Inside the office of the Albert Mansion—a room that served as Lilia’s private sanctuary in all but name—the Duchess sat on her sofa, reading with practiced elegance.
Monthly Dragon Ecology was her favorite publication. Since her workload was light today and she had time to spare, she was taking full advantage of the rare opportunity to indulge in her hobby.
Unfortunately, that tranquility was destined to be short-lived.
“Pardon the sudden intrusion.”
“Alice-sama?”
Lilia set her book down on the desk and tilted her head as Alice materialized in the center of the room. She couldn't imagine what business would bring the Phantasmal King to see her alone.
“Well, to tell you the truth, I have a bit of business with you, Lilia-san.”
“...I see. Before I hear the details, may I ask why you are looking at me with such profound pity in your eyes? I have a premonition—a very, very bad premonition.”
“As you might expect, it’s a K-Case.”
“...”
The term K-Case was a bit of slang Alice frequently used for matters involving Kaito. Lilia was well aware of its meaning, and as she braced herself for the inevitable stomach pain, her gaze drifted toward the distance, her eyes going blank.
“H-Has Kaito-san done something again? Did he bring home another God of the World...?”
“Ah, no. It involves Kaito-san, but he isn't the one who did anything this time. Just a moment...”
“...A soundproofing barrier?”
Alice wore a pensive expression for a moment before erecting a barrier to ensure their voices wouldn't leak outside the room.
“The truth is, a discussion is currently underway regarding Kaito-san’s Birthday Party.”
“Ah, I see... Come to think of it, it is only two months away, so I suppose it is about time to start preparations. I see, a discussion... Alice-sama, I have a bad feeling. A very, truly bad feeling.”
“It’s a crying shame, but the committee decided that Lilia-san should join the meeting as well. I’ve come to fetch you.”
Lilia had already survived numerous bouts of stomach pain brought about by Kaito’s antics, so she was able to guess the general situation from Alice’s expression and the mention of a meeting.
No matter how she looked at it, she could easily imagine Shallow Vernal and Machina sitting at that table. Her honest desire was to stay as far away from that room as possible, but she could hardly refuse a summons from the beings gathered there.
“...B-By the way, Alice-sama... who exactly is attending this meeting?”
“Excluding myself, think of the five most powerful individuals you know... Every single one of them is present.”
“Hiehh... U-Um, why me? If you need a representative of the Human Realm, surely there are others more suitable... N-No, I am certainly not voicing an objection!?”
The option to refuse had long since vanished. Lilia understood this perfectly, yet she couldn't help but wonder why she was the one being dragged into this. From her perspective, she was merely a Duchess; she believed her older brother, the King, would be far more appropriate for such an auspicious gathering.
“Oh, I’m going to go pick up the three monarchs in a bit, too. As for why Lilia-san was chosen... well, you’re close to Kaito-san, and thanks to his influence, you’re evaluated quite highly by superiors like Shallow Vernal-sama and Machina. It’s a raw deal, I know, but you’ll probably be summoned for anything like this in the future.”
“...My stomach... hurts.”
It was truly a disaster for Lilia, but her reputation among the committee was undeniably high. In particular, Machina—who was notoriously selective—had gone as far as to say, “If it’s Lilia, I don’t mind her presence,” practically guaranteeing that Lilia would be called upon for any similar gatherings from here on out.
Clutching her midsection against a fresh wave of stomach pain, Lilia couldn't bring herself to complain. Instead, she simply stared ahead with an expression of profound melancholy.
???: “That’s how it goes. The biggest reason Lilia-san is the optimal choice is simply the fact that Machina doesn’t find her presence annoying.”
Serious-senpai: “She’s also highly evaluated by Shiro. Or rather, Shiro has decided that Lilia is the primary contact for anything human race-related. Even for the last birthday party, Shiro had Lilia lined up as the backup if Kaito turned her down... It’s a massive honor, sure, but it’s also the direct cause of all her gastric distress...”