Chapter 606: "Self-Awareness and Anxiety" (1/2)

The 15th Day of the second Fire month. At a small miscellaneous goods store in the back of an alley in the royal capital of Symphonia. Inside the store, two petite girls were facing each other across the counter.

[……So, as you were doing nothing but work, not only your own but even the work you stole from your subordinates…… Not just Chronois-san, but even Life-san woke up and asked you to take a break, and thus, you came here…… Did I get that right?]

[Unnn. I mean, aren’t they cruel? If I don’t work, they’ll get angry, and when I do work, they’ll ask me to rest……]

[No, they’re telling you that because you’re too extreme, Fate-san.]

As the Alice clone, which is the storekeeper of the miscellaneous goods store, has a dumbfounded look on her face while she listens to what Fate said, she quickly prepares two cups of tea and places them on the counter.

Alice, who was very close with Fate…… close enough calling them best friends wouldn’t be an exaggeration, didn’t mind Fate’s sudden visit and properly listened to her.

[So? What is that you want to ask me?]

[Unnn…… I thought it would be good to get opinions from different perspectives, not just my own.]

[……Fumu.]

As she thought that it’s refreshing to see Fate so distressed, Alice waited for Fate’s words without making any unnecessary comments.

After a few moments of silence, as if she had made up her mind, Fate began to speak quietly and slowly.

[……You see. It’s just that, lately, you see? When I think about Kai-chan, I feel restless. And yet, whenever I’m not doing anything, I find myself thinking about Kai-chan, but even though I want to see him, I don’t know what face I should have when I face him. That’s why, perhaps, I thought. I think I’m probably mistaken but perhaps…… I may have…… fallen in love with Kai-chan or something like that. I’ve been thinking that I was mistaken though……]

[……Hahh.]

[And so. I’d like to hear Shalltear’s opinion, I just want an honest answer…… Is this that love thing?]

[Well, that is……]

[Ahh, wait a minute! It seems like my heart still isn’t ready yet if you said it too straightforwardly! Hold on!]

[………………..]

The way she spoke, with her face slightly downcast, looking so meek unimaginable from the usual Fate, what she’s feeling was too obvious but…… the person herself doesn’t seem to recognize it.

[Errr, how should I say that again? There are those words in otherworldian language talking about tuning it down……]

[Saying it indirectly?]

[Yeah, that! First, I’d like it if you say it indirectly…… “100 times” more indirectly before answering me. Is this that love thing?]

Seeing the anxiousness on Fate’s face, Alice looked a bit dumbfounded before she calmly spoke.

[……No, well, for better or worse, among the gods, Fate is the most alike to Shallow Vernal-sama…… someone who was rarely interested in a person in the first place. So, I guess, Kaito-san, who is one of the rare people who caught her attention, would look a little special in your eyes. Thinking about it again, you just found yourself in deep trouble.]

[……I- I see! I- I guess that’s right! Then, I’ll ask for the sake of it…… but if you don’t indirectly say it?]

[No matter how I hear you described it, that’s “love at first sight”. You totally looked like “a maiden in love”.]