Hundreds of roses as a birthday gift.

This was clearly Cheshire’s gift, the icon of flirtation.

As I glanced sideways, Cheshire, who had somehow become as vibrant as a spring flower in full bloom after a rain shower at midnight, grinned at me and playfully winked.

Why does that guilty human’s wink look so refreshing?

I ignored Cheshire’s wink and reluctantly stroked the petals as soft as a child’s cheek.

Well, it’s romantic in its own way, but for someone like me who values efficiency, it’s not very useful…

“…?”

At that moment, I felt something hard and cool touch my fingertip as I caressed the petals.

When I pulled my hand out, I saw a butterfly perched conspicuously on my index finger, which was covered in a rose scent. Its iridescent purple patterns were so elaborate that it looked almost like an expensive piece of jewelry.

‘Judging by its weight, it doesn’t seem to be an illusion spell.’

As I flicked my finger to shoo away the butterfly, a lukewarm sensation flowed from my fingertip into my body. It was like when Cheshire poured his magic into my empty magic vessel.

So, this magic stone that supplies me with magic power, like Leo’s Cheti, was Cheshire’s real gift. I liked it very much as it was much more practical than flowers.

Unlike when I was examining the roses, I spent a long time handling the magic stone, and then I heard Cheshire’s voice, tinged with amusement.

“It seems you’ve found the magic stone more beautiful than hundreds of roses.”

“Oh my, what should we do about that bewitching mouth? Master, please don’t mind him and quickly open the next gift.”

I agree with Terry’s words, but to be honest, Cheshire’s gift ranked higher than Terry’s free assassination ticket.

Hiding such thoughts, I chose a gift box about the size of my head this time and untied the ribbon.

Inside were five or six mirrors that filled the box completely.

Thanks to the magic stones embedded like decorations and the magic circle engraved on the back, I could guess that these mirrors were magical tools and Vivian’s gift, but…

‘I don’t know what they’re for.’

Vivian wouldn’t have made simple mirrors.

I was examining the mirrors here and there like a tech novice.

Vivian, who had been fidgeting restlessly, suddenly raised her hand and exclaimed.

“I heard that when you were taming Cerberus, the mirror Cheshire summoned was helpful. So I made these! They float in the air when you infuse them with magic power.”

“…So you’re saying this is the gift you prepared.”

“Ah.”

Vivian belatedly covered her mouth, but it was too late.

“Disqualified.”

Terry mercilessly declared Vivian’s disqualification.

Terry seemed to be taking this purposeless judging very seriously. However, unfortunately, Vivian’s disqualified gift ranked higher than Terry’s free assassination ticket.

Now there were two gifts left.

One was a thin envelope made of folded colored paper, and the other was a thick burgundy envelope that looked like it might contain a contract.

I could tell at a glance which one was Leo’s gift.

‘I should eat the delicious one first.’

I carefully opened the colored paper envelope that was clearly Leo’s gift.

Let’s see, is it a letter?

I carefully read the crooked writing.

Hello.

I̶t̶’̶s̶ ̶R̶a̶t̶c̶h̶e̶t̶.̶

Please look out the window.

It’s a gift!

It seemed he had written his name out of habit, then belatedly remembered that the gifts were supposed to be anonymous.

This letter alone was enough, but I wondered what kind of gift our Leo had prepared.

Cheshire’s illusion magic had brought daylight inside the mansion, but the moment I poked my head out the window slightly, night fell at my bedside.

The garden outside was trapped in a rainy night.

It’s so dark that Leo’s gift wouldn’t be visible.

However, contrary to my worry, I was able to find Leo’s gift without difficulty.

The flower bed that had been empty last autumn due to Leo’s failed magic was now in full bloom with bright yellow flowers like evening primrose.

No, they weren’t flowers.

They were lights like fireflies that would never wither even in the middle of the night. And above them, Leo’s Cheti was busily flying around, pouring out magic power.

Seeing that, I felt overwhelmed for a moment.

It feels like it was just yesterday that I was losing sleep over the guilt of burning the flowers.

When did Leo grow enough to be able to make flowers bloom for me in the middle of winter?

I couldn’t say anything for a while, then finally opened my mouth.

“…Not bad, Ratchet. It’s really beautiful.”

I hoped this overwhelming feeling would reach Leo. And then I immediately opened the seal on the last gift, the burgundy envelope.

Actually, Sir Penadel’s gift was the hardest to guess.

Inside the envelope I opened without much expectation were a ruby gemstone and a couple of sheets of paper.

The ruby was deep in color and transparent, and the craftsmanship was so exquisite that it could be worn as is, strung on a cord, without any problem.

