Despite the initial chaos, the Arclesia Empire’s Founding Anniversary Festival was proceeding smoothly. The War King Megiddo was behaving himself, watching the proceedings without causing any further disruptions, much to the relief of Lilliwood and Magnawell.
The ceremony itself was a formal, ritualistic affair befitting the nation's birth. The performers moved with a refined precision born of exhaustive practice—a display that earned even Megiddo’s silent approval and a fair amount of admiration.
Seated in the guest area, Lilia felt a dull ache in her stomach as she contemplated the future, though her expression suggested she believed the worst of the crisis had passed.
Then, a voice echoed directly inside her mind.
"Can you hear me, Lilia?"
"Eden-sama?" Lilia glanced around in surprise, but the Goddess was nowhere to be found. As an expert in her own right, Lilia managed to keep her composure; she understood that such a feat was child's play for a being like Eden, the God of World Creation.
"Yes, I am speaking directly to your thoughts. You need only think to reply. Now, let us get straight to the point. You have yet to visit My Beloved Child’s stall."
Lilia turned pale. "M-My apologies! It was... difficult to justify going there before the ceremony began, given my official capacity..."
She was terrified. This was a Goddess who prioritized Kaito—her "Beloved Child"—above all else, a deity whose power and unpredictability were in a league of their own. As a guest of honor, Lilia couldn't simply wander off to the festival stalls before the official events were over. She had planned to go later, but she doubted the Goddess had any patience for the social nuances of mortal life.
"No, I am not scolding you," Eden replied, contrary to Lilia's fears. "The reason I am contacting you now is that I worried you might struggle to make the trip even after the ceremony, considering the crowds. Lilia, I give you leave to speak frankly. Taking your current situation into account, tell me: is it truly difficult for you to visit My Beloved Child’s stall? I promise you will not be punished for your honesty."
"Ah, yes. Well... to be honest, I am expected to attend a gala at the castle once this ceremony ends, so my schedule is quite tight. Her Majesty Chris understands the situation and would likely let me slip away, but because of the incident with the War King, I’ve become the center of attention..."
Lilia had originally planned to skip part of the gala with Chris’s blessing. She was famous, yes, but she hadn't expected to be the main attraction; she figured the nobles would be too busy fussing over the Supreme Gods and the Six Kings.
But Megiddo’s public display had changed everything. While the Arclesian nobles were too intimidated to approach the Supreme Gods or the Six Kings, Lilia was a fellow noble—an accessible target. It was a foregone conclusion that she would be swarmed the moment she set foot in the gala.
Escaping that would be an ordeal. She believed she could manage it by citing Eden's demands—a name that struck fear into every noble heart—but it would certainly take much longer than she had originally hoped.
"I see," Eden mused. "So, while it is possible, you are concerned about arriving quite late?"
"Yes, exactly. The festival is incredibly crowded, and the Large-scale Teleportation Interference Barrier prevents any quick movement. I am not skilled enough with magic to bypass such a ward, so I would have to travel on foot. I intended to fly while using Recognition Inhibition Magic to save time, but even then... I don’t expect to reach the stall until evening."
Lilia pleaded her case with the utmost politeness, hoping the Goddess would find her explanation reasonable.
"I understand," Eden said. "Since I was the one who tasked you with this errand, it is only right that I assist you in reaching My Beloved Child."
"You would... assist me?"
"Yes. I shall teleport you directly to him. That way, your travel time will be nonexistent."
Lilia let out a sigh of relief. If the Goddess herself handled the transport, the logistical nightmare would vanish. But her relief was pulverized an instant later.
"I shall handle the matter of the gala as well. To ensure you do not have to sneak away from the party later, you shall simply go now."
"Wait—what? Um, Eden-sama!?"
"Now, do give My Beloved Child my regards."
"Please, wait—!"
Despair washed over Lilia, but before she could utter another thought, the Goddess acted. Lilia Albert vanished from the VIP seating, whisked away along with her chair by a Mysterious Teleportation Magic That Even the Supreme Gods or the Six Kings Cannot Detect.
Serious-senpai: "Right. Slipping out of the party is a pain... Lilia is just a spectator right now anyway... so she might as well go now. Seriously, does this Goddess have a shred of a human heart?"
???: "She is being 'considerate' in her own way... it's just that her sense of consideration is fatally skewed."