After taking in the sunset, the night skyline, and that spectacular meteor shower from the Clock Tower, we finally stepped back outside. Whether Laguna had handled the logistics well or the Gods had provided some behind-the-scenes support, I was relieved to find much less chaos than I had feared.
"Kaito-san, what shall we do next?"
"Ah, right. Since it’s already night, if you don't have anywhere else in mind, Shiro-san, why don't we head to the hot spring inn? I’m not sure where it is or what the amenities are like, so if we can't get dinner there, maybe we should grab a bite somewhere first..."
In truth, I had already spent two full days roaming the Founding Anniversary Festival, so I felt satisfied. Between exploring the stalls with Alice and seeing the major events with Shiro-san, I didn't have much left on my bucket list.
If Shiro-san had a specific place she wanted to go, I intended to follow her lead, but otherwise, moving to the inn to relax sounded perfect. Even if there were no meals provided, I had various supplies in my Magic Box, so it wouldn't be a problem.
"I understand. I have confirmed that the hot spring inn is ready and that dinner is available there, so let us depart."
"Oh, okay. Sounds good... Wait, confirmed? With who?"
"With the individual I commissioned to prepare the hot spring inn."
Ah, I see. I wondered if she had asked Chronoa-san or the other Gods to handle the preparations. That likely meant it was a different location from the Sanctuary Hot Spring Inn she had created before.
Still, something about her phrasing nagged at me. Specifically, the way she said the inn was ready, "too." It was a subtle nuance, but it made it sound as if she had prepared something else alongside it.
...I certainly hoped she just meant she’d prepared the hot spring itself.
"Shiro-san, I just want to check—where exactly is this inn located?"
"It is a short distance from the capital. We will be moving via teleportation, so the distance is irrelevant."
"Right, so it’s within the Hydra Kingdom... I’m a bit worried about whether things were properly communicated to Laguna-san, but more importantly... did you prepare anything besides the inn and the hot spring?"
"Mount Fuji."
"..................Huh?"
I was certain I had just heard something impossible. I had asked what else she’d prepared besides the lodging, and her answer was... Mount Fuji? Was that even a valid response? Sadly, the person standing before me was exactly the type of being who could make such a ridiculous statement a reality.
"...Um, Shiro-san? By Mount Fuji, you mean the... the actual mountain, right?"
"Yes. It is the Go-Boom and Luxurious Scenery that you mentioned, Kaito-san."
So she really had taken that casual conversation to heart. I felt a wave of sympathy for Laguna-san and Chronoa-san. I was truly sorry, but I never imagined a simple chat about hot springs would result in literal terraforming.
"Ah, but Shiro-san? Even if you brought Mount Fuji here, you can't actually see a mountain from a hot spring at night..."
"I had it made so it would be visible."
"...???"
The question marks in my mind were starting to pile up. Mount Fuji visible from the hot spring at night? Was it going to be right in front of us? No, that wouldn't be much of a "view," and I doubted she would settle for that.
Did that mean the mountain was going to glow? And she said she "had it made"—does that mean she commissioned someone else to build it? Someone who knew what Mount Fuji was, could build it on such short notice, and make it visible in the dark... Was it Eden-san? I had no idea. I was filled with a growing sense of dread, but I wouldn't know the truth until I saw it for myself.
Serious-senpai: "The situation has become so absurd that even Kaito is completely losing his composure."