Once he decided to build a house of his own, Kaito made a point to inform his friends and acquaintances of his plans, starting with Lilia.
He had already shared his intentions with his mother and father. While they had initially worried about the cost, those concerns vanished once he explained his current financial situation—including the funds he had entrusted to Anima.
"I suppose you really have grown up when I wasn't looking, Kaito," his mother had murmured, her eyes distant and nostalgic.
"What have I done? At my age, I’m going to be living off my own son... My reputation..." his father had added, similarly staring off into space as he contemplated his pride.
After speaking with his parents, his next stop was Lilia’s office. Believing in striking while the iron was hot, Kaito headed straight there and found Lilia at her desk, buried in paperwork as usual, with Lunamaria standing faithfully by her side.
"Oh, Kaito-san? Is something the matter?"
"Um, sorry to interrupt your work. I just had something I wanted to tell you, Lilia-san."
"To me?"
Despite the suddenness of his visit, Lilia set her work aside and greeted him with a gentle smile. Without any unnecessary preamble, Kaito got straight to the point.
"Actually, since I’ve decided to stay here permanently, I felt I couldn't keep imposing on your hospitality forever. So, I’m thinking about buying a house of my own."
"I... I see. That certainly marks a significant milestone for you, Kaito-san. You have my full support."
Kaito blinked. Was it just his imagination? She was smiling and offering her blessing, but for a split second—a truly fleeting moment—her expression seemed to embody the very definition of "utter devastation." Perhaps he had simply misread her.
"By the way, Kaito-san, if you don't mind me asking... have you already decided where you want to build it?"
"Well, yes. I’ve grown quite fond of the Kingdom of Sinfonia, and I’d like to be as close to this mansion as possible so it’s easy for me to come visit you and the others..."
"! I see!"
This time, Kaito was certain he saw her face flash with a look of profound relief.
"Yes. Since I’ll need to figure out the land and permits, I was planning to consult Orchid about it soon."
"I understand. Of course, a house isn't built in a day, and it is a monumental purchase, so please take your time to consider everything carefully. If there is anything I can do to help, I am always happy to offer my advice."
"Thank you. That’s very reassuring."
He decided the earlier shift in her expression must have been a trick of the light. While she could be informal and easygoing at times, Lilia was still the head of a ducal house; in moments like this, her reliability truly shone through.
After thanking her again, Kaito left the room to go draft a letter to Orchid.
Once Kaito had vanished behind the door, the smile Lilia had worked so hard to maintain slowly crumbled. She slumped forward onto her desk and let out a tiny, miserable whimper.
"I’m going to be so lonely..."
"Should I praise you for holding it together that long, or should I be appalled that you didn't just tell him how you felt?" Lunamaria asked with a sigh.
"Ugh... But I know Kaito-san was worried about being a burden. If I had tried to stop him, he might have started thinking of me as a clingy, troublesome woman!"
Indeed, Lilia had used every ounce of her willpower and grit to keep smiling, but while she had been listening to Kaito, her inner self had been a chaotic storm of emotions.
Deep down, she wanted things to stay exactly as they were. Her beloved lover lived under the same roof, they saw each other constantly, and they shared meals and tea every day.
"On the bright side, Miyama-sama intends to build his house nearby. Knowing him, he will likely be a very frequent guest," Lunamaria pointed out.
"But... but still... I won't be able to say 'good morning' or 'good night' when we pass each other in the hallway anymore..."
"Honestly, if it's going to make you look like you're about to burst into tears, you should have just said something to him."
"But I couldn't..."
"Well, as you said yourself, nothing is going to happen overnight. You should take this time to think things through calmly. You clearly aren't in any state to work right now anyway, so I’ll go brew some tea."
"Please do..."
Lunamaria sighed at her best friend’s pathetic, maidenly behavior and slipped out of the room to fetch the tea.
Once she was alone, Lilia buried her face in her arms on the desk, looking more dejected than she would ever care to admit in public.
"It’s still going to be lonely..."
"Then I have a proposal for a Lilia-san such as yourself!"
"Eek?! T-T-The Phantasm King?!"
Lilia practically leaped out of her skin at Alice’s sudden appearance, nearly toppling her chair in the process.
"Yes, hello, good day... Anyway, let’s skip the pleasantries and get to business. First, I need you to take a look at these documents."
"What are these?"
With a wary expression, Lilia accepted the bundle of papers Alice held out and began to scan them.
There were only a few pages, written with concise clarity. It didn't take her long to reach the end. When she finished, she wordlessly reached for the pen on her desk.
"Um... where do I sign?"
"Right here and right here, if you please."
After signing where Alice indicated, Lilia manifested a magic box with a distinct, unusual shape.
This particular box was an incredibly expensive, custom-ordered item. It was impossible to change the registered user, and the box itself was protected by formidable defensive seals.
From within, she produced a stamp decorated with lavish ornamentation. This was not the seal she used for daily administrative tasks. It was her supreme seal—the one used to signify not "permission as the Ducal House of Albert," but "permission granted by the Head, Lilia Albert herself, with full personal authority."
Since inheriting her title, she had used it only a handful of times. Yet, Lilia pressed the seal onto Alice’s documents without a single moment of hesitation.
"Perfect. Thank you very much."
"I’m counting on you, then."
The negotiation was over in minutes, and Alice vanished as abruptly as she had arrived. Lilia tucked the seal away and picked up her pen, ready to dive back into her work.
Just then, Lunamaria returned with the tea—and immediately paused, tilting her head in confusion.
"Lili? What is with that ridiculous, sappy grin on your face?"
"Huh? Is it that obvious? Hehe, I’m just my usual self."
"No, you look shockingly pleased with yourself. Where did that look of utter despair go?"
It was true; Lilia was now beaming with a radiant, blissful smile.
"Fufu, thank you for the tea. Well, I still have plenty of work to get through. I'd better give it my all!"
"What on earth could have happened in the few minutes I was gone...?"
Lunamaria’s bewildered voice echoed through the quiet office. It would be several days before she discovered the reason behind her best friend's sudden, joyous transformation.