Outside the glass window, a crimson point of light shot rapidly upward, then burst with a pop into brilliant fireworks over the city. The young ladies by the table all smiled and looked toward the window, guessing who had carelessly set off fireworks at this hour.
The sky had not yet fully darkened. This was not the time for fireworks.
In the glass's reflection, the pointy-eared elf girl approached and tugged Shade from behind:
"Shade, what are you thinking about?"
Shade adjusted his expression slightly. He did not want to become the most spoilsport person amid such a festive atmosphere:
"I was thinking about how I got here step by step. Looking back, everything along the way went smoothly, but if I think carefully, perhaps one wrong step would have meant things would not look like this today."
The blonde elf also looked at the reflection of the interior of 6 Saint Derain Square in the window. She liked the current atmosphere:
"But you still made it to today in the end, didn't you?"
"Hey, Emilia, don't whisper with Shade over there. Come help arrange the chairs."
Iluna pulled Emilia away. Shade looked at his reflection in the glass for a while longer, then smiled and reached out to pet Little Mia. Turning around, he embraced Luvia as she happened to pass behind him. The diviner blushed and gently pushed him away:
"There are so many people here. Don't interrupt us. Dinner will be over soon, so wait a little longer."
In the upper-right corner of that window, the Moon had already emerged amid the last dim light of Twilight. Though the silver Moonlight could not fully illuminate this lively and festive home, the Moon was always with the Outlander.
At 6:50 p.m., the Hamilton Family's 1854 Year-End Festival banquet