I accepted a few more gifts after Pandora-san’s departure. Between presentations, I spent my time enjoying the live music and picking at light refreshments, eventually noticing a stir over at the commentary booth. It looked like they were finally ready to transition to the next event.
"All right, everyone. Things are moving along swimmingly, so I suppose it’s time we kicked the birthday party into its second half."
"Speaking for myself, the vibe is getting nice and casual, so I’d love to just loaf around once I’ve handed Kai-chan my present... but since my turn hasn't come up yet, I guess I'm stuck on the mic for a while longer..."
"I have a feeling that as long as you’re plotting to desert your post the second you finish, the lottery machine is never going to pick your name..."
Fate-san had started out with serious commentary and analysis—likely because Shiro-san and the other big names were watching—but with the guests now mingling freely and the play-by-play losing its urgency, her true, lethargic colors were starting to show.
Even Shiro-san didn't seem particularly invested in the live performances; she appeared to be locked in a deep conversation with Electrone-san and Machina-san. Wait, was she actually trying to squeeze knowledge about other worlds out of Electrone-san?
"Well, moving on! Ladies and gentlemen, the party venue is about to transition into its Second Form. There shouldn't be much turbulence, but keep your feet under you just in case of a slight tremor."
A party venue having a "Second Form"... Now there was a term I’d never heard before, and likely never would again. I honestly hadn't the faintest clue what was about to happen, but since I appeared to be the only one looking bewildered, I got the impression the other guests had been briefed beforehand.
But what did a "form change" actually entail? It wasn't as if the castle was going to sprout legs and transform into a giant robot... Well, if it were Shiro-san or Machina-san, they certainly could make that happen, but there was zero reason to turn the castle into a mecha for my birthday.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, streaks of light suddenly raced across the walls and ceiling. Then, the architecture itself seemed to vanish, replaced by a vast, twinkling canopy of stars.
I wasn't even sure how to describe it. It felt like the entire venue was floating in the middle of the sky, or as if the ballroom had been instantly transported outdoors. Yet, strangely, the surroundings remained brightly lit and clear. Even so, the stars above were vivid and unobstructed. Just what kind of magic was this?
"And there we have it! We’ve successfully transitioned into the Second Form. It’s an open-air-style garden party. While the vibe and the breeze might feel like you’re outside, this is technically still an indoor space despite the scenery change, so the exits and entrances are exactly where you left them. Feel free to head to the rest rooms as usual."
"I heard about the plan beforehand, but seeing it is something else. This is incredible. Still, putting that aside, why go for an outdoor theme? The stars are gorgeous, but is there a reason?"
"Ah, that’s because... certain bored idiot gods who don't know the meaning of the word 'restraint' went and created something called the Kaito-san Constellation, so we had to clear the roof so you could actually see it. Incidentally, that cluster in the sky with the unnaturally vibrant colors? That’s the Kaito-san Constellation."
"...Oh, you mean that rainbow-colored one..."
They did what now?! The sheer absurdity was enough to make me wonder if this world had been created specifically for the purpose of my public humiliation.
No, I was sure Shiro-san and Machina-san were being perfectly serious when they made it... but still. Ah, so those stars shimmering in rainbow hues were the ones? If I connected the dots, would they form a shape associated with me? Having a constellation named after myself was a development so far removed from common sense that I had no idea how I was supposed to react.
"Now then, please continue to enjoy the festivities for a while as you appreciate the beautiful night sky. Afterward, we’ll move on to the third entertainment segment."
"I don't know much about the third segment... Remind me, who was the mastermind behind it?"
"Ah, that’s the interesting part. For today’s festivities, the first segment—the video game tournament—was Shallow Vernal-sama’s idea. The second segment—the live concert—was Kuro-san’s. In other words, the representatives of the God Realm and the Demon Realm each designed a portion of the party."
"I see. So, does that mean the next one was designed by the representative of the Human Realm?"
"..."
"...Shaltan? Why are you staring off into the distance like that? Wait, I just realized something... Exactly how many entertainment segments are we doing?"
"Four."
"...The God Realm, the Demon Realm, the Human Realm... What’s the fourth one?"
"...The Otherworld."
Oho, I see where this is going. Or rather, so there actually was a pattern to these segments? It was true that the first event—the video games—centered on the console Shiro-san had given me previously. And it made sense for Kuro to be the one behind the second event, the live concert.
I didn't really have a problem with those... The issue lay with who would count as being from the Otherworld: Aoi-chan, Hina-chan, Seigi-kun, my parents, the former Hero-roles... and...
"The one who came up with the next segment was Machina."
"............Is that even safe?"
"I made it safe! I stayed glued to her side for the entire planning phase, punching her, steering her back on track, punching her again, and again, and again... I finally managed to condense it to a point where it shouldn't cause any major incidents."
"Shaltan... I’m so sorry..."
She really did punch her a lot. I could truly feel Alice's suffering. So that was why she’d had those dead, exhausted eyes earlier... Still, speaking for myself and the other guests, I was incredibly grateful that she’d managed to hammer the plan into something benign.
Machina: "I originally intended to compile the highlights of the My Beloved Child Museum into a movie for everyone to watch, but Alice rejected it out of hand... even though I spent so much time carefully editing it down to a tight eighty-seven-year runtime..."
Serious-senpai: "By preventing that mass slaughter, Alice has undoubtedly proven herself a true hero... Also, a runtime of eighty-seven years?! Kaito would have eighty-seven more birthdays before the credits finished rolling!"