It was abrupt, to say the least—at least from the perspective of Kaito, the man at the center of it all. He had just finished his daily routine of grooming and caring for his pets and was relaxing in his room with a book when Canalis paid him a visit.
"Kaito-sama, I apologize for the sudden intrusion. Do you have a moment?"
"Eh? Yes, I'm free, but... did something happen?"
"No, it isn’t trouble or anything of the sort. It’s more of a small favor... Could you perform a lottery for me? Taha—I’ve prepared this Garapon Lottery Machine right here, so please, give it a good spin."
"Um... what exactly am I drawing for?"
Kaito tilted his head curiously as he looked at the machine Canalis had placed on his desk—the kind of rotating drum often used for bingo games or neighborhood raffles. It was only natural to wonder what the prize was when a lottery machine was suddenly thrust before him.
"Taha, well... I can’t quite tell you that at this point in time. I’ll explain later, so for now, would you mind setting aside your doubts and helping me with the drawing?"
"Oh... sure, I understand."
Though he looked dubious, Kaito agreed, largely because of his deep trust in Canalis. If Alice or Shallow Vernal had suggested this, he likely would have been on guard, suspecting some elaborate plot. However, Kaito perceived Canalis as a sincere and reliable person, leading him to believe this wasn't just some strange prank.
As Kaito gave the drum a hesitant spin, a white ball with no markings rolled out.
"Let’s see... that's number 178,432. I’m sorry, but could you do that four more times?"
"I thought I heard you say one hundred and seventy-eight thousand... Is this thing bigger on the inside than it looks?"
"Yes, it looks like a slim little machine, but it’s packed to the brim. I’ve ensured the results won't be biased, though. Come now, four more, if you please."
"I-I see."
Kaito spun it again. "...Next is... number 2."
The first was 178,432, and the next was 2. While marveling at the sheer disparity between the numbers, Kaito performed the third draw. Again, a plain white ball emerged.
Canalis, however, seemed to know exactly what the numbers were. She picked up the ball and read it aloud.
"Next is... 176,800,000,015 and..."
"Um, Canalis-san? I’m starting to get a little scared. Exactly how many balls are in there?"
"A lot."
"I... see..."
Kaito didn't understand the purpose of it all, and he felt a growing sense of bewilderment at being asked to draw from such a staggering pool of numbers. Nevertheless, he completed the five draws as requested.
While Kaito was occupied with the lottery at Canalis's urging, in a space tucked away in another world across multiple dimensions, the Cyber God known as Electrone thrust her fists toward the sky in a victory pose.
"Outputting Emotion: Yessssssssss! Now I can give Kaito-sama a present! Ehehe, unlike ∇∮◆￡, who cheated to get a head start, I earned the second slot after a fair competition, and now I’ve even won the lottery to give Kaito-sama a birthday present! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Kaito-sama and I are connected by what the culture of his world calls the red thread of fate! ...Feeling the afterglow of victory. Supplementary note: I also sense a staggering amount of killing intent directed toward this unit, which provides a simultaneous feeling of euphoria."
Indeed, Kaito had been drawing for his own birthday party presents. Following a series of divine discussions, it had been decided that among the World Creators who wished to participate, five people would be chosen by Kaito via lottery for the right to give him a gift.
Consequently, a level of jealousy and murderous intent capable of collapsing several dimensions was currently being directed at Electrone by the surrounding gods. She looked utterly triumphant, brushing off the pressure with a serene expression.
Gathered here were members of the Hardcore Lovers Fan Club—one of the several Kaito fan clubs formed by the World Creators. This specific faction liked Kaito in a romantic sense, and their envy toward Electrone for winning the gift-giving right was immense.
Even so, because the rules had been firmly established beforehand, no divine wars broke out.
As a side note, there were various other factions among the gods. There was a fan club that worshipped Kaito as an equal to Nebula, and another that watched over his growth with paternal or maternal affection, treating him like a precious child.
Since Nebula reigned at the absolute pinnacle of billions of World Creators, the sheer number of gods who had become fans of Kaito was beyond comprehension.
The lottery proceeded amidst this boisterous atmosphere. When Kaito finished the fifth and final draw, cheers erupted from the assembled deities once more. One of them began to shed tears, seemingly overwhelmed by emotion.
"Outputting Astonishment: Ohhh, amazing! To think two slots would be won by the Hardcore Lovers Fan Club. As expected, hardcore love prevails. ...Outputting Warning: I’m sure you all understand, but... it’s fine to direct that energy at me, but that girl is physically weak. You mustn't direct your killing intent toward her. As one who reveres Nebula-sama and as a fan of Kaito-sama, I expect sensible behavior."
The newly selected winner was a World Creator who specialized in creation-type powers. While she could build entire worlds, her pure combat strength was remarkably low—far below the Quasi-Almighty Class or even the Six Kings. If she were subjected to the kind of pressure previously aimed at Electrone, her very existence might have been erased.
However, the World Creators present were devoted followers of Nebula. They had inherited her teachings, which strictly forbade the strong from needlessly oppressing the weak.
The earlier jealousy and killing intent had only been directed at Electrone because she was of the Almighty Class; to those of her stature, it was mere horseplay. They would never subject the new winner to such things. Instead, they purely and sincerely congratulated her.
Serious-senpai: "I’m just guessing here, but Electrone's number was '2,' right? That means the lottery numbers correspond to the scheduled order for greetings... If that's the case, the total number of gods involved is absolutely terrifying..."