The process of receiving gifts proceeded without any significant trouble. I calculated that there were probably fewer than fifty guests remaining. Even if I assumed each interaction took ten minutes, it would take about five hundred minutes—roughly eight hours—to finish. In reality, most conversations lasted around five minutes, so I would likely be done in five hours.
Looking back at the list, it felt like my lovers had been somewhat concentrated toward the beginning. I had wanted to receive their gifts early, so perhaps that desire had subconsciously influenced the order.
Next was Elise.
Before long, Elise-san arrived, escorted by Ein-san. She wore a gentle smile—or rather, her professional Business Smile.
I understood the situation. Since we were in a public space with Ein-san standing right beside us, she was maintaining her polite facade.
"Hello, Kaito-san! Happy birthday."
"Ah, thank you very much."
A shiver ran down my spine. It felt rude to think it, but the difference between her public voice and the way she usually spoke to me was so vast that the dissonance was overwhelming.
However, just as I was resigning myself to the awkwardness, the surrounding scenery suddenly shifted. We were still standing in the same spot at the party venue, yet everyone else had vanished.
Judging by the startled expression on Elise-san's face, she wasn't the one responsible. What was going on?
As the question crossed my mind, Canalis-san's voice suddenly boomed throughout the space.
"This is a bit of support from your friendly Helping God! Since I am an Omniscient and Omnipotent deity, I can see through your circumstances perfectly. I've created a private space for just the two of you, so please, go ahead and exchange your gift here. Tahaa~, sorry for the last-minute explanation! Once you are finished, you will automatically return to the original world and move to the next parallel timeline."
As expected of Canalis-san, her support was incredibly intuitive. Anticipating that Elise-san wouldn't be able to drop her guard in a crowd, she had moved us to an isolated dimension.
Elise-san wore a complicated expression for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
"...Sigh. Well, I suppose secrets are pointless against the Omniscient and Omnipotent. I was planning to just hand over the gift quickly and be done with it, so it wouldn't have mattered much either way, but this is certainly more comfortable."
"I'm grateful for it. I'd much rather speak to the real Elise-san anyway."
"Still the smooth-talker, I see. It's worse because you actually mean it. Well, if you prefer this, it's fine with me. Here, take your gift."
Returning to her usual manner, she handed me a small box that fit in the palm of my hand. The packaging was elegant, a testament to her good taste.
"Thank you. Mind if I ask what's inside?"
"It's nothing major. Just an Artichoke Ornament."
"An artichoke?"
"It's a vegetable. But it's also known as a Plant of Good Luck and is often used as a motif for decorations. It's said to ward off evil and bring prosperity—basically, it's a piece of lucky interior decor. I doubt a person like you needs more luck, but it's a unique gift related to my area of expertise. Put it on a table or a shelf somewhere."
"I see. Thank you."
It was a gift perfectly suited to Elise-san the fortune-teller. Since it was small enough to fit anywhere, I decided I would display it in my room as soon as I got home.
"So, is your gift-receiving marathon going smoothly?"
"Yeah, I'm nearing the home stretch. I should be finished in a few more hours."
"You really are a freak of nature. Then again, with a constitution as thick as yours, I suppose this isn't much of a problem..."
She looked at me with an expression of mild disbelief before retrieving her Magic Box. She pulled out several bite-sized cookies and offered them to me.
"You probably don't need it, but you should take some sugar for your brain."
"...Thank you. I'll have one. Oh, it's delicious. It has a very gentle sweetness."
"Good. Just... keep at it."
The way she offered that small, fleeting smile reminded me that, despite her sharp tongue, she was a kind person at heart.
Serious-senpai: "That divine support is a bit too generous... but we're finally in the final stretch. I wonder who's going to be the last one to give their gift? It feels like most of the major players have already made their moves..."