Chapter 1651: Within the Night As It Grows Late ⑤

I’m a bit…… no, I’m quite worried about what will happen afterward, but for the time being, I will just think about the current moment. As we walked around, enjoying the Founding Festival, I suddenly noticed something different from the flow of a crowd.

They were making up a reasonably long line, and from the looks of it, there must be something popular at the end of that line.

[……Seeing a line that long in a festival sure is unusual. What’s over there?]

[That was a creation out of the newest magic tool…… Well, to put it very simply, it’s purikura.]

[Eh? Purikura?]

[Yes, you see, the camera-like magic tool made by Kuro-san’s company has recently become a hot topic and is spreading around the world, right? Whenever a new technology like that appears, everyone thinks of ways to use it to make a profit. And so, a relatively large trading company developed a large magic tool that utilizes Illusion Magic, allowing one to take pictures with multiple patterns of backgrounds and effects.]

[I see, purikuras are certainly new to the people in this world……]

(T/N: Purikuras are, to put it simply, Japanese photo booths. They’re photo booths that often have distinct cute and colorful aesthetics to it, usually allowing the final photos to have bright, vibrant and embellished designs, making them popular to the younger audience.)

The camera-like magic tool made by the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company are now being used mainly in magazines and other media, but they are still expensive due to the fact that it is still new technology.

That being the case, it’s understandable that purikura would be popular to the citizens, as this allows them to experience such a magic tool.

[They haven’t been able to miniaturize it yet due to technical problems, so it seems that they needed to prepare quite an elaborate set-up using multiple magic tools. However, the customers can take home the photos they take there, so it’s inevitable that it will become popular.]

[Hmmm…… Since we’re passing by, shall we take some pictures too?]

[I suppose so. Even though there’s a line there, that magic tool isn’t as advanced as the purikuras in Kaito-san’s world, just allowing you to choose from a few patterns before taking a photo. The process seems quick, so lining up here shouldn’t take us much time.]

[Let’s go line up then……]

I nodded in agreement with Alice’s words as we stood in line, and I’m feeling kinda excited. After all, I’ve never taken a photo in a purikura before…… W- Well, before I came to this world, I was almost a loner, so I’ve never done normie stuff like taking photos in a purikura. I didn’t have the courage to take photos alone, and to begin with, I never had any interest in it.

However, taking purikura photos with my girlfriend…… Unlike the thoughts I previously had, even if it’s just on the level of commemorative photos, it’s something I’m looking forward to.

[While we’re at it, I’d like to take a couple-like photos.]

[Fuehh!?]

[Eh? Don’t people do that in purikura booths……]

[N- No, let’s calm down, Kaito-san. We aren’t going to a purikura booth, we’re just being photographed over there…… N- No, I’m not really saying we can’t, but if we go with the flow of the moment and get carried away, this is something we could cringe about when we look back at it later. Isn’t playing it safe a better option?]

I understand what Alice is trying to say. I also understand that she’s saying this not because this might turn into a page of our black history, but simply because she’s embarrassed.

It’s just, hmmm, considering Alice’s expression and her overall vibe up to this point……

[Alice, this just my hunch…… but aren’t you quite enthusiastic about this too? Do you also want to take those kinds of pictures?]

[…………W- W- W- W- What could you be talking about?]

[You’re clearly shaken there.]

Frankly, given how smart Alice is, it would be easy for her to talk me out of this if she wanted to. And her earlier words, rather than a clear rejection, her phrasing is more like “It would be better if we stop……”.

Although my intuition is 90% right, I somehow think that Alice wants me to force my way through here.

Although she’s reluctant to agree outright, she wants to do a couple-like action like that, so she wanted to make it seem like I pushed her into this and was unable to decline.

Well, let’s just go ahead and fulfill her wish.

[Alice…… I really want to have those lover-like pictures with you. I hope you’ll indulge my selfish request here and agree……]

[Ahh…… Y- Yes. Umm, I’m in your care.]

Seeing Alice grip my hand tightly, her face turning bright red, I found myself feeling warm and delighted.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [D*mn it…… T- This one’s heroine power is really high……]