Slightly intimidated by the ratio of baby sponge cakes at the stall, Black takes my hand and we head in that direction.

'Let's take it in turns to try some things.
Uh-huh.

　...you mean a variety of foods, right?　I don't think you're suggesting that we eat the baby sponge cake in order, right?　It just so happens that the first stall we headed to was a baby sponge cake, right?
　Feeling a bit uneasy, we arrive at the baby sponge cake stall with Kuro.

　There are three sizes to choose from, large, medium and small, but Kuro chooses the large without hesitation and receives a paper bag from the shopkeeper.

'Yes, Kite, you too,'
Yeah, thanks.

　I take out one of the baby sponge cakes from the paper bag Black offered me and bring it to my mouth.

It's delicious. It goes with the atmosphere of the festival, after all.
'Hey~. It tastes even better when you eat in a place like this.

　In response to my impressions, Black smiles and agrees, 'while accepting a new paper bag from the shopkeeper'.......Huh?　Where's that paper bag you were carrying before?

Do you want another one?
Uh-huh.

　I take a baby sponge cake from the paper bag offered to me again and bring it to my mouth. I feel like I just saw something strange right now........is it my imagination?

'....Yeah. I knew the taste would be slightly different if the ingredients were different~
....

　With a smile on his face, Black said, ''I'll take a new paper bag from the shopkeeper................................So, what about the paper bag you were receiving earlier?
　Black, stunned by the strange sight, holds out the paper bag three times. I take one of the baby sponge cakes and stare at Kuro without putting it in my mouth this time.
　The paper bag from which I finished taking the baby sponge cake is then ... 'folded and returned to the shopkeeper, who received a new paper bag and folded it again.

　........a magic trick!　Where's all the stuff that was supposed to be in there?　Well, you don't think........you're eating it?　So fast that I can't even perceive it....

........uh, Black?
Yeah?
How many of those baby sponge cakes are you making?
".........er......the 'tenth bag'?

　It's not the number of pieces, it's the number of bags. You know what the words mean, but your head refuses to understand.

'....Oh, right.
'Yes!　Oh, give me about '50 more bags' to take home.......................yes, thank you. Keep the change.

　........I just stared in stunned amazement at the sight of a large number of paper bags being stored in a black vortex and Black handing the store owner a gold coin.
　Maybe I was just licking my lips at Kuro's passion for baby sponge cake. At any rate, it's only the first case........if you continue to eat at this rate, how many baby sponge cakes will you have to eat in one day?

"Hurry up, Kite!　Which baby sponge cake shall I have next?
....
There's so many to choose from!

　...I hope that's clear to you.　The choice is not A or B, it's Baby Castella or Baby Castella. For me, eating baby sponge cake after baby sponge cake is a bit too avant-garde to follow.
　But of course, Kuro, the incarnation of baby sponge cake, wasn't going to wait for me, so he took my hand and headed for the next baby sponge cake stall.

　As I was going through the several stalls....all of them baby sponge cake stalls of course...........then suddenly Kuro's feet stopped.

''.........Kaito-kun!　Look at that, look at that!
Yeah?　.... "Baby sponge cake with ice cream"...
'It's great!　It's definitely good, that thing, let's go!
Oh, oh...

　You don't have to make everything a baby sponge cake that much, do you?　No, well, I was tired of the maple baby sponge cake, and the fact that it comes with ice cream isn't bad.
　Apparently Kuro is quite interested in it too, and with a twinkle in his eye, he pulls my hand.......it's really cute.
　Laughing at Kuro's childish behavior, I walked toward the stall....

''Welcome to the--mighya!

　And then he beat the 'idiot in a penguin costume' who showed up and beat him no time. Really, what is this idiot doing!　Didn't you win an award for perfect attendance?　Ever since the Rokugan Festival started, I've seen this guy at the venue every day.

"Huh?　It was Chartier's, wasn't it?
'Yes, yes... or rather, Black?　No reaction?　I'm being beaten up by a guy I just met and it's a terrible domestic violence case.
'What?　
....

　At Kuro's words, which he told her matter-of-factly, Alice looked to the side to avert her gaze while still in her costume. It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with your friends.

''Well, well, anyway, please eat. The first is service!

　Apparently Alice was embarrassed, too, as she switched the conversation a little deliberately and offered me and Kuro a baby sponge cake with ice cream.
　I thought it would be cold because of the ice cream, but the baby sponge cake I received was warm and hokey. And when I tried it, the ice cream inside was cold, making it a dish that was both warm and cold at the same time.
　It tasted like ice cream on top of a pancake, and the ice cream was a nice combination of the slightly sweet aftertaste of the baby sponge cake.
　Mmm, as expected of Alice, it was very delicious.

　How did you do this!
Fufu.........it's all about state preservation magic!
What did you say?
The baby sponge cake has a state preservation spell only on the ice cream inside. And the condition for its release is set to be when it touches anything other than the dough of the baby sponge cake.
Yeah, right!　That way, the moment you bite down and your teeth hit it, it's released...

　Well, that's an interesting idea. Not the whole thing, but just the ice cream that you put inside it...I think it could be used in many ways.

That's right!　With this method, you can even put liquid in baby sponge cake if you want to!
What?　Oh, my God!　Then you can make that 'with tea' or 'with misosil' baby sponge cake that I've given up on!

　Hey, idiot, don't...............................don't inherit a new technology from that baby sponge spirit. Who do you think is going to be harmed!
　As I thought that, in contrast to the excited Kuro, Alice announced in a subtle voice.

''Yes, that's right ... but, Kuro-san,''
Yeah?
Why don't we stop with those two?　It's definitely not good....
Well I want to be an explorer. I want to be an explorer of all the possibilities of baby sponge cakes.
Please dismiss that idea immediately. The world doesn't need it.

　....Huh?　It's funny. Somehow, Alice seems to be a more decent, sensible person.
　I mean, Black's obsession with trying it at least once, even if he assures me it will never taste good, is terrifying already. To be more specific, the future that would make me eat it........is terrifying.

　Dear Mom, Dad--Alice is usually rather dumber than me, but when it comes to baby sponge cakes, that is, Black is more unusual. I mean, I've wondered many times, but that passion for baby sponge cake--where does it come from?