The winner of the harvest festival spends the night in the Spirits’ Forest.
I’ve never camped out in the wild before, so I came to the shrine with a lot of anxiety weighing on me. But then, for some reason, Kuro showed up, almost as if she’d just coincidentally passed by.
[……Seriously, you really do show up out of nowhere every single time, Kuro.]
[Ahaha, I wanted to see Kaito-kun, so I just went with the flow and came here with you.]
[Rather than that, how did you know I was here?]
[Eh? That’s because of the technique on Kaito-kun’s neck… Of course, it’s my intuition!]
[Oi, wait a minute, what were you about to say just now…]
You were talking about a technique you used, right? Eh? What? Is she implying she used some kind of Magic on this necklace to track me?
How should I put this… I feel like that’s something I should definitely look into. But Kuro, with a smile on her face, just casually continued.
[Ahh! Kaito-kun, I heard you were hurt, are you okay?]
[Eh? A-Ahhh… It’s fine now.]
[I see~~ I’m glad you’re safe, Kaito-kun. Ah, that’s right! I heard you won the harvest festival! That’s amazing, Kaito-kun! Congratulations!]
[Eh? A-Ahhh… Thanks.]
I nodded, momentarily forgetting what I was going to ask, overwhelmed by Kuro’s rapid-fire words, like a machine gun.
Also… how should I say this… unnn… what the heck’s happening…
“Congratulations on your victory.” I’ve already heard that so many times, it feels like it’s still echoing in my ears. I’m sure I’ve already said it to the important elves, but honestly, I don’t feel like I deserve this victory at all.
However, when Kuro said those words to me, what surged up from within my heart… was joy.
Those words may have been simple, but it felt like my hard work had paid off… I felt so fulfilled, like all the effort I put in that day was worth it just to hear those few words.
Seeing me like that, Kuro flashed a smile as bright as the sun before pulling out a familiar paper bag.
[For someone like Kaito-kun, here, you can have this!]
[…I knew you’d bring out the baby castella again.]
[Fufufu, this time the baby castella is the “Kaito-kun’s victory congratulation version”! It’s different from the usual!]
[……The heck’s with that?]
I had expected it to be the usual baby castella, but Kuro claimed that this time it was special.
With her smug smile and her chest puffed out (despite it being as flat as always), I wanted to ask her if she could at least improve her naming sense, but I decided to keep that to myself and just take the baby castella.
It looked the same as usual—was the filling different? Or was this one of those foods filled with strange surprises, like the wasabi-filled baby castella I tried at Shiro-san’s place?
[Stare~~ Stare~~]
[You’re not supposed to say that out loud!]
[Staaaaaareeeeeee~~~~~]
[T-Thank you for the food.]
Kuro stared at me expectantly, saying the onomatopoeia herself.
It seemed there was no way out, so I steeled myself and brought the baby castella to my mouth.
[Arehh?]
[What do you think?]
[No, it’s delicious as usual, but… it feels a bit different than usual?]
The baby castella I tried wasn’t drastically different from the ones I had before. Normally, I would have thought it was just like the usual ones.
But somehow, there was something that felt off about it… It’s hard to explain, but the taste seemed a bit rougher, and I could really tell it was homemade. Honestly, I liked this one more than the usual.
[Hmmm. As I thought, it’s not as tasty as the usual?]
[Eh? No, actually, I like the taste of this one more…]
[Really!? Thank goodness~~ I thought it would be no good since I can’t compete with Ein in cooking.]
[Unnn? What does that mean?]
[Ah, well… Actually, I was the one who made these baby castellas. I’m so glad they turned out great~~]
Apparently, Kuro made these baby castellas… Or rather, I thought Kuro had been making them all along, but it was actually Ein-san who had been making them!? Even those baby castellas filled with wasabi!?
I was stunned by Kuro’s confession, but I couldn’t say anything because these baby castellas really suited my taste. I popped them into my mouth one after another, faster than usual.
After we finished eating the baby castellas, I sat down next to Kuro on the tatami mat, gazing at the beautiful moon through the hole in the ceiling.
Come to think of it, when I first met Kuro, didn’t we also look at the moon together like this? It’s strange, though—it should’ve only been a month ago, but it feels like such a long time has passed.
[Ah, that’s right. Kaito-kun, “Shalltear” praised you before.]
[Shalltear? Who’s that?]
[The society calls her “The Phantasmal King, No Face.”]
[Huh?]
[She’s a good friend of mine, and she sometimes comes over to hang out with me… The last time I met her, she praised you, saying you’re “promising.” It’s really rare for Shalltear to give someone praise, so getting it from her is a big deal!]
[N-No, wait a minute! I don’t think I’ve even met this Shalltear person before?]
(T/N: As I mentioned before, the Phantasmal King’s gender isn’t specified. I’m just assuming her gender here based on her name.)
I never expected the name of the Phantasmal King to come up out of nowhere.
But for her to praise me… even after thinking about everyone I’ve met, I still have no idea who she is.
[No, I don’t think you’ve met her before?]
[Eh?]
[Shalltear has so many subordinates spread all over the world. They’re everywhere. She’s the most informed person on the planet. She probably knows you from the moment you arrived in this world.]
[What the heck is that? That sounds scary.]
Apparently, the Phantasmal King is a being who seems to know everything.
In other words, she has agents scattered across the world, collecting all kinds of information… Honestly, she might actually be the most terrifying of the Six Kings.
[I feel like she’s also interested in Kaito-kun, so she might come and meet you soon.]
[Eh? W-Would that be alright? It’s just that Lillywood-san told me to be careful of the Phantasmal King…]
[Hmmm. It’s true that Shalltear can be a bit dry in some ways… but I can talk to her more easily than I can with Megiddo, so it should be fine.]
