As the hidden talent show and the gift presentations continued in alternation, Alice, our MC, stepped forward to make an announcement.
"Now then, we only have about two groups left for the talent show, but I’d like to give everyone a quick update on the schedule. Following the conclusion of the show, we will be taking a thirty-minute break. We have prepared private rooms for everyone to use, but there is no need to move on foot. You will be automatically teleported once the time comes, and you’ll return right back to your original spots once the break is over."
"I suppose quite a bit of time has passed, so a break sounds like a great idea," I noted.
"Yes. Since the celebration is still expected to take some time, we’re planning for two breaks in total."
The announcement was a welcome one. Honestly, I was quite grateful for it. I had been feeling rather worn out as the party progressed. All I had really been doing was sitting here while Ein-san brought me food, accepting gifts, and watching the entertainment... but because I was in such a prominent spot in the middle of the hall, the mental fatigue had started to set in.
While I was far more used to the attention now than when we first started, the prospect of relaxing in a private room to refresh my mind was incredibly appealing. It was especially well-timed, considering I was about to enter a marathon gift-receiving phase. For now, though, I turned back to the lottery machine to draw the next guest.
"Alexandra."
The next name I pulled was Alexandra—better known to me as Aria-san. Since she was attending the party in her official capacity as the Head Maid of the Arclesia Empire’s Royal Castle, she appeared to be strictly in work mode.
"Miyama-sama, I wish you a very happy birthday."
"Thank you, Alexandra-san."
She was dressed immaculately, wearing an elegant gown instead of her usual maid uniform, yet her demeanor remained professional as I thanked her. Personally, I had spent far more time talking to her as "Aria," so that was the image I held in my head. In her work mode, she felt almost like a completely different person.
"I have taken the liberty of preparing a gift for you. Please, accept this."
"A beautiful tin... Is it black tea?"
"It may be a humble offering for the owner of Nifty, but it is a blend that I am personally quite fond of."
"I see. I look forward to trying—wait, what?"
I took the sophisticated, high-end black tea tin, assuming it held premium leaves. However, when I glanced at the bottom of the container, I caught sight of some writing. Looking closer at the tiny script, I read: "Caution: This is not black tea. The contents are cocoa."
Cocoa disguised in a tea tin? It wasn’t just a handwritten note; the letters were professionally engraved into the metal. It must have been manufactured that way. Cocoa made to look like expensive tea... Come to think of it, I recalled Aria-san mentioning once that she preferred cocoa over tea.
When I looked back at her, she brought a finger to her lips in a playful "shhh" gesture. Immediately after, her voice reached my ears.
"I’m manipulating the sound so others can’t overhear. Kaito-sama, happy birthday once again. I’ve prepared my favorite cocoa for you. The packaging makes it look like a gag gift, but I can personally vouch for the flavor. Please, enjoy it."
Having delivered the message to me and me alone through her sound-manipulation magic, she gave me a quick wink and walked away. That mischievous streak was classic Aria, not Alexandra, and it left me with a small, happy smile.
Serious-senpai: "You mean thirty minutes of flirting? Stop it, that's super effective against me..."