Chapter 40

    How did things end up like this?

    As Alice’s warm hand guided me forward, I couldn’t help but ponder that thought.

    Looking back, it all started when my base got wrecked by snow, prompting me to boldly set out to find a new place.

    But even after wandering for ages, I couldn’t find anything suitable.

    Resigned, I decided to head toward Greg’s general store with a heavy heart, only to run into Alice.

    And when she realized I was essentially homeless, she half-dragged me along with her... which led to where I was now.

    Her invitation to stay at her house left me no room for argument. If she had merely asked me if I wanted to come over, I would have flatly refused out of pride.

    But the way she held my hand with such a heartbroken expression and insisted on taking me left me no choice.

    Talk about creating a debt and stuffing it down my throat! She was a terrifying person.

    “....”

    “....”

    Neither of us said a word as Alice matched her steps to my shorter stride, and we slowly made our way through the city streets.

    The snowstorm seemed slightly stronger now, perhaps because the temperature was dropping as the night deepened.

    Yet, thanks to wearing Alice’s coat, I felt much warmer than before.

    Wait a minute—this peachy scent coming from Alice—it’s not perfume, it’s her natural smell.

    Feeling a bit self-conscious, I subtly buried my face in the coat.

    The mask got in the way a little, but the scent was so sweet and distinct that it didn’t matter.

    How far did we walk through the neon-lit streets of NightHaven like that?

    Staring at the ground and hiding my face in her coat, I didn’t notice when Alice stopped, and I ended up bumping my forehead against her back.

    “...?”

    “We’re here. This is my place,” Alice said, turning to look at me.

    I raised my head and saw an apartment building—three stories high and oddly familiar.

    Whoa, this is exactly like the one from the original story.

    As I stared at the perfectly matched building in amazement, Alice’s expression darkened slightly. She gently patted my head and spoke.

    “You don’t have anywhere to go, do you? Stay here for the night.”

    “...!”

    “And no arguing! Come on, let’s go in!”

    “....”

    Ugh, so escaping is out of the question after all....

    I sighed quietly to myself at Alice’s firm resolve.

    Not that I didn’t understand how she felt.

    Reflecting on it, I must have looked pretty pitiful wandering alone in the snow to anyone who saw me.

    Even if it were me and I found a coworker wandering the streets in the freezing snow late at night, I’d have at least asked if something was wrong.

    But for someone like me—who had sworn to avoid getting too entangled with the main cast from the start—this situation left me feeling conflicted.

    First, I ended up working at the office. And now, I was being invited to Alice’s home?

    Why did I keep getting caught up in things like this?

    ‘...Nothing’s going the way I planned. Maybe getting involved with Greg was the root of it all.’

    Feeling a little defeated, I looked at Alice’s back as she led me forward and suddenly wondered:

    If it weren’t me she found wandering, would she have brought someone else home?

    Yeah, she probably would have.

    This person can’t help but step in when someone’s in trouble. She’s a busybody like that.

    Oddly enough, that thought lightened the burden weighing on my chest.

    If she was the type to reach out to anyone, not just me, maybe it wasn’t so bad to lean on her warmth for a little while.

    ‘Besides... Once my part-time job ends, we’ll naturally drift apart.’

    Taking a deep breath, I decided to go along with things for now.

    I still didn’t want to get tangled up in the main story. That hadn’t changed.

    But if this relationship would naturally fade in two weeks, there was no point in forcing her away with awkward excuses.

    Fine. This time, I’ll take the easy route and accept her help.

    Then, as she fidgeted, unsure of what to do, I lightly hugged her.

    Maybe because I’d never initiated physical contact before, Alice froze like a statue at my sudden embrace.

    “Uh, um... Yuria? Are you forgiving me...?”

    “...!”

    Forgiving? I was never angry in the first place.

    You’re doing fine. Just keep being yourself.

    I rubbed my forehead lightly against her stomach as if to say, “What are you even worried about?”

    Did my gesture get the message across?

    Alice hesitantly wrapped her arms around my shoulders and whispered a soft “thank you,” her voice barely audible.

    Why was she thanking me when I was the one receiving her help?

    Smiling faintly, I leaned against her, savoring the warm peachy scent that was even sweeter now than before.

    After what felt like enough time had passed, Alice let me go and plopped down comfortably on the sofa beside me.

    The tense atmosphere from earlier had completely dissipated, replaced by the usual Alice. Smiling gently, she asked me:

    “Yuria, how’s the temperature? Should I turn it up more?”

    “....”

    “You’re good? That’s a relief. I was worried you might catch a cold since you were so cold earlier.”

    To be honest, my body had already warmed up when I wore Alice’s cozy coat earlier.

    But the way she looked at me with genuine concern made me feel... strange.

    So what if I catch a cold?

    Oh, right. I need to give this back. I picked up Alice’s coat, which I had draped over the sofa, and handed it to her.

    Alice quietly observed me as she took the coat back, then suddenly spoke with curiosity.

    “Now that I think about it, this is my first time seeing you in casual clothes. What’s that you’re wearing? Pajamas?”

    “....”

    “Hmm, isn’t it a bit short? And the fabric doesn’t seem very nice... Do you have any spare clothes to change into?”

    Clothes to change into? I left all of them behind when I abandoned my base.

    Feeling awkward, I touched my neck. Alice, deep in thought, suddenly leaned in close to me. Way too close.

    She sniffed the side of my head.

    Eek! A shiver ran down my spine.

    “Is it because you don’t have a strong scent? You don’t smell bad or anything... But you should take a warm shower. I’ll lend you some of my clothes.”

    “...?!”

    “What’s with that look? Are you worried they’ll be too big? Don’t worry, you can wear them like a dress, and they’ll fit fine.”

    No, no! I’m not asking about the size. I’m asking why I have to shower here!

    Usually, she’s quick to understand things, but now she’s completely missing the point.

    Flustered, I flailed my arms and looked up at Alice, only to see her hesitate for a moment before speaking firmly.

    “Ah... Do you not like showering? That’s no good. If you stay dirty, you’re more likely to get sick. Honestly, I’d prefer giving you a bath, but that might be a bit much.”

    Well, she’s not wrong.

    And it wasn’t exactly a bad suggestion for me.

    Until now, I’d only ever used bottled water, moved around with telekinesis, to wash myself. I’d never had the chance to properly bathe using running water.

    The only thing holding me back was that this was Alice’s home.

    Still, it was a rare opportunity to wash up with warm water.

    Maybe because I seemed hesitant, Alice clapped her hands together as if struck by an idea.

    “Oh! Then how about we shower together?”

    ...Excuse me?

    My gaze involuntarily dropped below Alice’s face, landing on her... ahem... sizable chest.

    I shook my head so furiously that my hair whipped around.

    No way! Absolutely not!

    My fragile sense of morality spun in chaotic triangles.

    Fortunately, Alice must have picked up on my vehement resistance, because she relented. In the end, I got to shower alone.

    Thank goodness.