The time for the cake cutting ceremony arrived.

Demian stood in front of the table placed in the center of the hall. He thought it was unnecessary to cut a cake since he was no longer a child, but he yielded to Arasila’s strong insistence.

Something about fairies not granting wishes if you don’t cut the cake on your birthday.

In truth, the real reason was that she wanted Demian to cut the cake she had made herself.

The chef who appeared carrying the cake carefully placed it on the table. People gathered around and began to murmur.

“What is that? The cake looks strange.”

“Did they accidentally drop it in the kitchen?”

“Yeah, it looks like they need to bring a new one.”

Demian’s reaction was not much different.

It was because he had not received the information from Arasila beforehand that she had made the cake.

“My lady, it seems there was a mistake in procuring the cake.”

“Why? It looks fine to me.”

“Are you serious? It looks like the chef accidentally dropped it. If not, I suspect it was made while drunk.”

Demian said seriously, pointing at the cake that looked like it had a devil’s face drawn on it.

Is this a celebration cake or a curse cake? Similar murmurs flowed among the people.

Until then, Arasila, who had been quietly looking at the cake, retorted in a calm voice.

“I made it.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said I made it. I wanted to congratulate you on your birthday.”

The moment it was revealed whose hands had created the cake, silence fell over the hall.

Demian hoped he had heard wrong, but seeing Arasila’s expression becoming increasingly pouty, it seemed unlikely.

Ah, so this was a celebration cake.

The people who had been watching carefully began to reverse what they had just said, as if on cue.

Saying the cake was pretty, it looked delicious, that they had liked it from the start.

Demian also quickly changed his words.

“I meant it looks like a cake made by a chef who had a celebratory drink after making it out of sheer joy.”

“I don’t think that’s what you meant…”

“Ha ha, then I shall cut the cake.”

When Arasila gave him a suspicious look, Demian laughed awkwardly and hurriedly picked up the knife. The cake, covered in blood-like strawberry syrup, was cut in half.

Fortunately, the taste was quite decent. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been strange to be poisoned eating something that looked like that.

Next came the gift presentation ceremony. The attendees each presented the gifts they had prepared.

Gloves, sword ornaments, watches, shoes, and all sorts of items popped out of the gift boxes.

Arasila, who had been anxiously watching to see if there would be any duplicate gifts, was relieved. No one had prepared the same item as her.

“Elder brother.”

At that moment, Adrian came forward hesitantly from among Duke Hugo’s family.

“Please accept this. It’s my gift.”

The child, hiding both hands behind his back, approached with a shy face, firmly pressed something into Demian’s hand, and then quickly hid behind his father.

Demian checked his hand with a bewildered expression. There was a small wooden figurine in the shape of a person.

“It’s a wooden figurine Adrian made himself. He says it’s a carving of Lord Vandermir.”

Iris explained in a gentle voice. It was because Adrian had made it himself that he was so embarrassed and didn’t know what to do with himself.

Arasila’s eyes also widened at her brother’s unexpected cute gift.

“Wow, Ad. You’ve never made one for your sister. That’s not fair.”

“Ah, no! I’ll make one for you on your birthday too, sister.”

Adrian said, fidgeting. Arasila gently pinched her brother’s soft, tender cheek.

“You’ve been liking Demian more than me lately, haven’t you?”

“I’ve been feeling that too lately. It seems our son admires Demian more than me, doesn’t it?”

The Duke chimed in. Adrian’s face turned as red as an apple. The Duchess looked at her son adorably and drove the final nail.

“Hoho, among our family, Demian seems to be receiving the most love from Adrian. It makes me jealous.”

Demian looked alternately at the crudely made wooden figurine and Adrian, whose face was red up to his neck. A smile spread across his face.

If he had had a lovable brother with only half his blood mixed, would he have been as adorable as Adrian?

Demian approached behind the Duke and spoke kindly, meeting Adrian’s eyes.

“It’s the best gift, Adrian.”

“Gasp! El-elder brother said my name!”

When Adrian covered his mouth and rejoiced without realizing it, the adults burst into laughter.

The grand finale of the gift presentation ceremony was Arasila.

She handed Demian a red ribbon box and a blue ribbon box.

“What is this?”

“Why don’t you check and see?”

Demian opened the red ribbon box first.

Inside was a high-quality sapphire brooch decorated with diamonds. And it was even in the shape of a magician’s staff.

Demian blinked slowly. Watching him, Arasila cleared her throat softly and asked casually.

“Do you know what it means when a magician gives a staff?”

“I do not. What does it mean?”

“It means ‘I dedicate my glory to you.’ It’s a sign of respect.”

More accurately, it means adoration, but she toned it down appropriately, feeling embarrassed to reveal her personal affection.

She added in a gentle voice. Similar words to those Demian had used when he lifted her up.

“You are the only knight I respect.”

“…My lady.”

Golden eyes looked at Arasila with surprise. Demian also knew that it was rare for someone with such high self-esteem and pride as her to express respect for another.

Yet she was willing to say such words in front of people, meaning Arasila respected and acknowledged him to that extent.

As Demian stared at her intently while holding the box, Arasila pointed to the neglected blue ribbon box.

“Now check the other one.”

“Ah, alright.”

He carefully closed the brooch box and opened the blue ribbon box. A pair of cufflinks with brilliant rubies appeared.

His birth flower, camellia, was engraved on the buttons.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Do you like it?”

