The meeting spot was located in a quiet area a short distance from the concert hall, though a fair number of people still drifted through the surroundings.
As they waited, exchanging light conversation, a faint stir rippled through the air. Cornelia felt her spine stiffen instinctively.
(I-It’s finally happening... Is this really going to be alright? I don't mean to doubt Nizbel-sama's words, but at the thought of actually facing the War King-sama, I can’t stop the chill running down my spine.)
Before long, a tall, elderly gentleman and a petite girl with horns appeared from up ahead. To a casual observer, they might have looked like a grandfather out for a stroll with his granddaughter, but every person in their path scrambled to clear the way.
Megiddo’s humanized form was famous, and it was well known that he possessed several variations. However, even for those who had never met him, he possessed a characteristic that made him instantly recognizable.
It was his sheer presence. Megiddo never bothered with recognition inhibition or information concealment magic, nor did he ever dream of suppressing the massive magic power he wore like a cloak. Even in the form of a young girl, that gargantuan magic power and presence remained fully intact. It was obvious at a glance that this was the War King.
If this had been someone like Kuromueina standing there without recognition inhibition magic, a massive crowd would have swarmed her, begging for a word or an autograph. That was not the case for Megiddo.
On the contrary, ordinary people instinctively avoided him. The reason was simple: if you offended Megiddo, you would literally be killed. People opened a path for him without a second thought, careful not to even accidentally speak to him. Among the Six Kings, Isis was the one most feared by the general populace, but Megiddo was feared to a nearly equal degree. His reception was a matter of survival.
As the crowd parted and the view opened up, Megiddo looked toward them, his face lighting up with unmistakable joy.
"Oh! If it isn't Kaito! What a coincidence to—ow!? Hey, what the hell was that for!"
"Lower your voice in public, you fool. You are drawing unnecessary attention..."
"Who cares about the people around us? If they're in the way, should I just scatter them?"
"Stop that."
Having spotted Kaito, Megiddo’s excitement had clearly spiked, leading him to shout until Magnawell’s fist dropped onto his head. Watching the scene, Cornelia pressed a hand against her stomach and stared off into the distance with hollow eyes, wondering if she was truly expected to face two of the Six Kings while the entire world was watching.
"Hello, Megiddo-san, Magnawell-san. I happened to run into Flare-san and Eingana-san, so we decided to head over together."
"I see, so you came to hear the Allegra Symphony? You've got a good eye. They’re still a bit unrefined in places, but they’re an excellent orchestra."
"It has been since the birthday celebration. It is a pleasure to meet you again, even if only by chance."
When Kaito spoke, both Megiddo and Magnawell responded in high spirits. Immediately afterward, however, Megiddo turned a sharp gaze toward Cornelia. She felt her spine go rigid.
"...So, who the hell are you?"
Just as he had done with Kaori and Akane during the Arclesia Empire Founding Anniversary Festival, Megiddo spoke with a menacing edge. To anyone who didn't know him well, he sounded perpetually angry.
The contrast was particularly jarring because he spoke to Kaito with such genuine delight. The sudden drop in tone when he turned to her was terrifying. Cornelia broke into a heavy sweat, panicking internally and wondering if she had somehow committed a grave insult.
"Megiddo-san, you're scaring Cornelia-san."
"Huh? Why?"
"Like I told you before, if people don't know you well, you look like you're furious... Cornelia-san, it’s alright. Megiddo-san isn't angry; this is just how he normally talks."
"I-I see... M-My apologies."
With Kaito stepping in to mediate, Cornelia breathed a ragged sigh of relief.
(I-I thought my life was coming to an end. I was certain that I had somehow incurred his wrath... but that wasn't it. I-If possible, I would prefer for Kaito-sama to do all the talking from here on... but that’s... impossible, isn't it?)
She tried to trust Kaito’s words and accept that Megiddo wasn't actually angry, but she was still lost on what to do next. While she was agonized over whether it was appropriate to introduce herself, Kaito spoke to Megiddo and Magnawell.
"Let me introduce her. This is Cornelia Sharon-san, a friend I came with today."
"Cornelia Sharon? Ah, so she’s the one who inherited the name from that person several generations back... I didn’t see her at the party, so that must mean she’s Kaito's new woman!"
"...I said she was a friend."
"Hah? But you're on a date, aren't you? Ah! You mean you haven't slept with her yet! But hey, if she agreed to a date, it means she's fine with you taking her to bed, right?"
"Megiddo-san, I'm going to pull some strings later, so please make sure you take some supplementary lessons on romance from Kuro."
"W-What? Why!?"
The exchange between the two was lighthearted and comical. However, Megiddo’s voice was incredibly loud, while Kaito’s was normal. To the onlookers watching from a distance, the phrase "Kaito's new woman" would have carried perfectly, while Kaito’s denial was likely lost to the wind.
To make matters worse, Cornelia could spot several figures in the surrounding crowd who looked like fellow nobles—people she recognized. She felt a wave of dizziness as a pain that pierced the stomach washed over her.
Serious-senpai: "A muscle-brain MAX gorilla when it comes to romance, as always..."
???: "Regardless, he thinks so simply and hates being roundabout that even Kuro-san had a difficult time trying to teach him."