My time in the Friendly City had been incredibly productive. Befriending Olivia-san was a significant step forward, but meeting Kaori-san, a fellow traveler from my own world, had been an even greater highlight.
When I told Aoi-chan and Hina-chan about her after my return, both were eager to meet her themselves. I decided then that I would take them along to Kaori-san’s restaurant the next time I visited.
A few days had passed since I returned from the Friendly City. I was currently sitting down for lunch with Lilia-san, Luna-san, and Sieg-san, along with my two juniors, Aoi-chan and Hina-chan. There were six of us in total.
Sieg-san happened to have some free time, and Luna-san was joining us with Lilia-san’s blessing. We were enjoying a pleasant chat over our meal when the door to the dining hall opened and Anima stepped inside.
"Anima?"
"Master, please forgive the interruption during your meal. However, a letter has arrived for you from Lilliwood-dono."
"From Lilliwood-san? Not a Hummingbird, but a formal letter?"
"Yes. Since it seemed quite important, I thought it best to bring it to you immediately."
This was rare—in fact, it might have been the first time. If she simply had business with me, a Hummingbird message usually sufficed, as it always had in the past. The fact that she had gone to the trouble of sending a physical letter suggested there was a specific reason behind it.
Feeling a bit curious, I accepted the envelope from Anima and opened it.
"Huh? Let’s see..."
"Kaito-san?"
"It seems to be an invitation to a tea party..."
Inside the envelope was a letter from Lilliwood-san and an invitation printed on beautiful, high-quality cardstock. It detailed the schedule and the nature of the gathering, concluding with a request for my attendance if my schedule permitted.
"A tea party? If she went as far as sending a formal invitation, does that mean it’s a large-scale event?"
"I'm not sure, it doesn't say much about the size... but the location is Lilliwood-san’s castle in Yugfressia."
Lilia-san tilted her head as she spoke, and her question was perfectly valid. I also had a feeling that if she was using formal invitations, this wouldn't be a small, private gathering.
"A tea party of that scale... It’s hard to imagine she would only issue an invitation to Kaito-san. There must be other guests. Luna, does anything come to mind?"
"At this time of year... was there something scheduled?"
Luna-san tilted her head in thought as well. If Lilliwood-san was hosting a party of this magnitude, it should have been famous, but since neither of them could recall anything, perhaps it wasn't a recurring event.
As I pondered this, Sieg-san, who had been resting her chin on her hand with a contemplative look, spoke up.
"Could it be an after-party for the Harmonic Symphony?"
"Ah, of course! That must be it! Now that I think about it, this is the year for the Harmonic Symphony, isn't it?"
"I've heard rumors of that," Luna-san added. "They say that after the Harmonic Symphony, a special after-party is held that only the World King’s subordinates and specifically invited guests can attend..."
"Harmonic Symphony?" I asked, echoing the confusion of Aoi-chan and Hina-chan.
"Well, Alice-sama touched on it briefly during Kaito-san’s birthday, but for spirits and fairies, singing is more than just art—it's a vital form of dialogue with nature. Every three years, in the Demon Realm’s largest nature city, Yugfressia, a grand event called the Harmonic Symphony is held."
"So, it’s a festival?"
"No, not exactly. There aren't any stalls or vendors. The event focuses entirely on song and dance. To put it simply, it’s like a concert that encompasses the entire city."
From Lilia-san’s description, it sounded like a massive music festival or a city-wide performance.
"The Seven Princesses—the World King’s high-ranking executives—rarely gather in one place, but they all assemble for the Harmonic Symphony. It’s one of the largest events in the entire Demon Realm."
"Heh, that sounds like fun. Can regular people go too?" Hina-chan asked with a spark of excitement. Aoi-chan also seemed quite interested, listening intently to the conversation.
I had always imagined that Hina-chan would love dancing and upbeat music, while Aoi-chan would prefer the quiet appreciation of something like classical music.
"Anyone can participate in the Harmonic Symphony. I remember my mother taking me once when I was a child. The whole city was alive with singing and dancing; it was incredibly vibrant."
Hearing Luna-san’s description, it did sound like something I'd enjoy seeing... but then I paused. The conversation had shifted entirely to the Harmonic Symphony, but the invitation in my hand wasn't for the public event. It was for a private tea party.
If this was an exclusive, invite-only affair separate from the public festivities that anyone could join, then this tea party was probably going to be a much more intimidating social mountain to climb...
Serious-senpai: "An event centered on the World King's subordinates... I see... Dammit, that means Rosmiel is going to make another appearance, doesn't it...?"