The meeting between Flare and Lilia drew to a smooth, even pleasant, conclusion. As evening began to settle in, Lilia and I walked Flare to the exit to see her off. After sharing a few final words with Lilia, Flare turned to me with a grin.
"My comrade! Though our meeting today was mere coincidence, I intend to visit again very soon. Tell me, do you enjoy a drink?"
"Yes, I wouldn't call myself a heavy drinker, but I do enjoy alcohol."
"I see! That is a stroke of luck. I have wanted to share a drink with you for some time now. When next we meet, I shall bring one of my finest vintages."
"I'll look forward to it, then."
We had only just met, but Flare had a very likable personality and was easy to talk to, so I welcomed the invitation. I decided I should prepare some alcohol that suited my own tastes as well. Depending on the time, taking her to Iris's bar might be an option too. I had a feeling the atmosphere of a bar would suit her perfectly.
After a few more parting words, Flare gave a casual wave and departed. Even from behind, she looked undeniably cool.
"Kaito-san, thank you so much for today!" Lilia exclaimed.
"Eh? Oh, it was nothing. I didn't really do anything special, but I'm just glad you're happy."
Lilia beamed, clutching the autograph Flare had given her as if it were a holy relic. It was a refreshing change; usually, when I introduced her to someone powerful, she was on the verge of a breakdown. Seeing her genuinely delighted was a relief.
I was just glad I wasn't getting scolded for once. Come to think of it, had Lilia ever actually met Magnawell? She had been nearby during the Six Kings Festival when he spoke to Sieg, but she hadn't conversed with him directly. In fact, among the Six Kings, Magnawell was the only one she had never officially met. I would have to ask him first, of course, but if it would make Lilia happy, it might be a good idea for me to pull some strings and arrange a meeting.
Just as we were about to head back inside the mansion with Luna, the air shifted. A familiar presence manifested behind us, followed by voices I knew well.
"Oh? We ended up in Lilia-san's garden."
"I think it’s set to return us to wherever we were when we left for Earth."
"Ah, that makes sense—wait, Kaito-senpai! Lilia-san! Luna-san!"
I turned around to see two very familiar figures standing there.
"Aoi! Hina!"
"Ehehe, it's been a while!"
"The tournament is over, so we came to visit again."
The newcomers were Aoi and Hina, who had been summoned to this world alongside me and had spent a year as my companions. They had received magic tools for inter-world transfer from Shiro, allowing them to travel freely between Earth and Trinia just as I did.
Lilia and Luna were a bit surprised by their sudden appearance, but they immediately welcomed the two with warm smiles. Sensing we had much to catch up on, Lilia and Luna thoughtfully gave us some space. The three of us sat down for tea, and naturally, the conversation turned to our recent lives.
"Heh, so you both made it to the national level? That's incredible."
"Ahaha, my results at the nationals were pretty lackluster in the end," Hina admitted. "But Aoi-senpai took fifth! Though she doesn't seem particularly happy about it."
"Wait, really? Fifth place in a national tournament is an amazing achievement."
"Well..." Aoi sighed. "If I had matched my personal best, I could have made the top four. It's a little frustrating."
That was so like Aoi. Calm as she seemed, she was incredibly competitive at heart. Still, making it to a national tournament without using any magic at all was a staggering feat.
"By the way, Kaito-senpai, can we ask you something too?"
"Sure, what is it?"
Hina leaned in slightly. "That mansion next to Lilia-san's... or rather, the fact that her estate has basically doubled in size... did you have something to do with that?"
"Oh, right. Well, technically, that new section is my house."
Using Hina's question as a starting point, it was my turn to explain my recent circumstances. I told them about my parents coming back to life after I returned to this world, building the house, and the rather unusual "special measures" the authorities had granted me.
When I finished, the two of them just stared at me with varying degrees of exasperation.
"Honestly, it’s that same old brand of nonsense from you," Hina muttered.
"Well, it is Kaito-san," Aoi added.
"True. It's just Kaito-senpai being Kaito-senpai."
With those words, my two juniors wore expressions of utter resignation. I couldn't really blame them; even as I was explaining it, I realized just how many absurd things had happened to me in such a short window of time.
Serious-senpai: "...I don't get it. Lilia didn't faint once... Since when was this series so merciful toward stomach pain?"
???: "Well, there are plenty of things to critique here, but let's stop calling the entity known as 'Stomach Pain' by the name 'Lilia-san'."
Serious-senpai: "Wait, you have it backward!"
???: "...Anyway, it’s like they say—this is the calm before the storm."
Serious-senpai: "...What? Is there still room to introduce someone else while the juniors are trying to become adventurers?"
???: "Who knows? You'll just have to look forward to what happens next! Maybe a 'Transcendent Beautiful Girl Thief' will make an appearance!"
Serious-senpai: "That's just you, isn't it!?"