After finishing our yakisoba, Amel-san and I returned to the stall to resume business. The commemorative ceremony was still in full swing, so the foot traffic was lighter than it had been that morning, making for a rather peaceful atmosphere. I wasn't really here for the profits anyway, so I didn't mind the lull.
"The way the crowds have thinned out, the ceremony must be quite the spectacle," Amel remarked.
"Yeah. It’s a festival for the Gods this year, after all. Normally it wouldn't be this packed."
"True. With all three Supreme Gods in attendance, I imagine just about everyone has flocked to the central plaza."
Lilia-san was at the festival too—mostly thanks to Eden-san—and I had a feeling she was having a rough time of it. Wait... come to think of it, was she even planning to stop by the stall?
I’d already given her the accessory that seemed to be Eden-san’s actual goal, so strictly speaking, she didn't have to come. Besides, she was a Duke and famous as the Strongest of Humankind; slipping away for a casual visit probably wasn't easy.
"Is something on your mind? I’m happy to help if I can," Amel offered.
"Oh, I was just worrying about whether Lilia-san would be able to make it to the stall... hm?"
"I see. Her position certainly makes things difficult. I understand! My belov—ahem! I, Mana, shall resolve Kaito Miyama’s worries myself!"
"...Uh, um... Mana-san? Why are you here?"
The person who had just materialized out of thin air was Mana-san. Back at the Sinfonia festival, she’d shown up under the guise of being a subordinate to Amaterasu-san—Eden-san’s proxy. Even then, she had clearly carried herself like someone far more important than the person she was supposedly serving.
She was an associate of Eden-san from the otherworld... from the world I used to live in, right? What was she doing here at the Arclesia Empire’s festival as if she owned the place?
"Why, to see Kaito Miyama’s stall, of cour—ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!? Wait, I’m still talki—gyah-ow-ow-ow!?"
Before she could give me a straight answer, Alice appeared out of nowhere, grabbed Mana-san’s head, slammed it into the pavement, and proceeded to drag her away—grinding her face against the stones the entire time.
What was that all about? I knew Alice was usually kind in her own way, but she treated Mana-san with zero restraint. And despite being hauled off in a manner that looked more like an execution than an exit, Mana-san was still waving at me as she vanished. Just who was she?
"Your friends are certainly... unique, Sworn Friend."
"I, uh... I don't really get her either. She’s supposedly a subordinate of an acquaintance? All I know is that she’s a self-proclaimed subordinate and seems to be on familiar terms with Alice."
"I see. If she is an acquaintance of the Phantasm King, perhaps she is connected to the Kings of the Demon Realm?"
"No, apparently she's an associate of the God from my world."
"A member of the Gods from your old world?"
"Something like that... I think?"
I tilted my head, offering Amel-san a vague response because I honestly wasn't sure myself.
Alice dragged Mana—or rather, Machina—into a subspace. Once they arrived, Machina finally stopped being used as a floor polisher and placed a hand over her mangled face to repair the damage.
"That was cruel, Alice! I didn't build this body to be durable, you know! You need to be gentler!"
"Shut it, you moron! What the hell were you thinking?!" Alice shouted, sounding ready to throw another punch. "Why are you showing up at Kaito-san's stall like it’s perfectly normal?! I should finish you off right now!"
"I told you before, I haven’t visited as 'Eden,' so I’m perfectly safe. I haven’t caused any trouble for my beloved child, so I’m double safe. And if anything, I’m here to support him, so I think that makes me triple sa—ow!?"
Alice brought her fist down on Machina’s head, sending the goddess sprawling. Machina rolled across the ground, tears welling in her eyes from the pain.
"I thought you’d stay put since you made Lilia-san go in your place!"
"Listen to me, Alice! I have no intention of actually buying anything from my beloved child’s stall. I’ve left that responsibility to Lilia. However! My beloved child is working his heart out! There is no universe in which I, his mother, could fail to watch him in his moment of effort! That would be a transgression of the highest order! I know that motherly love isn't just about interfering—I get that. That’s why I didn't help him prepare, and I’m not going to buy out his stock. But a Mother’s Cheer is practically a revitalizing potion for a child! By receiving my Cheer of Love, his devotion to his mother will catch fire, granting him truly infinite vitality! As countless stories prove, the power of love is infinite, and my power is also infinite—therefore, my love is justice! Think of it like a parent attending a school observation day! It is a sacred ritual to witness the growth of my beloved child and to sear the image of his hard work into my mind—a holy ceremony of adoration! It’s not like I have wicked thoughts or want to peropero him or anything! Well, okay, I do want to peropero him. To lose that desire even for a second would be an insult to his very existence, so as a mother, I have mastered the basics. I am constantly maintaining my Absolute Mother’s Stance so that I am ready to peropero my beloved child at any given moment! And by 'stance,' I don’t mean a physical posture, but a mental one! I am ready to accept him at any time or place, which is the ultimate expression of a mother’s infinite love! To get back to the point, someone with that much love cannot possibly miss his big stage! Oh, I know what you’re thinking—you’re going to say this isn’t his first stall because of Sinfonia. I hear you, but think! My beloved child is a supreme being in every passing second. No two moments are ever the same! He is always fresh, always radiant—he is the light of the world! And because he is the light of the world, every moment is his big stage. While he shines in every form, milestones are crucial! Running a stall like this shows not just his usual cuteness, but the noble manliness of someone shouldering responsibility. It’s like a pupa turning into a butterfly—beauty and sanctity coexisting in perfect harmony! Seeing him like that makes the love in my heart bloom like a magnificent flower fed by the dew of heaven! My radiant love then grants him even more energy, creating a perfect cycle of mutual adoration and growth! It is the Infinite Power of Love, essential for his development! If I truly care for him, I must be there! Sadly, my main body is bound by the contract with Shallow Vernal and can’t come to this world, and I promised not to go as Eden, so I can’t break that. Come to think of it, I wasn't allowed to go to Sinfonia as Eden either... but that’s just life. There should be no obstacles between a mother and her child, but some trials are necessary for growth. Me, as Eden, being unable to see the stall... it gives my beloved child the loneliness of a child whose mother missed school observation day. It breaks my heart! I want to tear up the contract and fly to him! But my beloved child is kind; he wouldn't want his mother to suffer for his sake. So, as a mother, I must watch over him secretly... even if he never knows... which is why I’m using the name Mana to cheer him on! He won’t realize I’m his mother, but his soul will feel it! Yes, it will be the Big Ban—"
"SHUT UP!"
"—Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!? Wait, anything but the Iron Claw! You’re going to crush my braaaaaain!?"
Alice watched the fast-talking goddess with eyes full of pure exasperation before applying enough pressure to Machina's skull to make her screams echo through the subspace.
Serious-senpai: "...Wait, Lilia just took enough mental damage to last her a lifetime, and now the flags are already being set for an even worse follow-up strike?"