Chapter 99: A Night for Lovers

After the Christmas party ended and we stepped outside, snow had started falling without us even noticing.

“What a lovely white Christmas…”

Yuna said dreamily, but to me, it was just cold and the snow that melted made everything wet and irritating.

…Well, as long as no one's watching, I can deal with it.

I chanted a spell and enveloped both Yuna and myself in a membrane that repelled moisture.

“Whoa, you could do this too? With this, we don’t even need umbrellas!”

“That’s not really an option. Using it to repel rain draws too much attention.”

It was a spell that only worked because it was nighttime, the streets were nearly empty, and it was snowing rather than raining.

On the way home, I walked while telling Yuna about what had happened today.

Of course, I didn’t say I barged into a delinquent gang’s gathering or that I went to confront Aymok, and I definitely left out the part where I got seriously injured. I tweaked the details here and there so she wouldn’t worry too much.

“A gate to another world, huh… It feels kinda wasteful to close it off. I mean, if Alice really did get that all-attribute blessing, she could totally be OP even in this world, right?”

“And what exactly would you be ‘overpowered’ against, huh…?”

I replied with a wry smile.

Getting caught up in another out-of-this-world battle once was more than enough for me.

“Still, if you can get a blessing in the other world, that means you can use magic, right? That’s kinda dreamy…”

I understood how Yuna felt.

“…But that’s exactly why the gate needs to be shut. There’ll definitely be people who try to invade the other world just because they’re obsessed with gaining power.”

『And there’s no guarantee some demonic being from that side won’t come here and start hurting people. If that happens, the peace in this city would be shattered.』

“Yikes… Yeah, I’ll pass on anything that dangerous.”

“Peace really is the best…”

The other world I went to was nothing like some kind of utopia. There were magical beasts, demons, and even a demon king—so many threats to humanity. Death was always just around the corner.

It was in that world that I truly realized how precious Japan’s safety was—the luxury of living each day without fearing for your life.

※　※　※

Once we got home, we decided to take turns using the bath.

Ever since Yuna and I became physically intimate, we hadn’t bathed together. We never really discussed it, but it had naturally turned out that way.

“I’ll leave the stuff you asked for here, okay?”

When I called out to Yuna in the living room after getting out of the bath, that’s what she said back.

“Ah. Thanks, Yuna.”

I thanked her and checked the items on the dining table.

They were the Christmas presents I’d asked Yuna to buy for Alicia. Since I was mentally synced with Alicia, I couldn’t exactly surprise her myself, so I had Yuna handle the shopping.

There were three wrapped gifts, a bottle of champagne, and a pair of glasses.

“…Huh? There’s more than I asked for…?”

Just as I was puzzled by the unfamiliar items mixed in, Yuna winked and said:

“Some of those were things Alicia asked me to get. And the champagne’s a little gift from me.”

『Thank you, Yuna.』

“Don’t mention it. Happy to help.”

It seemed Alicia had also prepared a surprise present for me. Sometimes, she and Yuna would talk privately through telepathy, so she’d probably made the request during one of those times.

With Yuna’s help, I carried the presents into my room and placed them on my desk.

“Well then, I’m gonna go take a bath and hit the hay. Good night, Alice, Alicia.”

『“Good night.”』

Yuna gently patted my head before leaving the room.

Clack—the door closed, and I heard her footsteps grow distant down the hallway. Eventually, the only sound left in the room was the soft hum of the air conditioner.

『A lot really happened today, didn’t it…』

Alicia murmured quietly.

"Seriously."

The end-of-term ceremony finished, and we found out Suzuka had been kidnapped. Souta and I charged into the seaside resort to confront the culprits.

Faced off against Aymok. Fought a hard battle. Managed to win thanks to the all-attribute blessing.

Closed the gate, lost the blessing again. Suzuka found out my true identity.

Visited Suzuka’s home to prepare, then attended the Christmas party, and somehow ended up winning the costume contest I’d been dragged into.

It had been as hectic a day as the one I returned to this world.

Thinking about all that, I used body-strengthening magic for a moment to pop the cap off the bottle, then poured the contents into the two matching glasses. What Yuna had prepared was genuine champagne—with alcohol in it.

The fizz bubbled up gently, filling the champagne glasses with an amber-colored liquid.

A sweet fruity aroma tickled my nose.

『So pretty…』

Alicia sighed softly as she murmured.

Back in the other world, we were adults, and we drank during festivals and such. But it was usually fruit wine in wooden mugs. Drinking something like this from delicate glassware was a first for both of us.

I picked up one of the glasses and raised it slightly.

『“Cheers.”』

Our voices overlapped. I tapped my glass gently against the one sitting on the table. A clear, pleasant chime echoed through the quiet room.

Then I brought the glass to my lips and tilted it.

The chilled liquid slid down my throat, parched after the bath. A refreshing fruity flavor spread through my mouth, followed slightly by the sharp tingle of carbonation—light and pleasant.

『It’s delicious…』

“It really is… We should thank Yuna tomorrow.”

I didn’t know a thing about champagne quality, but it tasted really good to me.

…I just wish Alicia could have actually drunk it with me.

『Ikuto-san, are you sure you didn’t want to spend today with someone else? If you like, I can call Yuna over right now…』

Maybe because I was staring at the other glass, Alicia took it the wrong way and said that.

“I want to spend it with you, Alicia. Today… in Japan, it’s a day for lovers.”

『…I just worry that I might be forcing you into something.』

“You’re not forcing me at all.”

Since then, I hadn’t done anything sexual with anyone.

Of course, part of that was out of respect for Alicia, but more than that, I was confused by how my own body reacted.

