It was officially decided: we would participate in the Harmonic Symphony and the tea party that followed.
The group for this trip consisted of Lilia-san, Luna-san, Sieg-san, Aoi, Hina, and me—the same lineup that had previously attended the Treasure Tree Festival. Since there wouldn't be any stalls or street vendors, the numbers were smaller than at the White God Festival, but in a way, we had become the standard travel party.
I had invited my parents as well, but they declined. They were currently focused on an exam coming up at the six-month mark of their training internship at the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company. It wasn't the regular employment exam, but a comprehensive review of everything they’d studied so far, and they wanted to dedicate themselves to it. Both seemed to be excelling; in fact, their technical discussions regarding magic tool creation had already progressed far beyond my understanding.
"So, with that in mind," I said, "I’d like to have some of Nebula’s tea leaves ready to give to Jutia-san as a gift. Would that be all right?"
"Yes! That won't be a problem at all. By the way, Master... the black tea is fine as it is, but do you have any ideas for the sweets we'll be bringing?"
"Well, a few things come to mind, but I’m torn on what would be best. Other participants will likely bring things like cookies or scones, so I wonder if something unique would be better."
Nebula readily agreed when I asked about the tea leaves. However, her follow-up question touched on something I had been wrestling with. While there wasn't a strict rule that I had to bring a gift, I felt it was better to have something prepared. But when it came to sweets, nothing stood out as much as Nebula’s tea. I had even briefly considered bringing baby castella.
"In that case, I have the perfect thing," Nebula said. "Here, look."
"Is this... chocolate?"
"Yes. It was made from cacao grown in the backyard garden."
"Cacao? You were growing cacao trees?"
"Yes. Only a few, but they’ve recently become ready for harvest."
That caught me off guard. I’d told her she could use the backyard however she liked, and I knew she’d been expanding the plots, but I never expected cacao. She’d almost certainly used magic to accelerate their growth. This was chocolate made from beans harvested in record time. Then again, since it was Nebula, there was no doubt the quality would be world-class. I took a bite.
"...This is incredible. This chocolate is amazing... the flavor is so intense, yet it isn't heavy at all. It tastes remarkably elegant. I feel like I could eat this forever."
"I’m glad you like it. Illness-san and I worked together to create an assortment using that cacao."
The box Nebula produced was filled with chocolates of various shapes and sizes, resembling a jewelry box. It was remarkable. I lacked the vocabulary to describe it properly, but it felt like it would pair beautifully with any drink. If I weren't careful, I’d devour the whole thing. I finally had a truly wonderful souvenir.
At Lilliwood's castle in Yugfressia within the Demon Realm, the Seven Princesses—the World King's subordinate executives—had begun to gather for the approaching Harmonic Symphony. While not everyone had arrived yet, more than half of the Seven Princesses were already back in the city.
"Delicious... or rather, exceptionally tasty. A marvelous find... or rather, you’ve discovered something wonderful, Jutia."
"I'm glad, I'm glad! Hearing you say that makes me very happy, ze-i! It's high-end chocolate from a reputable shop, apparently a brand-new release. It has a crisp flavor, so I thought it would pair perfectly with black tea. I'm so excited, so excited! I really can't wait for the triennial tea party, ze-i!"
Jutia was in high spirits as she replied to Erial. As a tea lover, the massive gathering held every three years was a prime opportunity to discover rare leaves and confections, and she was looking forward to it immensely.
"...Awa-wa-wa, i-it’s... it’s that time again. L-Lia... can’t I be the only one to skip this?"
"Absolutely not," Camellia replied firmly. "This is hosted by Lilliwood-sama himself."
"I-I know, but... ugh, there are going to be so many strangers. It’s scary..."
"Honestly, Elly, your social anxiety is truly something else."
For the terminally shy Rosmiel, the large-scale tea party was a source of dread. Camellia poured her a refill of tea, offering a wry smile at her friend's usual antics. The executives under the World King were all bracing for the grand event in their own ways.
Serious-senpai: "...There goes that Absolute One, making more stuff. And Kaito’s too blinded by parental doting to even question it when it comes to Nebula."