The standoff between Shiro and Eden hadn't actually been over anything of consequence. The two of them seemed to realize as much, which was likely why they apologized so frankly to Lilia and the others.
Of course, for Lilia and her group, receiving an apology from such beings probably felt like it was shaving years off their lives... but for now, I suppose the matter was settled.
"By the way, what were you trying to ask Lilia-san in the first place?"
"I wanted to ask whether it was problematic to give a birthday present multiple times."
It sounded like it was about me after all. From what I could gather, Shiro had already given me a present, but after seeing what everyone else brought, she’d come up with an even better idea. She had come to consult Lilia-san on whether it was socially acceptable for the same person to present two gifts during a birthday party.
"Why not just give it to me later as a regular gift, regardless of the birthday?"
Shiro blinked twice in surprise, looking as though the thought had never occurred to her. Unless it was an item that absolutely had to be given on the day itself, I didn't see any issue with receiving it later.
In any case, the situation was finally under control. Thanks to the fact that we’d stopped them early, it hadn't drawn too much attention. Alice and Fate-san had also done a great job of keeping the crowd engaged with their commentary, so most of the guests were still focused on the tournament.
"Very well. I shall inform Lilia that the matter is resolved..."
"Ah, I’ll tell her myself. Shiro-san, Eden-san, you both can head back now."
"Is that so? Then I shall leave it to you."
If Shiro were to call out to them again, I would be far too worried about Lilia-san’s stomach. I saw Shiro and Eden off and then turned toward Lilia-san and the others.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. That was... quite the ordeal, wasn't it?"
"...Kaito-san, you truly saved us. I’m so glad you came over."
"By the way, this is a rare combination of people."
The group consisting of Lilia-san, Elis-san, and Kaori-san was certainly unusual. I knew Kaori-san was acquainted with both Lilia-san and Elis-san, but as for the relationship between the two nobles... well, I suppose it wasn't that strange since they likely moved in the same social circles.
"Duchess Lilia and I simply ran into each other by chance," Kaori-san explained. "It was only a moment ago, but..."
"Yes. It might just be me, but I have this overwhelming premonition that I’m going to become very good friends with Lilia-san and Elis-san."
"What a coincidence," Lilia-san replied. "I feel the same way."
"Incredibly," Elis-san added, "I too feel a strange sense of camaraderie... as if we’ve overcome a grueling battle together."
As Kaori-san spoke with a distant look in her eyes, the other two nodded in solemn agreement. They all wore expressions of profound enlightenment. I got the feeling that if I probed too deeply into what they meant, Lilia-san would scold me, so I decided to leave the subject alone.
Once I was sure they were alright, I had Canaris return me to my seat.
Checking on the tournament, I saw that the finals were about to begin. I decided to accept one more gift before taking a short break to prepare for the exhibition match.
The next name was Kaori Mizuhara.
...Well, I definitely felt like I’d seen her recently. In fact, we’d just been talking.
While I was still processing the coincidence, Kaori-san arrived, led by Ein-san.
"Um, it’s been a moment."
"That was fast. What a quick reunion... Though, I’m actually glad to be here while the tournament is peaking. It means I won't draw as much attention."
"Come to think of it, Kaori-san, you aren't participating in the games?"
"I’m not very good at competitive games. I’m great at rhythm games, though! I used to play them at arcades all the time. After all, I was a high school girl in the prime of her life when I was summoned! Now I’m nearing thirty and shaking at the thought..."
"To be honest, even knowing that, it doesn't really feel like you're almost thirty. You look so young that you could almost pass for being younger than me."
"Kaito-kun, you really are wonderful for saying that. Keep that energy up, okay? Ah, right, I have to give you your present. Here!"
It might have been my imagination, but she actually seemed younger than when we first met. What was it? Her skin seemed to have a certain glow to it... It was just a feeling, but it was there.
I composed myself and accepted the gift she held out.
"It’s a nice pair of chopsticks. You mentioned that you still eat Japanese food in your private life, so I thought it would be nice if you had a set you liked."
"Thank you very much. There are hardly any shops that sell chopsticks here, so I haven't really had the chance to pick out a design I liked. This is a huge help."
Because some otherworlders loved rice, it was cultivated in small quantities in various countries, and shops selling chopsticks did exist. However, they were usually just an afterthought tucked away in a corner.
Thinking back, the chopsticks in Kaori-san’s shop had a very elegant Japanese design. She’d mentioned searching far and wide for supplies when she opened her restaurant, so she must have found a high-quality source.
Serious-senpai: "This is that, right? Kaori has probably forgotten or never even heard about it, but this is because Olivia gave her some kind of blessing, isn't it?"
???: "It is definitely that. Her skin has effectively been rejuvenated by the effect."