Chapter 307

I finished my lunch and paid an amount of money that I didn’t think I’d be able to spend for just one meal, we then walked out of the restaurant .

[Well~~ That was delicious!]

[I- I see…… It certainly was worth more than me hurting my arm…… I guess?]

[That is where you say “If I was able to see the cute Alice’s smile, that’s rather cheap *smile smile, sparkle sparkle* . ” or something like that . ]

[……Looking at the amount of food you ate, it doesn’t make you look cute at all . ]

Letting out a sigh as Alice started fooling around again, we began walking with our hands naturally holding the other .

I’m not sure if Alice is getting used to holding hands or not, but she doesn’t seem to be as nervous as she was before the start of our date . Well, she still has a faint blush on her cheeks though……

[Hmm~~ This makes me suddenly look forward to our dinner! Which restaurant are we going to for dinner?]

[We just finished lunch, and you’re already talking about dinner?]

[Ahaha, after all, I’m looking forward to it . ]

[Rather than that, I think we need to decide where to go in the time we have before dinner . ]

The area we are currently in is quite far from where I usually hang around in, and I honestly don’t know what’s around here .

As a man, I wanted to be the one leading her in our date, but unfortunately, I can’t lead her to an area I don’t know about, so I decided to honestly talk to Alice about it .

After hearing what I said, Alice thought for a moment…… And it feels like she came up with some sort of nonsense again, as a devilish grin appeared on her lips .

[That should mean that, right? Kaito-san wanted to know where the “inn district” was…… This is what you meant, right!?]

[……Huh?]

[You probably wanted to release your beastly instincts all over my body and have some after-meal workout…… It can’t be helped, the inn district was on the opposite street . ]

[………………… . . ]

I’m somehow feeling a déjà vu . Ahh, speaking of which, when we were talking back in the Archlesia Empire, she joked around with something like that too, where I tsukkomi’d by having Bell slap her, didn’t I?

……Fumu, I could end this here with a smack on the head, but I’ve already learned that there are also more effective ways to attack Alice when she’s doing these kinds of shenanigans .

[……I see, let’s go do that then . ]

[Ehhh!?]

[It was in that street, right? Let’s go~~]

[Ahh, wahh, wait…… T- That’s won’t do!?]

Pretending to get along Alice’s antics, I began walking while holding her hand, and as I expected, Alice became flustered .

[……Unnn? What’s the matter? We’re going to the inn district, right?]

[T- T- T- That won’t do! I- I- It’s still early for that kind of thing or rather…… m- my heart isn’t ready yet……]

[Isn’t Alice the one who suggested that?]

[T- T- That might be true, b- but I was just joking……]

Alice, who looks understandably shaken, is really cute and I can’t help but keep teasing her .

As I dragged her along, Alice’s face was as red as a boiled octopus as she flapped her free hand about, desperately trying to convince me .

[O- Of course, I- I think we would do t- that kind of thing…… I- I’m a former human after all, I- I- I understand what you do in that area, b- b- but…… I intend to take t- t- that kind of thing step by step……]

[Fumu, step by step, like what?]

[T- That is, you know…… A- As expected, the start is…… We would be illuminated by the moonlight, just the two of us in a cottage by the sea…… or in a situation like that……]

[……………… . . ]

Alice was surprisingly quite the romanticist…… She has been trying to find a relationship for a long time, so she may be yearning for that kind of great, over-the-top atmosphere .

It’s just a guess, but she’s probably the type of person who would definitely prefer a seaside church for our wedding .

[Hmmm . As expected, I can’t think of a place that fulfills that requirement right away . ]

[I- Isn’t it!? T- That’s why, let’s go find it together…… Taking it slow, deepening our l- l- l- l- love……]

I’m not sure if saying the word love feels really embarrassing or not, but she repeatedly stammered and desperately told me that we should take our time to deepen our love .

To be honest, I agree with what she said, and since I’m only teasing Alice at the moment, I have no intention of forcing her to do anything if she isn’t ready for it .

Thinking that I should end the teasing there, I stopped walking and called out to Alice .

[……Certainly, it is as Alice says . There’s no need for us to rush, right?]

[T- That’s right! W- We have lots of time…… ummm, that’s why…… F- For today…… Please be content with a kiss for now . ]

[Eh? A- Ah, okay . ]

Looking at Alice, who tells me that it’s fine if it’s a kiss, while fidgeting with her embarrassed face looking down, my heart greatly leaped .

I was just supposed to be acting, but I’m strangely starting to feel embarrassed…… This is bad, I don’t think I can look straight at Alice’ face at this rate .

[……Speaking of which, Alice . ]

[W- What is it?]

[Alice is much stronger than me, so if you really don’t like it, you could have easily shaken my hand off……]

[ ~ ~ ! ? ]

Yes, I was trying to drag Alice along a moment ago, but when I think about it, if she seriously resisted my pull, there was no way I could move her at all .

However, Alice still ended up being dragged by me…… which should mean that she was hardly resisting……

When Alice heard my question, she lowered her head once and whispered in a voice that I wasn’t able to hear .

[……I- It’s not like I say that I- I didn’t want to……]

[Eh?]

[I- I said nothing!?]

[Alice, what did you say just now?]

[I- I don’t know what you’re talking about!]

[Wait, Alice!?]

Speaking really quickly, Alice turned her face away .

Her reactions were just so cute, and coupled with her faintly audible remarks earlier, I felt like our hands that held each other were getting hotter and hotter .

Dear Mom, Dad———- As expected, now that we are lovers, even if we had such a conversation like that earlier, the result will be different…… I don’t know if my recognition of her has changed or not, but somehow———- It seems like I was strangely becoming aware of Alice as a woman .