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It was supposed to be a routine inspection. A monthly visit, where all that was really done was a quick check of the store’s atmosphere and a look at recent sales trends…… no meetings about new products or planning campaigns.
It was supposed to be nothing more than confirming that the store was running smoothly……
(W- Why is Kaito-sama here!? Jutia-sama has visited our establishment before, but Kaito-sama has never been here. Rather, I’ve barely heard of him going anywhere outside Archlesia Empire’s Capital. There were rumors he visited the land of the Wingeds…… but he’s never come to a trading city like this before.)
Naturally, the World’s Singularity Kaito was always under high scrutiny. The Hamilton Marquisdom, being a major noble family, also gathered their own information about him.
Of course, it’s not that they thought Kaito would never leave the Imperial Capital, but even so, it was wildly unexpected that of all places, he would appear at her shop.
That said, as to be expected of the heiress of a Marquisdom, having undergone thorough etiquette training, Eris quickly regained her composure despite the initial surprise.
With Kaito’s membership card promptly prepared, she left her office and made her way to the sales floor. Normally, this wouldn’t be necessary, but given that Kaito and Jutia had visited while she, the owner, was present, not greeting them was out of the question.
Arriving on the sales floor, Eris scanned the store with a quick glance, taking note of not only Kaito’s and Jutia’s location but also the other customers in the store……
(Ignoring the attendants for now…… there’s one noble from my faction. She’ll be easy to manage. The problem is the two nobles not from our faction: the second daughter of a Viscount’s family and a Countess…… They’re the most troublesome. Then there’s the two customers who appear to be commoners, likely merchants……)
Eris had memorized the faces and names of all the major nobles and their third-born children in Archlesia Empire. Handling the nobles in the Hamilton Marquisdom was simple enough, and she could even keep them quiet.
However, dealing with the nobles from other factions was challenging, especially with a Countess present. Rumors circulate widely in social circles, and nobles were notorious gossipers. News of Kaito’s visit to Eris’s shop would spread quickly.
Eris quickly formulated her thoughts and walked gracefully toward Kaito and Jutia. Noticing Eris’ approach, Kaito turned to her, his face lighting up with a delighted smile.
[Ah, Eris-san! Hello.]
And with that smile, the carefully crafted plan in Eris’ mind shattered.
(KAITO-SAMAAAA!? W- Why are you smiling at me like that……? Why!? Why do you look at me with such warmth…… I- It’s an honor, of course, and personally, being greeted that way makes me happy but…… with a reaction like that!? The rumors about me and Kaito-sama being romantically involved are already spreading, and now……!)
Although Eris and the Hamilton Marquisdom deny it, rumors circulate in social circles that Eris is favored by Kaito. Of course, there’s no solid evidence, and the gossip-loving nobles have added some exaggerations but…… rumors of romance are always in high demand. Even the power of the Hamilton Marquisdom finds it difficult to completely erase these whispers.
Now, with Kaito’s openly delighted expression upon spotting Eris, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of a stomachache, knowing that this would only further fuel the rumors.
To begin with, if one were to ask whether Eris is liked by Kaito…… she undoubtedly is liked by him. Eris has a gentle and kind nature, with no particularly strong quirks in her personality.
If one were to categorize Kaito’s impressions of people, she would be in the same group as people like Sieglinde, Camellia, and Kaori———— those who are extremely easy to talk to, meaning she already has a high favorability rating with him.
Moreover, though Eris herself is unaware of this, the fact that she is 20 years old, making her one of the few people close to Kaito’s age among his acquaintances, may also contribute to her being easy to talk to.
Of course, Eris, who has no knowledge of these factors, found the whole situation genuinely baffling, with countless question marks floating through her mind.
[Afterword]
Serious-senpai: [Ahh~~ so she’s in the same category as Sieg, Camellia, and Kaori…… Come to think of it, Kaito does seem to have a pretty high level of goodwill towards people like them from the start. In a way, you could say they’re Kaito’s preferred type……]
? ? ?: [Also, if you consider the fact that Eris is one of the rare younger ones among the people Kaito-san knows among Trinia’s local residents, that might be an additional factor that made her easy for him to talk to.]
Serious-senpai: [……Speaking of which, other than his kouhais, it’s actually pretty rare that people younger than Kaito are around him…… Anima’s age is a bit ambiguous if you count her time as a monster, and her aside, Orchid, Amalie, Camellia, and Eulpecula…… It’s just them, right?]
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