Chapter : 76
“Presentation ceremony?”
At the steward’s shout, the orchestra quickly switched the music they had been playing.
Hartn’s eyes widened slightly at this unexpected turn in the schedule.
Naturally, his gaze shifted to his parents, who had organized this banquet.
The Duke and Duchess of Saind were forcing smiles, pressing their lips together.
“Seeing them so composed… did they discuss this with Eani beforehand?”
It was at that moment.
The crowd around Hartn parted like the Red Sea, and at the end of the opening, Eani stood there with a charming smile.
In her hands was a round plate with a two-tiered yellow cake.
“Ah, so this is the birthday present Eani prepared for me.”
He thought this the moment he saw it.
“Could it be… a cake she made herself?”
He pictured Eani in the kitchen, apron on, carefully making the cake just for him.
The thought alone made him clench his fists unconsciously.
If he didn’t, he felt like he might smash everything around him.
“It seems that just imagining something adorable can awaken a destructive urge…!”
With this new realization, Hartn waited eagerly for Eani.
Although he desperately wanted to run to this lovely woman, wrap her in his arms, and spin around!
He couldn’t ruin the event she had prepared!
He pressed his trembling legs down and looked at Eani with sparkling eyes.
Soon, she walked gracefully toward him.
“Oh my.”
“Goodness.”
“That cake… no way.”
“Ahem ahem.”
Everyone watching Eani as she passed gasped in unison.
But to Hartn, who was entirely focused on her, none of that mattered.
Finally, she reached him.
“Hartn, happy birthday.”
Smiling beautifully, she extended the cake toward him.
Hartn, who had been staring at her the entire time, met her eyes with a slightly softened expression.
“Thank you, Eani.”
He reached out toward the cake she was holding—
“……?”
A question mark appeared in Hartn’s eyes.
“The cake…?”
Something felt off.
Though Hartn didn’t say anything further, Eani, having read his mind perfectly, smiled slyly.
“You said you wanted to receive the thing you like the most, right?”
“Yes…”
“Well, here it is, Hartn~.”
Eani lifted the plate slightly.
“This is what I like the most in the whole world.”
This…?
Hartn was speechless, staring at Eani.
Feeling Hartn’s gaze, I raised my lips even more.
Of course, he must have been flustered seeing this.
He wouldn’t have expected a cake I made myself for his birthday.
And it wasn’t just any cake—
‘Definitely not a cash cake too!’
Exactly.
The gift I prepared for Hartn!
It was a “cash cake” made by stacking gold coins from the Empire into two tiers!
‘It got so heavy I even had to use a weight-reducing spell~.’
I held the cake out to him, then hesitated slightly.
“Are you disappointed?”
Well, honestly, I’d understand if Hartn were disappointed.
In modern times, giving money as a birthday gift is common, but here it’s considered impersonal and inappropriate.
No one openly gives cash like I did.
Especially some of the older nobles with their aristocratic mindset consider desiring money vulgar.
Indeed, some of the elderly nobles were frowning, looking at us disdainfully.
The Duke and Duchess of Saind were no different.
‘So if he were disappointed…’
No, I hadn’t even considered that.
Hartn Saind was a man who liked me no matter what I did.
“No! I’m not disappointed at all!”
As expected, he shook his head quickly and grabbed the cake from my hands.
He looked at it for a moment, smiling shyly.
“On the contrary, I’m glad to know what you like the most, Eani.”
Seeing that smile, I paused for a moment, even though I was still smiling confidently.
“I really admire how firm your tastes are, unlike mine.”
“…….”
Again, he did this.
I had often seen Hartn smile shyly at me, but—
‘Why does it look so especially cute today?!’
Is it because he’s putting extra effort into his already handsome face?
Or maybe the banquet lights are making his face shine brighter than usual?
‘Ah, maybe the gold cake he’s holding is acting like a spotlight.’
Thinking this, I reached out and grabbed both of Hartn’s cheeks.
“Eani?”
Then, pulling him toward me as he called in surprise—
smack!
I pressed my lips to his.
Kyaa—!
A small cheer erupted from different corners of the banquet hall.
“!!!!!!!!”
Hartn’s eyes widened in disbelief.
He twitched as if he wanted to move, but the cake in his hands prevented him from doing so.
I smirked, watching Hartn helplessly at my mercy.
After kissing him a few more times, I let him go.
“E-Eani……”
Hartn called me, slightly out of breath.
I whispered softly to him.
‘This was originally an unplanned performance—’
“Sorry. You were just too cute to resist.”
Flames!
Hartn’s face, already flushed, turned as red as a tomato.
After smiling sweetly at him, I looked around and realized the banquet hall had heated up from my bold action—just like Hartn’s face.
‘An impromptu performance, but the mood’s perfect.’
After all, why did I think so hard about Hartn’s birthday gift?
I wanted to surprise everyone and make this moment memorable!
‘So I can’t just end with a cash cake that leaves a negative impression~.’
There was still the final event left, and the current atmosphere was perfect as a prelude.
To carry this energy forward, I stepped back a little from Hartn and snapped my fingers.
At that moment—
Vrrrr—
“Huh?”
“The cake?”
The gold coins of the cash cake Hartn was holding began to vibrate, slowly lifting hundreds of coins into the air.
Then—
Whoosh~
Whoosh~
Whoosh~
One by one, they traced soft arcs and landed gently into the hands of the banquet guests.
“Wow!”
“Goodness! Is this magic?!”
“How could magic be so beautiful!”
The dozens, hundreds of gold coins floating from the cake decorated the air and approached the people.
They joyfully received the coins, smiling brightly.
One person examined a coin closely and exclaimed loudly:
“Look at the back of the gold! There’s an inscription!”
“Indeed! ‘All roads lead to Saind, and gold flows to the Saind port!’”
“That’s the Saind family motto!”
Yes.
The Saind family motto, representing wealth and honor accumulated through trade via steam trains and ships:
“All roads lead to Saind, and gold flows to the Saind port.”
Of course, with such a splendid motto, it had to be used!
The moment I noticed it, I was waiting for the chance to use it.
‘It must have taken effort to engrave the phrase small and beautifully for the coins, keeping the aesthetics intact.’
Not me, but Celine, who handles our resort’s designs.
Anyway, completing this coin, I prepared both a surprise event to impress everyone and a special gift for Hartn’s birthday.
‘Nobles go crazy for limited editions.’
“This gold is a small token of appreciation just for those present at this moment~. I hope everyone enjoys it~.”
At my words, even the nobles who had looked horrified when taking the cake burst into broad smiles.
Those indifferent toward me also laughed joyfully, holding the coins, praising me.
“But the gold floating up by itself… must be magic, right?”
“To hire such a skilled magician for an event, the preparation is impressive.”
“But I heard that Miss Nasel is certainly on the mage tower’s bad side…”
Some raised doubts, tilting their heads.
I didn’t bother explaining, as it was all intentional.
‘Now it’s time to quietly spread the rumor that I’m a magician among the nobles.’
Having properly faced the mage tower, this would significantly boost my value!
The emperor and crown prince would also notice and give me another excuse to decline the mage tower’s invitation.
Everything was going according to plan at this banquet.
I smiled brightly and linked arms with Hartn.
He had been staring at me the entire event, and when our eyes met, he slowly spoke:
“Eani,”
Then—
“Eani Nasel—!”
A piercing, ear-shattering shout echoed from one side of the banquet hall.
