With all the preparations for the Arclesia Empire Founding Anniversary Festival finished, Amel and I discussed our meeting time and other logistics for the day before she finally headed home.
Once I was alone, I laid out some of the original accessories I had crafted earlier on my room’s table.
The pieces spread before me were made from rare gemstones and metals—Rainbow Diamonds, Blue Diamonds, Ice Crystals, and Orichalcum. These were definitely not for sale.
That went without saying; neither Amel nor I were idiots. Even if you factored in our amateur workmanship and unconventional processing methods, the sheer quality of the materials meant these items would be priced in Platinum Coins at the very least. You couldn't just sell things like that at a common festival stall.
Our actual stock for the stall consisted of standard silver accessories. As for why I’d bothered with the high-end stuff... part of it was simple curiosity, but the main reason was that I wanted to give them to my lovers as gifts.
Chris-san was already on edge about me making original accessories. Knowing Shiro-san, she’d likely do something drastic if left to her own devices, so it wasn't an exaggeration to say I’d prepared these specifically as a preemptive measure.
I’d checked with Alice to see if it was okay to use her kits for personal gifts, and she’d given me her enthusiastic approval—provided I "made sure to craft hers with plenty of love" as well.
I’d bought an assortment of gems back when I made Lilia-san’s music box, so I used the leftovers to create pieces that matched the color schemes I associated with everyone.
For instance, Sera's Rainbow Diamond—despite the name—looked like a trapped aurora from the night sky. That image suited Kuro perfectly, so I used it for her gift.
On the other hand, the Original Rainbow Diamond—the kind that didn't come from Sera—better matched Shiro-san’s aesthetic. I’d purchased one from Alice and crafted a piece specifically for her.
By making these separate gifts, I hoped I could avoid a situation where Chris-san got overwhelmed by crowds flocking to the Arclesia Empire Founding Anniversary Festival just to get their hands on my work. At least, that was the plan.
Since I’d poured so much effort into these personal gifts, I only managed to finish a handful of items for the actual stall. But the stall was just Amel’s spontaneous idea to begin with, so prioritizing my lovers felt like the right move.
I decided to head to the Sanctuary immediately to give Shiro-san her present. I was already in the room with the Magic Tool gate, so it was only a step away. Besides, I felt she was the one I needed to address first as a "countermeasure"...
In truth, these were just amateur crafts... but I felt Shiro-san’s had turned out quite well. I’d modeled it after the flowers that bloomed in the Sanctuary, and at the risk of sounding arrogant, it looked great. In fact, it might have been the best piece out of all the accessories I’d made for my lovers.
Hoping she’d like it, I stepped through the Magic Tool gate. When I emerged in the Sanctuary, I spotted Shiro-san’s back almost immediately. She happened to be standing very close to the gate.
"Hello, Shiro-san."
"Hello, Kaito-san. It is a lovely day, is it not?"
...She was grinning from ear to ear. The corners of her mouth were turned up in a way that was unusually easy to read. And it wasn't a metaphor—she was literally sparkling, as if a halo was shining from behind her. She was absolutely giddy; I could tell at a glance that her mood had hit its absolute peak.
It wasn't surprising that she’d realized why I was there. She must have watched me making the accessories, and naturally, she’d known I was crafting something for her.
But this extreme joy seemed to go beyond that... Ah, right. She must have read my mind just before I stepped through the gate. She knew that the accessory I’d made for her was the one I was most confident in, and more importantly, that she was the very first lover I’d come to see.
So that was why she was so visibly thrilled. It was classic Shiro-san; she really was quite adorable sometimes.
Serious-senpai: "Gah! Wh-What is this...?! I thought this was going to be a Stomach Pain Blow... but it's a Body Sugar Blow?! A-And... uwaaaah... it even has a ① on it...!"