With the gift-giving proceeding at a steady rhythm, I gave the lottery machine another spin.
"Lycorisian."
The next person was Shian-san. It had been quite a while since we had exchanged greetings at the Harmonic Symphony, but it seemed she had come to celebrate as well. I hadn't spotted her during the gaming tournament, so I assumed she hadn't participated in any of the side events.
Shortly after, a cool-looking woman with reddish-brown hair cut in a wolf style and wearing punk-inspired clothing appeared. It was Shian-san.
"Yo, Kaito. Happy birthday."
"Thank you very much. Shian-san, I'm glad you could make it."
"Yeah, we haven't seen each other since the Harmonic Symphony. Sorry, even though you were kind enough to invite me to your place, I couldn't quite bring myself to visit. I’ve just been putting it off. But, by some strange twist of fate, I ran into that person just a little while ago and we spoke."
"Ah, you were able to speak with Caraway? How did it go?"
"...Well, she was as impudent as ever, which was a relief," she said with a wry smile.
As she spoke, Shian-san pulled out a thin, stick-like object—something a bit larger than a toothpick—and held it in her mouth like a cigarette. I caught a faint aroma of cinnamon; it was likely a cinnamon stick or something similar. It definitely didn't seem like tobacco.
"Shian-san, is that a cinnamon stick?"
"Hmm? Ah, sorry. I put it in my mouth out of habit. Apparently, these are usually used for cooking, but I like the scent, so I chew on them occasionally."
"I see. I like apple pie, so I've always found the scent of cinnamon quite pleasant."
"It's a unique fragrance, but it grows on you... Ah, right, the present. Demons don't really have a custom of celebrating birthdays, so I wasn't entirely sure what to get you. I figured food was a safe bet. It's dried and smoked meats—mostly just meat. The bag itself has Status Preservation magic on it, and it'll release once you open it."
"Thank you very much."
The bag Shian-san handed me was substantial; if it was packed with meat, it was a staggering amount. Given her wolf-like beastman appearance, perhaps she was simply a big fan of meat herself.
"Now that I think about it, Shian-san, you're a Peerage-class High-ranking Demon who doesn't belong to any faction, right? I'm not that well-versed in the details, but is that rare?"
"Who knows? I think there are a fair number of us, but most probably end up picking a side. I've been invited to join the War King’s camp and the Dragon King’s camp before... but I’m just not built for that stuff."
She scratched her head with a wry smile. There was definitely a "lone wolf" aura about her. Every time we met, she was alone, never accompanied by subordinates. She was the kind of person whom the word "solitary" suited perfectly.
"I'm a bit clumsy, see? I don't want to carry anything more than I have to. Since I'm a Peerage-class High-ranking Demon, I'd be treated with a certain level of respect if I joined a faction. I won't say there’s anything wrong with being part of a group; having that kind of status probably expands what you can accomplish. But positions like that come with responsibility. If people follow me on their own, I can say it's their own fault if something happens. But once you join a faction, there are things you have to shoulder and duties you can't escape... I’d rather avoid being burdened or entrusted with that kind of weight."
"I see..."
It seemed she disliked the shackles of society. She wasn't a loner because she couldn't make friends; she chose to be alone. Yet, considering how she'd looked out for Caraway and intervened so quickly when Caraway lost her territory... Sensing my unspoken question, she gave another wry laugh.
"...Well, I've lived a long time. It’s impossible to live without any ties at all, and nobody can carry nothing. I just want to keep the load as light as possible. That’s probably why I got so annoyed with that idiot cat for trying to shoulder everything at once. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I’m not great at talking about my reasons or motivations. I just live how I want, irresponsibly, without worrying about other people."
"Even so, I think you're a very kind person, Shian-san."
"Haha, that's probably just because you're a good kid. There's no reason to scowl or be cranky in front of someone like you, so I guess I naturally end up acting nice... Well, sorry for taking up so much of your time. Happy birthday again. I'll drop by your place properly sometime soon."
"I’ll look forward to it."
She gave a small wave as she walked away. She felt like a reliable older sister figure who, despite her words, was actually quite considerate.
Serious-senpai: "So we've gone from Dog (Rose) to Dog (Bird) to Dog (Cherry Blossom), and now Dog (Wolf)... a four-dog streak. If Anima were here, we could've added Dog (Bear) to the pile, but since there aren't any other dog-like characters left, I guess the streak ends here?"
???: "Strictly speaking, she's the only one here from the actual canine family, you know."