The banquet hall had a lofty dome inlaid with large pearls, which glowed softly in the "sunlight."
The large round table in the center was carved from a single piece of coral and covered with a white tablecloth, laden with delicacies from both sea and land. Maids moved gracefully between the guests, carrying trays.
Neptune warmly welcomed everyone and took his seat at the round table.
Sephiroth sat to his right. To his left sat Jinbe, Namur, and the three princes, in that order.
To Sephiroth's right sat Reiju, Galette, Robin, Gerd, and Shirahoshi, in that order.
Neptune, Sephiroth, and Jinbe exchanged drinks without immediately turning to business.
While the three exchanged pleasantries, the three princes briefly competed over who would sit beside Shirahoshi where the seating arrangement completed the circle.
But with guests present, their battle was limited to exchanged looks.
"Little Shirahoshi~"
Then, in a moment of inattention, Shirahoshi was "snatched away" by Gerd on her right.
The three princes watched the girls huddle together, their feelings complicated.
It was a good thing that their little sister had close friends, but her older brothers felt a little lonely.
"...Gerd~ Ooh...please stop squishing my cheeks..."
Gerd gently cradled and kneaded Shirahoshi's cheeks. Her pink tail curled slightly, then relaxed, giving little flaps.
"Sorry...ahh, you're just too cute, little Shirahoshi~"
Gerd reluctantly let go of Shirahoshi.
As the most conspicuous person present, Gerd sat in a specially made, enormous coral chair.
Fortunately, its height had been adjusted to match the round table and the other chairs. Despite standing seventeen meters tall, she sat only "two heads taller" than Shirahoshi, who was under twelve meters tall.
The Ryugu Kingdom had entertained Giants many times before, so oversized tables and chairs were standard furnishings.
"Oh, right, this is for you. A Giant