After receiving Lilia-san’s wonderful gift, Luna-san was next in line. I started to wonder if the order was based on the sequence in which I’d met everyone since arriving in this world.
Luna-san was usually a serial prankster, but she didn't mess around here. She presented me with an assortment of marshmallows. She explained that since I would be receiving so many different gifts, she figured something consumable would be the most considerate choice. I appreciated the thought... though I couldn't help but wonder if she liked marshmallows herself. If so, I’d have to make sure to remember that for later.
The third and fourth slots went to my juniors, Aoi-chan and Hina-chan. Aoi-chan gave me a bookmark crafted from a beautiful flower, while Hina-chan gave me a pair of socks. Even though they had almost no time to prepare, they’d still managed to get me something. It really touched my heart.
The fifth presenter turned out to be Seigi-kun. I hadn't seen him around earlier; apparently, he’d rushed over immediately after finishing his speech as the Hero, meaning he’d missed the karaoke contest entirely. His gift was a selection of sweets that were a specialty of a small village in the Hydra Kingdom. He told me they had a unique texture but were delicious, so I was looking forward to trying them.
"All right, let's keep this moving at a brisk pace," Alice announced. "Next up is a bit of a problem child in her own right... Kuro-san!"
"Hey! Why am I the problem child?" Kuro protested.
"Now then, I wonder what kind of baby castella she's brought for us today?"
"It's not baby castella! I mean, I have some on me, but that's not the gift!"
Finally, the heavy hitter had arrived. I braced myself for whatever outrageous thing she’d brought. For the Six Kings Festival commemorative gift, she’d casually handed me a ship that was essentially a luxury liner. What on earth had she prepared this time?
I waited with equal parts anticipation and dread as Kuro produced a massive... wait, what was that? A bed?
"Kaito-kun! Happy birthday! This is my present!"
"Wh-What exactly is this...?"
It was a massive object roughly the size of a double bed. It looked like a crystal—actually, was it a magic crystal? It was the largest one I’d ever seen. I wondered if the magic crystal itself was the gift, or if it was a magic tool powered by it.
"Remember that virtual world you played in during the festival? Well, this is... a miniaturized version of that!"
"Wait, what?"
"There are still too many hurdles for a commercial release, and the price would be astronomical, so it’ll be decades before it hits the market. But we succeeded in shrinking the hardware. Shaltier told me you really liked it, so I made some adjustments and brought it for you."
So, with this, I could play that VRMMO from the fifth day of the festival whenever I wanted? My excitement shot through the roof.
"Since it's smaller, only four people can play at once, but unlike the prototype at the festival, this one has several different games loaded on it!"
"That’s incredible... are you sure it’s okay for me to have this?"
"Of course! I even prepared connection kigurumi for four people!"
"...Ah, I figured the kigurumi would be part of the deal."
Honestly, I was thrilled. I’d always liked games, and that race I’d played at the festival had been a blast. Back then, it was just me and Alice, but with this, I could play with Aoi-chan, Hina-chan, Lilia-san, and everyone else. My earlier anxiety felt foolish now.
"Kuro, thank you. I’m really happy."
"A-Ahaha, you’re making me blush. I'll drop by later to see where you want it installed and do the initial setup. Then we can play together!"
"Definitely!"
After receiving that incredible gift from Kuro, Chris-san was the next to step onto the stage. That made sense; I’d first met her back when she acted as our driver for the barbecue. She gave me a brush designed for grooming large species. I was genuinely grateful for this, too. I’d been thinking about getting a new one for Bell, so the timing was perfect. It felt wonderful to the touch—not too stiff, not too soft—and seemed perfect for Bell's coat. I’d have to give him a good brushing the moment I got home.
Following her, Ein-san presented me with a magic box. Apparently, it was packed with desserts she’d made herself. Her cooking was world-class, so I was eager to dig in. I thought I heard her mention there were a hundred thousand items inside, but I must have misheard. I really hoped I’d misheard.
Next, Zex-san gave me a book with an intriguing title, Raz-san offered a charming hand towel, Acht gave me a set of T-shirts perfect for wearing around the house, and Noin-san presented me with a paperweight and a calligraphy brush.
And then, finally, the moment of truth arrived. If the gifts were being presented in the order I met everyone, then the next person was undeniable.
"All right, next up is... Shallow Vernal-sama!"
Dear Mother, Father—my joy over the wonderful gifts had been building steadily, but just as my spirits reached their peak, it happened. One of the two major terrors made her move.
As for the other half of that terrifying duo... well, you can guess who she is, right?