Chapter 5

Well, holding the hand of the elf who is interested in cherry blossoms, I brought her to Shiba Park in Tokyo, even though it was still midday. A nearby riverside would have been fine too, but if we’re going to do this, a place with a good view would be more enjoyable.

As soon as we left the station, cherry blossoms came into view, and Marie let out an "Oh!" in delight. Even though it was a weekday afternoon, there were still quite a few people around, and I could feel the mood for cherry blossom viewing rising within me.

"Wow, there are fairies I've never seen before. Kazuhiho, let's go quickly."

Ah, right, elves can see fairies.

She herself is a half-fairy, living for a time close to eternity, and walking hand in hand with her makes me feel a bit strange.

Her skin is as clear as crystal, and her hair is as bright as cherry blossoms, giving her a very fantastical appearance that not only draws my attention but also that of the people around us. Sometimes, as we pass by, people exclaim "Whoa!" and even take photos... Hmm, this is indeed a country of lolicon.

"Be careful not to trip. Look, that's the Tokyo Tower over there, a famous place in Japan."

Pointing it out, Marie stops in shock and gazes up at the Tokyo Tower.

Until now, many things like tall buildings and trains have surprised her, but a structure that rises so high into the sky under the blue sky must be even more astonishing.

"There must be a wizard up there."

"No, there isn't. Anyone can go up, but do you want to go up after seeing the cherry blossoms?"

"No way. I'd get tired and fall."

...Is she imagining climbing it with her bare hands?

Well, today, the cherry blossoms are the main attraction, so we should enjoy them to the fullest. Thinking about it, I haven't enjoyed cherry blossoms in years, and walking along the cherry blossom-lined street with an elf is quite exciting.

Naturally, she is enjoying it even more than I am, walking with her head tilted back, her cheeks flushed like cherry blossoms, and her mouth slightly open, which is very cute.

"Beautiful, amazing... It's like walking under a blanket of snow."

"Since there are no cherry blossoms in your world, it's dangerous to look up. Why don't you hold onto me?"

Saying this to her, who seems to be floating, she looks up and grabs my arm. Perhaps because she is so engrossed in the cherry blossoms, she gently presses her chest against me, and I feel my cheeks heat up, even though she is just a girl.

Well, thank you, cherry blossoms. To be honest, I'm not in the mood for cherry blossom viewing, but I am enjoying myself.

The red and white Tokyo Tower is visible among the cherry blossoms.

Recalling that Marie, with her strong intellectual curiosity, had been observing monitors and other things with great interest on the way here.

By the way, the Tokyo Tower used to broadcast television signals. When I told her this, she said, "See, wizards must live there."

Well, no, they don't.

We bought some snacks from a food stand and sat on a bench to enjoy the falling cherry blossoms. The sunlight is warm today, and just sitting here makes me drowsy.

Peeking at Marie, who has become quieter, she is indeed sleeping soundly, looking very comfortable. She must have been playing around all day and is tired from all the stimulation.

Her head rests on my shoulder, and her soft, contented snores echo. It's genuinely heartwarming to be so closely embraced by such a cute girl and to see her peaceful sleeping face.

Though I don't often go out, I find myself saying this.

"Well, I like days like today."

I'm not so much bothered by the city as by the people's gazes.

It makes me uneasy, probably because I'm a bit tense about being seen doing something that shouldn't be a problem. That's why I like the dream world where I can be free.

Feeling the warmth of her body, I gaze at the cherry blossoms.

She woke up when it was already quite dark.

The elf, leaning against me, slowly opens her pale purple, mysterious eyes and becomes entranced by the night cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms, illuminated by the lights, shed their petals in a vivid display. The scene, reminiscent of a snowy landscape, makes her sigh and remain motionless with her head on my shoulder.

"So beautiful... If there were no monsters, would the world be like this?"

"Maybe. Without monsters, people might become the enemy. This country has been defeated by a great power in the past, you know."

Invasion is like a drug. Once you start harvesting the benefits of another country, it becomes the norm.

In that sense, Marie's world is built on a delicate balance.

"Hey, Kazuhiho, what if I can't return to my world?"

"Well, if that happens, let's live together and visit many places. There are hot springs, castles, and many fun places."

