I activated the ability Eden had granted me once more and saw that the number of guests I had yet to greet had dwindled to a mere handful. Even if I moved at a leisurely pace, I would still finish with plenty of time to spare.
I spotted someone nearby and started heading in their direction, only to realize they were already making their way toward me. Before long, Sieg came into view, holding a glass in one hand.
"Hello, Sieg."
"Kaito, what a coincidence."
"It really is. Now that I think about it, we kept missing each other. When I went to see Lilia, then Rei and Fia... we just hadn't crossed paths until now."
For a moment, I’d wondered if I had somehow forgotten to greet her, but the timing made sense. When I had visited Lilia, Sieg had been with Rei and Fia. By the time I moved to where Shigenobu and the others were gathered, she had already returned to Lilia's side.
"Our timing certainly didn't seem to want to align."
"Where were you just now?"
"I spent some time with Lili, and then I went to give my regards to Funf. I was just on my way back."
Sieg received regular instruction from Funf, so among all the party guests, she shared a particularly close bond with her. She had likely returned to Lilia once, waited for the entertainment to conclude, and then used the lull to go pay her respects.
"How is your greeting round coming along, Kaito?"
"It’s going well. I only have a few people left, so I’m actually quite ahead of schedule."
"I see... In that case, perhaps it was actually lucky that we couldn't meet until now. If you aren't pressed for time, it means we can talk properly."
"You're right. Since we've finally caught up with each other, let’s take it slow and chat for a bit."
"Yes. Let's move over by the wall."
As Sieg suggested, meeting at this point was actually quite fortunate. Since I had room to breathe in my schedule, I didn't have to worry about rushing off. It was strange, but the fact that we had spent the whole party narrowly missing each other actually felt like it had worked out for the best.
We moved to the edge of the room so as not to obstruct the other guests. I took a drink from a passing member of the waitstaff, and we shared a light toast.
"How are you finding the party, Sieg?"
"It feels very fresh to me. I often accompany Lilia as her guard, but I usually wait outside with Luna rather than entering the venue. I don't have much experience actually participating in events like this. The closest atmosphere I can recall would be the celebration on the final day of the Six Kings Festival."
"Ah, come to think of it... that was quite a lively party, too. The guest list today is fairly similar. Speaking of the festival, that reminded me... those clothes you’re wearing..."
"Yes, these are the ones you bought for me back then. As you know, Kaito, I'm not very comfortable in dresses. I don't have many opportunities to attend formal gatherings, so these were the most expensive clothes I owned... and since you were the one who gave them to me, I wanted to wear them for an occasion like this."
Seeing Sieg smile bashfully as she spoke filled me with a sudden wave of affection. I couldn't help but smile back.
"I’m happy you feel that way. It makes me want to give you even more clothes, Sieg. To be honest, I just really enjoy seeing you in different outfits... Would you like to go shopping together again soon?"
"I would love to. But... next time, I'd prefer something practical I can wear outdoors rather than expensive formal wear. I was thinking... I’d love to wear whatever we buy and go on a picnic with you, Kaito."
"That sounds wonderful. I'd love that. When we went to Rigforresia, it was more of a stroll through the woods, so heading somewhere with a beautiful view sounds like a nice change of pace."
"It's a promise, then. I'll give it my all and make us a lunch."
"Why don't we make it together? My cooking is nothing compared to yours, but I think the process would be fun."
"That sounds lovely. Hehe, I'm already looking forward to it."
It had just been idle talk, but a picnic with Sieg really did sound like a lot of fun. We could find a wide, quiet spot and bring Bell, Rin, and Sera along.
I made a mental note to sit down with her later and start making actual plans.
Serious-senpai: "Another flag has been raised... Though, to be fair, dates with Sieg are usually on the wholesome side..."
???: "Maybe their relationship is about to take another step forward~"
Serious-senpai: "Don't say such terrifying things..."