Lilliwood-san’s story continued, her voice resonating through our Sympathy Magic as she recreated scenes from her past in a series of vivid visions.
Naturally, compared to the vast ages she had lived, the recount was brief—a summary focusing only on the most significant events. Our conversation flowed gently as she spoke of her first encounters with the Seven Princesses and her other subordinates, the long process of developing Yugfressia, and the era when the Friendship Treaty was finally signed. She even mixed in a few mild complaints about how Megiddo-san would occasionally ravage her forests.
“...And that is roughly how it went,” she said. “I omitted a great deal, but that is the gist of my history.”
“Thank you for telling me all that,” I replied. “But wait—has quite a bit of time passed already?”
“Ah, no. While resonating with Sympathy Magic, I shifted the flow of time slightly. Even if it felt like we were talking for a long while, very little time has actually elapsed.”
“You really can do anything, can’t you, Lilliwood-san?”
She chuckled softly. “I am still one of the Six Kings, after all. I can manage most things.”
As she smiled, the scenery shifted back to the spot where we had been drinking tea—a balcony offering a panoramic view of the entire Tea Party Venue.
Watching her manipulate time so effortlessly was a stark reminder that she truly was one of the Six Kings. I remembered Alice saying she could do most things as well. From my perspective, calling the Six Kings almighty wouldn't be much of an exaggeration; they could probably manifest almost anything I could imagine.
“Come to think of it, we have only spoken of my history so far,” she noted. “This time, I would like to hear some of your stories, Kaito-san.”
“Mine? Er, do you mean my life back home?”
“No, recent stories are fine as well. I simply wish to hear about you—that is all.”
I felt a bit embarrassed by how casually she said that, but since I had done nothing but listen until now, it was only fair that I shared something in return.
“Speaking of recent events, I visited the Friendly City.”
“Oh? Was it for sightseeing?”
“Sightseeing was one of the reasons, but the catalyst was a letter I received from Olivia-san... the Pope.”
Seeing Lilliwood-san's interest, I began recounting my trip to the Friendly City Hikari. I told her about Kaori-san, a fellow Earthling I happened to run into, and my interactions with Olivia-san. I worried that my storytelling was a bit clumsy, but Lilliwood-san listened with a look of genuine enjoyment, nodding along at all the right moments.
As our conversation continued, I suddenly noticed that flowers had begun to bloom in Lilliwood-san’s hair.
“...”
“Is something the matter?”
“Ah, no, sorry. I just found myself distracted by the flowers in your hair.”
“...Oh? When did these... Fufu, I suppose they bloomed because I am finding our conversation so enjoyable.”
Lilliwood-san’s leaf-like hair was tied to her emotional state; it would wither when she was exhausted and bloom with flowers when she was in high spirits.
“I saw them during the Six Kings Festival too, but are those considered Flowers of the World Tree?”
“Yes, they are. However, they don’t possess the same restorative properties as the Fruit of the World Tree. They are a bit more resilient than normal flowers, though... Hmm.”
She trailed off, a thoughtful expression crossing her face as if she had just recalled something.
“...Come to think of it, when you and Isis first met, she gave you a Blue Crystal Flower as a gift, did she not?”
“Yes, I still remember that moment clearly. The Blue Crystal Flower is very special to me... Thinking back, I received a Fruit of the World Tree when I first met you, Lilliwood-san.”
“That is true. Not much time has passed since then, yet it feels a bit nostalgic... However, hmm... I can’t help but feel that compared to a flower, a fruit lacks a certain splendor.”
“...You think so?”
There was a hint of mischief in her voice. I tilted my head, sensing that she was either plotting something or about to put a plan into motion. Suddenly, Lilliwood-san reached up and plucked one of the Flowers of the World Tree that had bloomed in her hair.
“Since we are here, I shall take a leaf out of Isis’s book... and give you this flower as a memento of today. I’ve cast Status Preservation Magic on it, so it should never wither.”
“Eh? Oh, thank you. I’m happy to have it, but... what do you mean by taking a leaf out of her book?”
“Now, I wonder what that means? Even I don’t quite know... It is simply that a part of me feels envious of the bond you share with Isis. I don’t know yet if that feeling stems from an expectation or mere curiosity... but I hope to find the answer as we spend more time together, Kaito-san.”
Her words could almost have been taken as a confession. The smile she wore as she said them was the most beautiful I had seen all day—no, it was likely the most beautiful smile she had ever shown me.
Serious-senpai: “Aaaaahhh... Dammit! Even if she doesn’t realize it herself, her route is already way too far along! Her affection level is definitely sky-high!”