“That was a delightful meal! Let’s meet again next time!”

    “Oh, uh... sure. Just focus on recovering quickly, yeah? You look kind of pitiful right now.”

    “Hah! No need to worry! My sturdy body is one of my few strengths!”

    Hahaha!

    After finishing his meal, Victor left with his companions, laughing heartily as they supported him.

    It was astounding how someone could be that loud. My ears still felt numb from the auditory assault.

    Of course, in a way, he had saved everyone at Saint Maria, so I couldn’t exactly dislike him. There were plenty of things about him that made him likable.

    Still... his energy was a lot.

    As someone who was a textbook introvert, dealing with that level of enthusiasm was a bit exhausting.

    Thinking that, I quietly popped a candy into my mouth behind my mask and stood beside Alice.

    By the way, the candy was given to me by Victor’s assistant—a cool beauty who looked amazing in office attire.

    Something about enjoying the way I ate my steak? I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t going to refuse free candy.

    “Phew, that was a feast. How long has it been since I last ate high-end steak without worrying about the cost?”

    “Haha... I imagine the hotel’s financial team might be crying right now.”

    Alice chuckled awkwardly at Raven, who was patting his stomach with deep satisfaction.

    Between the two of them, they had devoured several kilograms of meat—excluding the bones.

    If I were to convert that into money... yeah. Even with a rough estimate, it was a massive financial hit.

    And considering they ate all that for free... no wonder Alice was feeling a little guilty.

    Then again, if you factored in the fact that these two had put their lives on the line last night, preventing any casualties...

    From a business standpoint, the hotel probably got off cheap.

    As we left the restaurant, I walked down the corridor, feeling that pleasant drowsiness that came with a full stomach.

    Just then, Raven, who was walking ahead, glanced at Alice and asked—

    “Want to grab a coffee? My throat’s a little dry.”

    ...Since when do you drink coffee?

    He usually avoided it, saying it was too bitter.

    Alice, blinking in surprise, waved her hand lightly in refusal.

    “I’m good. What about the rest of you?”

    “Hmm, I think I could use one.”

    “Alright, I’ll wait over there by the table.”

    “...!”

    Four of them, including Raven, headed toward the hotel’s fancy cafe?.

    I had no particular desire for coffee, so I decided to wait outside with Alice.

    The table we chose had a clear view of the ocean.

    The sight of the winter sea through the transparent glass made me feel strangely refreshed.

    As she gazed at the scenery, Alice absentmindedly muttered—

    “It’s nice... A little disappointing that it’s not summer, though.”

    “...”

    “Hm? Oh... you’re saying we can just come back in the summer?”

    “...!”

    “Hahaha! That’s true. This isn’t the end. There’ll be another summer... another winter... and I hope we’ll all be together for them.”

    She laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes, then gently patted my head.

    It seemed that my heartfelt little gesture was enough to comfort her.

    After a brief conversation, we sat in silence, simply watching the scenery.

    The sound of the waves wasn’t audible, but watching them crash and break into white foam was mesmerizing on its own.

    “Ah! There you are, Alice-chan!”

    However, that peaceful moment was abruptly shattered by an unexpected visitor.

    Who dares to ruin the mood?

    I turned toward the voice—and there she was.

    A beautiful fox beastfolk—Yanagi Tamamo.

    “Oh... Tamamo?”

    “Yup! It’s me. And you must be... Yuria-chan, right? Nice to meet you.”

    “...”

    Hello.

    I nodded in greeting as Tamamo acknowledged not just Alice but me as well.

    We had never formally introduced ourselves, but somehow, she already knew my name.

    That said, she didn’t seem to have any business with me.

    After giving me a playful wink, she turned back to Alice, rubbing her cheek with a slightly troubled expression.

    Wait... is there someone behind her?

    “Hahaha... Alice-chan, good afternoon. So, uh... Nera here really wanted to apologize...”

    “I-I’m so sorryyyyy!!”

    Whoosh!

    A dark shadow clinging behind Tamamo suddenly shot up into the air at an incredible speed.

    And then—

    It clung to Alice like a piece of gum, prostrating itself completely in an orche-toji stance.

    Now that I got a closer look, it was a girl dressed entirely in black—from her hair to her shoes.

    An apology...?

    Ah, it must be her.

    The Disciplinary Committee President from the Academy.

    She had been intoxicated by that rage gas yesterday and had ended up unintentionally attacking Alice.

    That had to be it.

    Considering how firmly she was stuck to the ground, I could feel her sincerity.

    “Uh... um... Excuse me?”

    “I heard everything after waking up in the infirmary! I was drugged by some strange gas and ended up hurting you, Alice! Even if I was being controlled, that doesn’t change the fact that I committed a crime! So, please... punish me however you see fit!”

    “...Punish you?”

    The Disciplinary President, Nera, wailed dramatically, still clinging to Alice’s legs.

    With every shake of her head, her hips wiggled in sync.

    She had a really nice figure... Honestly, looking down at her from this angle felt a little indecent.

    Perhaps that was why Alice, who had no tolerance for anything remotely suggestive, looked completely flustered.

    She turned to Tamamo with pleading eyes, silently begging for help.

    With a sigh, Tamamo rubbed her forehead before slapping Nera’s rear with a firm smack.

    “...?!”

    “Kyaah!”

    “Get up already. You’re making Alice-chan uncomfortable. I get that you feel bad, but making the other person feel awkward isn’t exactly the best way to apologize.”

    “Uuuh... I’m sorry...”

    Sniffling like a scolded puppy, Nera slowly got to her feet.

    I suppose, in a way, Alice had been her savior—preventing her from causing more harm to others.

    Maybe that was why she was being this dramatic about it.

    Once Nera’s emotions settled, she hesitantly approached Alice, her voice softer.

    “I’m sorry... and thank you... I heard you and the President protected everyone...”

    “Haha... Well, it just kind of happened.”

    “You don’t even have any noticeable magic, and yet you were amazing! Do you have some kind of secret technique?!”

    Snap.

    For a brief moment, silence filled the table.

    Alice, mid-smile, froze completely.

    Tamamo’s face twisted in horror.

    “Y-You idiot! Do you realize what you just said?!”

    “Ugh—?!”

    Tamamo smacked Nera on the back of the head before turning to Alice with an apologetic bow.

    After all, discussing magic in that way was a huge taboo.

    Despite that, Alice simply chuckled, brushing it off kindly.

    As if finally letting go of something that had weighed on her heart, she smiled softly.

    “It’s fine. Honestly, I think I like things just the way they are now. I’ve gained so many irreplaceable people... and I don’t want to lose any of them.”

    Her eyes shimmered—not with lingering doubt or envy, but with contentment.

    Tamamo, caught off guard, blinked before smiling back.

    “I’m glad. I always wished for your happiness, Alice-chan.”

    And with that, Tamamo and Nera departed, leaving us with the peaceful ocean breeze.

    Our vacation had truly begun.