After Eden-san left, Alice and I spent time relaxing and watching the store again.

''Heh heh ... one or two white gold coins ... many ... many ... heh--fuggya!
You know...
It's been a long time since we've had sales like this. If that's all that's left........we can gamble and lose 200 times....
Why do I have to try to lose on purpose...

　I punched Alice, who was counting the large number of white gold coins given to me by Eden-san and grinning with a very bad face.
　

''........Oh, I forgot to mention that. I had something to give to Kaito-san.
Is it for you?

...What's this money?

　She says she has something to give me and hands me a cloth bag full of gold coins.
　But I don't know why I'm being handed this... or rather, I can't keep up with the unusual situation of being handed money by Alice.

　Seeing the expression on my face, Alice smiles and explains with a smile.

I'm sure you're aware of the fact that the bedding I got Kite's idea to make before.......that sold like crazy. As usual, we don't have any customers, but I heard that Kuro-san can't keep up with the production. And that's 20% of the profit.
''Hmmm........hmmm. There's no point in having any more money........
'Kite, you should learn to be extravagant too - buy Alice a meal, buy her some clothes, buy her some accessories...'
All rejected.
You can't be bothered with that.

　I run into Alice, who is joking around and talking. It's kind of like the usual exchange, which is strangely fun.
　It seems that the same is true for Alice, and she and I look at each other and laugh at each other.

Haha, ah, I knew it was going to be like this. But I feel like it's been a long time since we've done this.
Alice's been acting a little strange, you know.
'Oh, there, I'm sorry. But you see, I'm growing up to be New Alice, too, you know?
Hmm, what do you mean by that?
I didn't take a swing at that stupid god.
... hmmmmm.

　It's a very subtle growth. I mean, I mean, if I hadn't become, well, New Alice-chan and all that, I would have hit her.......
　As I make a subtle face, Alice giggles once more and then snaps her fingers lightly.

　Then I heard the sound of a lock on the door of the grocery store, then the sign changed from "Open" to "Closed", and then I heard something hit the door.
　Then Alice takes off her mask and turns to her bare face, opening her mouth with a slightly embarrassed look on her cheeks.

''Well, all jokes aside........I think I would have gotten even more nasty with that god a while ago. I must have been in a hurry.
But not now, right?
...Yes. I still feel the same way about protecting Kite-san, but I've changed a little bit.

　As she says this, Alice gently lays her own hand on mine. After making it a so-called lover's connection, she continues her words.

''........Now, I've decided not to push myself.
'....Yeah. Well.....
'Well, but as you know Kite you know I'm an idiot and I'm going to have a lot of help from you too.
Yes, I know I can't do it in terms of strength, but I want to be able to support Alice's heart. I want to protect the feelings of happiness when Alice is with me.

　Hearing Alice's decision, I squeezed her hand back tightly and told her my thoughts.
　Then, without saying a word, Alice slowly leans against me.

　I feel the gentle warmth of her hand and shoulder, and without saying a word, I surrender myself to the happiness that seems to be spreading from the depths of my heart.

　The meeting that started it all was a coincidence for me and an accident for Alice. I still remember the impact of the first cat costume I saw in the grocery store I visited.
　Looking back on it now, it may have been partly because she wanted to impress me.

　In fact, I continued to visit Alice's grocery store and we became friends.
　I was repeatedly dismayed by her stupid behavior, and I even lectured her on her unplanned behavior. But when I think about it, Alice is the second person, after Kuro, to have a natural conversation with me since I came to this world without any pretense at all.

　Is that why?　As for Alice, that's where she was going to break off relations with me, the kidnapping.......and Alice's betrayal. Even in response to that, rather than feeling resentful, the feeling of forgiveness was greater than "Oh, if she betrayed me".
　

　Even after I found out that Alice was the Phantom King, my attitude towards her didn't change.......no, I didn't intend to change it either.
　To me, Alice was more of a precious friend than a member of the Six Kingdoms....

　I didn't expect, at least at the time, that I would become a lover of Alice.
　I thought that our relationship would continue on as a relationship of lighthearted banter and bitter laughter... or maybe I was trying to imagine it.
　He'd been aware of Alice as a girl for some time now, and not once or twice had he thought a casual gesture was cute.

　The reason why I pretended not to notice this is because not only Alice, but also I subconsciously thought that by changing to a relationship of lovers, the easygoing relationship we had until now would change.
　But in the end, that was a groundless fear, and I think things have changed for the better. Even now, we still clap lightly to each other and laugh at each other... and now that we've added love to the mix, I've come to feel happy about every single one of those things.

　I'm sure they will continue to do so. We will be easygoing friends and loving lovers.......protecting and being protected and walking together.
　I don't need to think about it to be happy.......that's why I will do my best to protect Alice's heart, too.
　This happy relationship......................so that it can last forever.

Mr. Kite......
Yeah?
It's just a call.
What's that?
"Mmm-hmm.
Ha-ha-ha.
Mr. Kite.
...Yeah?
"...stay with me forever. Please don't leave me alone.
It's okay. I won't leave you alone. I promise.
Yes, sir.
....
....
Mr. Kite.
What now?
I love it.
Me too.

　Dear Mom, Dad - I think I've been ridiculously cheerful and dumbfounded, and I think I've let out a lot of sighs, and I'm sure I will continue to do so. But I don't hate it. Because, indeed, me and Alice - our hearts are connected.