“Sure, being with Hisui or Yuna felt good physically, but it felt completely different from when I was a guy…”

Rather than being overwhelmed by lust and wanting to take the other person, I found myself being overcome by a warm, fluttery feeling inside—a yearning that made me want to be held.

Both with Hisui and Yuna, Alicia and I had ended up swept away by that sensation together.

“If I kept giving in to that pleasure over and over, I feel like I’d reach a point I couldn’t come back from. That honestly scared me a little…”

『…So that’s how you felt.』

Even if my body had become that of a girl, I still wanted to stay a man who loved Alicia at heart.

Fortunately, I’d promised Hisui it would be just a one-time thing, and though Yuna and I weren’t as physically close as before, it didn’t feel awkward. If anything, our relationship had shifted into something more like real sisters.

So by keeping a bit of distance from everyone physically, I didn’t think I was being unfair to anyone… probably.

“…Well, it's my own selfishness, so don’t worry about it. Anyway, I’m going to open the presents now.”

Feeling the faint heat of the alcohol in my cheeks, I picked up the first present I’d prepared for Alicia. It had a sharp-edged shape and a solid weight.

Carefully, I began unwrapping it.

『Wh-What is this…?!』

Alicia’s voice rose with excitement.

Inside was the latest edition of a contemporary term dictionary—published annually. I figured Alicia, who loved reading across all genres, would appreciate it.

I flipped through a few pages. It contained entries and explanations on a wide variety of terms from all sorts of fields.

『Wow, wow! This is amazing! Thank you so much, Ikuto-san!』

"I'm glad you liked it. Let's take our time reading it tomorrow."

『Yes!』

Saying that, I picked up the next small bag. The book was just the prelude—the real gift was this one.

I pulled a small white box from the bag. When I opened it, there were two small rings inside.

『Ikuto-san… is this…』

Alicia should’ve recognized the item. After all, she’d seen it when I went with Yuna to browse a jewelry shop to pick it out.

A matching pair of rings.

"…I love you, Alicia."

Saying it out loud felt embarrassingly awkward. But Yuna had told me that properly expressing your feelings is important.

『…Yes. I love you too, Ikuto-san.』

I took one of the rings out of the white box and pinched it gently between my right fingers.

"I’ll put it on you."

『Okay…』

I slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. I’d measured the size before, so it fit perfectly. Then, I took the second ring and placed it on the ring finger of my own left hand.

Once I’d finished, I held my left hand out in front of me. The two matching silver rings glinted side by side on my finger—one for me, and one for Alicia.

『It’s beautiful… Thank you so much, Ikuto-san!』

Alicia spoke with visible emotion, her voice trembling with joy.

Her reaction made me smile naturally, happiness welling up inside me.

"No, thank you, Alicia… for always being there. I’m counting on you from now on, too."

『Yes…!』

A warm, embarrassed sort of pride swelled in my chest.

As I glanced around, my eyes landed on another gift—one Alicia had prepared for me.

"Can I open your present too?"

『…! Ah… um… y-yes…』

Alicia sounded flustered—why was that?

Curious, I picked up the gift. It felt unusually light.

I opened the wrapping and slipped my hand inside. My fingers brushed against something smooth, like silky fabric. I pulled it out and laid it on the desk.

"This is…"

『I-I wasn’t expecting such a wonderful present from you, Ikuto-san… so this is all I could manage… I’m sorry if it’s not enough.』

What emerged was black fabric, lavishly decorated with lace… a sexy lingerie set.

I held the pieces in my hands. The lace around the chest and waist was translucent—it looked incredibly risqué.

『When I asked Yuna for advice, she said this would make you the happiest… um… do you… look down on me now?』

Yuna’s advice, huh? I couldn’t deny it—annoyingly, she’d nailed it.

"Not at all. It’s incredibly sexy and beautiful… You can feel how I feel, right, Alicia?"

Just imagining that Alicia had prepared this kind of seductive lingerie for me made my body heat up from deep within.

And of course, my reaction was completely transparent to Alicia.

『Y-Yes… that makes me happy.』

When Alicia said that, my body reacted again.

I could feel my heartbeat quicken.

"...Can I try it on right away?"

『Y-yes…』

Thankfully, all the tags had already been removed.

I started unbuttoning my pajamas, carefully folding each piece as I took it off.

Before, I’d just throw my clothes aside without a care, and no one would say anything. But ever since I became this body, Mom’s started checking up on me—it’s become a habit now.

I took off the pajama top and bottom, then the camisole, and finally the shorts. I folded them neatly and tucked them between the pajama pieces to hide them.

Then, I picked up the lingerie from the desk and started putting it on.

I hesitated slightly when I held the panties. I worried that wearing them now might soil these precious new underwear. But then I thought that’s exactly why you wear them—to enjoy them—and so I slid my legs through.

The cold, smooth fabric hugged my hips tightly, and I felt a warm, damp sensation spreading there.

Next, I bent forward and put on the bra. I gathered myself and fitted into the cups, creating a cleavage. Even so, compared to before, it was a bit bigger now.

Once I finished putting on the set, I moved in front of the full-length mirror.

"This looks beautiful…"

The sexy lingerie was wildly mismatched with Alicia’s youthful appearance, giving her an almost forbidden allure that was undeniably arousing.

The girl in the mirror, with flushed cheeks and moist eyes, looked clearly stirred, returning my gaze with glossy eyes full of desire.

"Alicia, I love you…"

I grew fond of the girl in the mirror and stepped closer to her reflection.

I leaned in and kissed the girl right there, face-to-face with the mirror.

—A kiss through the glass.

That was how close we were now. Closer than anyone else, yet still unable to touch.

『Ikuto-san, tonight like this…』

But even so, our feelings were shared.

It was a little lonely, but we’d be okay.

—And so, the Christmas Eve night we spent as lovers slowly deepened into the quiet hours.