I was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but that World is at Peace (WN)-Chapter 2208: Miyama Kaito’s Birthday Celebration Party ⑩

As expected, even those with incredible abilities…… no, perhaps precisely because they have incredible abilities that they were struggling with the slow response time, making the scene as chaotic as Alice had intended when she planned this.

What caught my attention, though, was that Shiro-san and Makina-san were just watching the tournament without moving at all. I have a feeling that a copy of the commemorative prize for the winner had probably already been handed to them by Alice in advance.

If Shiro-san and Makina-san had played normally without doing anything special, they would probably have struggled with the reaction speed too, but those two are capable of doing anything if they put their minds to it, and they could have instantly mastered the game to an expert level. So, I guess Alice gave them the prize beforehand and somehow convinced them not to participate.

With that thought in mind, I decided I couldn't just stand around watching the tournament, so I spun the garapon lottery machine and had Ein-san go call the selected person.

If they were already participating in the tournament, I planned to skip them and draw again, but luckily, the person I picked didn't seem to be taking part in the first round of the tournament.

[Hello, Kaito-san. Happy birthday.]

[Thank you very much. Sorry for calling you over at this timing, but is calling you right now alright?]

The person I had drawn was Anne-san. She congratulated me with a gentle expression, and I thanked her while checking if the timing was alright. Anne-san smiled wryly and nodded.

[Yes. Actually, it's helpful that you called me at this timing. Right now, everyone's attention is focused on the tournament over there, so I'm relieved that I didn't have to be in the spotlight in front of such distinguished people.]

[Ah, now that you mention it, for people who don't like being in the spotlight, this timing might actually be perfect.]

[Even so, ever since I met you, Kaito-san, my sense of normalcy has been completely overturned. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to visit another world.]

[Oh, right! Now that you mention it, this place technically is a different world, huh?]

Now that she pointed it out, to me, it just felt like Shiro-san and Makina-san had done something crazy again, but for Anne-san and the others, this was their first time visiting a world other than Trinia……

[Yes. This world is wonderful for me. It's bright, but it doesn't seem to be sunlight, so I, who am sensitive to sunlight, don't have to cover my skin, making this world very comfortable.]

As a member of the Kruel species, Anne-san is weak to sunlight. If she's exposed to it, her skin turns red and stings painfully, so she usually keeps her skin covered during the day.

Incidentally, Anne-san's skin is pale blue…… not metaphorically, but literally a faint blue color, which is a characteristic of the Kruel species. That's probably why Tre-san and the others could immediately tell that Anne-san was part of the Kruel species at a glance.

If that pale blue skin were to get sunburned bright red, just imagining it seems painful, so I'm glad to hear she's comfortable here.

[……Once again, here is my birthday present. It might not compare well with what the others have given you but……]

[Not at all. I'm just really happy that you prepared a present for me, Anne-san.]

The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.

[I'm glad to hear you say that. It's an accessory made from gemstones I mined and crafted myself.]

What Anne-san handed me was a small box. After getting her permission, I opened it to find something like a pin badge adorned with a gemstone.

It had a stylish design that would go well when worn with formal wear, and honestly, I preferred this kind of design that wasn't too flashy, so I was very grateful.

[By the way, did everything go well with the exclusive contract with Tre-san?]

[Yes, we managed to secure the contract without any issues, and our circumstances have changed drastically since then. I’ve finally been able to pay the union members wages that reflect their abilities…… I truly can't thank you enough, Kaito-san.]

[That matter with Tre-san was really just a matter of timing and luck, but if it ended up helping you, then I’m glad.]

[Everyone in the union is really happy…… though maybe they've gone a bit overboard……]

[Unn?]

[Ah, no, it’s just, between being invited to that previous party and winning a magic box from the game prizes, among my acquaintances, you’ve ended up being seen as some kind of mysterious high-class noble.]

Well, it made sense. For people like Anne-san and the members of the Flying Board team who had met me directly, it might be different, but for others, that’s probably the impression they got. Honestly, even explaining my position to a third party is difficult, so I can’t blame them for thinking that way.

[Because of that, rumors started spreading like I was a commoner who had a noble fallen in love with me at first sight. Us Kruels have really strong connections with each other, with everyone kind of feels like extended family, so these kinds of jokes spread easily……]

[Ah, yeah, I know what you mean. Weird rumors like that tend to get around. I’ve had similar experiences.]

[Yes, and while Kaito-san might not feel great about rumors pairing you with someone like me, a woman with a different skin color, unattractive appearance, and a frail body, I’d appreciate it if you could overlook it, since it’s really just playful teasing among the Kruels.]

[Ah, no, I don't mind at all…… I mean, I think your skin is really beautiful, Anne-san. And I think you’re a wonderful woman: you’re cute, you have a lovely personality, and you’re charming overall, so I don’t feel bad about those rumors at all.]

[Eh? Ah, I- I see…… W- Well, if you say that, I don’t really know how to respond…… Thank you very much. Ahh, umm, it’s probably not good to keep you too long with idle chatter. I’ll take my leave now……]

Her skin might indeed be an unusual pale blue, but I thought it was genuinely beautiful. Anne-san herself was petite and cute, so in my eyes, she was simply beautiful, so I just honestly told her that.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Here he goes setting up flags again……]