[Megiddo… was the War King, right? Eh? Is Megiddo-san worse than her?]
[The first thing he’ll probably say to you when you meet is “Let’s have a fight.” He loves to fight, after all.]
[What the heck is that? That sounds scary.]
For him to challenge someone to a fight right when they meet? That’s a berserker through and through. Or rather, if someone like him is being compared to the Phantasmal King, doesn’t that mean the Phantasmal King is pretty dangerous?!
I still haven’t met the War King, the Dragon King, or the Phantasmal King… but for two out of those three to be dangerous? No, but, well, it’s not like I will meet them… and even if I do, it’s not like it’ll be anytime soon, so it’s fine. It’ll be fine.
[……Kaito-kun, your heart’s beating pretty fast.]
[……Unnn? What’s with that, all of a sudden…?]
While my mind was still in chaos over the Phantasmal King and the War King, Kuro spoke softly, her voice gentle.
[Kaito-kun, you’ve been working harder and growing up more than I ever thought you would…]
[……………….]
Kuro didn’t look at me as she said this. Her gaze remained fixed on the moon above.
With her cute face and the soft moonlight illuminating her, she looked almost otherworldly, like something straight out of a fantasy painting.
[……There’s something I want to acquire.]
[Eh?]
[I’ve wanted it for a long, long time, but I couldn’t find it, and I haven’t been able to get it… I’ve been searching for it forever. Probably, even from the moment I was born into this world…]
It was hard to imagine what the answer to her words could be.
She’s strong enough to take on the God of Creation, has more money than anyone, is loved by her family and followers, and is revered as the peak of the Demon Realm.
What could Kuro, who has everything, possibly want that she’s been unable to get since birth? Is it something incredibly valuable? Or maybe something that doesn’t even exist in this world?
As if sensing my thoughts, Kuro turns to me with a smile.
[It’s not anything that unusual. I’m sure everyone else, including Kaito-kun, has it. But I can’t seem to get my hands on it… no matter how many times I try, I haven’t been able to find it.]
[……What in the world is it…?]
[……It’s a secret. But, let’s see. If Kaito-kun finds it… I’ll… probably be happy.]
[………………….]
Under the moonlight, the girl with countless secrets smiles.
It’s a smile so beautiful that I can’t take my eyes off it, but it’s as fleeting as the moonlight itself.
[Well, leaving that aside, I think it’s about time for Kaito-kun to sleep, don’t you? You must be tired after everything that happened today.]
[Eh? Ah, well… Unnn. You’re right.]
Kuro’s abrupt change of subject felt more like a quiet plea for me not to press further.
In the end, my question went unanswered, just like so many others about Kuro.
But one thing I do know for sure, she’s searching for something, something she truly wants… and I felt like, if I understood what it was, maybe I could get closer to her.
[……A blanket and tatami mats… I guess I wouldn’t get a pillow, but this should be enough for me to sleep.]
[What are you talking about, Kaito-kun? If it’s a pillow, there’s one right here.]
[Eh? Where?]
[Look, here.]
With a smile on her face, Kuro pats her lap.
[N-No, as expected, that… is……]
[It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve slept on my lap, so you don’t need to be so shy.]
[……Uuuhhhh, alright.]
[Unnn, yeah. Honestly, just being upfront is the best.]
In the end, I couldn’t resist again, putting my head in Kuro’s lap despite feeling embarrassed.
Almost immediately, a small hand was on my head, gently stroking my hair.
It only took that to make me close my eyes, my consciousness slipping away as I sank into pleasant drowsiness.
With Kuro’s warmth surrounding me, both behind and under my head, my mind slowly drifted into sleep.
[……Good night, Kaito-kun.]
[……Unnn…… Good night…… Kuro……]
Dear Mom, Dad—Kuro is still the same as ever, someone hiding many secrets. But I can feel it, for sure. Little by little, step by step—I’m getting closer to Kuro……
Stroking the head of Kaito, who was peacefully sleeping in her lap, Kuromueina wore a slightly lonely smile.
[……Seriously, what a cruel child you are, Kaito-kun… Even though I should have given up long ago…]
She gently and compassionately stroked Kaito’s head, murmuring to herself. Her expression reflected the complex emotions within her heart, unsure whether she should feel sad or happy.
[……Even though you’ll be gone in a year… Why do you trouble me so much?]
Her beautiful voice echoed in the quiet shrine, carrying a sound that seemed to weep. It was a voice filled with deep emotion—slightly sorrowful, yet tinged with happiness.
[……How many times has Kaito-kun betrayed my expectations? That conversation with Shiro… that encounter with Isis… that time when Chronois-chan told you about me…]
At that point, Kuromueina’s hand, which had been gently stroking Kaito’s head, stopped. Slowly, so as not to wake him, she pulled his head into a tender embrace.
[……Because of that, I began hoping… That perhaps, if it’s Kaito-kun… ]
Still cradling him as though he were a precious treasure, her cheeks flushed red, and Kuromueina whispered a thought she could never tell Kaito directly—not just yet.
[……I love you… Kaito-kun.]
<Author’s Notes>
Mysterious Phantasmal King => Real Name easily discovered She’s aiming for Kaito => rather than what other people thought, she’s quite favorable of him
All the serious flags before were just smashed apart in this chapter.
Anyway, this is the end of Sieg Arc…… along with the Sacred Tree Festival Arc, and the following chapters will be about the appearance of the remaining members of the Six Kings.
Also, in an Activity Report in the following chapter, the current Affection meter for the girls should be published soon.
T/N: 7/15