I decided to set aside the questionable name "Lovey-dovey Soft-serve" for a moment. As the God of Love, Heart-san was undeniably well-suited for the role of shopkeeper.
Still, even so, I had to ask.
"...Heart-san, aren't you the god assigned to the Hydra Kingdom?"
"Could we not talk about that? It’s really taking a toll on my mental health... But if I must say one thing, nothing in this world takes priority over fulfilling Shallow Vernal-sama's wishes."
I asked because I was worried about the optics of a well-known deity with a temple in this very kingdom doing something like this, but Heart-san—despite her incredibly awkward expression—was crystal clear about Shiro-san being her absolute priority.
Talk about dedication. Considering she had prepared a stall overflowing with pink decorations the very instant Shiro-san made the request, her conviction was staggering.
"...I see. Well then, one soft-serve, please."
I placed my order, wondering how a "Lovey-dovey Soft-serve" actually differed from a normal one. What she handed over was a pink soft-serve on a cone much larger than the standard size.
Was it peach? Or strawberry? It looked delicious, and since the premise was that two people would lick it together, there weren't any toppings like chocolate chips to get in the way. Instead, it was elegantly drizzled with a pink sauce to create a stylish look. Even the cone was elaborate—when viewed from above, it was shaped like a heart.
It even came with mini stick-shaped cookies; it looked like something served at a high-end cafe. Had she really prepared all this the second Shiro-san muttered her request? Or had she anticipated this specific development and prepared pinpointed soft-serve in advance? I didn't have a clue.
"Hmm, this is quite a fine soft-serve. God of Love, you have done well. Good work."
"!? I-I am honored!!"
The moment Shiro-san offered those words of appreciation, the awkwardness vanished from Heart-san’s face. Tears welled in her eyes, her expression becoming one of pure, overwhelming emotion.
She looked ecstatic, as if all her exhaustion had been blown away in an instant. In reality, a low-ranking deity like Heart-san probably rarely had the chance to be addressed directly by Shiro-san, let alone praised. It was no wonder she was moved.
After a brief exchange with Heart-san, who continued to bow repeatedly through her tears, Shiro-san and I left the stall to find a place to eat.
However, since we were on a major thoroughfare, finding a quiet spot was difficult. Or so I thought until I spotted a space that was open in a strangely unnatural way. It was a clearing so perfectly placed that it couldn't have existed without some kind of divine intervention.
"That spot looks perfect."
"...I'm not sure 'perfect' is the word for it, but it certainly looks like it was prepared for us. Well, let's go."
I had plenty I wanted to say, but I couldn't let the ice cream melt. We moved to the "prepared" space and got ready to eat.
Shiro-san’s request was for us to lick the soft-serve from both sides simultaneously. I tried to follow along, but... wow, this was even more embarrassing than I expected. Honestly, it felt more awkward than a normal kiss.
Because our faces were so close yet separated by just the right distance, I was forced to look at Shiro-san head-on more than usual. Our eyes met perfectly, and I was reminded once again that her beauty was simply cheating.
"We shall lick the soft-serve from both sides, eventually meeting in a kiss."
"...That last part is news to me!?"
"I just thought of it now."
Wait, wasn't the difficulty level on that way too high? It sounded like a Pocky Game, but doing that with soft-serve in the middle of this crowd was basically social suicide. Before I could protest, Shiro-san had already started licking.
...I had no choice but to steel my resolve. I decided to ignore the gazes of everyone around us, desperately emptied my mind, and worked my way through the soft-serve... until, finally, I kissed her exactly as she wanted.
I didn't taste a single bit of the ice cream, no matter how good it probably was. My spine was cold and my face was burning in an unbearable mix of sensations. Still, the kiss was wonderful, and I felt happy... but I also felt like I had lost something very important as a member of society.
Serious-senpai: "You did something similar with Kuro in Symphonia, and if you do something with a lover in Alcreasia too, that'll be a conquest of the three nations☆ You piece of trash!!"