
"Well, as you can see… he’s smart, but he’s still an idiot. An idiot so dense it gives me a headache."
"Hey, now…"
I watched blankly as Alice and Megiddo-san bantered back and forth. I was starting to wrap my head around it, but my brain was still struggling to catch up.
"So, what about you two? What are you doing?" Megiddo-san asked.
"Hehe, prepare to be amazed! We’re on a lovey-dovey date!"
"Hah? A date?"
"T-That’s right. So don't interfere. Go home immediately."
Perhaps embarrassed by her own words, Alice’s cheeks flushed slightly as she bluntly told him to leave. Megiddo-san didn't seem offended; instead, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"…Hmm. So that’s how it is, eh? Shaltier and Kaito… I see, Kaito. Just like with Kuromueina, do you prefer the tiny ones with no height or chest to speak of? I mean, Shaltier’s chest is just a bit bigger than Kuromueina’s, but there isn't much difference… I get it! You're a lolicon, aren't you!"
"Gah?!"
"Yeah, I guess they can change their size if they want, but that’s how they look normally!"
"Gofuh?!"
I’d long suspected someone would eventually say it. No matter how much older they actually were, I knew how it looked from the outside. I thought I was prepared for the accusation… but I never expected it to come from Megiddo-san.
However, someone else reacted to his words even more violently than I did.
"Who are you calling a shrimp?! Who?! That’s it, Gorilla! I’m going to pluck every single hair from that mane of yours!"
"Hm? Oh! You want to go? Fine by me! This is great!"
Given Megiddo-san's original size, I suppose everyone looked small to him, but Alice—having been treated like a child—gave him a thumb-across-the-throat gesture. Being a battle maniac, Megiddo-san didn't hesitate; he looked delighted as his crimson hair began to bleed into black. He was ready for war.
I never expected a brawl between two of the Six Kings to erupt in the middle of a plaza, but another unexpected variable intervened before they could start. A small hand suddenly clamped onto Megiddo-san’s shoulder with a heavy thud.
"…Hey, Megiddo. What was that about me?"
"…Ku-Ku-Kuromueina?!"
"What did you say after the 'tiny in height and chest' part?"
"Ah, no, wait! That wasn't… I didn't mean…"
The moment Kuro appeared, Megiddo-san’s combat-ready expression vanished. Sweat poured down his face like a waterfall as he stammered, clearly terrified, trying to backpedal.
Kuro, however, was not in a forgiving mood. She spoke quietly, but her voice carried an inescapable weight.
"…Let’s go have a little talk, shall we? Just the two of us."
"…I'm sorry… No, I apologize deeply."
With those final words, Megiddo-san was hauled away by the God of Destruction.
That’s not good… Kuro’s expression was like that of a vengeful Asura. I feared Megiddo-san might not survive the day.
"…Well, should we get back to our date?"
"I think so."
While praying for Megiddo-san’s soul, I decided to pull myself together and get back to enjoying my time with Alice.
Dear Mother, Father— I had a feeling the magic of Humanization existed, but seeing it in person was a real shock. But more than that, I’ve realized something important: Loose lips truly do sink ships.