Chapter 1718: Evening Founding Festival with Shallow Vernal ①

After watching the live concert, my date with Shiro-san continued. In the afternoon, we mainly went around to events, but there were also various theater performances and other events that were quite enjoyable.

As to be expected of the forefront of fashion, Hydra, they’ve also featured events that used image preservation magic tools, which should still be not widely available.

The event was still limited to showing recorded fireworks and the like, but it was quite exciting to think that a film might be made of it in the future.

[By the way, we talked about going to the clock tower in the evening, but should we go there at a specific time?]

[I don’t think so. We can just go when Kaito-san wants to. “I shall make it” so that it will become the perfect time for the sunset.]

[I- I see, that’s a relief then.]

It would normally be a statement to which you’d retort “What the heck are you saying?”, but there’s no denying that she really was capable of making it so that the time when we went there would actually be when the beautiful sunset arrived. After all, since it was the God of the world saying so, it really carries a different weight.

……Unnn. Let’s just be mindful and go at a time when I can actually see the sunset. Otherwise, there’s a risk of time suddenly rewinding or fast-forwarding, which could be disastrous for people like Laguna-san or Chronois-san, causing their stomachs to go haywire.

[In that case, it might be a good idea to have dinner first, but I guess it might be a bit too early to start dinner before sunset huh.]

[Indeed. It’s also possible to eat after we arrive at the onsen ryokan.]

[Yeah, you’re right. Having a leisurely meal would also…… Unnn?]

That’s strange, was it just my imagination? Did the words “onsen ryokan” come up very naturally just now? Where did we have such a conversation before? I don’t remember that happening at all!

[We talked about having a lovey-dovey onsen trip before.]

[That did happen. Yes, I remember having talked about that…… but when did that get combined with the Founding Festival date?]

[Just now.]

Impressive, indeed. As expected of Shiro-san, she remained completely unfazed, actually declaring “She thought of it just now”. She said that so gallantly that I almost found myself nodding in agreement, but I managed to resist the urge.

After all, it was so sudden that we hadn’t made any preparations for a trip…… No, I think the contents of my magic box would do the trick but…… This is bad, I don’t have any justifiable reason to refuse. If I had to say one, it would be that it might be a bit challenging to go on a trip directly after completing the Founding Festival for the second time.

[……Shiro-san, about that onsen trip, how about we go there some other time?]

[I understand. I don’t mind doing that.]

Shiro-san readily agreed to my suggestion more than I expected. It seems like she really just mentioned that on a whim, and she doesn’t have much deep attachment to the idea.

For the time being, I was able to stop the forced march from two rounds of festivals to a trip, so I can feel relieved……

[Well then, let’s just stay one night at a normal onsen ryokan.]

[…………U- Unnn?]

Arehh? That’s strange? That’s almost the same situation, isn’t it? To put it simply, it’s like we’ll do the trip another time, but putting that aside, it’s already settled that we’re still going to stay the night?

[That’s right.]

[……Errr, is this also something settled already?]

[You spent the night with Alice.]

[Ugh…… Y- You’re right.]

When she brings that up, indeed…… When I went to this Founding Festival with Alice, I stayed the night here with her. That being the case, it wouldn’t be strange if, similarly, my date with Shiro-san during the Founding Festival would also involve staying overnight.

In the first place, it’s not like I dislike the idea of staying overnight with Shiro-san, I was just shying away because I’m feeling a bit tired…… Wait, thinking about it again, going for a dip in the onsen might be good because I’m tired.

Arehh? That actually might be a good idea then. I wanna go to an onsen……

[Ah, errr, then, shall we stay the night?]

[Yes.]

It’s just, I have one concern in mind…… This onsen ryokan…… Where is it?

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [……Huh? Oi…… Oi, oi, oi…… Stop right there! The heck are you doing, deciding on an overnight stay in an onsen!!!? If Kaito goes there, there’s definitely going to be a mixed bath!!!]