Several days had passed since the exhausting spectacle of the Maid Olympia. Perhaps because the event had been so draining, I had spent the last few days relaxing at home to recover from the mental fatigue.
Mostly, I spent my time playing with Bell and Rin. Sera, Sieg-san’s pet, usually stayed with them as well. Since Sieg-san also came by to look after Sera during her breaks, I had plenty of opportunities to talk to her. It was during one of these moments that she made a suggestion.
"Kaito-san, would you like to go somewhere on my next day off?"
"Oh, that sounds great. Where were you thinking?"
"Um, well, there’s an event like this..."
I agreed to her suggestion without a second thought. I had no reason to refuse in the first place, and since it was effectively an invitation to a date, I was actually quite happy. When I asked for more details, Sieg-san pulled out a flyer and handed it to me. I took a look.
"Rare Monsters Assemble! Limited-time Interaction Event."
According to the headline and the details below, the event was being held in the Arclesia Empire. It seemed people could directly interact with various creatures, ranging from popular pets to monsters that usually competed in the monster races.
I see. This was exactly the kind of thing an animal lover like Sieg-san would enjoy. It was also the sort of event only possible in the Arclesia Empire, given their deep connection with Magnawell-san.
"Heh, looks interesting. I’m curious about the racing monsters, but I’d also like to see which ones are popular as pets. I’ve heard slimes are a big hit..."
"Slimes only need water and almost no maintenance, and since they’re very affectionate, they’re easy monsters to raise. Aside from them, animal-type monsters are always popular, as are dragon species. Though dragons are expensive and usually reserved for the wealthy."
"That makes sense. I do see animal-type monsters in the city occasionally, but I almost never see dragon species."
In this world, the primary difference between a monster and a normal animal was whether or not they possessed magic power. Consequently, many monsters looked exactly like ordinary dogs or cats. Of course, there were also those that were clearly grotesque or impossibly large...
"Anyway, it sounds like fun. Let's head there on your next day off, Sieg-san."
"Yes!"
"Grua!"
"Unfortunately, it says pets aren't allowed inside, so Bell and the others will have to stay home."
"Kuu..."
Bell looked visibly dejected at my answer, which was quite adorable. Still, I felt bad for him, so I decided to make today’s walk a little more special. We had the time, and I remembered there was a Lookout Hill just past the South Gate, so I decided we’d head out that way.
Serious-senpai: "Ugh... Sieg is next, huh."
???: "It looks like the Date with Sieg-san Arc is starting-ssu."