Lilith gave a soft, amused scoff, leaning back against Haruto's shoulder. "Oh, wow. Look who finally decided to show up. Taking your sweet time, aren't you?"
King let out an awkward, rumbling laugh, rubbing the back of his neck as he stepped further into the room. "Ah, forgive me, Lilith. State affairs have been terribly demanding lately."
He quickly cleared his throat, shifting his attention to the birthday girl with a wide, warm smile. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, intricately wrapped package, holding it out. "Anyway, Serephin... I brought something special for you. Happy birthday, my dear."
Serephin's eyes lit up slightly as she took the gift, offering a genuine, polite smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty" She paused, glancing around the room with a curious look.
"Wait... where's Father? I thought he'd be here."
King Andre sighed, shaking his head. "Ah, him? He had to head outside the city walls for some urgent border inspection. It might be a while before he's back, so you probably won't be able to catch him today."
Haruto raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms with a dry look. "Wait, an inspection? Isn't the city practically under siege or dealing with constant security threats right now?"
Before anyone could answer, Haruto snapped his fingers. "Ah, I almost forgot—I actually brought gifts for everyone!"
With a quick flick of his wrist, he produced a series of neatly packaged boxes from his inventory space and handed them out to everyone in the room. As they unwrapped their respective presents, cheerful laughter and chatter instantly filled the parlor, breaking the lingering tension.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, King smiled warmly, reaching behind his back to pull out one final, remarkably heavy velvet box. He gently slid it across the table toward Serephin.
Serephin gasped softly, staring at the ornate box before looking up at the king with wide eyes. "Is this... what I think it is? Can I open it right now?"
King nodded with an encouraging grin, gesturing for her to go ahead. "Go right ahead, Serephin. See if it's to your liking."
Everyone in the room had a gift in their hands, but as they looked around, a confused silence fell over the group. King had given presents toHaruto, Toya, Lilith, Bellona, Ivory, and Lustra, but Rutherford, Geeli, and Philo were left empty-handed. Haruto narrowed his eyes, quickly analyzing the situation. Rutherford is the head butler, and this feels like some sort of royal tradition, he thought. Maybe that's why Geeli and Philo were skipped? It's a family thing.
Serephin finally undid the ribbon on her box and lifted the lid. Nestled inside on a bed of silk was a stunning, intricately crafted brooch bearing the royal crest of their ancestral village. Serephin's gaze flickered to the Queen, noticing the exact same design pinned to her dress.
"The royal heirloom," the King confirmed with a soft, proud nod.
One by one, the others opened their gifts, revealing that every person in the room had received the same exquisite brooch. The craftsmanship was breathtaking, the metalwork shimmering with a quality that felt ancient and powerful. However, Toya and Haruto were still staring at theirs with puzzled expressions; why would two young men receive such a distinctly feminine royal accessory?
Toya glanced at his brooch, then looked over at Haruto with a mischievous glint in his eye. He shoved his box toward Haruto, whispering loudly, "Hey, keep this! You can just give it to your future wife or something!"
The King, who had been watching the exchange, let out an embarrassed cough. "Oh! My apologies, Toya. I completely forgot that tradition usually dictates only the ladies receive those." He quickly reached into his velvet pouch and pulled out two gold rings, sliding them across the table to the boys. "Here, take these instead."
Haruto picked up the ring, turning it over in the light. It was pure, heavy gold, but unlike the brooches, it seemed entirely mundane—there was no hum of magic or ancient aura emanating from it. Despite the lack of power, Haruto couldn't shake the feeling that there was something peculiar about the craftsmanship. He traced the smooth band with his thumb, whispering to himself, "It's not magical... but it feels strangely heavy with intent."
Haruto squinted at the brooch in his palm, his instincts telling him it was far more than just a piece of jewelry. He focused his red eyes, activating his status appraisal, and the system interface flickered to life.
Luck +5%, and a 10% chance of 'Homecoming', he read, his eyes widening. He tapped the 'Homecoming' skill description, and his jaw practically dropped: A passive skill that grants the owner a 10% chance to survive any fatal blow.
