Chapter 543: The Uneasiness Lingering in my Heart Still Remains (1/2)

[Hmmm, I also like ramen, but I don't know if it's because most people think of noodles as the same as pasta or not, ramen really aren't that popularized.]

[U- Unnn. I mean, how many bowls are you going to eat…… You're still a glutton like usual huh.]

I never expected that the place Alice led me to would be a ramen shop. N- No, well, I like ramen, so I don't have a problem with it…… b- but as a girl who was in the middle of a date, I- I wonder if this is fine? N- No, I would still like her even if she's a girl who will eat ramen with me…… that's as long as it's in a sensible amount though……

Incidentally, this is currently Alice's ”43rd” bowl of ramen.

[……Kaito-san, that's not right.]

[Unnn?]

[I'm not a glutton, I just love ”eating using other people's money”! Please mind the way you describe it, or you might cause a misunderstanding!]

[That's even worse!]

And as a matter of course, this was supposed to be my treat. A calculated binging that she just won't stop, even though she knows I don't like using the privileges brought by my Black-rank Invitation…… Alice really is just as usual.

Dumbfounded by Alice who was acting like usual in a way, I looked around the store before tilting my head.

[Even so, are we the only guests here?]

Let alone customers, I could hardly feel the presence of people in the restaurant. Well, the refills for Alice's ramen were brought in, so there were employees here but…… I think the number of people is too small compared to the size of this restaurant.

[Ah~~ Well, I have some things on my mind, so I reserved the whole place.]

[……Things on your mind?]

[Yes, well, to be precise, I have a question for you, Kaito-san. Incidentally, all of the employees here are my clones, so you don't have to worry about them.]

[……I guess this is about something important huh……]

Alice's serious expression and mood indicated that the question she was about to ask was extremely important. I wonder if that's the reason why? My spine naturally straightened as I faced her.

After a few seconds of silence…… that seemed awfully long to me, Alice looked at me straight in the eyes and spoke.

[……I'll get straight to the point. Kaito-san, did something happen with Shallow Vernal-sama?]

[……Huh? W- What do you mean?]

Shiro-san? Why did Shiro-san's name pop out here?

[Even if it isn't a fight…… Do you have anything that might come to mind?]

[Something that comes to mind……]

[T- That's right. For example, being given a task or being presented with a challenge by Shallow Vernal-sama…… Have something like that happened?]

[…………………]

Could she be…… talking about that matter? The matter about how Shiro-san referred to herself as the Last Boss and said she was going to put me on an ordeal.

I certainly haven't told anyone else about that matter. I have many reasons for not talking about this, but I think the main reason is that I don't really understand what Shiro-san wanted me to do, so I haven't been able to sort out the details.

But more than that, I think it's because I'm feeling inexplicable anxiety about this matter.

I don't know why Alice is aware of this and why she wanted to know about this…… but since it's Alice, I guess it should be fine, right?

She's someone who gets carried away easily, but she's not the type of person who would just laugh off important matters…… She's someone I really trust. And perhaps, there's a chance that I might know what was really happening by telling Alice about this.

And what this inexplicable anxiety I'm feeling, that's making me unable to talk about this matter to others……

[……Actually, when I went to visit the God Realm before……]

So, I decided to tell her about what had happened between Shiro-san and I. Without interrupting my words, Alice listened to me with a serious expression on her face.

When I finished talking about everything, Alice brought her hand on her chin, looking as if she was contemplating about some things.

[……Is that so…… An ordeal huh……]

[Is there something bothering you about it?]

[……No, it's not like there's anything particularly strange about it. I don't know why Shallow Vernal-sama made such a suggestion, but she likes Kaito-san…… I don't think it will be something absurd. In fact, it may be that this ordeal is just for show, and she was planning to make your wish come true from the start.]

[I see……]