The start of the party was finally drawing near. That said, Caraway was overseeing the basic proceedings, Illness-san and Anima were managing the staff, and Eta and Theta were standing by to handle any minor issues. With so many capable maids dispatched from the World Maid Association as well, I honestly didn't have much to do.
Aside from the opening remarks and the toast, my plan was simply to make the rounds and chat with my friends.
I'd actually included a note in the invitations beforehand stating that formal greetings toward me were unnecessary—or rather, that they weren't expected.
Anima had suggested the addition, figuring that since the guest list was composed almost entirely of people I knew, I'd be overwhelmed if everyone swarmed me at once. The note explained—in a rather diplomatic fashion—that since I would be moving around the venue myself, guests should wait until I approached them. This should prevent me from being mobbed the moment the doors opened.
I say "almost" because several guests had brought companions like guards or assistants, meaning there would be a few faces I'd be meeting for the first time.
We'd even mapped out the order of my route to some degree. Anima had been quite adamant that I visit Shiro-san first.
It made sense; if the attendees were to be ranked by status, Shiro-san and Machina-san were the absolute highest. As the Gods of World Creation, they were undeniably the most important figures present.
While they were essentially equals in rank, this was ultimately Shiro-san's world, which gave her a slight edge in priority. She would be my first stop.
The plan was to move down the hierarchy: Shiro-san and Machina-san first, followed by the Six Kings, the Supreme Gods, and the monarchs of the three nations. Once those priority greetings were out of the way, I'd be free to mingle with whoever caught my eye.
Since everyone had gone to the trouble of coming, I hoped to speak with every guest at least once. I wouldn't be able to linger for long with any one person, so I'd need to keep a close eye on the clock while I worked the room.
"Master, the venue is ready. We will open the doors to the guests in five minutes."
"Right. And I'm supposed to make my entrance later, yeah?"
"Correct. You'll enter through the backstage door once the guests have filtered in. You're welcome to head back there now if you like, but please wait until everyone has gathered before stepping out onto the dais."
"Got it."
The venue featured a large dais that would serve as the stage for my opening remarks and Alice's performance later. Even though the crowd was full of friends, the thought of standing up there in front of everyone still made my stomach do flips.
Guests were already beginning to stream into the grand hall of the magic ship. Lilia, who had arrived early, let out a long sigh as she watched the room fill up.
"...I'm not even sure how to put it. Seeing everyone gathered like this... it's a stark reminder of just how staggering Kaito-san's social circle truly is."
"The Creator God, all the Supreme Gods, the Six Kings, and most of their Executives... Not even the Hero Festival could boast a lineup this prestigious."
"The truly terrifying part is that Miyama-sama befriended all of them in the span of a year or two—and he's liked enough that they're all here celebrating of their own free will. Honestly, this humble Lunamaria is practically shaking."
Sieglinde and Lunamaria, who were at Lilia’s side, nodded in somber agreement. While the Hero Festival was the only other event that came close, the scale here was entirely different. At the festival, usually only one or two Executives from each camp would attend as part of a King's retinue. Even among the Supreme Gods, Chronoa was typically the only one present to assist Shallow Vernal; it was incredibly rare to see Fate or Life make an appearance.
"Well, even so, I'm not actually involved in the hosting this time, so I can finally relax."
"...Lili, as your best friend, let me give you a piece of advice. I really think you should stop being so optimistic."
"Wait, Sieg? Why? Surely everyone's attention will be on Kaito-san tonight. Besides, there are hardly any other nobles here, so I won't have much to do at all."
"I'm with Sieg on this one. Lili, whenever you get that look of relief, disaster is usually lurking just around the corner. Since we're stuck with you tonight, please try not to drag us down with you."
"You too, Luna!?"
On paper, Lilia’s logic was sound. She was just another guest. While she was a high-ranking Duchess in the human realm, in a room full of literal gods and kings, she was actually near the bottom of the social ladder. She figured the odds of people flocking to her were slim to none.
Of course, just as Sieglinde and Lunamaria feared, Lilia’s sense of security was destined to shatter within minutes of the party's commencement.
Serious-senpai: "...Looks like Lilia is about to take a direct hit to the gut."