After returning to the mansion from the God Realm and exchanging greetings with my mother and father once again, Lilia-san tactfully withdrew. "I'm sure you have family matters to discuss," she said, "and I’ve mostly finished my explanation of the situation." So, the three of us—Mom, Dad, and I—were left alone in a spacious room.
I’d imagined this moment countless times. I’d wondered what we’d talk about if they were alive, how I’d interact with them once they were resurrected... But now that they were actually here, I found myself surprisingly short on topics. I had expected the conversation to flow more naturally out of nostalgia and shared memories.
"Hmm. How should I put this?" Dad muttered with a wry smile, seemingly just as stumped as I was. "It feels like we lived together for a month in that dream world, so seeing you now doesn't really feel like it's been that long."
Mom nodded in agreement. Now that he mentioned it, the fact that the two people in that virtual world were the real deal meant that, despite slight differences in memory, we had lived together for a month, just as Dad said. Perhaps that was why, despite finally being together, it didn't feel intensely nostalgic.
"Well, besides that," Mom added, her chestnut hair swaying as she gave me a thumbs-up, "the truth is, I actually met and spoke with Kaito six months before that trial began."
"Wait... what?"
"Is that so? That's news to me," Dad said.
I couldn’t wrap my head around what she meant. Dad seemed just as confused; he tilted his head, waiting for an explanation.
"I arrived in this world a bit earlier than you did... Back then, I was going by the name Luce."
"Wait! E-Eeehhh?! Then Luce-san really was you, Mom?!"
"Fufu, that's exactly right."
Mom puffed out her small chest with a triumphant look. No wonder they looked identical—it was actually her.
"Heh, but even with a different name, I would’ve thought Kaito would notice..." Dad mused.
His doubt was reasonable. In fact, when I first met Luce-san, even though I knew my mother was dead, I had suspected she might be the real thing.
"N-no, but... Mom... Luce-san’s handmade sandwiches were delicious!"
Dad’s expression turned skeptical. "...What’s that? Then it definitely wasn't her. There’s no doubt. Even if I were in your shoes, Kaito, I would’ve assumed it was a different person."
Hearing my words, Dad—who had eaten my mother's cooking longer and more often than anyone else—nodded deeply. He assured me it was no wonder I hadn't realized it.
Did that mean someone else made those sandwiches? Or could it be that Shiro-san had somehow "corrected" my mother's poor cooking skills? If so, that was incredible. As expected of an Almighty God. Of course, there was no way I could say that to Mom’s face.
"Kaito? Dear?"
"Hic... A-Ah, no, what I just said was just a figure of speech..."
"A-Ah, that's right!" Dad chimed in, stepping right into the danger zone. "As expected of a God—their power truly transcends human understanding. To think she could actually do something about Mother's cooking... I’m genuinely shocked."
Dad, why did you have to step right on the landmine I just dodged?! Mom’s eyes had gone totally cold. This was bad. At this rate, I was going to get caught in the crossfire.
"Dear... come over here for a moment."
"I-I'm sorry, that was a slip of the tongue! B-but it’s only because I've been with you for so long that it was such a shock! Wait! L-let's just talk with Kaito for a while—"
"Wait here for a bit, Kaito."
"Ah, okay."
Nice. Apparently, in Mom’s judgment, I was safe and Dad was out. I watched Mom drag Dad out of the room by the scruff of his neck as he continued to dig his own grave with one blunder after another. I let out a long sigh of relief.
"Hmm. Kaito-san's parents remind me a bit of Sieg-san's parents," Alice remarked, appearing out of nowhere. "They seem to have a good sense of humor. Personally, they’re exactly my type."
"You really have a knack for appearing out of thin air... but yeah, I was thinking the same thing."
It was an interaction I’d seen in the virtual world, but my heart felt naturally warmed. Perhaps I was feeling nostalgic after all. While Dad was being "lectured," I chatted with my thoughtful lover, who had likely come to keep me company so I wouldn't get bored.
"By the way, Alice, this is a total change of subject."
"What’s up?"
"Well, since I've decided to live here for good, I was thinking that instead of staying in Lilia-san's mansion forever, maybe I should buy my own house."
"Oh, that’s definitely an option! I can already see a massive pile of money finding its way into Alice-chan's pockets. I can't wait!"
Exactly as I predicted, Alice apparently had no problem handling carpentry either. I felt like I would end up asking her to do it anyway. Even if she was a bit expensive, the level of trust was just different. Of course, if I told her that, she’d get carried away, so I kept it to myself.
"Well, I figured you’d say that... By the way, how much would that cost?"
"Let's see. How does one thousand Platinum Coins sound for the whole package?"
"Hmm."
It wasn't an amount I couldn't pay, but it was the highest quote Alice had ever given me—equivalent to ten billion Japanese yen. Even so, I knew Alice would undoubtedly deliver work that exceeded the price. And thanks to Anima increasing my funds so much, I’d still have plenty left over even after paying.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. Considering the acquaintances who might visit or the people who might stay over, I felt like it was okay to splurge. Knowing Alice, she wouldn't build something so gaudy it would make me uncomfortable.
"Then, Alice... I'll need to talk to Lilia-san first, but I'll give you the money ahead of time."
"Yes, yes! Thanks for your business! Leave it to me. I'll build a house that'll make you proud, Kaito-san."
"Yeah, thanks."
I smiled as I said that... but my understanding of my own position and my environment was still far too naive. I would come to regret that later.
???: "Hint: His lovers include a Duke, an Elif, the Six Kings, a Supreme God, and the Creator God..."
Serious-senpai: "...Ah. I see."