After returning to Lilia-san’s mansion from the God Realm and exchanging greetings with Mom and Dad, Lilia-san tactfully left, saying “I’m sure you have some things you’d like to discuss in private with your family. I’m almost done explaining everything anyway.”, and now, it’s just Mom, Dad and me in this big room.
I was thinking about all sorts of things. I wondered what kind of conversation I would have with Mom and Dad if they were alive, and how I would talk to them if they had survived that accident…… But surprisingly, no topic came up.
I was expecting that some kind of nostalgic conversation would naturally come up……
[……Hmmm. How should I say this…… Even though it was something like a dream, we’ve been living together for a month, so it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.]
Dad, who seemed to have the same lack of ideas as I did, chuckled and muttered, to which Mom nodded in agreement.
Indeed, now that he mentioned it, the two of them who were living in the virtual world were real, and even though our memories are slightly different, we’ve been living together for a month.
I wonder if that’s the reason why the three of us don’t feel that nostalgic after meeting again……
[Well, I actually met and talked to Kaito six months before the ordeal.]
[Is that so? That’s the first time I’ve heard of that.]
I didn’t immediately understand what she meant when she said such a thing while flipping her hair behind her back and giving me a thumbs-up.
It didn’t seem like Dad knew about it either, so tilting our heads, we asked Mom what she was talking about.
[I actually came to this world before the ordeal…… Well, I’m using the name Luce at that time though.]
[Eh? Eeeehhhh!? T- Then, Mom really is Luce-san!?]
[Fufufu, I actually am!]
Proudly presenting her small body, a smug smile appeared on Mom’s face…… Well, they do look like two peas in a pod. For Luce-san to actually be Mom……
[Heehhh…… But I don’t think changing your name would be enough to fool Kaito though……]
Dad’s question is reasonable. In fact, when I first saw her, even though I knew Mom was dead…… I still suspected that she was Mom.
[N- No, but…… That Mom…… Luce-san’s homemade sandwiches were delicious!]
[……What did you say? That settles it then. She’s a different person. No doubt about it. Even if I were in your shoes, I would have thought it was someone else.]
Dad, who had eaten Mom’s cooking longer and more often than anyone else, earnestly nodded and said it was no wonder that I couldn’t recognize her.
Did that mean that someone else made that sandwich? Or perhaps, Shiro-san fixed Mom’s bad cooking skills…… If so, that’s really awesome. As expected of the almost omnipotent God.
Well, there’s no way I can say such a thing in front of Mom herself though……
[Hyiiiihhh…… Ah, no, what I said just now was a figure of speech……]
[Y- Yeah, that’s right. As expected, Gods really are beyond human comprehension. For them to actually be able to do something about Mom’s cooking…… They never cease to amaze me.]
Why are you stepping on the mines I just avoided, Dad!? Mom’s eyes became fixated on you, you know!?
This looks bad, isn’t it? The way this is going, she will probably end up getting pissed off at me too……
[……Dear, come here for a minute.]
[……I’m sorry, I misspoke. H- However, I was just so shocked because we’ve been together for so long…… No, wait. H- How about you have some calm conversation with Kaito……]
[Kaito, wait right there for a bit, okay?]
Alright! It seems that according to Mom’s judgment, I was safe and Dad was out! As I watched Mom walk out of the room while dragging Dad by the scruff of his neck as his tongue slipped again, I felt relieved.
[……Hmmm. Kaito-san’s parents are a little like Sieg-san’s parents, aren’t they? They seemed like a lively couple, the type of couple that I personally like.]
[You really do come out of nowhere, don’t you……Well, that’s what I thought before too.]
I’ve thought before that Rei-san and Fia-san kinda resemble Mom and Dad, and if Alice thinks so too, then I guess they really do resemble each other.
How should I say this…… It’s an exchange I’ve often seen in the virtual world but…… Yes, perhaps, it was this nostalgia that naturally warmed my heart.
Thinking about this, I chat with my attentive lover who probably came to talk to me so that I wouldn’t get bored.
[……Speaking of which, I’m completely changing the subject……]
[No, since I’ve decided to live in this world forever, I thought that I couldn’t just stay in Lilia-san’s mansion…… so I thought it would be better if I buy “a house of my own”.]
[Ahh~~ That certainly is the case. I’m looking forward to the large amount of money that will come into Alice-chan’s pocket again.]
As expected, Alice can also do carpentry without any problem. In that case, I think it’s better if I ask her to do this for me.
Even though her services were a bit expensive…… I’m more relieved if it’s her doing this, or rather, my trust in her is on another level. Well, I’m not going to tell her about this since she’ll definitely get carried away……
[……Well, I kind of guessed that but…… by the way, how much would be the approximate price?]
[Let’s see, including various other stuff, how about 1000 white gold coins?]
It isn’t an unreasonable amount of money, but it’s the highest price Alice has ever presented to me…… That’s almost 10 billion yen.
(T/N: Over 90 million USD.)
Even so, since it’s Alice making it, she would definitely do a job worth more than the cost…… and thanks to Anima increasing my money too much, even if I paid 1000 white gold coins, I would still have plenty of money in my possession.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, and thinking about the people who might come to visit or live together with me…… I think it’s a good idea to splurge here.
Alice also knows how I think, so I’m sure she won’t build anything too extravagant……
[……Okay then, Alice. I’ll have to talk about this to Lilia-san and the others first, but I’ll give you the money now.]
[Yes, yes. Thank you for the purchase~~ Well, leave it to me. I’ll make a house that will satisfy you, Kaito-san.]
[Yeah, I’m counting on you.]
The me of that time, who said such a thing with a smile…… I was unsure if it was because I wasn’t quite aware of my position…… or perhaps, I wasn’t quite aware of the circumstances regarding my environment…… but I was too naive.
It’s not until later that I would come to regret this decision.