Shortly after I received Isis-san's gift, the next live performance began. I caught the unmistakable sound of Japanese instruments—a rare treat in this world—and looked toward the stage to see Blossom-san and several of the World King’s subordinates.
I remembered speaking with them before at events like the Harmonic Symphony Tea Party, so there was no doubt they were among the invited guests. Blossom-san's group felt like a "Japanese Band" of sorts. While it was very much her style, something about the setup felt slightly skewed.
One person cradled a koto like a guitar, another stood behind a massive taiko drum typical of festivals, and someone else held a shamisen the size of a contrabass. They were Japanese instruments, certainly, but everything was just slightly "off" in a way that felt uniquely Blossom-san.
However, the performance was surprisingly well-orchestrated. Centered around the heavy, rhythmic beat of the taiko, they produced a cool, Japanese-style sound that complemented Blossom-san’s magnificent singing voice perfectly. She had served as a judge for the UTA Battle during the Harmonic Symphony, but this was the first time I had heard her perform. Her skill was easily on par with the other Seven Princesses, her voice carrying a beautiful melody that sat somewhere between enka and a modern ballad.
To a Japanese person like me, the arrangement felt a bit unusual, but her sheer talent more than made up for the dissonance. I found myself enjoying the show immensely.
Once the performance ended and I had given my applause, I moved to the lottery machine while the stage was being cleared for the next act. I gave the handle a spin.
"Fia."
First Isis-san, and now Fia-sensei. My lovers were coming up one after another. A moment later, Ein-san called for her, and Fia-sensei approached me with a bright smile.
"Miyama-kun! Happy birthday!"
"Thank you. Did you have a chance to play any of the games, Fia-sensei?"
"I did! I even entered the tournament, but... right after it started, I got startled by one of the gimmicks. I tried to dodge it and ended up falling straight down a hole."
"Ahaha, that sounds just like you. Though, to be fair, a lot of those gimmicks are pretty tricky if you haven't seen them before."
"It was quite a challenge. Anyway, here is my present for you!"
Fia-sensei was famous for her clumsiness, and I could easily imagine her being defeated by the stage's traps rather than an actual opponent. She gave a wry smile as she produced a gift box. Part of the box was transparent, revealing a row of colorful, stylishly crafted candles.
"Thank you... Are these aroma candles?"
"Exactly! It’s an assortment of aroma candles I made myself."
"Wait, you made these yourself, Fia-sensei?"
"Mhm. You know how much I love herbs, and herbs are a primary ingredient for these. Since they were for your birthday, I made sure to give them extra-pretty shapes. I actually make simpler ones for myself all the time."
"I see. I haven't really used aroma candles before, so I'm looking forward to trying them."
I had a general idea of how they worked, but they always seemed so sophisticated that I’d never bothered to buy any. Actually, most herb-related things carried that high-class image in my mind.
"I’m glad you like them! I have one more thing for you, too."
"Another one?"
"Yes. This is also an aroma candle, but this one is special."
She handed me a smaller, opaque box with a tiny envelope attached to the lid.
"The envelope contains a massage ticket. If you let me know when you’re free, I’ll prepare a special massage session, and that’s when we’ll use this specific candle."
"Ah, I see. So it's a scent intended for relaxation."
"Hehehe..."
I assumed the candle was meant to enhance the relaxation effect of the massage, but Fia-sensei flashed a bewitching smile. She leaned in close, her sweet voice whispering directly into my ear.
"...That candle uses an oil called ylang-ylang. I made sure to check that it has the same name in your world. The scent can be a bit polarizing, but it has a heavy, syrupy sweetness to it... They often call it the 'Scent of the Night.'"
"The... Scent of the Night?"
"Yes. So, when you’re ready for that special massage, make sure you’re prepared to stay the night. I’ll make sure you feel completely pampered, but you might end up a little sleep-deprived... so you'd better keep your schedule clear for the next day, too."
Her voice was thick with an allure that was hard to ignore. As a simple, healthy man, my attention was immediately and entirely captured by this new "special" gift.
"Fufu, use it whenever you like. If you enjoy it, I’ll make you more."
Fia-sensei gave my earlobe a playful kiss before pulling back, her expression shifting back to a bright, innocent smile.
Yeah. I had to admit, when it came to this sort of romantic pressure, Fia-sensei might be the most formidable of my lovers. I didn't feel like I stood a chance against her.
Serious-senpai: "...Guh... Ahh... Uwahh... Gack... Hieee..."
???: "Is it just me, or is she having a really rough time in her sleep?"
Machina: "Not at all. She's not in distress; she’s moaning with joy."
???: "Really?"
Machina: "I thought it would be a shame if she couldn't see how My Beloved Child was doing just because she was asleep, so I fixed it so that she can see my beloved child in her dreams! See? I'm so thoughtful!"
???: "I thought we were finally getting a serious development when she passed out, but you completely cut off her escape route. I’m almost impressed."
Serious-senpai: "...No... way... This... how can this... How can this be allowed to happen..."