I said this without much thought, but it wasn't just that for her. Her cheeks turned red, and she pulled her hat down deeper. Then, moving even closer, she whispered, "Okay, that sounds good."

I feel a strange sense of excitement, and as we exchange body heat, I look up at the cherry blossoms.

For some reason, the scenery looks different with her. It feels very peaceful and relaxed, which is quite surprising.

Well, it's getting dark, so it's time to go home. The main topic, whether Marie can return to the dream world, is waiting for us.

Back in the room, she finally takes off her hat, looking relieved. She must have realized that her long ears would attract attention when walking in the city, so she hid them, even though it was annoying. Well, she's so beautiful that she attracts attention anyway.

"This is the bath. You wash your body here and soak in the tub until you're satisfied."

"Wow! This isn't hot water! Ah, this is too luxurious..."

She gazes at the bathtub with a girlish expression, which seems a bit odd. Ah, right, in her world, they boil water and carry it in buckets.

I let her smell a few different bath salts and let her choose one before starting bath time. Well, unfortunately, there's no erotic element, but my imagination is free.

After a while, a cheerful whistling can be heard from the bathroom.

Thinking about it, I've never lent my bath to anyone else, so it feels a bit strange. Just having someone around is already unusual for me.

I bought pajamas and spare underwear on the way back, so I'll prepare a simple dinner in the meantime.

The dish I recommend is katsudon. It's easy and delicious. You just need to buy a pre-cooked cutlet and mix it with eggs, onions, and seasonings. The key is not to overmix the eggs and not to make it too thick.

The bathroom door opens with a thud, and Marie, with a flushed face, appears at the same time I put the eggs in the pan. It seems she enjoyed it for about 30 minutes.

Her skin is so fair that her cheeks, flushed like a child's, look endearing. She seems to like the feel of the towel, sniffing it as our eyes meet.

"I'm back. The bath was so relaxing. Look, my skin is so smooth now."

"Un, Marie, you're always beautiful, so I can't really tell the difference."

"Ah, stop saying such things with those sleepy eyes..."

She hides her face with the towel and glares at me resentfully.

Perhaps it was too warm, and she flaps her cheeks, coming closer to me.

"Wow, it smells good! Is Kazuhiho making it?"

"Un, it'll be ready soon, so sit down. You seem to like soy sauce, so I think you'll enjoy the food in this country."

I told her this, but she peeks at me while I'm cooking, looking relaxed. Perhaps because she's just out of the bath, her guard is down, and the top button of her pajamas is undone... Uh, the slightly red flush on her elf chest... No, I shouldn't pay attention to that.

I try to calm myself, serve the rice, and place the soft, runny katsudon on top. The elf girl, frowning, watches me closely the whole time.

"It smells delicious, it must be delicious."

"...Why are you muttering?"

Her slightly flared nostrils look cute.

Since she came to this world, I've seen more feminine and childlike expressions, which I find very delightful.

I scatter some green herbs, like mitsuba or sprouts, and hand her a bowl.

"Take it. Let's eat at the table."

"Un!"

She smiles and we move to the table next to us.

"Itadakimasu."

"I, Itadakimasu..."

She awkwardly mimics the words and shovels the food into her mouth. The broth seems to overflow, and Marie's face relaxes instantly. She can't suppress her smile and touches her cheeks.

Swallowing, she looks at me.

"~...! It's delicious!"

"Hehe, I'm glad. In your world, there are no fried foods or soy sauce."

"It's really delicious. This is definitely the best thing I've eaten today."

Wow, it's the top of the day's ranking. That's a great compliment.

I think most dishes are unbeatable when the ingredients are fresh and the dish is served immediately. I feel this especially with dumplings; the simpler the dish, the stronger it is when these two factors are combined.

...Well, the cutlet is pre-cooked, so I shouldn't be too proud.

"Marie is easy to please. I can make this anytime. The food in your world is bland, so you don't like it and always bring a bento."

"I understand. After eating this, any other food would taste bland. ...By the way, after we try to return to the original world, we should think more deeply about bringing a bento and drinks."

I let out a small sigh.

Thinking about it, our worlds are not completely separated... as she said, we can bring things like bentos. Since she came here, there must be some way to move things.

"Have you tried to bring anything that didn't work?"

