After paying the Entrance Fee, I entered the park with Illness-san. I had expected the main gates to open, but there was a small door to the side; apparently, those on foot entered through there. The large gates were likely reserved for those arriving by carriage.
The first thing that caught my eye was a vast green carpet—a sprawling lawn area. In fact, most of the park seemed to be open grass, with large trees and benches scattered here and there.
I see; as Illness-san had mentioned earlier, this place was clearly intended for rest. It wasn't a tourist attraction like a botanical garden; instead, the atmosphere was perfectly suited for lounging on the grass or spending time quietly in the shade.
To be honest, I had been a bit apprehensive when I heard it was a park for the nobility, but I was relieved to find it wasn't't overly pretentious. It felt just right.
"It’s a nice atmosphere," I remarked. "There’s hardly anyone else here."
"This park... limits the number of visitors... so that everyone can... spend their time leisurely..." Illness-san replied. "We were lucky... to come during a quiet time."
"True. It looks like we can take it easy. Where do you think would be good?"
"How about... that shaded lawn over there?"
"Ah, that looks nice. It’s not hot, but the sun is a bit strong, so the shade should be comfortable."
Since this wasn't really the kind of place for walking all over, we decided to settle down somewhere and relax. After consulting with Illness-san, we chose a spot under a large tree.
The grass was truly beautiful, and part of me wanted to just lie down on it, but since I was wearing nice clothes, I decided against it. I had a Leisure Sheet inside my Magic Box, so I figured it would be best to spread that out and sit on it.
"I just... remembered something," Illness-san said softly as we walked.
"Yes?"
"A long time ago... someone told me... that my essence is... devotion," she murmured. "'Essence' sounds a bit... grandiose... but in terms of personality... doing things for others... just seems to suit me."
"I can certainly agree with that. You’ve always looked after me, and I have no objections at all to the idea that you are a kind and devoted person."
In fact, she currently handled most of the housework at my home and continued to take care of my personal needs just as she had before; I was truly grateful. Even now, she was the one who cut my hair, so I was deeply indebted to her for that as well.
Her personality was a perfect fit for the word "devoted"—one might even call it "motherly." In fact, she always seemed to be having fun whenever she was doing things for me.
"Yes... I believe that evaluation... is correct," she said. "And so... today's Date is... very fun and happy... but perhaps it is my nature... my desire to do something for you, Kaito-sama... is growing stronger. So... if it is alright with you... would you mind... indulging a little of my selfishness?"
"Eh? Yes, of course I don't mind. But what is it, exactly?"
In the first place, I didn't think her wanting to do something for me was "selfish" at all. In any case, it certainly didn't bother me. However, given the timing of her request, I wondered if it was something we could do here in the park.
"How about... a Lap Pillow... while we rest in the shade?"
As she spoke, the expression on her face was so gentle that I found myself captivated by her, and I nodded.
Serious-senpai: "The title changed... and it's ①... Hie..."