After receiving the souvenirs from Chronoa and Life, I followed my schedule and used the teleportation magic circle in Fate’s temple to move to the Sanctuary.
Upon arrival, I was taken aback by the view. The Sanctuary had been transformed into a twilight scene, with the sun just on the verge of dipping below the horizon. I couldn't help but wonder why the sky remained blue while the landscape was washed in the deep red of twilight.
Still, there was no point in nitpicking the logic behind these mysterious phenomena. Given that it was Shiro-san, she had likely acquired some kind of specialized knowledge to pull this off.
The scenery of the Sanctuary felt different beyond just the lighting. Stone-paved paths had been laid out, and combined with the evening glow, the entire place felt like it was modeled after a summer festival. Even the flower fields were different. Upon closer inspection, the color palette had been shifted significantly to match the new stone paths.
As I walked along the paving, I reached a small clearing with a wooden table and chairs. Shiro-san was standing right there.
Her long, silver-white hair was tied back in a ponytail, but it was her outfit that truly commanded my attention. She was dressed in a white yukata adorned with a floral pattern, cinched with a restrained navy blue obi. She had even completed the look with a pair of women’s geta.
...That was just not fair. Shiro-san was so naturally beautiful that she looked incredible in practically anything. To be honest, I had partially expected her to wear a yukata. She had been asking me about festivals from my world quite often lately, and during our conversation earlier today, there had been a suggestive silence when the topic of yukatas crossed my mind.
So, while her wearing a yukata was exactly as I had predicted—and it went without saying that she looked stunning in it—that wasn't the only thing that struck me. The quiet, twilight atmosphere, the flower fields dyed in the sunset, and the way she stood at the end of that stone-paved path... everything matched perfectly. It felt like she had poured an immense amount of effort into the backdrop as well.
I was honestly captivated. She was simply standing there, yet I felt as though I were gazing at a sublime work of art.
As I stood there, lost in thought, a faint, fleeting smile played across Shiro-san’s lips. She spoke in her usual monotone voice.
"You’re welcome to praise me out loud, you know? It makes me happy when you do."
"No, well... you’re so beautiful I literally lost my words. I couldn't speak right away."
"I see. That makes me happy, so please praise me a bit more."
"Wait, more?"
She was already asking for seconds on the compliments. It seemed her spirits were unusually high.
"Well, that floral yukata has a very elegant design that suits your aura perfectly. And while I’ve seen it a few times before, you in a ponytail have a different kind of beauty than usual. It feels very fresh."
When I tried offering a bit more praise as requested, Shiro-san’s smile deepened, and she gave a satisfied, almost playful nod.
I gave a wry smile at her reaction and spoke again as I moved closer to her.
"Still, you’ve really changed the atmosphere. It feels like a mix of Japan from my old world and the usual Sanctuary."
"Yes. Since we are going to watch the fireworks together tonight, I thought I should try to match the mood of the festivals from your world. I consulted the Earth God and remodeled the area. Of course, simply copying it would have been monotonous, so I added some arrangements."
I nodded, looking around. It certainly had a unique, eclectic feel—halfway between a festival's stall-lined streets and a Western flower garden.
"I see. I actually really like this kind of scenery. It's unique and fun to look at."
"I am glad it pleases you, Kaito-san. There is still a little time before the fireworks begin. Would you like to walk around? I have designed the path so that we can do a loop and return here."
"That sounds great. The atmosphere is wonderful, so I’d love to take a walk."
It was a refined suggestion. Walking leisurely through the twilight flower fields sounded lovely, and since I’d had the chance to learn more about the Sanctuary Flowers earlier today, a tour of the garden felt like it would be even more enjoyable than usual.
"Understood. Before we go, however... which do you prefer, a jinbei or a yukata?"
"Oh, for my clothes? Hmm... let's go with a yukata."
She was probably going to change my outfit with her power. A jinbei would have been easier to move in, but I chose the yukata so I could match her.
Shiro-san gave a slight wave of her finger, and my body glowed for an instant. My clothes transformed into a classic striped yukata. She must have made the size slightly loose, as it felt quite comfortable to move in.
"Thank you. Well then, shall we go?"
"Kaito-san, Kaito-san."
"Yes?"
"Both of my hands are currently empty. Is this not a grave situation?"
"...Uh, Shiro-san..."
I was about to ask if we should hold hands, but I paused. We had been through this kind of exchange before... which meant the line I was supposed to say here was...
"I really want to walk hand-in-hand with Shiro-san while she looks this beautiful in her yukata. Would you please hold my hand?"
"Yes, gladly... Kaito-san, that was a perfect score."
"Haha, well, I'm glad to hear it."
It seemed my invitation was exactly what Shiro-san had wanted. She reached out her hand with a look of deep satisfaction. I took it, and together, we began to walk through the twilight.
Serious-senpai (Two Chapters to Recovery): "...Eh? Why... am I being wheeled in here... while I'm still in bed? My whole body hurts like crazy..."
Mystery Entity: "I'm sorry for making you push yourself. But we really needed you here, Serious-senpai."
Serious-senpai (Two Chapters to Recovery): "Wait, what? What's even going on...?"
Mystery Entity: "Well, the mood was getting pretty sweet and flirtatious, so I figured we couldn't go on without Serious-senpai's commentary."
Serious-senpai (Two Chapters to Recovery): "What are you, a demon? Are you trying to damage my mind now that my body's already broken?"