The festivities had apparently begun while I was making my rounds greeting the Six Kings. Up on the stage, the various treasures Alice had provided were being unveiled one after another.
Keeping half an eye on the stage, I headed over to greet Magnawell-san next. He had arrived using that special avatar of his, looking every bit the dapper old gentleman in his chic formal suit. He was undeniably suave.
"Hello, Magnawell-san, Flare-san, Eingana-san, Fafnir-san. Thank you all for joining us today."
"Umu. My apologies for making you walk all this way to find us, Miyama Kaito. On the contrary, it is we who are grateful for the invitation. The atmosphere of the venue is truly magnificent."
"I'm glad to hear it. Though, I do feel bad that the ship wasn't an environment where Grandireas-san could attend."
"No, it could not be helped. Just as I once was, Grandireas is hindered by her massive frame. We didn't make it in time for this event, but I plan to negotiate with Shaltier soon to see if I can secure an avatar for her similar to my own."
It was a shame she couldn't join us. Grandireas-san is far too large to use humanization magic, meaning even a magic ship of this scale couldn't possibly accommodate her. Her participation had been effectively impossible from the start.
"I see. In that case, I’ll look forward to her being able to join us if there’s another opportunity in the future."
"Yes, I shall tell Grandireas as much."
I was fairly certain Machina-san had been the one to create Magnawell-san's avatar. Back during the White God Festival, I hadn't realized it because my memories of her were confined to my dreams. Now that I could carry those memories over, however, her handiwork was unmistakable.
I made a mental note to mention it to Alice later—just to ensure she'd agree if a similar request came her way. I didn't know if I'd ever host another party like this, but if I did, I definitely wanted Grandireas-san to be there.
"Are you not weary, Comrade? You've been moving about quite a bit, haven't you?"
"I'm doing fine. We've only just started, so I haven't seen too many people yet. Oh, and Flare-san, that dress is stunning. The contrast of the red and orange reminds me of flickering flames—it suits your image perfectly."
"I'm not exactly accustomed to dressing like this, but hearing that from you makes me feel both embarrassed and quite happy, Comrade. You wear that formal suit well yourself; your gallantry is quite striking today."
"Thank you very much."
After confirming that my greetings with Magnawell-san had reached a natural conclusion, Flare-san spoke to me with a gentle smile. She looked striking in her red and orange dress, possessing a charm quite different from her usual "gang leader" vibe.
From there, I exchanged a few brief words with Eingana-san and Fafnir-san.
"Eingana-san, thank you again for all your help with the venue."
"Think nothing of it; the sea is my domain, after all. I'm pleased I could be of service. On a separate note, I was wondering... will there be any musical performances during the entertainment?"
"Yes. Alice—er, the Phantasm King—is planning to perform."
"What!? By Shaltier-sama herself? In that case, I'll have to secure a spot in the front row, no matter what!"
As I recalled from the Harmonic Symphony incident, Eingana-san was a massive music enthusiast. She seemed to be greatly looking forward to Alice's performance. Well, Alice's musical skill was indeed incredible, so I was sure she'd live up to Eingana-san's expectations.
"That reminds me, Fafnir-san... weren't you involved in a band or something recently?"
"To my great shame, I was swept up in the momentum of Nizbel and Eingana. To make matters worse, we’ve actually gained some popularity, so quitting now would be difficult... It seems I will be continuing these activities for a while yet."
"I-I see. Good luck with that. I heard a bit of it, and I thought you were quite cool. I know it must be tough, but please do your best."
"Yes, thank you."
I had a feeling that was how it went. Poor Fafnir-san really had been dragged into the whole mess. Still, since he was fundamentally a very earnest person, he was the type to see things through once he'd committed. It looked like his career as a bassist was far from over.
Serious-senpai: "I mean, the way he fluidly compliments her dress... he’s become quite the playboy. As expected of someone with such a wealth of romance experience."
???: "Well, he actually does have multiple lovers, so there’s no doubt he’s a romance powerhouse compared to Alice-chan."
Serious-senpai: "No, compared to her, I think just about anyone would be a romance expert..."