The situation was beyond shocking, but even knowing that time flowed differently here, I felt terrible about keeping everyone waiting. I quickly washed my face and headed back to my room to prepare.
I found Nebula already there, waiting for me.
"Master, I have brought your clothes."
"Oh? You brought them yourself, Nebula?"
"Yes. Almost everyone from both your household and Duchess Lilia’s mansion has already departed for your birthday venue. Since I cannot stray too far from the World Tree, I will be staying behind to look after the home in their stead."
"I see... but that means you’ll be all alone while the party is happening."
Nebula was bound by a restriction that prevented her from moving more than a certain distance from the World Tree, which meant she couldn't travel to the separate world where the party was being held. Even if the time difference meant I would only be gone for a split second from her perspective, the thought of leaving her behind to watch an empty house still weighed on me.
"Oh, do not worry. While it is true that I am house-sitting, an old acquaintance of mine is scheduled to visit, so I will have plenty of company. Please, Master, put me out of your mind and simply focus on enjoying yourself."
"I see. Is this acquaintance another World Creator, like Canaris-san?"
"Indeed. Their circumstances are quite similar, and they are quite close with Canaris-san as well. I shall introduce the two of you someday."
I felt a wave of relief knowing Nebula wouldn't be lonely. With that settled, I turned my attention to the clothes she had prepared—an outfit I had never seen before. It felt more formal than my attire for the Six Kings Festival, yet it wasn't quite as stiff as the formal suit I’d worn to Seigi-kun's wedding.
"...Nebula, where did this come from?"
"Illness-sama spearheaded the project, collaborating with the most talented seamstresses in Duchess Lilia’s service."
Hearing that, several of the maids from Lilia-san’s house came to mind. Having stayed there for a significant amount of time, I knew most of the maids and guards by sight. If what Nebula said was true, then every single one of them had been invited and was already waiting for me at the venue.
I didn't meet with them all daily, but if the guest list included everyone I knew well enough to exchange greetings or small talk with—including Kuro’s family—the total number of people had to be staggering. The idea of so many people gathering just to celebrate me was a happy thought, of course, but the sheer scale of it was starting to make me genuinely uneasy.
Once I finished changing, Nebula saw me off. Alice and I used the Gate-type Magic Tool in my room to travel. I recalled then that this particular device was capable of crossing between worlds.
"And here we are, sir!"
"...Wait, Alice... isn't this place a little too big?"
"It’s vast, isn't it? As far as worlds go, it’s on the smaller side, but I’m told it’s roughly the size of the God Realm."
"That might be small for a world, but it’s ridiculously huge for a birthday party venue!"
The moment we stepped through, I was greeted by a crystalline blue sky and a majestic mountain range in the distance. Below them sat a colossal castle and what looked like a sprawling metropolis. Without prior context, I would have assumed this was just a normal city in another world, built over generations by its inhabitants. But knowing that this entire place had been created specifically for today...
"...Alice, what is that city?"
"It’s a bit of everything, sir. The participants arrived yesterday, so the city houses all the necessary accommodations."
"It has a strange atmosphere, doesn't it? There are roads leading straight to it, and the architecture seems like a bizarre blend of medieval Europe and modern technology."
"That’s what happens when you let a bunch of different people build whatever they want."
"And that massive castle over there...?"
"That’s the main venue. It’s called Miyama Kaito Castle. I should probably warn you, though: the city is currently overflowing with statues in your likeness."
"...Is this world just some elaborate setup designed for my public humiliation?"
I was already filled with a desperate urge to turn around and run back home. I finally understood how Noin-san must have felt regarding the Friendly City Hikari.
"Now then, we’ll be using this for the final leg of the trip."
"Wait, Alice... what is this massive vehicle? It looks like a parade float from an amusement park!"
"Oh, did I forget to mention? You’re scheduled to travel down the city’s Central Avenue in a Parade format. You’ll be riding right up there on the top level."
"...My stomach is starting to hurt."
The vehicle waiting for us was an Over-decorated Parade Car, shimmering with gaudy gold and jewels. And apparently, I was expected to ride it into the heart of the city. Someone, please, have mercy on me.
Serious-senpai: "W-Well, I suppose royalty often has parades for their birthdays, so it's technically appropriate..."