Charlotte gave a shrill cry. “I-I can’t take this...!”
The rest of the party inwardly shook their heads with the same thought: “This guy is hopeless...”
Nonetheless, the birthday eve party continued, and the night wore on.
Allen sat on the living room sofa, hanging his head in gloom. All the birthday gifts were piled up high on the table in front of them.
“I’m really sorry...” he murmured to Charlotte. “Offering you my property as a birthday present... Even I can see that was off the mark...”
“N-No, I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to take it.” Charlotte, sitting next to him, tried to soothe him the best she could, but her kindness was only salt in the wound.
In the end, Allen hadn’t been able to come up with any decent ideas, and he was the only one of the group who hadn’t yet managed to give anything to Charlotte. With a heavy sigh, he looked around the room. All the revelry had quieted down. There was no one in sight, and the room was silent.
“Where did everyone go, by the way?” he asked.
“Natalia and Roo went to bed. Eluka went out to town for a second round of partying with Dorothea and Gosetsu.”
“They sure do have a lot of energy... It’s almost midnight.”
He pictured his sister having a drinking party with the dark elf and the Infernal Capybara. It was a rather quirky lineup that packed a strong punch. He glanced at the clock, and sighed again. But then he had a thought. Hang on... Did they go out so we could be alone together? He felt the unspoken pressure from everyone to do something to make Charlotte happy, and his stomach twisted in pain again.
Just then, Charlotte spoke up, her tone very formal. “Thank you for thinking so much about the gift. But you really don’t have to give me anything, Allen. You’ve given me so much already.”
Allen sighed. “That won’t do. Besides, I haven’t even managed to give you anything of much value so far.” The city’s cakes and sweets, clothes and a hair ornament, books and a wand—though his feelings behind those gifts were more immense than a mountain, none of them were that valuable. When he told her that, Charlotte shook her head.
“That’s not all you’ve given me. You’ve given me something much more wonderful.”
“Really...? I don’t recall such a gift.” Allen cocked his head.
“Maybe that’s because it’s not an object.” Charlotte peered into his face and said with a shy smile, “You gave me...a family, Allen.”
Allen blinked in surprise. “A family...?”
“In the past, I never even dreamed of sitting around a table and sharing a meal with so many people. Like tonight’s dinner—it felt very warm, kind, and delicious. And there’s so much more you’ve given me.”
The joy of learning; the coziness of taking a nap. The thrill of going somewhere new; the pleasure of chitchatting on ordinary days. Happily counting each thing with her fingers, she explained that those were all gifts from Allen.
“Remember what you told me when we met?” Charlotte went on. “‘I’ll make you say, with pride, that you’re the happiest person in the world’—that’s what you said.” That had been his promise soon after he took her in, when he swore that he would let her taste all kinds of pleasures in this world. With the fingers that she’d just counted her happiness on, she gently took Allen’s hand. “I’m already the happiest person in the world. So I don’t need anything more. This is enough.”
“Charlotte...” Allen looked at her smile and was at a loss for words. She spoke only the truth. He could see that she really did feel happy, from the bottom of her heart. What a transformation this was from the sorrowful, downcast girl from only half a year ago. Allen was deeply moved. But he squeezed Charlotte’s hand back and said seriously, “Well, even so, I’ll still give you a proper present no matter what.”
“S-Sure.” Charlotte nodded with a slightly abashed smile. “I thought you would say that, Allen.”
Allen saw with satisfaction that she was well-acquainted with his stubbornness. “You say you’re the happiest person in the world, but if you ask me, this is only the beginning. I’ll teach you more and more thoroughly about all the naughty pleasures and corrupt you in self-indulgence, so you’d better be ready for that.”
Charlotte giggled. “You’ll teach me even more? I’m excited.”
“Of course I will. I’m prepared to spend the rest of my life on it.” Allen grinned. But reality came back to him immediately, and his shoulders slumped down. “Well, I have to think of a good present first, though... Now, what to do...”
“A-Anything would do, really. If it comes from you, I’d be happy with anything.”
“That’s why I want to think hard about it. I can’t make a false move and degrade myself below that crazy misfit elf...!” When even an elf like Dorothea, unused to human society and unlikely to fit in, had managed to celebrate Charlotte’s birthday properly and delight her with a present, Allen had to do everything in his power not to lose to her. His pride as a lover was on the line, as well as his human dignity.
“Well, it did surprise me that even Dorothea celebrated with us,” Charlotte said. “Though I haven’t had a chance to look at her book yet.”
“She said she based the characters on us...”
“Yes. Umm, let’s see... Oh, here it is.” She dug out the book from the heap of presents on the table.
It was a thick tome with a sturdy binding. The blurb on the back cover described the plot about a misanthropic wizard meeting a pure young girl and falling in love.
“I’m so curious how she wrote about us,” Charlotte said with sparkling eyes. “Would you like to read a little bit together?”
After a pause, Allen said with a weary nod, “I guess we should see.” He peered at the book open on Charlotte’s lap. He was going to find out what kind of content it was, and in the worst case, he was prepared to file a lawsuit against Dorothea. I mean, it’s a novel written by that mischievous Dorothea... It’s bound to be fishy. In fact, I’d be surprised if it even comes across as a coherent novel.