Suddenly, I found myself heading out to watch the fireworks under the pretense of a "date" with Illness-san. We walked hand-in-hand down the nighttime path, our way lit by the warm glow of the festival stalls.
Feeling the heat radiating from her palm, I adjusted my pace, shortening my stride as much as possible to match her smaller steps.
"Illness-san, am I walking too fast for you?"
"No... Thank you so much for being so considerate. I’m quite alright..."
Looking at her face as she replied with a gentle smile, I realized I was feeling strangely tense. The fact that I was walking through a festival while holding hands with her was likely the primary cause.
There was also the fact that Tre-san had made a point of calling this a date, which made me far more self-conscious than I usually was.
"Ah, Illness-san. We don’t have a lot of time, but is there anything you’d like to buy on our way to the viewing spot?"
"Let me see... Since I don't have much experience with festivals, Kaito-sama... would you mind choosing for me...?"
"Oh, sure. Leave it to me."
Now I was in a bind. What should I do? What should I pick? I didn't actually know her specific tastes in food.
No, wait, I needed to stay calm and analyze the situation. Illness-san and I were currently holding hands. Considering that, and the fact that we were about to dive into the crowded Main Street, anything that required both hands to eat was out of the question.
Ideally, it had to be something she could eat with one hand. A skewer or a candy apple seemed like the best bets.
Personally, I didn't think the image of Illness-san munching on a meat skewer really fit her, so that left a candy apple—or rather, a Riple Candy, as they were called in this world.
However, despite their cute appearance, candy apples were quite filling. Recalling our previous evening drinks, Illness-san seemed to be a light eater. A whole candy apple might be too much for her.
As I scanned the stalls while weighing my options, I spotted one selling fruit candy. Right, they had more than just apples.
"Illness-san, how about the fruit candy over there? They have all sorts of varieties, so you can pick whatever you like."
"Yes... Then, since we're here, why don't we buy some...?"
"Sure. They have quite a selection. Which one looks good to you?"
"Let's see... perhaps the strawberry candy..."
The one she chose had about five strawberries skewered on a stick. Since each fruit wasn't particularly large, it certainly looked like it would be easy to eat.
As that thought crossed my mind, Illness-san glanced at me with a small, wry smile.
"However... this might be a bit much for me. Kaito-sama, if you wouldn't mind... could you help me eat about half of it...?"
"Eh? Oh, of course. I’ll buy one, and you can eat as much as you like first. I'll finish whatever is left."
"Yes..."
Good, everything was going well. I'd managed to pick something that suited her. Wait... I’d just let that slide because the conversation felt so natural, but sharing a single skewer of fruit candy between the two of us was actually pretty embarrassing.
No, fortunately, since they were strawberries, we’d be eating them one at a time. It wasn't like we were sharing a single piece of fruit, so it wouldn't count as an indirect kiss or anything like that. Even so, it was hard not to overthink it.
If I were with one of my lovers, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but Illness-san wasn't in that category. Beyond that... well, she was a kind, mature woman whom I held in high regard—something close to admiration—which made me feel even more self-conscious.
Feeling a bashfulness I couldn't quite put into words, I bought the strawberry candy and handed it to her. As we resumed our walk, I found myself captivated by the sight of her eating.
She took several small, delicate bites to finish a single strawberry that I probably could have swallowed in one go. There was something incredibly elegant about it. I’d thought so before, but as expected of a head maid serving a ducal house, her manners were so refined they were enchanting.
"Kaito-sama...?"
"Eh? Ah, sorry! I was just... thinking how delicious it looked..."
"Kuhihi, yes... it is very delicious..."
"I-I’m glad to hear that."
Realizing she’d caught me staring, I reflexively made an excuse. Illness-san gave a playful chuckle and then smoothly held the skewer out toward me.
"Kaito-sama, please... won't you have one as well...?"
"Huh? Oh, uh, y-yes... thank you."
I had assumed she would eat her fill first and then hand the rest to me. I hadn't expected us to take turns eating one berry at a time.
Moreover, the way she held the stick made it look as though she were feeding me. It went without saying that the level of embarrassment was far beyond anything I had imagined.
Still, maybe it was just my imagination, but it felt like Illness-san was having more fun than usual.
Serious-senpai: "...I... I can't move... The sugar content is so high... my body is stiffening... I can't move."
???: "What's with this glossy look ssu? ...Wait, isn't this Bekko-ame ssu? Eh? Do you secrete candy now too, Serious-senpai ssu? Turning into sugar, hardening into candy... as always, your biology is just way too weird ssu..."