Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 178 - Everyone, Please Give a Round of Applause for Today's Star, Sir Brightfeather!

Chapter 178 – Everyone, Please Give a Round of Applause for Today’s Star, Sir Brightfeather!

 

The dining hall of Odilon’s mansion.

The entire Moonlight Expedition, now numbering nine members, had gathered together in one place.

Using [Illusion], I wrote dazzling, colorful letters across the air.

[Welcome Party for the Demon King and Future Great Explorer Brightfeather]

“Th-th-th-this is way too much…”

Seated in the place of honor, Brightfeather stammered while hiding behind his wings. Only his flushed face peeked out.

“I understand. It seems I wasn’t considerate enough.”

Accepting our new companion’s perfectly reasonable feedback, I slightly revised the floating message.

[Welcome Party for the Demon King and Future Wonderful Explorer Brightfeather]

“Is this better?”

“The title was fine! The problem is that the welcome party is too extravagant…!”

“Please don’t be so modest. I, Karr, am the sort of half-elf who wants to strip naked and lie flat on the floor apologizing whenever even one of my companions feels uncomfortable.”

“Y-You can’t be naked!”

Brightfeather suddenly shook his head vigorously.

“But then you’d have to take off that wonderful formal outfit! And your sparkling appearance wouldn’t stand out anymore!”

“…That was the problem?”

Marlin, who had remained glued to my side while monitoring everything I said and did, let out a helpless laugh.

“Sir Brightfeather really has remarkably firm standards when it comes to appearance. In a bizarre way befitting someone Karr recruited…”

“You certainly do have a problem.”

“M-Me? I have a problem…?”

“Yes.”

Patting the back of Marlin’s head, I looked into Brightfeather’s mismatched jewel-like eyes.

“You failed to recognize the undeniable truth that I’m most attractive when I’m not wearing any clothes.”

Crackle…

The Exalted One sent a rather suspicious urge, strongly encouraging me to prove that statement immediately.

As His devoted cultist, I dearly wished to obey at once. But I simply couldn’t.

“……”

Because Marlin was glaring daggers at me, her fingernails already sharpened.

“If there’s anything at all you want… Please tell me.”

Hurriedly covering both sides of my torso with black lightning, I poured orange juice into Brightfeather’s glass.

“Would you perhaps like to watch Captain Karr’s special performance entitled… ‘Falling Madly in Love with Absolutely Everyone’?”

“N-No…”

“Or perhaps my signature masterpiece… ‘The Wiggle Wiggle Dance’?”

“Uwaaa…”

Even though I’d generously offered choices that most people would struggle to decide between, Brightfeather merely stiffened, burying his face back inside his wings.

To think he was this shy…

Fortunately, I knew a magical phrase guaranteed to make Brightfeather’s eyes sparkle.

“Please lift your head, Sir Brightfeather. Aren’t you today’s main character?”

“…Main character?”

As expected, he reacted immediately.

The central figure of a gathering. Conceptually speaking, there could hardly be a more dazzling position.

I’d even prepared something beforehand to lessen the pressure.

“Butler. Would you bring it over?”

“At once.”

Sergius draped the secret item we’d prepared over Brightfeather.

A magnificent crown, scepter, and cape set.

Needlessly luxurious and expensive party accessories that allowed one to cosplay as a tyrannical ruler armed with extravagance and wastefulness.

“Wooooow!”

Just as expected, Brightfeather immediately forgot all his shyness, dropping the wing he’d been hiding behind.

The Nameless Demon King, seated nearby as another newcomer, smiled warmly.

“You truly adore adornments! Simply decorating yourself with beautiful objects is producing an endless stream of Joy!”

“…M-Mr. Sparkly Captain?”

Brightfeather cautiously whispered to me.

“But… Surely that Demon wasn’t actually the same Celestial who explored Giant Hunting Grounds with us? The way He talks and moves is exactly the same…”

Excellent observation. A fitting level of perception for a Hunter.

While straightening a slightly disheveled feather, I answered,

“That’s correct.”

“Nooooo! But the Celestial’s glowing hair looked so much better…!”

Apparently, he wasn’t shocked because Reficul wasn’t truly a Celestial.

He was devastated because he wouldn’t get to see that magnificent, shining hair anymore. He was so disappointed that even his fingertips trembled.

“Don’t be too discouraged. He’ll still appear publicly as Celestial Reficul anyway.”

“Ah! Then that’s a relief!”

Brightfeather’s complexion brightened instantly.

Compared to Marlin, who could be cheered up with nothing more than a sweet snack, Brightfeather was even easier to comfort.

“Now that you’re emotionally prepared… Would you like to watch Captain Karr’s sticky, heart-racing, sizzling solo performance?”

