"Aya, do you think it's just my illusion? Why do I always feel like everyone is avoiding me lately?"

"Um, illusion, definitely an illusion."

"So, what are you doing now?"

The mark of the Dragon Knight in the Sea of Spirits suddenly shone, and Tiran's voice sounded in Aya's ear out of nowhere. With a sudden force, she accidentally broke the durian in her hand into two halves, and the ripe flesh fell out directly.

"I'm playing with Chirp... I guess."

Glancing at the beast-eared loli sitting on a high stool behind her, swinging her feet and directing two people, Aya answered with a stiff smile, which wasn't entirely untrue.

"Thanks, Aya~"

Just as Viavian, who had just finished mixing the dough, reached out from behind Aya and caught the thick piece of fruit flesh, a sharp knife skillfully cut open the fruit and scooped out the core, throwing it into a transparent glass container to be crushed.

"Uh... really? Then I'll come over too. Where are you guys?"

The Princess on the other side fell silent for a while, as if in thought, and then said excitedly.

"Wait! You can't come over!" Almost biting her tongue in a hurry, Aya quickly refused.

"Why?" Tiran asked, puzzled.

Aya glanced at Viavian, who was discussing and trying to make jam and syrup with various berry flavors chosen with her unique taste buds. She sighed quietly in her heart.

If the surprise for Mom's birthday is known in advance, wouldn't it lose its meaning?

"My husband and Brad won't let little Tiran eat the cake I make," recalling the somewhat disappointed expression when Viavian said this, Aya made a silent resolution.

Yes, Viavian rarely has such an opportunity, so this time she must surprise Miss Tiran with a birthday cake made with her own hands.

Let this Dragon handle the role of the dark night hero this time. I am the Dark Knight, silently guarding a mother's wish in a place where no one can see, staking my dignity as a maid!

Aya was moved to tears by her own thoughts.

"If you don't give me a reasonable reason, I'll come and find you."

Tiran became interested, and since she was a bit tired of drawing comics all day, doing something else for a while wouldn't hurt.

"Well... Chirp dragged me into playing chess earlier, and after being thrashed five times, I couldn't take it anymore. If you're coming, Miss Tiran, please come and help me carry the burden," Aya said solemnly.

"That... it's okay, I'll just read comics. Keep it up, Aya."

Recalling the chess games she played with Chirp on the journey to the Eastern Continent, the Princess fell silent for a moment, then decisively backed off.

Well, that's settled. Wiping the cold sweat off her forehead, Aya turned around to find a silver spoon being placed in front of her.

"I just adjusted the flavor of the syrup, Aya, would you like to try it?"

Having tried all morning, Viavian had been mixing what she thought were good-tasting mixed fruit flesh into the cake batter, but the final products were all hard to describe in taste. Moreover, Queen Viavian was particularly insistent on her unique flavor ideas...

After discussing with Chirp, they decided to make a fruity-flavored syrup. If it wasn't baked, the subtle flavors of certain berries wouldn't be too overpowering, and the sweetness of the cream would help the ordinary taste buds accept it more easily.

However, Aya had some psychological shadows from the previous experience, and the scent was still quite subtle.

"Chi~ Mama, the flavor this time is fine."

Chirp, still swinging her feet, made a "thumbs up" gesture to Aya with hopeful eyes.

With her daughter looking at her with such anticipation, there was no way Aya could refuse!

Closing her eyes, steeling her heart, Aya opened her mouth and took a spoonful of the dark red fruit syrup. As her taste buds touched the slightly cool, jelly-like syrup, Aya's face showed a surprised expression.

Although not very tasty, it surprisingly had that sweet and sour taste characteristic of fruits. Even the spicy taste of Salamander Grass was delicately blended into a refreshing minty sensation.

It was hard to believe that such a strange mix of fruits could produce such a normal taste.

"Is Chirp a genius child?" Aya wondered.

"Hey, I'm the creator, why are you talking as if I'm not here, Aya?" The lady of the house sighed softly, then smiled at Chirp, rubbing the loli's fleshy ears gently, "Well, of course, Chirp deserves a lot of credit."

"Chi... I'm not a pet!" The loli protested, discontent evident.

"Sure, sure."

While agreeing with her, Aya skillfully used the techniques she had developed over almost a year to pat Chirp's head, soothing her successfully.

...

"Heave-ho! Hoo..."

Behind the castle, on the path leading from the residential area to the backyard garden.

Breathlessly, Ellie strained to push a not-so-light cardboard tube onto a wooden frame standing half a head taller than herself in front of her.

She heard it contained fireworks, prepared for Miss Tiran's birthday party. There would be a venue by the seaside, another one inside the castle, and many more like it placed by the roadside, enough for a continuous display for over ten minutes.

Really envious! Miss Tiran was indeed a princess; to have such a big celebration for her birthday, everyone in the castle had been busily preparing for everything they might need since two days ago.

As a girl a little younger than Tiran, Ellie actually cared a lot about birthdays as well.

How happy it would be if one day she could have a birthday party like Miss Tiran's...

Leaning against the wooden frame, Ellie closed her eyes and imagined the scene of her own birthday celebration like that.

"Happy birthday, Ellie."

A deep and magnetic voice sounded in her ears, making the girl open her eyes in surprise. The scene before her was full of puzzlement.

"Huh... what is this?"

Instead of the road bathed in the setting sun and the flowers on both sides, she saw a bright and luxurious banquet hall, the water-washed floor reflecting her figure like a mirror. She was no longer in the black and white maid outfit but in a fresh and elegant light blue gown.

In front of her, a man in a white tailcoat bowed and reached out, inviting her to a dance.

Oh? Was she dreaming?