That day, Lil was asked to run an errand. She was told to go into town and pick up an item from a specific shop. It was the first time Lil, Ria, and Justin were going shopping in town together, and Lil was very nervous. Neither Kohaku nor Marron could come with them.

Lil tightly held Ria’s hand. Doing so made her feel like everything would be okay. Justin acted as the driver and guided the carriage.

The two girls chatted as they made their way to town. Even after getting off the carriage, they continued to hold hands.

Picking up the item didn’t take long. After that, they wandered around town as they pleased. By that point, Lil had relaxed and was able to enjoy the outing.

They found a cute hair ornament at a street stall. When Lil said it would suit her sister, Ria picked out a matching one for Lil too. Though the designs were different, the ornaments both featured the same type of flower. After buying them, they ate crepes from a food stall. It was a truly delightful time. They had promised to be back by the afternoon, so they reluctantly returned home.

As soon as they entered the grounds of their base, the carriage stopped in an unusual spot. When Justin opened the door, the divine beasts and all the knights were gathered at the Warm Air Device. A large cloth had been laid out—it looked like a picnic.

Ian lifted Lil into his arms and said:

“Lil, Ria, happy seventh birthday!”

In that instant, everyone shouted their congratulations. Lil was stunned. She froze, unable to comprehend what “birthday” meant.

But as the meaning slowly sank in, tears began to pour from her eyes.

Back when she was underground, Lil didn’t even know when her birthday was—she didn’t know the calendar. A maid had once poured cold water on her as a “present.” This was her first time receiving such a warm and loving gift.

Lil sobbed. Everyone watched over her kindly, waiting until she had calmed down.

After she stopped crying, everyone gave her presents.

She accepted them together with Ria.

“This is our gift to you.”

From the divine beasts, she received a beautiful bouquet. Apparently, they had searched for flowers that bloom in winter. It must have been difficult.

“This one’s from all of us. I hope it suits you.”

The knights gave them full coordinated outfits—clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories. The matching sets were incredibly cute.

“This is from me. It’s my first time giving a present to a girl, so I hope you like it.”

From Ian, she received a cute, necklace-style watch. Ria, meanwhile, had received a sword. The watch could also be used for self-defense—pulling the chain would emit a loud noise.

“Lil, happy birthday! My present to you is that hair ornament from earlier,” Ria said with a smile.

“Happy birthday to you too, sis! Can my present be the matching hair ornament from earlier?”

Pointing to their matching ornaments, the two congratulated each other.

Lil had never received a present that made her so happy before. She and Ria laughed together the whole time.

A feast was laid out on the blanket. It was full of all of Lil and Ria’s favorite foods. The two were so happy, they ate a ton. It seemed the feast was a gift from Mireille Adams.

After the meal, there was a big cake. It was so delicious that they ate until their bellies were completely full.

Lil thought she would never, ever forget this day.

No matter how many years passed, there was no way she could ever forget.

For the first time, she even felt grateful to her mother for giving birth to her.

She decided to treasure the gifts she received today forever and ever.

“Thank you, everyone!”

Lil once again expressed her heartfelt gratitude to them all.