It was the sixth day of the Six Kings Festival. I was currently waiting in the central square right in front of the Central Tower to meet Kuro. Since we were both staying in the same tower, there wasn't any real need for a formal rendezvous, but Kuro had been insistent on following the classic cliché of meeting up for a date.
About two minutes after I reached the square, I heard light footsteps behind me, followed by Kuro’s voice.
"Sorry, Kaito-kun! Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, I just got here—"
I had actually just arrived, so I turned around to give a casual reply... and the words died in my throat.
I’d known she was coming in a yukata today. Kuro was already such a peerless beauty that I'd expected the outfit to look great on her, but the reality far exceeded my imagination.
Whatever mental image I’d conjured was utterly shattered—in the best way possible—the moment she appeared.
The yukata featured floral patterns embroidered in silver and gold thread against a black base. It was a masterpiece, which made sense given that Alice was the one who had crafted it.
For some reason, the sleeves were long, more like a formal furisode than a standard summer yukata. The design looked like the fine clothing one would wear for a New Year’s shrine visit, but the fabric was thin enough that she didn't seem burdened by it at all.
A bright pink, ribbon-shaped obi provided a striking accent against the black fabric. It was tied into a large bow at her back, catching the eye even from the front. She was undeniably, breathtakingly cute... but there were two specific details that hit me even harder.
First, the bottom half was styled as a mini-skirt worn over spats. I see... that was a bold move. A mini-skirt yukata might be a bit unorthodox, but it suited an active girl like Kuro perfectly. The ruffles along the hem were a nice touch, and the spats peeking out from underneath were... well, incredibly suggestive.
I thought a pair of long socks to create an "Absolute Territory" would have been the icing on the cake, but Kuro was probably too shy for that, hence the spats.
The second point was her hair. She had tied it into a ponytail. I’ll say it again because it bears repeating: a ponytail.
It was a short ponytail given her hair length, but it was devastatingly adorable. She had left her long sideburns down to frame her face, which worked perfectly. To put it mildly, she was an Angel. To put it honestly, she was the Incarnation of Beauty.
"...Kaito-kun?"
"No, it's just... your outfit. It took me by surprise."
"Oh, um... what do you think?"
"You're incredibly cute. It suits you perfectly."
"Really?! Ehehe, I’m so happy!"
Good lord, she was dangerously cute. I finally understood why she had worshippers all over the world.
"S-So, shall we get going?"
"Yeah!"
My heart was pounding as she nodded happily and took my hand with natural ease. What was I supposed to do? She was even cute from the side. The way she looked up at me as she talked, bridging our height difference, was just too much to handle.
I was starting to feel strangely flustered. I needed to focus. Once we started walking through the festival, surely my heart would calm down.
As Alice had mentioned, Kuro’s portion of the festival was modeled after an "orthodox summer fair." We hadn't walked far before the stalls came into view.
The designs were clearly influenced by Earth, making the scene feel very familiar. While it was a nostalgic sight for me, I suppose it was a novel experience for the people of this world to enjoy an festival from another dimension.
"There are so many stalls. Why don't we grab a snack?"
"Yeah! I love grazing at stalls!"
"You did publish a whole guidebook on it, after all."
"Heh, exactly!"
...Cute.
I was almost captivated by her adorable gestures again, but I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I couldn't spend the whole day just staring at her. I scanned the rows of shops lining the street.
I see, it really does feel like a standard festival. I wonder if they have the usual classics? Let’s see... Yakisoba, baby castella, skewers, baby castella, takoyaki, baby castella, cotton candy, baby castella, Riple Candy, baby castella, baby castella, grilled squid, baby castella... Hold on.
"Wow! There are so many I don't know where to start!"
"No, wait... let me think for a second..."
"U-Um, okay."
What the heck was up with the baby castella ratio?! I’d just glanced at thirteen stalls, and seven of them were for baby castellas!
In fact, there were even spots where two baby castella stalls were standing right next to each other! This wasn't a summer festival; it was a Baby Castella Festival! Who would even want this many? It was like she was hunting them down for sport—
"Oh, those baby castellas look delicious! And those look good too... Oh, and the shape of that one is so interesting! Hmmm, I don't know where to start!"
"..."
I found the demand. The world's wealthiest individual was ready to go on a rampage.
It was a brilliantly targeted business model, but a deep sense of dread settled in my stomach. I had a nagging feeling I’d be doing nothing but eating baby castellas all day. That wouldn't happen... would it? Surely not... I hoped.
Dear Mother, Father—
That was how the sixth day began—with me desperately wanting to shout that there was nothing "orthodox" about this at all. But at that moment, I didn't realize. I didn't know that this was only the beginning. The curtain was about to rise on a far greater baby castella hell...
The Sixth Day of the Six Kings Festival: From "Orthodox Festival" to "The Baby Castella Festival of Madness"!