While looking for Lilliwood-san, I scanned the surrounding tables to see if I recognized anyone else. There were plenty of familiar faces among the World King’s subordinates, but I barely knew any of their names and had spoken to even fewer of them.
This tea party felt very much like an after-party for the Harmonic Symphony, so naturally, the World King’s retinue made up the core of the guest list. It wasn't a stiff, formal affair, so it didn't necessarily follow that only high-ranking nobles were invited. Members of the Six Kings were likely too busy to attend, though influential figures like Zex-san were certainly present.
As I mused over this, a striking individual caught my eye. She was a woman with short silver hair and sharp, refined features. Though not particularly tall, her slender silhouette gave her an air of effortless coolness. Dressed in a black leather jacket and hot pants, she sported a punk aesthetic that matched her vibe... but the most arresting sight was the pair of large black wings extending from her back.
Was she a member of the Winged Race? I knew they existed, but this was my first time seeing one in person. Also, why was she standing perfectly still in the middle of a tea party, index finger pressed against her brow in a dramatic pose?
While I was puzzling over her, our eyes met. The moment she noticed me, a daring smile spread across her face, and she began striding toward me.
"Have you ever felt the hand of destiny in a chance encounter?"
"Pardon?"
"Men often compare such shocks to being struck by a bolt of lightning. That is the exact state of my soul at this very moment... I felt it in your gaze—the frantic thrumming of your heart."
"..."
It seemed she was afflicted with the same "illness" I had once suffered from. Now that I looked closer, she even had bandages wrapped around her right arm. This was a severe case.
Swallowing my indescribable feelings, I watched as she gracefully extended her bandaged arm.
"My gratitude for this fated meeting. I am Amel... known to some as the Black Gale. O, bearer of eyes that shine with intense brilliance, might I ask your name as well?"
"...Uh, it's Kaito Miyama. Nice to meet you."
"Whoops!"
"Eh?"
I hesitantly offered my hand to shake hers, but she pulled back as if she'd been burned.
"Forgive me, I was reckless. A cataclysmic power is sealed within my right arm. If something were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself. Let us shake with the left instead."
"...Sure."
She was definitely a terminal case. How could anyone leave her untreated for this long? My own back felt itchy, as if the memories of my own black history were crawling across my skin.
Amel-san looked utterly satisfied. Despite her theatrical speech, she was about a head shorter than me—roughly 155 centimeters tall—which created a rather jarring contrast with her dramatic personality.
"Two stars, guided by destiny, meet at last. Our mutual attraction was inevitable. Come, let us grace this stage for a momentary dance!"
"...Uh..."
Her phrasing was bizarre, and I couldn't immediately process it, but since she was pointing toward a nearby empty table, I assumed she meant: "Let's sit together and chat."
When I didn't respond immediately while trying to decode her language, her bravado vanished, replaced by a look of sheer worry.
"...Is that... a no?"
"...N-No, that's fine. Let’s talk for a bit."
I answered on reflex. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Her face instantly lit up.
"Then let the Double Star Banquet begin!"
"...Right."
I resigned myself to it and took a seat. She produced a tea set from a Magic Box—one that was entirely jet-black.
"Ebony is superior. Only a darkness as deep as the abyss can bring peace to my heart."
"...Right. I see."
"Your black raiment is magnificent as well."
...Raiment? Oh, she meant my black hoodie. So she'd approached me just because we were both wearing black?
As I sat there bewildered, she brewed the tea with practiced ease... wait, the liquid was black, too? It looked like coffee. Black coffee in a black cup.
"I offer this sublime black tea to you."
"...Th-Thank you."
Wait, this was tea? Really? Did pitch-black tea even exist? Well, I suppose in another world, anything was possible.
"Black tea is quite rare, isn't it?"
"Unfortunately, this is but a phantom hue. Through my sorcery, I am deceiving the world for a brief moment, forcing the tea to take the form of the dark abyss."
"..."
So it was just regular tea dyed with magic? This person... her personality was way too loud. I had zero confidence I could keep up with her. Someone... please help...
Amel A Special Individual of the Winged Race and their leader. One of only four humans with power comparable to a Peerage-class demon. Has a Chunibyo personality and felt a connection to Kaito. Self-proclaims the title "Black Gale," though no one actually calls her that.
Serious-senpai: "...Your flag collection is too fast."
???: "It seems no matter what happens, Lilia-san’s stomach is destined to suffer."