“I still don’t want that…”

“…Karr. Enough.”

Marlin picked up a long ice rod created by [Gléléré of Frost] and poked the side of my body, the part hidden beneath black lightning. What an ingenious use of her abilities.

“At this rate, you’ll eventually stab me with a spear.”

“If you keep teasing Sir Brightfeather… I’ll do it right now.”

“I’m not teasing him. I’m simply welcoming him so he can adapt more quickly.”

This welcome party existed to quickly help our colorful parrot Birdfolk overcome [Fear of the Unfamiliar] toward their new companions.

It also served to introduce the Nameless Demon King to the expedition members who hadn’t met Him yet.

“Everyone! May I have your attention for a moment?”

Using [Illusion], I sent a cute little golden crow flying toward the ceiling, clapping loudly to gather everyone’s attention.

Pendrick and Lucius, who had been playing a two-player card game, along with Bartimir, who had been enthusiastically devouring food, all turned toward us.

“……”

Rosalia, whose ears drooped downward, also slowly looked over.

A few days earlier, the butler had discovered she’d secretly been consuming poison all this time, confiscating her entire collection. She still looked depressed.

“Waaah…”

As everyone’s attention focused upon him, Brightfeather’s pupils shook as though they might leap right out of his eyes.

“The excitement and anticipation of a first meeting! Excellent positive emotions are blooming.”

By contrast, the Demon King merely smiled and nodded approvingly.

Pointing toward the two newcomers displaying completely opposite reactions, I uttered words that amounted to a death sentence for members of the Introvert Family.

“Would the two of you mind giving a brief self-introduction?”

“M-M-M-Myself…?!”

“That sounds splendid!”

The parrot Birdfolk newcomer looked moments away from screaming.

The Demon King, on the other hand, lit up with excitement.

“A gathering where one introduces oneself to one’s companions, allowing fresh bonds to sprout! One might even call it the pinnacle of positive interaction!”

“Sir Brightfeather. Would you introduce yourself first? As today’s main character.”

“…Aaah!”

Brightfeather awkwardly stood, then bowed deeply.

Thunk!

He leaned over so far that his forehead struck the table.

“Ow! I-I-I’m Br-Briiightfeather…!”

“B-Briiightfeather?”

Pendrick, whose personality was practically Brightfeather’s complete opposite, smiled brightly.

“That’s quite an unusual name.”

“N-No… It’s Brightfeather…”

“I see! It’s nice to meet you! I heard you’re a parrot Birdfolk. You certainly seem to love decorating yourself, don’t you?”

“Y-Yes…”

“When I lived on the Eastern Continent, I knew quite a few Birdfolk. Parrot Birdfolk generally seemed deeply devoted to developing their own unique sense of style. One of my friends, Wildwing, used to hang monster claws all over his wings. To be honest, I found it a little unsettling at first. But the more I looked, the more I grew fond of it. Whenever he flew, they made this Clatter! sound. You could tell he was arriving long before you actually saw him…”

A social monster’s relentless first-meeting conversation.

Brightfeather’s eyes were visibly becoming emptier by the second.

“…Sigh.”

“Grrr.”

Sighing alongside Iquiril, Marlin grabbed Pendrick and me by the arms, pulled us to our feet, and marched us toward the seats farthest from the place of honor.

“Why are you sealing us away in the corner? Do you dislike us?”

“You two stay here. You’re the biggest source of pressure for Sir Brightfeather.”

“I do rather enjoy this sort of mistreatment.”

“Actually, sitting in the corner isn’t bad. The view from here has its own unique charm compared to the head seat.”

“…Please. Would both of you just stop talking!”

Thus, the traitorous Marlin exiled both the captain and his closest aide.

She then turned toward the impressively muscular Demon.

“…Would you introduce yourself?”

“Very well!”

The Demon King stood proudly, arms folded.

“I am the Demon King. I don’t remember My name. Whenever we explore together, it shall usually be under the identity of Celestial Reficul. So I hope none of you feel awkward around Me.”

“How wonderful!”

As His Grand Duke, I enthusiastically applauded, prompting my lord to wave back.

“Thank You both for your wonderful introductions!”

Unable to restrain himself any longer, Pendrick stood up, holding Astrimia in his arms.

“Come to think of it… Our expedition has already grown to nine members.”

His calm pronunciation and steady voice naturally drew everyone’s attention.

Perhaps because we’d moved farther away, Brightfeather also looked much more relaxed.

“Just three more members… And we’d have enough people to split into two groups for friendly expeditions!”

“That already sounds fun!”

Bartimir, who had been eating meat covered in Charlotte’s special Negative Emotion Extract Sauce, waved the fork in her hand through the air.

