The sheer scale of these "souvenirs" was enough to give me a slight stomachache, but then I remembered something. Apparently, the limited-edition commemorative coins issued during the Hero Festival featured the face of the First Hero. Compared to that... I told myself I was still better off than Noin-san.
I hadn't realized it until now, but commemorative coins were actually quite common in the Human Realm.
"Ein-san, do people in the Human Realm really make commemorative coins that often?"
"It is a traditional way to mark a celebration. As Shaltier mentioned earlier, most of them are copper. They generally aren't handed out for free; they are sold. Since the price is usually at or slightly above face value, they are essentially collector's items."
"Don't you have to worry about counterfeits?"
"I wouldn't say it is impossible, but because the designs are so intricate and focused on aesthetic detail, it is quite difficult. If one had the skill to forge such a complex commemorative coin, it would be far more efficient to simply counterfeit standard currency."
That made sense when she put it that way. If someone had the technology to forge a complex commemorative coin, they would be better off using those skills to forge standard copper coins.
As for these birthday coins, they were made of gold and distributed for free. That meant the Three Nations of the Human Realm were essentially handing out a million yen to every single guest. It seemed like an absurd extravagance at first, but considering the guest list—filled with Counts, the Six Kings, and Supreme Gods—it probably made sense politically. They had to provide something that would leave an impression on the world's elite, even if it meant stretching their budgets.
Well, I didn't truly understand political maneuvering, so that was purely my imagination at work.
I pushed those thoughts aside and spun the lottery machine once more. The name that came up was...
"Kuromueina."
It was Kuro’s turn. Before Ein-san could even move to fetch her, Kuro appeared right in front of me with startling suddenness.
"Ah, it's my turn!" she chirped.
"That was fast!"
"I just happened to be looking this way. Well, at any rate, Kaito-kun, happy birthday once again!"
"Yeah, thank you."
I thanked Kuro with a smile as she offered her blessing with a bright grin.
"Now then, as for my present... what do you think it is?"
"Hmm... something like the latest magic tool?"
"I considered that too. But I knew you'd be getting tons of gifts—lots of expensive and unique things. So, I thought something you could use in your everyday life would be better."
"Honestly, that's probably the best approach. It makes it much easier for me to accept."
Kuro was the wealthiest person in the world, but if she gave me something incredibly extravagant, I would surely end up overwhelmed. I still remembered the magic ship she gave me during the Six Kings Festival; it had sat in my Magic Box until the shipboard party because I had no idea what to do with it. Something practical was definitely appreciated.
Still... she was acting unusually suggestive, and she had a certain look in her eye. It was the look of someone who had been incredibly meticulous about their preparation.
"Fufufu, I had already decided on the gift, and since it was a special occasion, I wanted to make it by hand. But it turned out to be quite difficult! After I finished it, I'd think, 'I should have done it this way' or 'maybe that would have been better,' and I ended up remaking it over and over again."
"I-I see. You really put a lot of heart into it, then..."
This was probably something related to Baby Castellas. She looked quite proud of herself, and her obsession with the final product was evident in her every word.
"I even had Shaltier help me... but it wasn't until I'd heard her say, 'Can you please just give it a rest already?' for the fourth time that I was finally satisfied with the quality!"
Alice, you poor thing. Whenever Baby Castellas were involved, Kuro’s perfectionism reached terrifying levels. I could only imagine how many times she had forced Alice to start over. Alice was kind at heart, though, so once she had agreed to help, she had probably stuck with it until the end.
"And so, the birthday present I prepared for you is... this Baby Castella-shaped cushion!"
"Oh, it's a great size. It looks really nice, too."
What Kuro pulled out was a Baby Castella-shaped cushion about one meter in diameter. It was genuinely cute, and the size and shape seemed like they would be very practical.
"Right? I was obsessed with the texture, too. I wanted it to feel exactly like a real baby castella! Replicating the precise hand-feel of the surface was the hardest part..."
"U-Um, Kuro? I can tell how much work you put into it, and it really is amazing, but... we're on a bit of a schedule. Maybe you could tell me the rest of the story about your dedication another time?"
"You're right. If I talk about it in detail, it'll take all night. Let's save it for later."
I felt like I had just confirmed a future appointment that was basically a penalty game—listening to her talk all night about her dedication to a cushion—but I couldn't refuse in the face of Kuro's dazzling smile. I decided not to worry about it for now.
The cushion's texture and softness were actually incredible, so I looked forward to putting it in my room and putting it to use.
Serious-senpai: "So the main heroine decided to lean into that side of her personality, huh? Well, I suppose she did get her fair share of flirting in during that surprise attack at the tournament."
???: "Oh? You're awake already?"
Serious-senpai: "There's no point in sleeping!"