This was the first time he had stayed at a human inn.
　From tomorrow, the four of us would be living alone with Takumi-dono in turn for four days.
　Sasha has reserved a room for us for that purpose, but I didn't expect all four of us to be in the same room.

'We have an early start tomorrow and I think we should go to bed.
'What are you talking about, Alice? There's a rule that when more than one girl stays with you, you have to stay until morning to talk about your love story (coybana).
Oh, really? Well, I guess we'll have to do it then.

　Alice has completely become Sasha's toy.
　Alice's make-up, which was left at the mercy of what they said earlier about the royal court's make-up or something like that, was made to look horrible, as if she had been cursed by some tribe.

'Come on, Chloe and Leia, come over here too. We've also prepared lots of drinks to make it easier to talk.
'No, I'm not old enough to drink, oh, Alice-sama, you mustn't drink trumpets!

　Leia hurriedly mingles with Alice to stop her.
　This isn't good. I'll be completely caught up in Sasha's pace.
　If I don't deceive myself and escape here, I have to ......

"Koo-chan, help me, I'm soaked in liquor!
Oh, Cal, when did you do that?

　The Cal sister that should have been on her hip was taken by a drunken Alice and shoved into the liquor barrel.

'Look, look, Chloe, let's drink and spill all our true feelings!
Mph.

　I was about to go to help my sister Cal when Sasha shoved a bottle of liquor down my throat.
　The liquor was flowing down her throat with a tremendous force.
　Oh, that's not good.
　As I thought that, our consciousness became quite fuzzy.
　When I woke up, I had no memory of what I had said afterwards.


　It was shortly before morning when I woke up.
　Sasha and Leia were asleep in bed, intertwined with each other.
　For some reason, my sister Cal was in between them.
　What had happened is an eternal mystery.

　I was still a little drunk, so I opened the window to catch the cold breeze outside and found Alice sitting on a wooden chair on the balcony.

'Good morning, Alice,'
Hmm, yeah. It's almost morning. Morning, Chloe.

　Alice's face was slightly flushed.
　It wasn't like she had any alcohol left in her system, she seemed somewhat sojourning and restless.

''Could it be that you're nervous because you're going to Takumi-dono's place?''

　With a jolt, Alice's body shook.

'Well, that's not true. I've been with Takumi since I was a child. It's impossible to get nervous even if it's just the two of you now.
I'm sure it means a lot different things to you than it did when you were a kid.

　When I said that, Alice sweated out a taraa, and whistled out a whistle, as if on purpose.
　But all I could hear was a clumsy, faint hissing and whistling air sound.

'You like Takumi-dono, don't you?
"...... you're not? Then give me back the paper I gave you last time.

　By the way, I was given a mysterious piece of paper with the number six written on it a while ago.

'I'm not saying I don't like it. It's just that things have changed a bit since we met.
What do you mean?
''At first, I was attracted to his strength. But I don't think it was out of pure affection, but rather an attempt to use Takumi-dono for the prosperity of the Dragon Clan.

　With Takumi-dono as the king of the dragon clan, it is not impossible for our dragons to conquer this world. That's what I was thinking.

''Isn't it different now?''
'Having been with him for so long, I've seen enough to know that Takumi-dono's appeal isn't just about strength.
Mm, you're well aware of that. You're right.

　'Mmmm,' said Alice, nodding with satisfaction as if she had been complimented.

''And there is one thing I've been wondering about recently, regarding Takumi-dono.
Well, I'll tell you what it is.
...... Is Takumi-dono really strong?

　Ever since he could hear Sister Kal's voice, he had begun to wonder about it.
　Sister Cal's response to Takumi-dono is not to the strong, but rather to protect the weak, as if she is protecting the weak.
　Furthermore, Takumi's class has begun, and his doubts become even stronger as he gets involved in that class.
　Then I realized the fact that I had never seen Takumi-dono in a proper fight before.

'I don't understand what you're saying? Does that mean mental strength or something like that?
''No, I mean physically to the hilt. It's as if Takumi-dono doesn't have the aura of a strong man that I can feel from Alice and Nuruhachi. Leia told me that this world would be destroyed if Takumi-dono released all the power he had, but isn't it strange that he doesn't release his power at all, even when he's fighting someone else?

　I hadn't even asked my sister Cal about it.
　If Takumi-dono was really weak, what feelings would I have?
　Maybe I didn't want my relatives, my sister Kal, to know that.

''Hm, this is nonsense. I've noticed that from the moment I met you.
So, then, Takumi-dono is not the strongest or anything, but really weak?
'No. Takumi is still training to become even stronger.

　Alice begins to speak confidently.

'When you're as strong as Watashi and Takumi, the results you can get from normal training are negligible. However, Takumi has achieved a great deal by restraining his own power to the limit.
Ha, ha.

　In the past, I would have believed the whole thing, but now I don't believe it anymore.
　I've seen Takumi-dono many times when he's in trouble in battle or in class, fumbling around with his sister Cal.

'When we used to go on adventures together in the past, Takumi almost died many times, and each time he gained a terrifying amount of strength. One of the most tremendous of these was a chimera strike: ......

　Alice's story never stopped.
　She was so proud of herself that she kept talking about Takumi-dono incessantly.

　As I watched Alice passionately talk about Takumi-dono with great pleasure, I began to feel that it didn't matter if Takumi-dono was strong or weak.

　Yes, I do.
　I like Takumi-dono.
　He makes me feel very happy when I'm with him and everyone else gathered around him.
　It doesn't matter if he's strong or weak, it doesn't matter.

　Before I know it, the sun starts to rise and the time for the appointment arrives, without Alice finishing her story.

''Oh, when did you realize it was this late?

　He called out to Alice's back as she hurriedly began to get ready and left in a flurry.

'Good luck. I won't lose, though.''
Yeah, I'll be there. I don't think you'll be able to beat me, but good luck with that Chloe.

　I can't help but smile as I look away from Alice, who is trying so hard.
　Let's keep this up for a while.
　With that thought in mind, I sat down in the chair that Alice was in.