Lilia was certainly tense under the pressure of the Overwhelming Superior Being Aura radiating from Tiana, and her stomach was already beginning to ache... but it was still at a level she considered manageable.
This was partly because Tiana, much like Electrone, maintained a calm and gentle demeanor and seemed to possess a reasonable, common-sense way of thinking. Furthermore, both had explicitly stated they had only come for a brief greeting, suggesting the visit would not last long—a fact that provided Lilia with a modicum of mental breathing room.
Beyond that, for a woman who had weathered countless Stomach Pain Incidents, a simple stinging sensation in her gut was actually quite mild. As long as it wasn't accompanied by a headache, nausea, or a racing pulse, she could maintain a serene, noble smile without any outward sign of distress.
It was never a position she had asked for, but the sheer number of disasters she had navigated had changed her. In the context of a Kaito-related incident, as long as meteors weren't being dropped on her from some impossible angle, she considered the situation well within her ability to cope.
"We truly only came for a simple greeting today, so we'll head back to Kaito-kun and the others before we overstay our welcome," Tiana said.
"Is that so? I must apologize that I could not provide more substantial hospitality on such short notice."
"No, no. We were the ones who dropped in unannounced. I'm just happy you were willing to meet with us like this."
As Lilia had expected, now that the introductory greetings were finished, the conversation moved naturally toward their return to Kaito's home.
[Indeed. In the future, should I visit Master Kaito while my neighbor, Lilia Albert, is at home, I may stop by for a brief word. However, there is no need to stand on ceremony with us; please feel free to interact with us casually.]
"Does that mean not only Electrone-sama, but Tiana-sama will also be visiting this world frequently from now on?"
"Yes," Tiana replied with a smile. "I received permission for free visitation from Shallow Vernal, so I expect I'll be dropping by every so often. If Lilia-chan is around, I'll stop by for a light greeting, but you don't need to give us any special priority. If you have other plans, please feel free to attend to them."
"I understand."
The meeting was settling into a truly peaceful conclusion, and Lilia felt a secret sense of relief... but of course, there was no way it would end with such tranquility.
"Since this was a sudden visit, Electrone and I have each brought a souvenir as an apology and a token of our future friendship."
"...A souvenir... is it?"
Lilia felt the momentum of the conversation shift—and primarily in a disastrous direction. Had these been ordinary people, a souvenir would have been exactly what it sounded like. However, these were Almighty Class Gods of World Creation. Hearing that such beings had brought gifts made her heart sink with inevitable dread.
[I also received advice from Master Kaito. Outputting impressions... "Since I have Kaito-sama's advice, I am certain this is correct, and Lilia-chan mentioned she liked them when we met before"... The souvenirs we have brought are models.]
"...M-Models, you say?"
[Affirmative. I shall present mine first. I have reproduced one of the Machine Beasts that Lilia Albert spoke of favorably as a model. It would be an honor if you would display it on your desk or somewhere similar.]
"...T-This is indeed a wonderfully exquisite model..."
Looking at the model Electrone placed on the table, Lilia felt a chill run down her spine.
(Orichalcum, Mithril, Adamantite, and Hihiirokane... all processed with such bizarrely fine and precise craftsmanship... This is an item that wouldn't be out of place if it were displayed in the most prominent spot in the Royal Castle's treasury as a National Treasure...)
It was a staggering masterpiece that could be identified as a work of art at a single glance, lavishly using rare metals and featuring intricate work on ultra-hard materials that defied logic.
"As for me, I've prepared a model of a dragon that exists in one of the worlds I manage, called a Material Dragon," Tiana added. "It turned out quite beautifully, so I'd be happy if you could display it and enjoy it."
"T-T-T-This is also a magnificent model... These flames look almost like the real thing... or rather, um... they look like nothing but the real thing..."
"Ah, those use materialized fire and water. But please, rest easy—I've altered their properties during the materialization process so they won't burn or dampen their surroundings, and they don't give off any heat to the touch. You can just think of them as being like real flames only in appearance."
The model Tiana had prepared was a dragon with a body that seemed to be a blend of Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth, crafted from materialized elements... It was an exquisite item that simply did not exist within the technological systems of this world.
(My stomach... it hurts... Neither of these are things a single individual should be allowed to own!?)
Kaito's advice and the push behind their decision had come from the fact that Machina had previously gifted Lilia a full-scale dragon model and it had been appreciated... but in truth, the situation was completely different now.
At that time, Lilia was effectively doing a favor for Machina, which made it easier to accept the gift as a gesture of thanks. Furthermore, that gift was for strictly private use; since Machina had intended it for a personal space, it was something to be enjoyed only among a small circle of close friends.
But this was not a "thank-you." While Electrone and Tiana intended them as souvenirs, when the givers were Gods of World Creation, these were items that could only be seen as divine gifts. On top of the sheer awe they inspired, the fact that these models were clearly impossible to reproduce with the technology of this world was enough to make Lilia's stomach ache.
Yet, there was a problem even greater than that. Although they had absolutely no ill intent, both had explicitly said they "wanted her to display and enjoy them." In the world of nobles, that meant these items were gifts granted as tokens of friendship from Overwhelming Superior Beings.
Being told that they wanted her to display them meant she couldn't just hide them away in the private world she received from Machina. At the very least, they had to be in her treasury... or ideally, displayed in a place where they would be seen by others.
Displaying items of unimaginable value was terrifying enough, but if other nobles visited Lilia's house and saw them, she would have to explain these "models of creatures that do not exist in this world" made with "technology that does not exist in this world." If that happened, it would be impossible to hide the fact that Lilia Albert had built friendly relationships with the Gods of Otherworlds.
She already had enough stomach-aching moments due to her status as a high-profile noble, but if it became known that she had direct channels to Otherworld gods on top of everything else, she couldn't even imagine the uproar. The mere thought brought a pain to her gut so sharp it felt as if her stomach were being twisted in a vice.
Stomach Pain Devil: "How about that? Exquisite, isn't it? One shouldn't just inflict stomach pain in the moment. Instantaneous Firepower is all well and good, but Lingering Damage is where the true value lies... In other words, just by displaying those models, periodic stomach pain damage will accumulate in Lilia's stomach forever! They are works of art that can be called Continuous Stomach Pain Generating Devices!!"
Serious-senpai: "...L-Lingering damage... you say..."
Stomach Pain Devil: "Fuhahaha!"
—Next time, the natural enemy of the Stomach Pain Devil appears—
Stomach Pain Devil: "Heagh!?"