After opening the presents, we enjoyed dinner and the cake.
There was also a surprise.
Before the night came to a close, more students stopped by with gifts for Norn.
They seem to have bought them in a hurry after hearing about Norn's 15th birthday.
Many people came.
Meeting me, some faces turned blue, but I finished things without any trouble using a shining Rudeus-brand smile.
After all, a smile is the best welcome.
... Sorry, that's a lie.
The moment they saw my smile, they tried to escape.
Sylphy caught them, and had them bring their gifts to Norn, so things ended without any trouble...
That's just rude, guys.
Probably because she got gifts from so many people, Norn's pile of gifts gradually became a mountain.
Compared to Aisha, who only had gifts from our family.
Aisha smiled at that,
a fake smile, masking her discomfort.
Other than me, nobody has noticed Aisha's forced smile.
Maybe I'm just overinterpreting, Aisha might not care.
I wonder if I should discuss it with Sylphy...
While I was thinking.
Suddenly, I heard something from the front door.
I heard a large commotion, and Leo barking.
"I wonder what it is..."
Eris grimly picks up her sword from the corner of the room.
I wonder if Orsted came.
No, there are a lot of people.
Orsted wouldn't bring so many people.
While thinking that, I went to the front door.
When I went outside, I saw a huge number of bad guys.
A huge number of hairy guys with sharp teeth were standing at the gate.
All of them wore a familiar black cloak.
It wouldn't be strange to consider them intimidating.
However, their appearance was very rough.
Some were hurt, and there were guys with their cloaks in tatters.
The two biggest delinquents in town stood at the front.
Those two had disheveled hair, as if they'd been quarreling.
"It's Rinia's fault, because she made a mistake with yesterday's work we were late nano~."
"Ah, of course Pursena would say that nya~."
"Of course. Because it was Rinia's fault nano~."
"I caught the scent of the prey, but that guy was attracted to the smell of our camp nya~. It took too long to kill because of that nya~."
"You shouldn't have done that nano~, camping out in such a place is bad."
Rinia and Pursena.
Arguing as usual.
Well, it's playful.
They're accustomed to it, they were standing next to each other with their hands on each other's backs.
"Oh, Boss nano~."
"Ah, you guys, greetings nya!"
At Rinia's order, seeing me, they all lowered their heads.
Then, I could see something behind them.
Three wooden pallets. Three piles.
"Boss! We've brought gifts nya!"
"We've been in the forest since yesterday, everyone helped out nano!"
It, it was a huge monster.
A wild boar-like monster.
One you would find living in the woods around this area.
At least until yesterday...
"... You guys, you weren't in the office today?"
"It's fine nya~. We left the minimum number of personnel nya~."
"That's right. We adjusted it so there wouldn't be much work today nano~."
That must be why Aisha returned early, because the office was empty.
When she got to the office in high spirits, nobody was there. There wasn't any work to do either.
She might have thought people would come if she waited, but nobody came as the morning passed.
Well, that would explain Aisha's mood.
"Ah, adviser nya!"
"Everyone, it's the adviser!"
I turned around, and saw Aisha.
She was looking at everyone in front of the wild boar.
"What, this..."
"Adviser! Happy birthday!