“We’ll split into two expedition teams, like when I joined. Mom and I can each be captain of one. What do you think?”

“I’ll consider organizing something like that in the future.”

A good captain carefully considered every suggestion offered by the team.

“If everyone truly wished for it… I’d even be willing to embark on an extreme expedition carrying nothing but a single change of clothes.”

“Isn’t that just the expedition you want to go on?”

“My. Please don’t casually read my innermost thoughts.”

“You pervert.”

“Oh dear! My apologies!”

“Sigh….”

“Sigh…”

Marlin and Astrimia sighed simultaneously. Pendrick smiled brightly before continuing.

“To be honest… Compared to ordinary guilds or expedition teams… We’re still lacking in many ways. Especially our numbers.”

That was true.

In Pletica, any expedition with fewer than ten members and no Gold Badge explorer was considered a minor expedition.

“Even so… I believe our future is steadily filling with promising people.”

“Sir Pendrick. If you keep saying everything I intended to say… That’s overstepping your authority, isn’t it?”

“Haha. From now on, the Moonlight Expedition belongs to me. Former Captain.”

“In any case… You’re absolutely right.”

Taking a sip of the Spirit Water Abel had just poured, I continued.

“I’ve carefully selected only those whose futures shine brilliantly.”

I wasn’t someone who could be satisfied with merely good enough.

That’s why both my reputation as an individual explorer and the reputation of the Moonlight Expedition would absolutely reach the very pinnacle.

“Now then. Please give a round of applause for our future outstanding explorer, Sir Brightfeather, and for the Demon King. If you’d like… Feel free to add cheers and dancing according to your own preferences.”

“Welcome!”

“Welcome!”

Led by Pendrick and Marlin, the expedition members erupted into applause.

“Suuuck… Haa…”

The Demon King leisurely consumed the positive concept of Welcome.

“…Bleh. What an appetite-killing sight.”

Bartimir set down his fork, walked over to the colorful newcomer, and held out a wine glass.

“Come on. Have a drink, Colorful.”

“O-Okay…”

“Don’t pressure people into drinking, Bartimir.”

“Marlin. You want one too?”

“…No thanks!”

The room grew noisier and noisier. The expedition members busily chatted among themselves.

Taking a leisurely sip of Spirit Water, I approached the elf who was watching Brightfeather and Bartimir’s awkward conversation with a warm smile.

“Sir Sylphren. Does the food suit your taste?”

“Yes. It’s wonderful.”

Without even bothering to let it cool, Sylphren shoveled steaming stew into his mouth.

“I’m glad. My ward, Abel, made it.”

I gave a thumbs-up toward Abel, who had been anxiously peeking from the kitchen doorway.

Sylphren copied me, giving Abel his own thumbs-up, before returning to his meal.

Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he took out a bright red bottle.

“Would you like to try some?”

“If it’s tea… I’m always interested.”

Sylphren carefully poured tea into an old-fashioned teacup.

Bright red tea, steaming excessively. It resembled molten lava. It looked hot enough to burn away one’s entire throat.

I liked it.

Sip.

“Oh…”

As expected, it was absurdly hot. My tongue recoiled in protest after being ambushed by the unexpected heat.

Ignoring the petty preferences of one insignificant body part, I took another sip.

“This flavor is remarkable.”

“Isn’t it?”

Smiling, Sylphren raised one finger. A tiny flame flickered at its tip.

“I seasoned it using [Flame Infusion].”

The Fire Elf’s innate Mystery, [Flame Infusion].

When used on living creatures, it forced flames into their bodies as an offensive ability.

When used on objects, it imbues them with the fire attribute.

“To infuse flames into a liquid like this… Your proficiency must be exceptional. I can practically feel the countless hours of practice.”

“Well… Elves have nothing but time.”

“Would you be willing to use [Flame Infusion] for the MoonLIGHT Expedition someday?”

Simply granting Astrimia the fire attribute would significantly increase Pendrick’s combat ability.

“Of course. This is the expedition Laipe will be relying on from now on.”

Sylphren continued eating the hot stew, his gaze never leaving Brightfeather.

A warm smile filled his face.

“Sir Sylphren. Do you finally feel at ease?”

“A little. They all seem like good people.”

His expression and tone had clearly relaxed.

Only after seeing Brightfeather getting along well with everyone did he finally seem convinced that Brightfeather would be alright as an explorer.

“I’m happy. But it’s still a little sad… that we probably won’t see each other as often anymore.”

“For the time being… You’ll actually be seeing each other more often.”

“Really? Why?”

As I thoroughly warmed the inside of my mouth with tea boiling like lava, I whispered,

“Because something important is about to happen in District 5.”

It was drawing closer, little by little.

The green storm that would plunge District 5 into chaos.