And so, it was the next day.
Today was another clear day with gentle sunlight, the perfect weather for an outing.
"Well then, I’ll be back to pick you up in the evening~"
"Mm, I appreciate it."
The mermaid concierge, still with a fish's tail, waved as she drove off in the carriage, heading back to the inn. Despite her lower half being that of a fish, she maneuvered skillfully, a testament to her professionalism.
Anyway, that's beside the point――Allen stroked his chin and smiled.
"I see. So that's where you wanted to go."
"F-Fweh..."
Charlotte blushed bright red and looked down.
But her gaze kept flickering forward, a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Her eyes were also sparkling somehow.
Rising before their eyes was the colorful entrance gate.
The sign above it read:
Yunoha Magibeast Zoo
Just as the name implied, it was a theme park that kept magic beasts. In truth, it was more of a research facility, but it was widely open to the public and very popular.
There were facilities like this all around the world, but this one was particularly large. Rare magic beasts such as ancient dragons and phoenixes could be seen here, drawing visitors from both inside and outside the country. Allen had even heard of it in passing back in the day.
Allen spread out the pamphlet and groaned.
"It'll take a whole day to see everything. Well, let’s take it slow."
"Um… but… is this really okay?"
Charlotte asked timidly, sounding apologetic.
"I made such a selfish request, and having Allen-san come along with me like this… I feel bad."
"Don’t worry about it. I didn’t have anywhere else I wanted to go. A place like this isn’t bad every now and then."
Allen gave a generous smile and tilted his head.
"Still, I had no idea you liked magic beasts."
"It’s not exactly magic beasts themselves… I was curious about the ‘petting area’ mentioned in the guidebook…"
"Oh, I see. This part, huh?"
He looked at the map in the brochure and found the Petting Area section. It seemed to be a place where tame magic beasts roamed freely, and guests could feed and pet them.
Allen nodded in understanding, but for some reason, Charlotte looked even more embarrassed.
"Uuuh… I’m sorry for being so childish…"
"What are you talking about? Look around."
"Huh?"
He gently tapped her shoulder and gestured toward the entrance.
Families with young children, groups of young adults similar in age to them, elderly tourists, all kinds of people were entering the zoo.
Charlotte stared, mouth agape.
"I-It’s not just a place for children…?"
"You can see that, right? Age doesn’t matter at a zoo. So there’s nothing to be ashamed of."
"I-I see…"
Charlotte watched the people being pulled into the gate with wide eyes, astonished. Seeing her reaction, Allen suddenly realized something.
"...Wait, could this be your first time coming to a place like this?"
"Yes… I’ve read about them in picture books, but..."
She explained that when she was younger, living alone with her mother, she’d received an old picture book from a neighborhood child.
She had cherished it and read it until it was worn thin, it was filled with illustrations of kids in costumes and playing with animals.
"I've always wanted to go there someday."
As she spoke, Charlotte gazed dreamily at the zoo entrance, like she was lost in a memory. Her expression resembled that of a little girl who’d been left behind , and Allen felt a painful tug in his chest.
But he didn't show it. Instead, he grinned boldly.
"Okay, then let's have as much fun as we can today. Just like a child!"
"Y-Yes...!"
With Charlotte’s face lighting up, Allen led her through the entrance gate.
(No choice now… I’ve gotta make sure she enjoys this day to the fullest.)
Today, he would help her reclaim the childhood she never had. He silently vowed to spoil her and stay by her side for the whole day.
But just as he made that vow,
The moment they stepped inside the zoo, Charlotte came to a sudden stop.
Curious, Allen followed her gaze and saw a souvenir stand.
There, they were selling fun headbands with ears that looked like either cat or dog. Children and couples were buying them, creating a frivolous atmosphere. It was a sight you could only see at a tourist spot.
Allen chuckled.
"Want one?"
"E-Eh… but…"
"Today, there’s no need to hold back. Come on, pick your favorite color."
He brought her over to the stand and let her look around.
Although she hesitated at first, her eyes soon lit up and she started choosing. The melancholy colors that had floated before she entered had completely disappeared.
Allen was more than satisfied with that, and soon, Charlotte made her choice.
"T-Then… I-I’ll take these, please…!"
"Ah, I understand... wait, why two?"
She had chosen one pair of light brown cat ears, and another with white and black patches.
Puzzled, Allen tilted his head. Charlotte, with upturned eyes and a hopeful look, spoke shyly.
"A-Allen-san...would you like to wear one too?"
"………………"
He was speechless. There was no other reaction he could muster.
But because of that, Charlotte’s shoulders drooped sadly.
"A-Ah, of course… something so childish doesn’t suit Allen-san, right…? I’m sorry…"
"Why would I hate it!? Shopkeeper! We’ll take them!"
"Coming right up~!"
With a sort of reckless momentum, Allen handed over two silver coins. At this point, he was just going with the flow.
And so, the two of them ended up wearing those silly animal ear headbands.
Naturally, Charlotte wore the light brown ones, while Allen had the white-and-black pair.
Charlotte’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Allen’s head.
"Wow… I-It really suits you! You look so cute, Allen-san!"
"I... I see..."
Honestly, Allen thought she was the one it suited more but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
His smile twitched awkwardly.
(If someone I know sees me... I'll have to erase them.)
Their memories, or their lives. It would depend on the situation.