Lilia, who had inherited memories from the parallel dimension, was currently in the midst of a desperate attempt to explain them to Lunamaria, who shared no such recollections. She recounted the endless string of stomach-churning incidents that had plagued her in that temporary, divergent reality—the one where Kaito and Shallow Vernal had spent their date during the Founding Anniversary Festival.
Lunamaria listened to the end of the explanation, then gave a slight nod and wore a smile so gentle it bordered on pity.
"...I'll make sure to check Big Sis Fia's schedule for you," she offered.
"You’ve got it all wrong! I haven't lost my mind; it really happened! Wait... Luna, you... you're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You actually believe me, but you're teasing anyway."
"Oh? You caught me? Well, honestly, if anyone else talked about parallel dimensions and whatnot, I'd assume Lili had finally cracked from overwork... but with Miyama-sama involved, the terrifying truth is that it feels entirely plausible."
Normally, such a claim would be dismissed as absurd, even coming from a lifelong friend. However, the involvement of the world's singularity, Kaito, and gods possessing almighty power made the impossible seem inevitable.
"...So," Lunamaria asked, "what happened after you confirmed the appearance of that mysterious mountain?"
"It was absolute pandemonium," Lilia sighed. "The mountain vanished just as His Majesty Laguna was trying to save face with a public explanation... though in reality, it had only been hidden from our sight. Fortunately, Kuromueina-sama arrived later to clarify things. We settled on the official story that Shallow Vernal-sama had briefly manifested an illusion of a mountain famous in the First Hero’s home world."
"Interesting... and what was this mountain called?"
"Um, let me think, it was—"
"Mount Fuji."
A voice that belonged to neither of them cut through the room. Startled, Lilia spun around to find Machina standing in her office as if she had been there all along.
"M-M-M-Mana-sama!?"
"Yo! Good job surviving that parallel Founding Anniversary Festival!"
Seeing Machina appear, Lilia's face instantly tightened with tension, but Lunamaria merely tilted her head, unfamiliar with the visitor.
"Mana-sama...?"
"It's... Eden-sama," Lilia managed to whisper.
Lunamaria moved with lightning speed the moment she heard that name. She swiftly ducked behind Lilia, straightened her posture, and resolved to remain as silent and still as a stone pillar until addressed. Lunamaria was also evaluated to some degree by Machina, but she was nowhere near the level of Lilia, who was Kaito's lover. She knew that any careless remark could lead to a disastrous situation. Thus, she devoted herself to silence, refusing to interfere with the conversation.
"Mana-sama, why are you here?"
"I just have a little business with Lilia. Oh, by the way, how was Mount Fuji? You only saw it for a moment, but it looked great, didn't it?"
"Y-Yes! It was magnificent," Lilia stammered. "The shape was uniquely majestic, and the contrast between the snow and the stone was unlike anything I've seen in this world. It truly is a wonder of the otherworld."
"Mhm, mhm. It’s a very famous mountain in the country where my beloved child lived. I’m glad you liked it, because that brings us to my main point."
"...The main point?"
Unconsciously, Lilia's hand flew to her stomach. It was a reflex born of hard-earned experience—the intuition of a warrior who had survived countless stomach-aching crises was screaming that a new disaster was imminent.
"I went to the trouble of making it, so deleting it along with that dimension felt like a waste," Machina explained. "Since you worked so hard in that other timeline, I’m giving it to you as a reward. The mountain and the inn are yours."
"Hyuh..."
It was only natural for Lilia to catch her breath. Mount Fuji was a titan among peaks; being handed a mountain and a hot spring inn out of the blue was a logistical nightmare. But the woman before her was the God of World Creation. Refusing an imperial gift from her was a luxury Lilia did not have.
"Th-Thank you... I am... beyond honored."
Yes, she had no choice but to accept. Her companion was a being of a danger level that surpassed any other god Lilia knew, and she could not afford to sour her mood. There had never been a choice from the start.
"Good. Now, where should we put it? In that private dimension I gave you before? Or somewhere in this world? I recognize the face of the meat slab that runs this country; if I tell him to, he'll hand over whatever land I want."
"Please, put it in the world you gave me previously!" Lilia blurted out.
There was no real choice. Even if there were, the private dimension was infinitely better. It avoided a global catastrophe. A gift from Machina was stressful enough without a giant mountain suddenly materializing in the middle of a human kingdom with Lilia listed as the owner.
"All right. I'll set it up there, then. My work here is done, so I'm off~"
"Yes! Thank you... once again!!"
Lilia and Lunamaria bowed until their torsos were parallel to the floor, seeing off Machina as she waved and vanished. Only after she was truly gone did Lilia whisper.
"...My stomach hurts."
"I truly feel for you," Lunamaria said, finally relaxing. "Perhaps it's time for a long vacation to refresh your spirit? You did just receive a perfect tourist destination, after all."
"I... suppose you're right. Once my current pile of work is finished, a long break sounds heavenly."
"Wonderful. The three of us—you, Sieg, and I—can take a trip together like the old days. We have the perfect inn for it now."
"...Luna."
Lilia's eyes welled with tears of gratitude. The situation was insane, but since it wouldn't cause a diplomatic scandal, she could finally find a silver lining. Clutching her stomach, Lilia managed a small, hopeful smile.
...And then, a few days later, a formal letter arrived from Pope Olivia. It stated that she wished to meet with Lilia—a noble of a different nation—to consult on a private matter regarding her date plans for Kaito.
Lilia collapsed, her head slamming onto her desk with the force of a falling meteor. The heavy wooden furniture didn't stand a chance; the office desk shattered into splinters.
Office Desk: "Gwaaaahhh!?"
Serious-senpai: "Lilia's own specs have reached such monstrous levels that her stress response is literally pulverizing the furniture!?"