Erial and Til seemed to have noticed us, but they continued their performance without skipping a beat.
With every step of Erial's dance, ethereal birds made of magic power—resembling hummingbirds—manifested around her, their numbers steadily growing. Then, just as the swarm threatened to hide her completely, Erial struck a final pose. On cue, the birds scattered, fluttering off in all directions. One of them, however, veered toward us.
"...These are world coordinates," Cento murmured.
"I suspect they want to meet us somewhere more private," Sien added as she studied the coordinates displayed by the bird as it shifted its form.
It seemed they wanted to move to a different location to talk, likely to avoid causing a scene in the plaza. Honestly, this was a relief. I would have felt bad ignoring them after we’d spotted each other, but trying to reach them through that massive throng would have been a nightmare.
"It looks like the dance is over anyway... Shall we head to those coordinates then? Is it alright if I leave the transport to you two?"
"Yes, leave it to us."
Sien gave a firm nod, and a magic circle flared beneath our feet. A moment later, the crowded plaza was gone, replaced by the quiet of a secluded back alley.
"A Barrier to Keep People Away has been established here," Cento observed.
"Ah, I see. That’s why it's empty."
I’d seen Fia-sensei and others use those before. They were essentially barriers that discouraged people from entering a specific area. Since a public square or park would be too disruptive, they’d probably chosen this quiet alley as a meeting spot.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, the space in front of us shimmered with light, and Til and Erial appeared.
"Kaito-kun-san! Hello!" Til cheered.
"Hello, Til. Erial, what a coincidence."
"Greetings... which is to say, hello," Erial replied. "A coincidence, yet an inevitability. Spotting you there was chance, but since we intended to visit your stall, our meeting was only a matter of time."
After returning my greeting, the two of them acknowledged Tre and the others. However, Erial had said something that caught my attention.
"You intended to visit the stall? You mean you were planning to come to our shop?"
"That’s right! We were actually on our way to buy baby castella after you told us about it, Kaito-kun-san."
"...Then why were you performing back there?"
"Unavoidable circumstances... which is to say, we were beset by matters beyond our control. Delayed arrival... which is to say, it became clear we wouldn't reach your stall before your break ended. A shift in priorities... which is to say, we decided to visit this evening instead."
"Unavoidable circumstances?"
I wondered what they could have been. They were both famous, so I figured they’d been recognized and pressured into an impromptu performance they couldn't refuse.
It certainly sounded like they’d dealt with some serious complications, as Til was nodding solemnly along with Erial’s explanation.
"Exactly! It couldn't be helped! We were on our way to your stall when... Til’s passion just went kaboom!"
"U-Uhh?"
Wait, what? That was not the 'circumstance' I was expecting.
"Emotional eruption... which is to say, our artistic fervor reached a breaking point, just as Til described. Atmospheric magic... which is to say, the very spirit of the festival whispered that we must dance. No other choice... which is to say, forgoing the performance was simply not an option."
"Yes, yes! The festival was just so lively that we wanted to join in! There was a little plaza where people were playing music and dancing freely, so we jumped in to participate. Then people just started pouring in way more than we expected!"
"I-I see..."
So there weren't any 'deep' reasons at all. They just got swept up in the festival mood and felt like dancing.
"But still, it's such a shame that we missed you while you were actually working the stall."
"Well, in that case, if you don't mind them being pre-made, I have some in my magic box. Would you like to buy them now?"
"Really? Til is so happy!"
"Gratitude... which is to say, thank you. Great expectations... which is to say, both Til and I were looking forward to eating these, so this is wonderful news."
"I have plain and chocolate. How many bags would you like?"
"Til can't eat very much, so she'll share with Erial. One bag of each is fine!"
"Understood."
I pulled a bag of the plain and a bag of the chocolate castella from the magic box and handed them over after taking their payment.
"Kaito-kun-san, thank you! Til is re~ally looking forward to eating these!"
"Double gratitude... which is to say, thank you so much for being so thoughtful."
Shortly after thanking me with a smile, Til suddenly curled inward, her body trembling slightly. Before I could ask what was wrong, she threw her arms wide and practically leaped into the air.
"...Whoooo! Til’s passion is still burning bright!"
"Concurrence... which is to say, I agree. Unstoppable fervor... which is to say, the explosion continues. Rhythmic vitality... which is to say, we shall dance until dawn!"
"Yes! Kaito-kun-san, Til and Erial are going back to the North District Square to dance some more!"
"I-I see. Good luck."
"We will! We'll eat the baby castella later together. Well then, let's go, Erial!"
"Acknowledged... which is to say, understood."
And with that, the two of them energetically teleported away. Judging by the conversation, they were headed right back into the fray to perform again. I guess if their passion was truly 'exploding,' there wasn't much anyone could do to stop them.
Serious-senpai: "I guess even they run wild sometimes. Still, compared to the Phantasm King’s subordinates, this is actually quite charming."
???: "Well, sure, if the absolute bottom is your benchmark."
Serious-senpai: "Hey, are you talking about your own people!?"