It was excellent enough to satisfy the aesthetic sense I had gained through Belinda’s memories, but the fact that it was just a loose gemstone rather than in the form of an accessory was quite typical of Sir Penadel.

Smiling wryly, I examined the enclosed papers.

As I casually skimmed the first sentence, thinking it might be a certificate of authenticity for the gemstone, I realized it was a letter that began like someone’s confession.

[I swear I have not forgotten that incident for a single moment. It would be proper to visit you in person and explain the details of that time, but I beg your understanding that my aging body cannot endure a long journey.]

And when I was halfway through reading the letter.

“Lady Belinda?”

My expression gradually began to harden.

“Is there a problem?”

“……”

“I was just checking if it’s a forged certificate of authenticity.”

I forcibly composed my expression and hurriedly folded the letter back into the envelope.

Terry, who had been alternating glances between my expression and Sir Penadel’s, looked suspicious but continued.

“Now you have to choose, Master.”

Although I liked everyone’s gifts except for one person’s, the answer was as good as decided from the start.

“I choose Rat……”

But Terry quickly interrupted me and raised her voice.

“Before that, let me mention one thing. I was the one who told Ratchet that there’s a tradition for children under 15 to wear ribbons in their hair when attending a noble’s formal birthday party.”

Hey… there’s no such tradition…

Leo, unaware that he had been tricked by Terry, nodded earnestly, and each time he did, the ribbon ties hanging beside his face fluttered wildly.

“Now, please choose the gift you liked the most, Master!”

My heart naturally went to Leo’s flowers, but my gaze kept drifting to the ribbon tied in Leo’s hair.

Leo’s flowers or Terry’s cunning move of carefully packaging Leo.

As I was deliberating on what choice to make until the very last moment.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of such a tradition……”

The clueless tin can opened his mouth.

In a hurry, I pulled Leo into an embrace.

“This is what I like the most.”

“…!”

Leo, who had been hugged by me in the spur of the moment, peeked up at me and said.

“But, but I’m not a gift……”

“If you’re wearing a ribbon, you’re all my gift.”

Is that so?

Leo, who had been pondering my words, chirped like a recorded doll.

“Ha, Happy Birthday, Lady Belinda.”

It was the fifth time I’d heard the birthday wish.

Time had long since passed midnight, but in this mansion where night never comes, it was a congratulatory message that could be heard at any time.

***

After the gift-giving ceremony, we had some light refreshments accompanied by expensive wine.

Whether it’s good because it’s expensive, what started as sipping one or two mouthfuls somehow turned into emptying one bottle, then two, and before I knew it, Terry and Cheshire had become half-drunk.

Watching the two of them, their faces flushed red, start to exchange drunken well-wishes calling each other “this bastard” and “that bastard,” I went out to the balcony to get some fresh air.

For a moment, my vision darkened, and I found myself standing in the middle of the night.

After looking back at the mansion that held an eternally unsetting sun, I lightly leaned against the terrace railing.

Although raindrops touched my cheeks due to the wind bringing in the rain, the night breeze and the sound of rain cooling my slightly tipsy cheeks were pleasant to hear.

After cooling my cheeks in the night breeze for a while, I opened my mouth.

“Since when did you know that the pendant I was wearing was a Seal Stone?”

“……”

The answer didn’t come immediately.

When I turned around, I saw Sir Penadel hesitating, having put an umbrella over me.

Strangely, he looked like a large dog desperately avoiding its owner’s gaze after causing trouble.

Looking back, Sir Penadel had shown an almost obsessive interest in the choker I was wearing from our first meeting.

Now I know that was his way of being kind.

He must have sensed that there was an unpleasant reason for a noble young lady to be wearing a Seal Stone, which is said to be used only on vicious criminals.

‘He could have just ignored it or told me the truth.’

He wasn’t cold-hearted enough to carelessly intrude into others’ domains.

“……I’m sorry. I just thought it would be good to know about Your Ladyship’s enemies, so I investigated on my own. I didn’t intend to give this information as a gift……”

“I’m not blaming you. It’s just……”

I trailed off and took out the gift I had received from Sir Penadel.

The letter, crumpled from being hastily stuffed in, was something like a memoir written by Master Servator.

Once the most famous jewel craftsman in the royal capital, it is said that after losing his eyesight in an unfortunate accident, he retired to his hometown.

The fact that Master Servator’s hometown was in the Northern Territory must have been a great fortune for Sir Penadel.

[I still vividly remember the day I received a commission for a rare high-grade ruby crafting from the late Jonas Blanche.

Not long after that, I received consecutive requests to exchange the ruby.]

The letter was calmly detailing the events of that day.