We walked leisurely along the beach, chatting as we approached the cottage that was our destination. It was situated on slightly elevated ground, in a spot that offered a magnificent view of the vast sea.
The interior was tastefully decorated—simple yet elegant. It wasn’t overwhelmingly large, but it possessed an unmistakable air of luxury.
"This place has a nice feel to it," I remarked.
"It does," Alice agreed. "It might be a little lacking if you're looking for true extravagance, but..."
"No, I actually prefer this. If it were too grand, I think I’d just end up feeling on edge instead."
"Ah, I get that. Fine things are fine and all, but rather than the kind of opulence meant for royalty, the sort of luxury that feels like a commoner splurging a bit is much more relaxing, isn't it?"
"Exactly."
It wasn't that the cottage was plain by any means; it exuded a premium feel and was arguably too big for just the two of us. However, compared to the image of a place a noble might use, it felt somewhat modest. That likely added to its charm as a private hideaway.
"S-S-S-So... th-then... wh-wh-what should we do next?"
"I told you, just calm down a bit..."
Alice’s agitation flared up again the moment we stepped inside, prompting another sigh from me. For a split second, I considered telling her she didn't have to push herself and that we could try this some other time, but I bit my tongue.
She was summoning every bit of courage she had. She’d made her decision. She was only faltering because she was incredibly embarrassed; offering to call it off under the guise of being considerate would likely only end up hurting her feelings.
"There's no need to rush. Why don't we do what we talked about earlier and have some tea while we rest? We've been on our feet all day, after all."
"Oh... right. Understood."
Since she was so prone to panicking right now, I had to stay as calm and collected as possible. I needed to be the one to lead.
In situations like this, she usually got flustered because she didn't know what to do next, so I needed to provide a clear roadmap for her.
"We'll just have some tea and enjoy the view. Since we're finally alone, we can be as lovey-dovey as we want and take things one step at a time."
"I-I see! In other words... we look at the sea and the stars from the balcony with mugs of coffee in hand, chatting while the moonlight shines down... and then our free hands touch, and w-w-we build the atmosphere with light kisses—like a bird kiss—and after that, w-we take a bath together and enjoy some physical contact, and th-th-then we head for the bed..."
"You sure have a lot to say... Well, if that's what you want, let's go with that."
Given how she rattled all of that off in one breath, her delusion power was clearly off the charts due to her nerves. Still, it was so like her to want a scenario straight out of a romance movie, complete with mugs on the balcony.
I hadn't thought that far ahead myself, but following Alice's script seemed like a solid plan.
"Anyway, I'll get the coffee started. Or... since it's late, maybe cocoa would fit the mood better?"
"Oh, cocoa sounds perfect! A sweet taste and a sweet atmosphere... I like the sound of that."
"We have coffee, but do we have any cocoa?"
"I have some with me. I'll get it ready."
"...And while you're at it, why don't you take off that mask?"
"..................Would it be okay if I had, say, three more hours of mental preparation first?"
"No."
"Auu..."
Accepting my firm refusal, she looked utterly bashful as she finally removed the mask. She occasionally took it off when it was just the two of us, but when she felt shy, she always tried to hide behind it. Even though it barely covered her face, it seemed to provide her with a much-needed sense of security.
Still, since she complied so readily, she probably realized that the mask would only get in the way of the atmosphere we were trying to build.
So, being affectionate on the balcony while watching the stars and the sea, huh? It was probably best if I kept a few classic romantic scenarios in mind so I could keep things moving.
She mentioned a bird kiss... Even if she was just rambling, if I didn't take the initiative to follow through on things like that when the moment felt right, our night wouldn't progress an inch. A little bit of forcefulness was going to be necessary.
At any rate, I just wanted Alice to be happy and to help her relax so we could enjoy this together.
Machina: "When things reach this point, the gap in experience between My Beloved Child and Alice really becomes obvious. Though, it doesn't help that Alice is such a late bloomer."
Serious-senpai: "...Can I please leave now?"
Machina: "No."
Serious-senpai: "Guh..."