Chapter 1654: Within the Night As It Grows Late ⑧

After taking pictures with Alice, we continued to enjoy the festival, but at a certain point, Alice started looking restless.

It’s hard to describe, but it was as if she was on the watch for some sort of timing. It’s just, I don’t know what exactly she was on the watch for.

[Hey, Alice…… What are you so restless about?]

[Uwehh!? Ah, no~~ Ummm…… It’s no big deal, you know!? F- For real, it’s no big deal!!!]

[……Sounds like a pretty big deal though.]

She clearly looked flustered. And her face was also red…… I could tell she’s embarrassed, but I don’t know what’s the cause of it.

There’s no odd one out among the stalls we’ve been up to this point, and since some time has passed since we’ve taken a photo, it doesn’t seem like she’d feel embarrassed about it.

[A- Ahh~~ Kaito-san! There’s an interesting-looking stall over there!]

[Unnn? Over there? ……Isn’t that place already off the street?]

[It’s in such places where you can find the good stuff! Come on, let’s go.]

[You’re acting kinda suspicious…… Whatever.]

Her leading me to that area was clearly deliberate, but Alice is probably doing it knowing that I’m already suspicious of her. In that case, aware that I might catch on, had she prepared something at that stall?

Having such a thought in mind while being led by Alice, there was a lottery stall in a secluded spot off the main street.

Suspicious…… Its suspiciousness just overflows. She’s definitely up to something……

[……Hey, Alice. In the end, what are you really after?]

[What are you talking about…… Oh, they have a lottery over here. Since we’re here anyway, why don’t we try it?]

[……Hmmm. What in the world are you up to……]

Staring at Alice, who kept on feigning ignorance while tilting her head, I just did as she said and drew the lottery at the stall. They had a lottery wheel-type here, and when I turned it, a golden ball came out.

(T/N: Lottery Wheel)

[Congratulations! You got the special prize!]

[……T- Thanks.]

What’s with these complicated feelings…… I mean, isn’t this totally planned!? It’s a lottery wheel where it’s already expected I’ll draw the special prize! Even if you congratulate me, I wouldn’t know how to react to that……

I mean, what even is the special prize? It’s probably got something to do with whatever Alice was aiming for……

[The special prize is a pair ticket to a luxury cottage on a private beach.]

[Eh? A- Ahh, errr…… Pair tickets for a cottage?]

[Yes. However, please note that the coupon can only be used “today”.]

[Today!?]

Stunned, I looked at the contents of the envelope I received from the stallkeeper, which contained a map and the accommodation tickets. Is there really such a thing as a lottery prize accommodation ticket that expires on the very same day?

N- No, well, this lottery was completely just a pretense for her to give this to me, so in effect, this was like a gift from Alice.

[Unnn? Errr, in other words, we’re not going home today and would be staying overnight at a cottage…… Unnn? A private beach with a cottage…… Hmmm?]

Arehh? That kinda reminds me of something. Since it’s a private beach, it would be a cottage by the seaside. And since I would be staying here today, after the Founding Festival ends…… Putting aside how long we could stay, it’s certain I will be staying here for the night.

Today is a clear, cloudless day, so the moon should be beautiful tonight.

……Illuminated by the moonlight, in a cottage by the sea?

The moment I realized what was going on, I felt heat gathering on my face. And if it’s for this reason, Alice’s suspicious behaviors before now make sense.

I mean, well, ummm, I guess Alice was ready huh. And since she handed me this ticket in the form of a lottery prize, it should be related to the “Please take me to that place” request she asked me before, a message asking me to be the one to invite her.

[Ahh~~ Errr, Alice……]

[Y- Yesh!?]

[……Since I’ve already won this, how about we spend the night here together?]

[I- I- I- I guess so. Let’s do that……]

After nodding with a face redder than I’ve ever seen from my words, Alice silently took out a shovel…… Unnn?

[Wait a minute there…… What are you doing?]

[Ah, no, my embarrassment is about to go over the limit so I’m gonna bury myself for a bit.]

[There are too many things I’d like to throw a tsukkomi at, but for the time being, calm down…… Or rather, can you not dig a hole in the middle of a city!?]

H- Hmmm…… Errr, with her being like this, is she really gonna be alright?

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [……It’s over.]