"Um, things like flashlights and watches didn't work. Ah, like this, the one that makes a bright light."

Walking in the city has made her more familiar with civilization, so a flashlight doesn't surprise her. She chews on the cutlet with a thoughtful look, tapping her fingers on the table. Her intelligence is working in a way that I can't compare to.

"...I wonder if the culture or technology of this world is the problem. That's why things like bentos and drinks are okay?"

"It might be, but books and notebooks didn't work either. I don't think they count as part of the culture."

Bringing things is not a ritual but a simple act of placing them by the pillow. I've tried to see what can be brought, and among the few things that worked...

"Food and drinks, it seems. Interesting."

"Right? It doesn't seem very useful, though."

"No, I understand. If only food and drinks are okay, it means someone is managing it. There must be some meaning or role. Does Kazuhiho have a mission?"

"...Eh?"

I freeze with the cutlet halfway to my mouth.

I've never thought about it, but I understand what she means. There are rules like "being able to enter the dream world" and "only food and drinks are okay," and I've been enjoying adventures within those rules.

But I've never heard of any mission from anyone.

"Then, let's change the question. Was there a trigger for being able to enter the dream world?"

"...I've been able to do it since I was a child, so I don't remember. Before that, I always thought it was normal."

We both tilt our heads.

The investigation quickly hits a dead end with "I don't remember." It's like a politician's response, but it's the truth, so there's nothing we can do.

"Well, if you remember, please let me know. It's probably important."

"Un, I understand. I'll definitely tell you."

But I don't think I'll remember. I haven't remembered even at 25.

After dinner, we clean up together, and then Marie goes to the TV while I go to the bath.

"This, you can change the channel by pressing the button."

"Un, un, I understand, it's amazing, amazing..."

The monitor is facing the bed so she can relax and watch. However, she leans forward, staring intently at the TV screen.

Even though she doesn't understand Japanese, she changes the channels, and I decide to take a leisurely bath.

I immerse myself in the bathtub and reflect on her words.

If that world is real, there must have been a trigger.

Something that awakened the ability to move between worlds.

And the person who has this ability is probably the only one... or one of very few. Otherwise, it would have appeared in the media.

If there is even one other person, they would probably have investigated it more thoroughly.

...Either way, I can't think of much. What's most important now is getting Marie back to her world.

Thinking about this, I splash the water and get out of the bath.

--- Ah, I completely forgot about this.

There's a reason I'm standing here.

In the indirect lighting, we both stare at the bed. We will sleep together. I have no intention of doing anything improper, but as a man, it's hard not to feel a bit excited.

"Wow, it looks really comfortable."

She says this, turns her bottom toward me, and shakes the bed. She opens the futon and slides in, letting out a contented "Unn!" and looks at me with her pale purple eyes. "Come on, Kazuhiho," she whispers.

Ugh, being beckoned by a beautiful elf...!

She whispers "hurry" again, and I slowly take her hand. Our fingers intertwine, and as I get closer, I can smell her unique scent.

--- It's okay, right? I believe in myself!

Hating my very weak rationality, I slip into the futon.

I'm probably blushing now. Marie looks at me curiously, but I can't say it's because her cute face is so close.

"Let's start the experiment. Um, should we hold each other tightly?"

"Un, I think so. When we were hit by the dragon, we were holding each other tightly."

Her word "experiment" brings back a bit of my rationality. Yes, this is an experiment, not something improper.

"Let's try to recreate the position from that time. Come here, Marie."

Maybe I'm a bit relaxed. I seem to have said something inappropriate.

She looks at my arm pillow and her cheeks turn red as if she realizes something. Her expression is very attractive, and we lock eyes.

"...Okay."

Like a small flower blooming, the elf gives a cute response. She slowly moves closer and places her head next to mine. In the futon, our arms intertwine, and our bodies press together, allowing me to feel her slender frame and small curves.

"Warm, isn't it..."

Her soft voice is already drowsy. Her heart beats like a small bird, very cute. The exchange of body heat and the closeness of our breaths create a very sleep-inducing atmosphere.

Our eyes slowly close.

We fall asleep much faster than usual, probably because our sleepiness is contagious. We are so close that our foreheads almost touch, and we quietly drift off to sleep.

Our soft snores echo in the room.