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Obon passed without anything out of the ordinary, and they were able to visit and tend to the graves of their ancestors. And then, the next day, it was time for Kou and Hijiri’s date.

“Heh, that actually happened that night?”
“Ahahah, yeah, she was a pretty funny girl.”

Subaru spoke, and Kou replied from within her room—on the other side of the door.

“I mean, everything two floors below the throne room is just there for fun, but it’s still impressive that she got past all of it without tripping any alarms.”
“Yeah, I know. She’s pretty good—she might even be the best scout we’ve ever come across.”

Kou didn’t hold back her praise for the ninja girl who had managed to sneak into the castle.

The defenses of Castle Seyfert became exponentially tougher a few floors beneath the throne room, around the level where the intruder had been spotted. That was because the areas above were used as the living quarters for Adonis, Rouge, and recently, Lulu—important NPCs to Crim.

What lay below, however, was more like an amusement park of traps built by the guild members for fun. That didn’t mean it was easy to get through, though—only that girl had managed to do it without setting anything off.

…Also, that meant it wasn’t a dangerous place by any means.

If an actual hostile guest were to arrive and threaten the inhabitants of Castle Seyfert, the entire building would shift, regaining the terrifying appearance of a proper Demon Lord’s lair—making any intruder regret stepping inside.

But that aside…

“Well, are you sure it was okay to let her go?”
“Yeah, she didn’t seem like a bad person. I told Adonis and the others to just invite her to hang out if they see her again.”

Kou didn’t think the girl had bad intentions, and believed that if the castle’s residents welcomed her, she’d feel obligated to behave.

“…And that’s why no one takes you seriously as a Demon Lord.”
“Hm? What did you say?”

Kou raised her voice slightly, unsure what Subaru was trying to imply.

…And as for why they were talking through a closed door—

“Never mind that. Also, stop stalling and get changed already—Hijiri will be here any moment now.”
“I knooowww!”

Subaru was growing impatient.

Kou was still in her peach-colored underwear set, frilled and cute, and finally—after enough pestering—she began changing into the clothes they’d picked out together the day before.

…And ten minutes later…

“Oh, you actually look nice in that.”
“I… I guess…”

Subaru complimented her, and she hesitantly looked at her reflection.

Kou was wearing a white sailor dress with a long skirt, adorned with delicate lace, layered beneath a soft blue summer cardigan. She usually preferred sportier clothes, so this outfit—something more suited for a garden tea party—left her feeling unsure.

She fidgeted, her feet shifting as she repeatedly tried to tug her skirt lower, as though trying to hide the petticoat underneath.

“Ughh… I don’t know. I still feel like it makes me look too much like some rich girl.”
“What do you mean, you, daughter of the president of a big company.”
“Oh, right…”

Reminded of her social status—something she often forgot—she gave up trying to argue and picked up her handbag with everything she needed.

And then… the doorbell rang, signaling a guest had arrived.

“See? She’s already here.”
“Y-Yeah…”

Kou gulped loudly and nervously walked to the entrance, where she slipped on a pair of cute suede sandals.

‘Why do girl shoes always have such high soles?’

By now, she knew how to walk in thick-soled footwear, but she still thought it felt strange. After picking up a parasol, she finally opened the door and stepped outside.

“I’m so sorry, did I keep you—?!”

As Kou hurried out, she began to apologize, only to gasp when she saw the girl waiting for her, adjusting a white straw hat to shield herself from the sun.

She was wearing a white blouse, with a dress layered on top that started as a deep blue near the collar and gradually faded into a light, nearly translucent shade toward the hem of her skirt. A ribbon was tied firmly around her waist, accentuating her striking curves.

The contrast between the deep blue and the bright white was sharp, and yet she exuded a serene, calming presence. Even though the shape of her body was clearly outlined, nothing about her appearance seemed immodest.

That strange, almost contradictory combination left Kou completely speechless—and eventually forced her to avert her gaze. Her heart pounded so hard that she couldn’t look straight ahead.

Then, still lamenting the fact that her vocabulary was too shallow to express what she truly felt, Kou finally spoke again.

“Umm… you look really nice, Hijiri… ehm… you look really pretty.”
“Eheheh, thank you~ You’re also really, reallyyy cute right now!”
“Aghuh—”

As usual, Hijiri couldn’t contain herself and immediately pulled Kou into a tight hug. But unlike other times, she let go soon after and took a step back.

She gave a slightly awkward chuckle, glanced at Kou, then looked away again. Strangely enough, Hijiri actually seemed embarrassed—for once.

“You know… since this is a date and all, realizing that you got all dressed up just for me… it makes me happy, but it’s also kind of embarrassing.”
“Yeah, I get what you mean… I really do.”

Hijiri was scratching her cheek as she spoke, clearly unsure how to put her feelings into words. Since Kou felt the exact same way, she nodded quickly in agreement.

They stood there in awkward silence for a moment longer—nervously glancing at each other, only to look away the instant their eyes met. Eventually…

“Umm… alright, we might miss the train if we stay here any longer. Should we go?”
“Ah, yeah… umm, that sounds good.”

Hijiri held out her hand, and Kou reached out to take it. Hijiri gently but firmly wrapped her fingers around Kou’s.

Kou’s small hand was quickly enveloped by Hijiri’s soft, warm touch—and though they’d held hands before, this time felt different. This time, Kou was far more aware of what it meant.

‘Right… we’re not just hanging out today. This is actually a date.’

Sadly for Kou, she had no experience when it came to dating. Her brain was already overloaded, leaving her unable to think of anything as she simply followed Hijiri’s lead.

Afterword:

Did this just turn into a romcom?

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