Our meal proceeded with casual banter as I worked my way through various delicious dishes. Their names were so convoluted I couldn't recall them after hearing them once—things like "...with a Hint of Summer Wind" or "Prepared with a Such-and-Such Sauce Reduction."
While the meals at Lilia-san’s house were certainly grand enough to befit a ducal estate, her personality meant she rarely indulged in pure extravagance. This was my first true experience with such quintessential high-end cuisine.
Every dish was incredibly complex yet delicious, and the novelty of it all was a treat for both my eyes and my tongue.
"Mm. That was delicious."
"Fufufu, hearing you say that makes the recommendation worthwhile."
As we sipped our post-meal tea, I chatted lazily, though one thing weighed on my mind: the bill.
There was no way I couldn't afford it with my current funds, but since this was my first time at an establishment this prestigious, I couldn't help but wonder exactly how high the price tag was.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, Alice finished her tea and suggested we head out. I nodded and stood up, catching the eye of a nearby waiter.
"Excuse me, the bill..."
"We have already received payment from No Face-sama. Please, feel free to head home at your leisure."
"……Eh? Oh, no, wait……"
"Thank you for the meal. Please tell the chef it was wonderful!"
"Wait, Alice!?"
While I stood there bewildered by the waiter’s revelation, Alice walked toward the exit with brisk, unconcerned steps.
Her reaction made it clear she had intended this from the very beginning. I hurriedly chased after her, and when I caught up, she looked back at me with a mischievous smirk.
"Well, that’s how it is... so please, let me treat you this time."
"……Alice. Did you plan this from the start?"
"……W-Well, um... asking you to treat me to dinner was just an excuse to get you to go on a date with me... S-So, please, let me do this much to show my appreciation."
"……Appreciation for what?"
"You're definitely asking that because you already know the answer!"
What a shame. I’d hoped to tease her back since she had caught me off guard, but she saw right through me.
Alice grumbled with a flushed face, but her expression soon softened into a wry smile. Without a word from either of us, we began walking again, our hands naturally finding each other.
It would have been fine to head straight back to Alice's home, but the atmosphere was so pleasant that I felt like lingering in the afterglow of the meal for just a while longer.
"……So, Kaito-san... since we're here, why don't we take a stroll along the beach before heading back?"
"Good idea. It'll be good exercise after that meal."
It seemed Alice was on the same wavelength. She suggested a walk along the nearby shore, and I readily agreed as we stepped out of the restaurant.
The rhythmic sound of the waves washing in and out and the crunch of our footsteps on the sand echoed across the nighttime beach. Since the moon was out in all its glory tonight, the light reflecting off the sea provided a soft, comfortable glow.
"……Hey, Kaito-san?"
"Yeah?"
"……It feels like the time just flew by, didn't it?"
"Yeah. I had a wonderful time."
We spoke in gentle tones as we walked with our fingers intertwined in a lover's hand-holding. The warmth of Alice's hand and the soft quality of her voice were incredibly comforting. Combined with the romantic sight of the moonlit beach, I felt a profound sense of happiness.
"……Yes. It really was fun. I honestly can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself this much."
"If you're happy, Alice, then I am too."
"……Kaito-san."
"Yeah?"
"……Will you... come out with me like this again?"
"Of course. As many times as you want."
The sea breeze stroking my cheeks, the sound of the waves, and the certain warmth in my hand... every bit of it felt perfect.
My date with Alice... so many things had happened in a single day.
I had seen an unexpected side of Megiddo-san at the Art Square and watched Alice get adorably flustered. We had fed each other lunch while blushing, tried our luck at the gambling hall... and even now, Alice was right by my side.
It had been so much fun that I actually felt a twinge of loneliness knowing the day was coming to an end.
"……Kaito-san."
"Yeah?"
"……I love you."
"……I love you too, Alice."
We shared our feelings, and then, almost as if on cue, we stopped walking. We turned toward one another, our gazes meeting and locking.
"……Kaito-san. Um, look, I know I said that it was still too early for that kind of thing, but..."
"Yeah."
"B-But, well, I-I-I think a k-k-kiss, at least... would be okay."
"……Are you sure?"
"Yes... Um, the mood is so perfect... and I'm so happy... I want to kiss you, Kaito-san."
"……Alice."
As if drawn to her by gravity, I placed my left hand on Alice’s shoulder and reached out with my right to remove her mask. Her beautiful, sapphire-blue eyes reflected my own image, and her golden hair shone with an ethereal beauty under the moonlight.
One second, ten seconds... after gazing at each other for a short while, Alice softly closed her eyes. Taking that as my signal, I leaned down toward her.
I moved slowly, searing the image of her at this very moment into my mind, until the distance between us vanished entirely.
"……Nn."
Alice's lips were plump and soft. I savored that luscious sensation and her warmth to the fullest. Alice wrapped her hands around the back of my neck, and I mirrored the gesture, drawing her close.
It felt as though we were the only two people left in the world. Forgetting the passage of time, we let our hearts and souls overlap.
After our walk on the beach, we returned to Alice's home in comfortable silence.
My body felt hot with embarrassment, yet it was far from a bad feeling. While basking in that pleasant, ticklish sensation, I followed Alice’s suggestion and went to take a bath first.
As the hot water soothed the fatigue of a day spent on my feet, the image of Alice on the beach kept floating in my mind. Recalling that sight, which was now firmly burned into my memory, made me sink back into a state of bashful bliss.
My relationship with Alice, which had always felt like being with a best friend or a partner-in-crime, had changed significantly. To me, her presence in my heart as a beloved lover had grown more profound than ever.
Feeling as though tomorrow would surely be just as wonderful, I suddenly heard a soft knock on the door.
"……Kaito-san, how is the water?"
"Eh? Oh, yeah, it's just right."
"I-I see... W-Well then... P-P-Pardon me!"
"Huh? Wha—!?"
Just as I replied, the door swung open with a voice that sounded like she was bracing herself for battle. Alice stepped inside, looking mortified and wrapped in nothing but a towel.
Wait, hold on! What is this? What’s happening!?
"A-A-Alice!? What are you—"
"W-W-Well... you see... I'm giving Kaito-san a... 'reward'..."
"A-A reward?"
"Y-Yes! S-S-Since you're having your back washed by a b-beautiful girl like Alice-chan... i-it's a reward!!"
"……Huh?"
Dear Mother, Father—While I had felt a touch of lingering regret that our date was coming to an end as we returned to Alice’s home, thinking that the night was over proved to be a naive assumption. It seems this day is far from over.