The day after I made up with Alice, Fiona and I decided to have an intimate relationship with the intention of marriage.
I was on a strolling date with Alice in the big park that is the centerpiece of the city.
The park is managed and operated by the town's government, and is home to a variety of trees and grasses that offer a variety of flowers for all seasons.
In fact, children playing tag, young couples huddling together, middle-aged men running, and even elderly people were all enjoying the park.
In such a park, Alice and I walked slowly, hand in hand.
Of course, we connected our fingers in a lover's connection.
Holding Alice's soft hand, I felt a gentle warmth and a comforting sense of security.
“But what's so special about going on a date with a walk in the park? The reward for defeating the enemy this time was quite large, so there's plenty of money for a more expensive date, you know?”
“Why~”
“Maybe you're being reserved?”
“Haha, I won't shy away from the Oni-san now.”
“Fiona told me that in Milsgard, the main city of the Elven Autonomous Region, there is a lake as big as an ocean and a luxury hotel stands beside it, right? There's enough money to rent out a suite on the top floor for a month, you know?”
“What are you going to do with a top-floor suite for a month?”
“That's of course, like ...... Sightseeing?”
“Then we don't need a suite, do we? We'll be outside most of the time except when we're sleeping, right?”
“.....When you put it that way, it seems like such a waste. Oh, but I'm sure the view from the top floor will be great. You can see the whole lake.”
“I think I'd get bored after a month of watching it……”
“That's what I thought as I said it. After a week, I thought I'd get bored.”
“Sometimes it's hard for us commoners to understand what big people and rich people think.”
“Maybe they just have a lot of money and are staying in the most expensive room anyway. They don't seem to care about wastefulness or anything.”
“Hmm, that might be it.”
“Right?”
As we strolled along, enjoying such casual conversation, we came to the botanical garden zone of the park.
“The Botanical Garden Zone, you know, is especially beautiful this time of year, with lots of greenery and various flowers in bloom! Oh, it's lavender. It's so beautiful and smells so good!”
Alice stops in front of a purple flower and leans forward happily.
“Oh, so this is the famous lavender. I've only heard of it, but I didn't know it was a flower like this.”
“You don't know much about flowers, do you, Oni-san?”
“I know what tulips and roses are. Then there are morning glories and dandelions. ...... And you know hydrangeas.”
“Haha, you're not a preschooler. ...... Well, since we're here, I'll tell you. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure I know more than you.”
“Well, since you're here, maybe you can tell me.”
So, as we walked, I asked Alice to tell me about the flowers of early summer.
[Case. 1]
“This is called Dogwood.”
Alice pointed to a shrub with many large red flowers.
“Dogwood, I've never heard of it before. But it's full of big, beautiful flowers, and it's so opulent.”
“Hmm, thanks for the feedback, as I expected. But this part that looks like a flower is actually a leaf.”
“Oh? But it's a flower, no matter how you look at it. If you're trying to trick me, it's not going to work, okay?”
“Why do I have to trick Oni-san? Look closely, the only flower is right here in the middle. If you look carefully, you'll see a bunch of small flowers clustered together.”
“Wow, seriously, lots of little flowers in the middle of a big one!”
“The part that looks like a flower on the outside is to let insects and birds know that there is a flower here.”
“Oh. I'm surprised there's such a thing in the world.”
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