“I like it very much.”

Arasila wore a satisfied expression at the sincere answer. It was worth the effort she had put into choosing the gift.

As Demian was about to carefully close the box again, he paused when he noticed something tucked under the buttons.

“This is…”

“That’s my letter, read it alone later.”

Arasila whispered very quickly.

She couldn’t show the letter in front of everyone. It was for Demian to read alone.

Demian nodded slightly and closed the box, hiding the letter.

He felt his mouth loosen into a smile, not remembering ever receiving such thoughtful gifts even as a child.

Could there be a more perfect birthday party in the world?

Demian looked around at the people laughing and chatting, clenching his fists. He thought that there would probably never be another birthday in his life where he was congratulated this much.

The party finally ended late in the evening.

Arasila yawned softly after finally finishing seeing off the guests. She was utterly exhausted after being so busy for the past few days.

She said, dragging her feet as she walked:

“Demian, let’s go in and rest now.”

“…”

Instead of answering, Demian just stared at Arasila quietly. Though there was a slight drowsiness in her blue eyes, they still held a spark.

Hmm, it seems she doesn’t need to go to sleep right away.

Having made that judgment, Demian blocked Arasila’s path as she was about to climb the stairs and suggested:

“Would you like to take a walk before going in?”

“A walk at this hour?”

“Yes, please just take one lap around the garden, consider it the last birthday gift.”

As he asked with quite a serious face, Arasila nodded readily, though puzzled.

In a few hours, the birthday will be over, so I should let him do what he wants as much as possible before then.

The two immediately turned and went out to the garden. The garden, bathed in soft moonlight, exuded a more mysterious atmosphere than during the day.

As the night had gotten chillier and Arasila unconsciously rubbed her arms, Demian, noticing immediately, took off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

“I’m sorry for suggesting a walk when it’s cold.”

“No, it’s not that cold yet. You didn’t have to take off your jacket.”

“No, please wear it, my lady. It will make me feel more at ease.”

If that’s the case. Arasila restored the jacket that had slipped halfway off her shoulders. The oversized jacket warmly enveloped her body.

As they strolled side by side through the quiet garden, Arasila spoke first.

“How was today? Was the party alright?”

“Yes, it was more than I deserve.”

Demian answered sincerely. Arasila replied without hesitation, pulling the jacket closer around her.

“It’s not more than you deserve at all.”

“…”

“You are a person worthy of being celebrated to that extent.”

Arasila smiled brightly. Demian silently looked at her.

I wonder if she knows that she’s the only one who says such things to me.

Demian, with his hands in his pockets, stopped walking for a moment. Arasila, who stopped a couple of steps later, looked at him in bewilderment.

Demian took something out of his pocket and brought his hand to his shirt collar. Originally, he should have put it on his jacket, but since he had given it to Arasila, he had to put it somewhere else.

A moment later, when he lowered his hand, the staff brooch attached to his collar appeared, flaunting its brilliance.

“I put on the gift I liked the most today. How does it look?”

While he had instructed the butler to arrange the other people’s gifts, he had personally kept Arasila’s gift. It was too precious to him as the first gift he had received from her.

In fact, no matter how expensive a gift he might receive, it wouldn’t be as precious as Arasila.

“Does it suit me?”

“Hmm. Yes, whoever gave it to you, it really suits you well.”

Arasila answered slyly. Her lips twitched with pleasure at seeing him wear the gift right away after receiving it.

As Demian fingered the brooch, he spoke in a low voice.

“Actually, I disliked having a party today.”

Arasila paused at this unexpected confession and silently looked at him.

It was a gaze that quietly waited for the next words, without any reproach or blame. So Demian could easily continue speaking.

“Birthdays aren’t particularly meaningful days for me, and birthday parties are bothersome and noisy, aren’t they? So I wasn’t keen on it, but…”

“…”

“The moment I entered the hall, I realized that wasn’t the real reason.”

An emotion that even Demian himself had buried deep down and never closely examined stirred and raised its head.

Because Arasila was beside him, Demian could face that emotion squarely.

“I was simply afraid. Afraid that there would be no one to sincerely celebrate my birthday.”

There was a time when he too had looked forward to his birthday.

Hoping that on this day at least, his father would look at him, people would prioritize him above all else.

That his mother would smile brightly, and that he too could feel happiness.

But after being betrayed in his expectations time and time again, he came to expect nothing anymore. Then there would be no chance of getting hurt.

It’s not that there were no opportunities to celebrate his birthday after his mother’s death. But he didn’t want to. Because he knew there was no one who would sincerely celebrate his birthday.

He erased all meaning that birthdays held and dismissed it as an insignificant day. It was easier on his heart that way.

But after today, he completely changed that thought.

“Thank you, my lady. Thanks to you, I spent a birthday filled with joy for the first time.”

Demian bowed his head politely. It felt like he had finally reclaimed the birthday that had been completely taken away when he lost his mother.

“This is the happiest day of my life.”

He smiled without a trace of shadow. Arasila couldn’t take her eyes off that face. She was captivated by Demian’s bright smile that she was seeing for the first time.

Eventually, a smile appeared on her lips as well. She was happy because the person she liked was happy.

She wished Demian could always smile like this.

With that wish in mind, Arasila took Demian’s hand.

The two walked through the garden hand in hand, chatting quietly. The happiness of this day continued for quite a long time.

At least until a certain news was delivered to Arasila some time later.