The jet coaster was our first stop. By my standards, it was incredibly fast and more than a little terrifying, but since I was the only human in the group, those standards didn't mean much. Kuro and Alice were both completely relaxed throughout the ride.
"It was great being able to see the whole amusement park from up that high. Starting with this attraction makes it a lot easier to decide where to go next."
"Well, I adjusted the speed to top out at about 180 km/h, so it’s definitely on the faster side as far as coasters go. But by our standards... well, you know."
"Small wonder I thought it was fast, even for a jet coaster."
At 180 km/h, it was fast enough that its speed could easily be its main selling point. I wasn't exactly an expert—I'd only seen a bit about them on TV years ago—but I seemed to recall the world's fastest coaster being somewhere around 200 km/h, so this was a serious pace.
"That aside, Kuro-san. Did you decide on the next attraction while we were up there?"
"Yeah! I want to try that one over there shaped like a mountain."
"The water slider, then. Oh, Kaito-san, don't worry about getting soaked. I'll put up a magic barrier to keep the water off us."
It looked like Kuro’s next pick was the water slider. I didn't mind, but... considering that mountain shape, it was probably one of those rides that ended with a massive drop, right? I'd hoped to sandwich something a bit more mellow between the high-speed thrills, but... oh well.
"Ah—Kuro-san. There's a gift shop on the way; do you want to stop in for a bit?"
"A shop? That sounds fun! Oh, I've heard of this. You're supposed to wear matching hairbands when you go to an amusement park, right?"
"I guess it is a classic move."
I nodded at Kuro’s excited words. Wearing hairbands and the like was a staple of the experience... though, if they were selling merchandise, did that mean Alice had gone as far as designing a whole product line? For what purpose...?
"Alice... don't tell me you're planning on opening this amusement park somewhere for real later on..."
"This park runs on cheat abilities Shallow Vernal-sama added on a whim, so the attractions generate their own power to operate. In other words, the operational cost is zero. Even with labor and maintenance, the profit margins should be massive. I’m planning to open a location somewhere through my trading company eventually. Well, that’s a plan for the future, anyway."
"You’ve always got an eye on the bottom line... anyway, thanks."
"Whatever for, I wonder?"
I thanked her because I knew she’d suggested the shop break specifically to let me rest after the coaster, but Alice just tilted her head and played dumb.
When we reached the shop, the setup was much more professional than I’d expected.
"You really went all out on this..."
"These are based on the Shaltier kigurumi, aren't they? Heh, they're actually quite cute when they're stylized as plushies."
"Kuro-san, it sounds like you're saying they aren't cute normally."
"No, well... it’s just that when I remember Alice is the one inside them... you know?"
"I get it. I totally get it."
"Aren't you two being a little mean?!"
Alice protested, but honestly, it couldn't be helped. To be fair, the kigurumi alone could probably pass for 'gross-cute.' But with Alice actually inside it, her movements were just obnoxious and generally loud.
I felt like the mere fact that Alice was inside increased the annoyance factor by about thirty percent. Perhaps that was why the plushie versions actually looked genuinely cute to me.
"Anyway, let’s pick out some hairbands."
"Right. Which one do you want, Kaito-kun?"
"Hey, listen to me... gununu. I'm a Transcendent Beautiful Girl, you know? This doesn't make any sense."
"Whether you’re a beautiful girl or not has nothing to do with it..."
When you're talking about a mascot suit, the looks of the person inside are irrelevant. Regardless, I ignored the grumbling Alice and started looking through the selection. There were all sorts of animal ears available.
"Hey, hey, Kaito-kun. Which one do you think would suit me?"
"Hmm... maybe the rabbit ears? They match your hair color."
"These? How do I look?"
"Yeah. They suit you perfectly. You look cute."
"Ehehe, thanks. Then I think I'll go with these."
I’d chosen them simply because the white color was a good match for Kuro’s hair, but Kuro wearing rabbit ears was incredibly lovely. It was a fresh, charming look for her.
"By the way, what about Alice-chan?"
"...Hmm. Maybe the fox ears?"
"You're just picking based on hair color now, Kaito-san. By that logic, you have to wear these bear ears."
"Even as you say that, you're putting them on... and wow, they don't look out of place at all. They suit you so well it almost looks like they're actually growing out of your head."
"Really? Do I look cute?"
"Yeah, really cute. I think I like this look on you..."
"T-Thanks..."
"Don't get embarrassed after you're the one who asked..."
The fox ears were a perfect match for Alice’s hair color and provided an incredible fit. Perhaps because Alice’s hair already had some volume, the headband was completely hidden, making them look natural.
Both Kuro and Alice were adorable. Being able to see them like this—a side they'd probably never show normally—felt like a special privilege of being their lover, and it made me genuinely happy.
Serious-senpai: "Look at the title! What is with that title?! And what is with this scene?! I will not—I cannot—forgive this title fraud!!"