"Is everyone’s glass ready? All right then—cheers!"
"""Cheers!"""
At Erina’s signal, we all raised our glasses. Today was the long-awaited Christmas... the party for the members of the research lab.
Actually, it was more like a casual home party, so no one was dressed up. Everyone wore their usual clothes, and since we were all close friends, the atmosphere was incredibly relaxed.
"Well then, enjoy yourselves, everyone. I’ll keep bringing out more food as we go."
"Oh, Professor Kurusu. I’ll help too."
"Me too."
"Thank you, Lidi-chan. I’ll take you up on that. ...Ririka-chan, please, just stay here and eat with the others."
"Eh? Oh, okay."
Lidi-senpai and Riri-senpai both stood up quickly to help Erina—the host and the one providing the venue. Seeing them move so efficiently made them feel like mature, capable women.
Of course, while Lidi-senpai was a great cook, Riri-senpai was hopeless with housework in general, so she had been rejected immediately. Since Riri-senpai came from a very high-class family, she probably hadn't had many opportunities to do chores and simply wasn't used to it.
"Should we help too?"
"Hmm, that would be too many people in the kitchen. Let’s just jump in if they ask for something. We should focus on enjoying the party. By the way, I roasted the turkey, so I’ve already done my share."
So Arisa was the one who did the turkey... One look at the perfect golden-brown skin told me it was going to be delicious. I was definitely looking forward to it.
Well, since she did such a good job, I decided to ignore her smug expression.
"...I see... the turkey... looks good... Arisa... worked hard... for Kaito’s sake, didn't she?"
"Huh?! You're saying something ridiculous again... You’re prepared for what’s coming, aren't you!?"
"...Ah... wait... that's definitely the spicy stuff... No!"
"No way! I’m not letting you escape today!"
At Iris-san's soft, smiling words, Arisa’s face turned slightly red. She grabbed an ingredient even redder than her cheeks and started chasing Iris-san around.
It wasn't a serious chase, though; they were just playing around as they always did.
"...Hey, Kai-chan."
"Yes? What is it, Fey-san?"
"Pass me the salad."
"...It's not even twenty inches away. Actually, it's closer to you than it is to me."
"No, see, I used up all my willpower and physical strength just to walk this far..."
"You’re that weak!?"
Dumbfounded by her usual level of lethargy, I served some salad for her. Fey-san naturally opened her mouth wide, so I used her fork to feed her. She nodded with a satisfied smile.
"Munch... Yeah. As expected of Kai-chan, we’re perfectly in sync. And you’re kind enough to indulge me even when you complain... All right, I’ll marry you."
"I'll pass."
"Was that a pun on the party being 'merry'?"
"..."
Wait, was the heater off? It felt awfully cold in here all of a sudden.
"Kaito-san, your glass is empty. Is beer all right?"
"Oh, Riri-senpai. Sorry, thank you."
"Not at all. Thank you for inviting me today."
"Well, Arisa planned it and Erina provided the place."
The soft-spoken Riri-senpai really gave off the impression of a refined lady. Though she was surprisingly strong at kendo and a bit clumsy, those traits were part of her charm as well.
I continued eating and chatting with Riri-senpai and Fey-san. Eventually, everyone else joined in, and we spent a lively, happy Christmas together.
Kaito Miyama’s days were truly fulfilling. He had his mother, his father, good friends... and even a girl he was interested in.
It was a life of overwhelming happiness—an environment where he could proudly claim he was content.
And yet, the anxiety rising in his heart would not disappear. Instead, it felt as though it grew heavier with each passing day.
"..."
Kaito stared at a single calendar. It was a defective thing that only went up to December 30th.
The cross marks indicating passed days were filled in up to the "29th." Looking at it, Kaito pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to ward off a headache.
This calendar stirred a deep, inexplicable sense of dread... and he didn't know why.
In the otherworld Trinia, Kaito Miyama had grasped numerous strokes of luck and miracles. This was partly due to his own character and the bonds he formed, but above all, it was thanks to the Blessing of Shallow Vernal-sama.
As a recipient of the blessing of the God of the World, Kaito was loved by the world itself. In anything involving luck, the effect was absolute.
His overwhelming fortune was a gift from the World’s Blessing.
But now, in this place, the Blessing of Shallow Vernal was gone. The world was not on his side. Therefore, in this space, his usual luck was absent, and no miracles would spontaneously occur.
At this very moment, to the world, he was not a beloved child, but an enemy challenging the God of the World.
"...Eh? What... is this?"
He heard the sound of something snapping and looked down. There, lying on the floor, was a necklace with a uniquely shaped black crystal. It had fallen from around his neck.
Kaito didn't recognize it. He had no memory of ever obtaining such a thing. Yet, feeling an intense, magnetic pull, he reached out his hand for it.
In this space, the world was not his ally.
And yet, even so—Destiny sided with him.
The blessing bestowed upon him with love defied the world, calling forth a single, tiny miracle.
The gears finally began to turn. And soon, the second trial would begin.
Serious-senpai: "Wait, seriously? That was foreshadowing?! I thought it was just a regular love declaration!"
???: "Actually, yes. Aside from the blessing of Shallow Vernal-sama, Kaito had received one other blessing. Even with Shallow Vernal’s blessing temporarily removed, this one remained... the Blessing of Fate."
Serious-senpai: "...Here it comes! A serious development!"