The day of the Hydra Kingdom’s Founding Anniversary Festival arrived. I was in a complicated state of mind; despite some shocking developments right when I thought things had finally settled down, I suspected that everyone but me was probably having a perfectly normal, peaceful time.
I had already promised Alice that I would spend the day with her, so we arrived at the royal capital of the Hydra Kingdom via her teleportation magic.
"Whoa, it's lively. Somehow, the sheer energy of the crowd feels even more intense here than it did at the festivals in Symphonia or Alcreasia."
"The people of Hydra are high-energy, and the national character is full of go-getters. When an opportunity like this comes up, a lot of folks decide to take the plunge and open a stall. That’s why you see so many small, independent shops with such a wide variety of goods."
"I see. If I remember right, the government offers subsidies that make it easy for individuals to start a business on a whim, don't they?"
"Exactly. That said, the districts are partitioned off to an extent. We're in a Free Area right now, but there are sections with higher fees. Naturally, those spots are lined with stalls from merchant guilds or groups with deep pockets rather than individuals. It is a business, after all—high-traffic areas are popular and hard to get into."
"I see..."
The sheer vitality of the nation was palpable, and the atmosphere was starting to rub off on me. More than anything, though, having Alice by my side was a relief.
She was an absolute font of knowledge, and being able to ask her about anything I didn't understand was a huge help. I hadn't visited the Hydra Kingdom much and had zero sense of the layout, but with her here, I didn't have to worry about a thing.
"I think I can actually relax and enjoy myself with you here, Alice. There are so many stalls around—want to grab a bite to eat?"
"Sounds like a plan! I’m all for it... Eh? An all-you-can-eat feast on your tab? Kaito-san, you're so handsome! I’ll enjoy the meal!!"
"I never said a single word about— Hey! Don't pickpocket my wallet like it's second nature!"
"Ow!?"
Even though I hadn't said a word about it, she just started talking about a free-for-all feast on her own. I knocked a knuckle against Alice’s head as she suddenly ended up with my wallet in her hand without me even noticing.
I had come prepared to treat her since we were on a date, but if I let this idiot eat to her heart's content, there was no telling where it would end. Moderation was key.
"...Fine, I'll treat you, but keep it within reason."
"Oh my, the old 'rough 'em up then play it sweet' technique... Kyah! Kaito-san, you're such a heartthrob!"
"Where did I put my toy hammer..."
"But I was complimenting you!"
"Everything coming out of your mouth just sounds like you’re making fun of me."
She was stuck firmly in her playful mode, but I could tell she was actually quite excited. She was already frolicking around and genuinely enjoying herself, which made me happy too.
I kept that thought to myself, though. If I said it out loud, she’d either get carried away and become even more annoying, or she'd get bashful and start acting awkward.
"Seriously though, this is wild. You’ve got a whole extra day of this ahead of you, don't you, Kaito-san? Good grief, only the God of World Creation could come up with something so bizarre."
"You're telling me. I was caught completely off guard, but... well, it’s not like there aren't upsides."
"True enough. I mean, from your perspective, you’re going through multiple rounds, but for me, it’s just the one time. Since I won't have to fight your other lovers for your attention, I’d say I’m coming out ahead. It sounds like it'll be a lot of work for you, though."
"You can say that again. Still, at a huge event like this founding festival, it’s actually a plus that I’ll get to visit all the places I can't fit into our schedule today."
Shiro-san's Super WIN System was exactly the kind of logic you'd expect from a god. I’d given Alice a brief rundown, but I hadn't broken the news to the others yet. Part of me felt like this was a trial run, and I wanted to see how it worked before committing to anything. Otherwise, I might end up doing a lot more than just two rounds of the festival...
"Well, you can worry about all that later. For now, let’s just focus on having a good time together."
"Fair point. No sense worrying about it now. Let's just enjoy the day... Now, give me my wallet back."
"But your wallet whispered to me! It said it wanted to treat me and refused to let go— Ow!?"
I gave her another light bonk for her weak joke, but a smile found its way onto my face anyway. Yeah, with Alice here, I knew I was going to have a great time at the festival.
Serious-senpai: "...A date episode, huh? Well, since Shiro isn't here, I'll just sleep through—"
Machina: "It'll be just the two of us for a while!"
Serious-senpai: "Shiro, please come back immediately!!"