After showing us the reception room that was essentially for her exclusive use, Isis-san said, "...I'll... come again... for the housewarming," and headed home. Alice then resumed her tour of the mansion.
Since we were saving my own room for last, she was going to lead me through the other areas that differed from Lilia-san's house first. My expectations were high.
Between the automatic movement corridor and the room designed to withstand the magic power of death, I’d clearly made the right choice in asking Alice for help.
While these thoughts occupied my mind, I followed Alice's lead until we reached a staircase leading down to the basement.
"There's a basement too?"
"Well, it's a classic trope, isn't it? I personally recommend this floor, too."
"I see... Hm? The path splits here."
"There are two rooms prepared in this basement. Which would you like to see first?"
"Hmm... Let's go with the one on the right."
Despite being underground, magic tools for lighting kept the area from feeling dim; it felt like a normal, windowless hallway.
The path branched off, with a large door visible at the end of each corridor.
I wondered what kind of rooms they were. Usually, a basement meant a storehouse, but since she was making a point of showing me, it was probably something else.
Besides, I had the Magic Box Kuro gave me, which had an absurd amount of storage space. I didn't need a warehouse. Since there was no way Alice didn't know that, it probably wasn't for storage.
With a mix of doubt and anticipation, I opened the door. Inside was a room set up exactly like a shop. Weapons and armor lined the walls, and a figure in a lion kigurumi sat behind the counter at the back.
"...What is this?"
"Hehehe! This is 'Alice-chan's Equipment Shop'! You can buy weapons and armor here!"
"...Wait, what?"
"To be blunt, I just brought over some leftovers from my general store! Now, Kaito-san! Buy something—Ow!?"
I didn't think I was in the wrong for reflexively knocking her on the head. Yeah, there it was. The prank I'd been waiting for. What annoyed me most was the fact that I actually felt a bit relieved that Alice had mixed in some nonsense instead of staying completely serious.
Part of me wondered what I was doing, while another part just accepted that this was typical Alice. It was a losing battle.
"Why on earth would I need an equipment shop in my house?"
"Well, it’s not like you strictly need it... but isn't it cool? Finding out there was a hidden shop at the starting point of a game once you reach the finale—isn't that hype?"
"I can kind of see the appeal, but there's zero practical use for it!"
"No, no, you never know. One day, this equipment shop might just save your life!"
"...No, it won't."
I muttered with a sigh. After taking a long breath, I decided to convince myself that since it was Alice, this was par for the course. In fact, if Alice didn't pull any pranks, it would probably make me more anxious.
"Anyway, let's check the other room. I have nothing but a bad feeling about this."
"No, no, you can look forward to it! The other room is a sophisticated place for adults. I'm sure you'll like it, Kaito-san!"
"The fact that you keep calling them 'shops' instead of 'rooms' tells me everything I need to know."
It seemed the basement was Alice's designated playground, and the second room was also some kind of store. I let out another heavy sigh and headed toward the other door with a feeling of resignation.
When I opened it, I found a slightly dim room that looked exactly like a bar.
"Hm? So you've arrived. It has been a while."
"I have a lot I want to say, but what exactly are you doing, Iris-san?"
"Umu. I understand your feelings perfectly. I am also utterly exasperated."
I spoke to Iris-san, who was standing behind the counter dressed as a bartender. She nodded with a look of shared exhaustion.
"Yes! This is 'BAR Iris'! You can enjoy drinks and light snacks here. By the way, this room is actually connected to the back of my general store. 'I linked the spaces together with Space-Time Magic'! Tee-hee—Ow!?"
"Seriously, what are you doing...?"
"N-No, wait, please calm down! This is actually very convenient! You can come here if you're feeling hungry, and the door in the back leads straight to Alice-chan's General Store, so shopping is a breeze!"
"I see... I get it."
"Wait, Kaito-san! I was wrong! I'm sorry... Just please stop casually pulling out 'The Creator God's Unreasonably Absurd Toy Hammer (Who Doesn't Know How to Hold Back)'! That thing really hurts... Wait, when did that rotten god give you a weapon like that!?"
Seeing me retrieve the Toy Hammer from my Magic Box, Alice bowed her head in genuine panic. I let out one more deep sigh at the ridiculous scene and put the hammer away.
Then, I turned back to Iris-san at the counter.
"Anyway... are you okay with this, Iris-san?"
"Me? Well, cooking has always been a hobby of mine. Feel free to drop by whenever you like. I'll even serve you some of the local cuisine from our homeland."
Watching Iris-san smile faintly, I felt my frustration fading into a "well, whatever" mood. It was definitely born from a prank, but I had a feeling I’d get more use out of this than the equipment shop.
Coming here for a late-night snack might be nice, and I didn't mind the quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Alice really was a handful, but I seemed to have been worn down enough to think that this much was fine.