Nebula had mentioned that she would come to my room an hour after dinner, so I spent the time relaxing and writing in my journal. Right as that hour mark hit, there was a knock at my door.
I called out a response and opened the door to welcome her in. Since she appeared to be empty-handed at a glance, I assumed her gift was tucked away inside her Magic Box.
"Now then, Master, please take a seat here."
"Oh? Should I sit down?"
"Yes. There is no need for me to keep you in suspense, so I shall tell you now: my birthday present for you is a specially blended black tea and a personal-sized… Size 3 Cake!"
As she spoke, Nebula placed the cake she had produced onto the table. It was a palm-sized whole cake decorated with an abundance of fruit. On top sat sugar confectionery with deformed versions of Bell and Rin, along with a message plate wishing me a happy birthday. It was a truly elegant-looking birthday cake.
"Wow, this is amazing. It’s so festive—it really feels like a birthday cake. Just looking at it makes me happy."
"I am glad it pleases you. I was not the only one who worked on it; the acquaintance who was visiting me also helped with the preparation. Please consider it a gift from the two of us."
"That’s very kind of them. I’ll be sure to give them a proper thank you the next time we meet. And thank you too, Nebula."
"You are most welcome!"
Responding to my thanks with a bright smile, Nebula set a fork and other utensils before me. She then produced a pot and other items from her Magic Box, preparing the black tea with fluid, practiced movements.
As she placed the tea in front of me, she wore a lovely, gentle expression.
"…A magnificent birthday party celebrated with a great many people is a wonderful thing. It serves as proof of how much you are loved by so many, Master, and I believe it is a marvelous thing that they sought to convey their feelings on such a grand scale. However, a modest celebration is by no means inferior to a magnificent one. What matters is the sentiment."
Nebula spoke in a soft voice as she placed a single, thin candle into the cake and lit it with a light flick of her finger.
Then, after taking a brief breath, she looked me straight in the eyes and offered her congratulations with a smile.
"…Once again, happy birthday, Master! May your heart be filled with blessings for the new year ahead… I pray that this coming year is a truly happy one for you."
"…Thank you, Nebula."
A small cake and a cup of tea, accompanied by a feeling of blessing from the bottom of her heart that I could sense even without using sympathy magic… Indeed, it might have been a modest gesture, but just as Nebula had said, the warm joy currently welling up in my chest was in no way inferior to the celebrations at that massive party.
When I blew out the candle, Nebula began to clap with her small hands. I felt a hot, tingling sensation behind my eyes.
"Thank you for such a wonderful celebration. Well then, I’d like to dig into the tea and cake you’ve prepared right away… and since we’re here, why don’t you join me, Nebula?"
The size of the cake was manageable, and since it had been an hour since dinner, I could have easily finished it alone. However, I was in such a happy mood that I found myself wanting to share the moment with her.
Upon hearing my invitation, Nebula puffed out her chest with a look of supreme confidence.
"I expected you would say that, Master… therefore, I have prepared my own portion as well!"
Having said that, Nebula produced a chair made to fit her size, along with a cake and a cup of tea about two sizes smaller than mine. It seemed she had anticipated my offer and made sure to prepare her own set beforehand.
"Oh, your preparation is perfect."
"But of course! For I am the Absolute One!"
"Ahaha, that’s just like you, Nebula."
She looked so adorable puffing out her chest that I reached out to pat her head. Nebula narrowed her eyes in contentment. After stroking her head for a while, we sat down to enjoy the cake together.
"…This is incredibly delicious. The fruit is fantastic, and the tea matches the cake perfectly."
"The fruit for that cake was grown by me in a space provided by Canalis-san. Although I made this cake entirely by hand without the use of magic, my acquaintance worked very hard on the whipped cream, which is why it turned out so fine and delicious."
"It really does have a wonderful texture. More than anything, I can tell that every part was made with great care. Eating it makes me feel happy."
"That is because it is filled with a wealth of celebratory feelings for you, Master!"
Lured in by Nebula’s cheerful tone, I found myself smiling as well. Surrounded by such a calm and happy atmosphere, with delicious cake, tea, and Nebula’s lovely smile, I felt truly happy and fulfilled.
Serious-senpai: "As expected of the Absolute One… I feel like this is a 100-point Present as a celebration held separately from that outrageous birthday party… There's no sense of romance… not at this point, but I feel like she has the sort of potential that would be dangerous if she ever truly started making moves."