I could have asked Shiro-san directly, but as it stood, I had no idea when this dream-world hot spring session with Lilia-san was supposed to conclude.
"I wonder... just when exactly are we supposed to wake up?"
"I am not sure. Much like the alcohol, the heat doesn't seem to be getting to me either."
It was true; we had been soaking for quite a while, yet I didn't feel lightheaded at all. This was likely because, in the end, we were still inside a dream. Still, the question remained: how long were we intended to stay here?
Right then, as if to answer the doubts shared by Lilia-san and me, glowing letters drifted into the air before our eyes.
"To ensure Lilia enjoys this intimacy to the fullest, you shall both wake once Kaito-san and Lilia have shared a kiss."
We both froze in a stunned silence.
I see... so we could only return to the original world once we fulfilled a specific condition. She had turned this into one of those "rooms you can't leave unless you do something" scenarios. This was likely the fruit of the extensive romantic knowledge Shiro-san had been gathering lately.
Of course, the experience was a major ordeal for those actually involved. Lilia-san, who I thought had finally managed to calm down, turned bright red in an instant, looking as if she were about to boil over.
"Shiro-san definitely intended this as a helpful gesture..."
"I-I-I see. If this is Shallow Vernal-sama’s consideration... it would be... r-rude to dismiss it..."
"Lilia-san, you don't really have to—no, never mind."
"Yes?"
"I just thought, your face is so red... I was worried you were reaching your limit."
"My face feels as though it is already at the boiling point."
For a moment, I was about to tell her that she didn't have to push herself and that I could negotiate with Shiro-san if she wasn't up for it. However, looking at Lilia-san's expression and feeling the emotions radiating through my Sympathy Magic, I realized that wasn't what she wanted to hear.
How should I put it? Beyond her obvious embarrassment, I could sense tension and a feeling of being rushed, but there was also a distinct glimmer of joy. It was as if she were grateful for the nudge. Having the excuse of "not letting Shiro-san's kindness go to waste" seemed to give her the courage to take a step forward despite her shame.
"Um, well then, Lilia-san... if you'll excuse me."
"Y-Yes. P-Please... just, if you would, do it all at once."
Deciding I should be the one to lead, I shifted my body and gently placed my hands on Lilia-san's shoulders. She flinched for a split second before closing her eyes with an expression of firm resolve.
Her hair was tied up to keep it out of the water, giving her a slightly different aura than usual. Touching her like this reminded me all over again that even Lilia-san—a massive genius who possessed power comparable to a Count despite being human—was a lovely, delicate woman. My heart began to pound.
I slowly leaned in and pressed my lips against hers. Perhaps because of the steam from the hot spring, her lips felt soft and moist, with a subtle, mysterious sweetness.
At that moment, Lilia-san wrapped her arms around my back and pressed her lips against mine with a bit more force. I could tell her mind was in a state of total panic, yet the way she desperately tried to reciprocate was so endearing that I instinctively moved my hands to her back and hugged her tightly.
We remained embraced with our lips joined as if time had stopped. Eventually, we naturally pulled away.
"I-It was truly a blessing that I cannot faint from embarrassment here. My head feels as if it is boiling; had this been reality, I would have certainly lost consciousness by now."
"Won't you just end up fainting the moment you wake up then?"
"I would appreciate it if you could wake me up before our break officially ends."
"So you've already accepted the fainting as inevitable?!"
"It is simply... too much stimulation for someone as immature as I am. No, I know... I know that I must become more accustomed to these things in the future. I understand that, but since I cannot faint right now, and because we are alone together in a dream, I... I am aware that I have behaved more boldly than usual. It has well exceeded my tolerance limit."
"I see..."
Just as I suspected, when Lilia-san was in a state where she couldn't faint, she tended to floor the accelerator whenever she panicked. Knowing she wouldn't lose consciousness no matter how ashamed she felt, she had decided to go all out with actions she would normally find impossible.
"Kaito-san."
"Eh? Wait—"
Just as I let out a wry smile, Lilia-san flashed a small smile of her own and leaned back in for a surprise attack, kissing me again.
"Since I have already resolved to faint upon awakening, I thought I would do the things I am usually too shy to do..."
"Ahaha, you certainly have a bold streak in strange places."
"I feel that if I accumulate experiences like this, I might eventually get used to it..."
As she spoke with a blush and a shy laugh, Lilia-san looked truly adorable. I found myself tightening the embrace I still held around her back.
Serious-senpai: "Guh... I see now. Putting Lilia in a Faint-prevention State is dangerous. Please, for the love of everything, stop using that state from now on..."