15th of the Second Month of Fire. Inside a small general store tucked away in an alleyway of the Kingdom of Sinfonia’s Royal Capital, two petite girls sat facing each other across the counter.
"...So, after snatching up not only your own work but the work of your subordinates as well, and doing nothing but working like a maniac... not only Chronoa-san, but even Life-san—who apparently woke up without anyone noticing—told you, 'Please, just rest,' and sent you here? Is that the gist of it?"
"Yeah. I mean, isn't it cruel? They get mad if I don't work, but once I do, they tell me to take a break..."
"No, Fate-san, you're just being too extreme."
Alice—the clone tending the shop—wore an exasperated expression as she listened to Fate's story. She quickly prepared two cups of black tea and set them on the counter.
Alice was very close to Fate; calling them best friends wouldn't be an exaggeration. Despite the sudden visit, she didn't treat her coldly and settled in to listen.
"So? What is it you wanted to ask me?"
"Well... I thought it would be better to get an opinion from a different perspective, not just my own."
"...Hmph."
While Alice thought that seeing Fate this distressed was quite a novelty, she refrained from any unnecessary quips and waited for her to continue.
After a brief silence, Fate began to speak quietly and slowly, as if she had finally steeled her nerves.
"...Um, so. Recently, I guess? Whenever I think about Kai-chan, I just can't settle down. But then, whenever I have a spare moment, I find myself thinking about him anyway. I want to see him, but I don't know what kind of face I should make when I do. So, I wondered if maybe—I’m probably wrong, though—but maybe... I’ve... I’ve fallen for Kai-chan? I mean, I don't think that's it, but..."
"...Haaah."
"And so, I wanted to hear your opinion, Shaltan. I want you to answer honestly... Is this that thing they call 'love'?"
"Well, that's obviously—"
"Ah, wait a second! On second thought, if it's too blunt, I'm not ready to handle it! Just wait!"
"..."
The way Fate spoke, looking slightly downcast and acting more modest than one could ever imagine from her usual self, made her feelings all too obvious. Yet, it seemed she still hadn't quite admitted it to herself.
"Um, what was it called? That expression from the otherworld about saying things very gently..."
"You mean 'sugar-coating' it?"
"Yes, that! First, I want you to sugar-coat it about... 'a hundred times' before you answer. Is this what they call love?"
Seeing Fate speak with such an anxious expression, Alice looked a bit exasperated for a moment before slowly speaking.
"...Well, for better or worse, Fate-san, your nature is the most similar to Shallow Vernal-sama’s among the Gods. The very fact that you’ve developed an interest in an individual is rare enough. So, it's probably just that Kaito-san, being that rare subject of interest, appears a bit special to you. If you overthink it, you'll just end up stuck in a rut."
"...I-I see! T-That makes sense! Just in case... what would your opinion be if it wasn't sugar-coated?"
"No matter how I hear it, you're 'head over heels.' You are, quite literally, a 'maiden in love.'"
"..."
Hearing Alice's reply, Fate's shoulders slumped. If it had been said by some random nobody, it would be one thing, but since it came from Alice—her self-admitted best friend—she couldn't ignore it.
Looking somewhat dejected—or rather, appearing as if she couldn't sort out her feelings—Fate thanked Alice and left the store.
Returning to her temple, Fate sat in the corner of a room filled with cushions. She hugged a cushion she had received from Kaito, a bewildered expression on her face.
She was a Supreme God... a deity, an existence completely different from humans. Perhaps it was because she was so aware of that fact that she still couldn't fully accept these emotions.
At first, she had definitely intended to use Kaito. He was someone who satisfied the minimum requirement of not being boring, and he was a "good property" because he was such a pushover. That had likely been the extent of her assessment.
At that point, at least, Fate had felt interest in Kaito, but not affection.
When exactly had her feelings begun to change? At the very least, by the time they had visited the Hydra Kingdom together, her state of mind was already shifting.
It hadn't been long since Fate met Kaito. However, they had shared a fair number of memories.
In the first place, Fate frequently slipped out of her temple to visit him. Since she was usually dragged back by Chronoa, the actual time spent wasn't that long, but they had still exchanged many words.
They had bathed in a hot spring together and talked. She had explained her Authorities and her way of thinking to him. They had even gone on a date, even if she had been a bit pushy about it.
When exactly... did the purpose of her sneaking out change from slacking off to seeing Kaito?
When exactly... did she start naturally smiling whenever he laughed?
When exactly... did she start thinking that if it was for Kaito's sake, it wouldn't be so bad... to work a little bit?
No answer came to her swirling thoughts. However, Fate's heart had already given the name "Love" to that previously unknown emotion and was beginning to accept it.
Bit by bit, she was starting to acknowledge that she was being drawn to Kaito. And precisely because of that, she was simultaneously deeply confused.
"...I don't... know. Love... romance... I don't know... what I'm supposed to do..."
The longer the period of time where things remain the same, the more one becomes a coward toward change. For tens of thousands of years, Fate had not experienced any major transformation.
That was why the change currently occurring within her was terrifying. She felt anxious about her changing self.
What kind of face should she make when she met the person she had come to like?
She simply—did not know.
Serious-senpai: "Gah!? T-This is bad... This person is having a much more proper romance than I imagined..."
???: "Hmm. True, Fate-san really does give off the vibe of a girl confused by love, doesn't she? It looks like things are going to get sweet."
Serious-senpai: "...Eek."