"Surviving a lethal strike..." Haruto muttered under his breath, his heart racing. "That's essentially a second life."
But as he continued reading the item's metadata, his excitement soured. The description clearly stated: Gender-locked: Female. Passive effects do not trigger for male wearers.
Across the table, the girls were already pinning the brooches to their outfits, beaming with delight as they felt the subtle, comforting hum of the magic. Ivory clutched hers, looking awestruck. "This feels incredible... it's so powerful."
The King nodded with a proud smile. "It brings luck to those who wear it. Consider it a royal blessing."
Haruto stared at his own brooch, feeling slightly cheated.
The King leaned forward, a knowing glint in his eyes.
"Its true potential is only unlocked when it is fastened by one's husband. It's a symbol of protection, a bond that ensures your loved ones always have a way back to you."
The room went silent, and suddenly, every pair of eyes—Lilith, Ivory, Lustra, Bellona, and Serephin—turned toward Haruto.
Haruto felt the weight of their collective stares. He offered a stiff, fake smile, his nerves fraying. "Right. Well, I suppose if it's for your protection, I'll do the honors."
He moved from person to person, carefully fastening the brooches onto their hair or collars. The girls giggled, whispering amongst themselves, clearly charmed by the gesture and the romantic weight the King had attached to it.
After he finished with the last of them, the King reached into his pocket once more and handed Haruto three more brooches.
Haruto blinked, holding the extra items.
"Wait, why three more?"
The King winked at him. "Well Toya gave you his brooch and you have one then these three will make you five for your future wives, of course."
Haruto nearly choked on his own spit, his face turning beet red. "What?! Seriously? Are you trying to ruin me here?!"
The girls erupted into a chorus of teasing laughter, leaving Haruto standing there clutching the brooches, feeling like he'd just walked into a trap he couldn't possibly escape.
As the gathering finally began to wind down, everyone started trickling out of the parlor. Serephin turned back with a parting grin, calling out over her shoulder,
"Hey, you guys coming? Don't take it all night!"
"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," Lilith replied lazily, waving a hand. With a quick glance around, she made sure to pull Philo back just as she was about to leave with the others.
Ivory paused by the doorway, looking back with a confused expression. "Wait, what are you guys up to?"
Lilith offered a wicked, knowing smirk. "Oh, nothing. Just a little private chat."
Within moments, the room emptied out, leaving only Lilith, Haruto, and a very tense Philo standing near the center of the parlor.
Before Haruto could even ask what was going on, Lilith grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him slightly forward. "Go on, Haruto. Philo has something she's been dying to tell you."
Haruto blinked, turning his attention to the girl. "Huh? Philo, is everything alright? What do you want to say?"
Philo instantly froze. Her face turned bright, blazing red all the way down to her neck, looking like she was ready to pass out right then and there.
She stammered incoherently, her mouth opening and closing without any actual words coming out.
Lilith crossed her arms, letting out an encouraging huff. "Oh, for goodness' sake, girl, just spit it out! Why are you stalling?"
Seeing Philo trembling and completely frozen up, Lilith chuckled softly, stepping closer with a deadly smirk.
"Come on, Philo. Remember what we talked about earlier? Just say it."
Philo let out a nervous, shaky breath. "Y-Yeah..."
Haruto scratched the back of his head, looking completely clueless. He blinked down at her, trying to keep the mood light.
"Alright, just spit it out, Philo. Wait, it's not like the fuel tank in the van got empty or something, right?"
At Haruto's words, Philo flinched violently, panicking even more. Her voice spiked in a frantic squeak, "N-No! It's not like that at all!"
Before Haruto could process her panic, Philo's hands shot to her jacket. With trembling, hurried movements, she unzipped and slipped off her outer jacket, revealing a tight, simple black top underneath.
Her heart hammering against her ribs, she bowed right in front of him, her face flushed a brilliant crimson.
Looking straight up into his eyes with a mix of pure terror and fierce determination, Philo blurted out the words she had been holding back:
"Haruto... will you please marry me?!"