After playing imagination games with Eri and Ken, Alice does not expect that she will return to her dark days as an otaku girl in school.
Had he not been reborn as a baby until he was 6 years old, how could he possibly have responded to the game. However, if she refuses, she will take back her words that want to play with her age friend who can make her mother disappointed in her as her daughter.
"Ah, lazy."
Lying on a white canopy bed, there's nothing Alice can do after lunch. She was impossible to do sports such as sit-ups, push-ups and squad jumps because she had already done it this morning, which she probably did for the second time for fear that her mother would go inside to see her daughter train her physical muscles.
"Boring."
Had there been a rush, Alice might not have been lying looking at the white canopy ceiling. She didn't know what to do but stay still in the room, just looking at the ceiling from the canopy bed without any other activities.
"Ah, right," suddenly an idea arose in Alice's mind. "Why don't you tell them to get together?" Got an idea that suddenly came up, a big smile was seen on Alice's lips.
She couldn't wait to invite Ken and Eri to gather in the lobby hoping that they could get along without fighting over it like before.
•••••
Eri POV
It's really hard.
If I could learn without difficulty, I wouldn't be frustrated like this.
Moreover, there are many kinds of herbs as well as how they are used.
"This is how I might be able to finish by reading it like this!"
Ugh...
Had I had a strong enough memory, perhaps I could have helped my mother to cope with the piling orders while preventing an incident where Alice fainted with her breath unconscious, with sweat soaking her body and face.
"Eri-sama..."
"Yes."
What's wrong with Nayla suddenly knocking on the door to my room? Is there anything important?
"What is it, Nayla?"
In front of me, Nayla looked at me with a sincere smile after the door opened. In a sense, he was a private maid employed by my mother through permission from Lord Arga so she was always around when she wasn't busy with her work as a court maid.
"Sorry if I bothered you, Eri-sama. But, Alice-sama wants to see you but you're not answering her calls from outside."
"Ah...."
Is it because I'm daydreaming that I can't hear Alice?!
"So, I wanted to tell you that Alice was waiting for you in the lobby."
The lobby.
What do you think Alice invited me there? Is it possible to play the game again?
"Thank you for the information, Nayla."
"Yes."
Caring so much about complicated thinking, I want to know why Alice invited me to the lobby. Who knows if she wants to play or is lonely because she has no friends.
•••••
Ken POV
Day after day, I keep swinging wooden swords in my room endlessly hoping I can fulfill my dream in the future as a knight who's always with Alice, the girl I admire.
"Twenty-four.... Twenty-five... "
Shit, my hands aren't strong anymore.
I'm just swinging horizontally from top to bottom, but I don't think I'm physically strong enough even though I've spent so many times practicing swinging a wooden sword.
Should I train my physicals?
But, if I do other activities then my father will scold me for attracting a lot of attention to our family.
"It's troublesome."
Even though my dream was simple, I wanted to be a knight under Alice's command to protect her and become a sword for her. So, if anyone intends to oppose his decision, then I'll act on Alice's orders.
If I'm told to be a sword for her to silence the villain, I will. If I know of any man who intends to harm her, without being commanded, I will protect her as her shield.
This is my purpose and dream, nothing but that.
The door knocks are heard from outside my room, I don't know who's here at lunch after lunch.
Could it be dad? No, he's busy with his business in his private office upstairs.
"What's wrong?"
Eh... Alice?!
•••••
When Ken opened the door, Ken's expression was tense when he saw the girl he admired being in front of the door who smiled cheerfully with an innocent attitude.
"Am I disturbing you?"
"No," denied Ken, he turned his eyes away from Alice as he felt his heart throbbing.
"What happening to me? Why does my chest feel like this every time I see Alice?"
Not understanding what is happening to his, Ken attempts to calm himself so as not to look shy, nervous and panicked, while in front of his looks Alice with a puzzled face tilting her head staring at Ken with a question mark on her expression.
"Then, I want you to come to the lobby later. There's something I want from you."
"Lobby?"
"Yes," nodded Alice cheerfully and then left at Ken's doorstep while waving at him down the hallway of the inn. "I'll wait there, Ken!" She shouted, filled with high enthusiasm and optimism knowing that Ken couldn't possibly not come.
Ken who breathed a long sigh finally calmed down, smiling when he saw Alice disappear in the distance.
"How foolish of me," he murmured, who reentered his room to put down the wooden sword he used to practice to keep it from falling apart.
Shortly thereafter, Ken and Eri gather in the lobby on the ground floor along with Alice waiting for them on the sofa.
At first glance, their glances seemed hostile to each other before Alice called out to those sitting on the sofa.
"Ken, Eri, come here!"
Those who end hostilities wonder why Alice calls them, approaching them with a confused face.
"Please, don't fight. I have something to ask you.
"Ask?" The two asked compactly, so curious as to what Alice intended to invite them.
Alice moves from sitting on the sofa standing looking at them with a big smile showing cheerful and innocent, holding each other's hands from Ken and Eri who are placed on top of each other.
Starting from Alice putting Ken's hand underneath, Eri's hand over Ken's, then her hand over Eri, just like teamwork before the match.
"I want to make a deal with you guys."
"A deal?"
"Yes," nodded Alice with a cheerful face once more. "In both joy and sorrow, we will always be there for each other," she continued, still with a cheerful face.
The two exchanged glances and smiled nodding in agreement with Alice, their friend, without objecting to pulling their arms or disputing Alice's words.
"Yes, we will always be there for you."
"Me too."
Glad to hear that both of her friends agree with her, Alice is convinced of both of them so she doesn't have to worry about being alone because they are her close friends, just as Luna and Rin had lived as Nia.
"If I become queen in the future, I want you to help me too."
"Yes, I promise to be your knight by your side."
"I will carry on my mother's offspring by helping you from behind."
The three of them agree with each other, both joy and sorrow, they share their feelings as friends without forgetting or betraying each other.
"I'm so moved."
One of the junior knights who heard their conversation, the 6-year-old children shed tears moved by the emotion inside.
"You're such a crybaby."
Next to him, his knight partner can only complain because his friend is too emotional.
Even though his friends think that it's just a conversation between them, six-year-old kids who have dreams of always being together forever, not knowing that in the future they'll be separated when they have their families and loved ones to protect and support.
"So, you called us just for that?"
"Yes," Alice nodded as she chuckled scratching her blonde hair which long answered Eri's question. "I'm sorry, I just want to know whether you guys stay true to me or not."
Eri smiled at Alice's words for concern. In fact, she had no problem at all because she thought it was natural. It's just that the only thing that's unnatural is the boy next to her who looks at Alice with an amazed look on his face.
"I will always be there for you both joy and sorrow, unlike he next to me," she mocked, puffing her chest while ruffling her waist humbled Ken in front of Alice.
"What did you say? Are you making noise?"
"Stop it, both of you!"
By force, Alice is in the middle of each other, only smiling bitterly because they resemble Aunt Lisa and Uncle Edi, both of whom may have descended the traits of both their parents into their children.