We entered the concert hall and moved to our designated seats. Being high-end tickets, the view of the stage was excellent.
The seating arrangement placed Eingana-san at one end, followed by Flare-san, Magnawell-san, Megiddo-san, me, and finally Cornelia-san. I hoped that being at the end of the row would give Cornelia-san at least a little room to breathe... or so I wished.
I could tell through my Sympathy Magic that she was mentally exhausted from the sheer tension and the deference she was forced to show. Dealing with the situation this time was proving to be unexpectedly difficult.
If it had just been one of the Kings, I probably could have taken the lead in the conversation and managed things. But with four of them present, it was impossible to stop them from talking to Cornelia-san while I was busy with someone else. Since she hadn't attended the shipboard party or my birthday party, it was only natural that they would take an interest in her.
That said, avoiding the encounter entirely would have been impossible with Megiddo-san around. If we had run into them inside the hall while moving to our seats, he likely would have shouted and drawn a massive amount of attention. In that sense, meeting them outside was actually for the best.
Fortunately, Megiddo-san had a straightforward personality. There was a high chance that once the music was over and his objective was met, he wouldn't try to drag us along for further conversation. I expected we would simply part ways once the performance concluded.
"Based on the size of this hall, I'm assuming it'll be a full orchestra?" I asked.
"No, the Allegra Symphony is a bit unusual. Their configuration is that of a wind ensemble," Megiddo-san replied.
"...I'm not entirely sure what the difference between an orchestra and a wind ensemble is, to be honest."
"It's simple. It just depends on whether there are string instruments. A wind ensemble consists of woodwind and brass instruments along with percussion; they don't typically include strings. Well, you might see a contrabass sometimes, but that’s about it. An orchestra, on the other hand, adds strings like violins and cellos. It's easiest to remember it like this: if there's a violin, it's an orchestra. If not, it's a wind ensemble."
"Huh, I see..."
Megiddo-san gave me a clear, concise explanation. He was surprisingly well-versed in the performing arts. In his current young girl form, there was no sense of mismatch in his sophisticated explanation.
Then again, appearances really did matter. If he were in his usual giant magic beast form or his muscular humanization form, hearing him talk about art would have felt jarring. But as a mysterious, beautiful girl—provided he stayed quiet—it was a rather picturesque scene. Of course, once he opened his mouth, he was still just Megiddo-san.
"The Allegra Symphony is a wind ensemble that plays bright, pop-style melodies. Unlike the more serious classical groups, they focus on making the music fun and upbeat. It's quite entertaining."
"That sounds like something to look forward to. You really know your music, Megiddo-san. Do you have concert halls in your city too?"
"Yeah, a pretty massive one. Speaking of music, remember that Otherworld Singing Contest we saw at the Harmonic Symphony? I recently built a dedicated facility for that too."
"...Oh, right. I remember you took a liking to that."
I had heard rumors, but it seemed he really had gone through with building a UTA Battle facility. I still had reservations about calling it a 'singing contest,' but I had to admit it was fun to watch. The spectacle of people fighting while singing was flashy and visually impressive, so I could see it becoming popular. Maybe specialized facilities would start popping up everywhere eventually, just like for WANAGE.
When the conversation with Megiddo-san hit a lull, I whispered to Cornelia-san.
"...Cornelia-san, are you okay?"
"Y-Yes. To my shame, I am quite overwhelmed, having been introduced to one figure after another whom someone of my station would never normally meet. However, I am still the daughter of a noble house... I have been trained to converse with those of higher status. I am exhausted, but I will manage."
"I'm glad to hear that... Knowing Megiddo-san, he'll likely be ready to head out once the performance is over."
Her noble upbringing allowed her to keep a composed face, but the mental fatigue I sensed through my magic was severe.
I was partially to blame for this, so I wanted to do something to help her relax. Then it hit me. We were returning to the capital of the Arclesia Empire later, so I should take her to Nifty.
Sweet treats are perfect for when you're tired, and some of the teas like the MK Blend—which uses a small amount of Nebula's Leaves of the World Tree—have a proven relaxation effect. I think Nebula even mentioned she was planning to sell a perfected version of those tea leaves specialized for Royal Milk Tea soon.
I decided I would invite her to Nifty's cafe later.
Serious-senpai: "It's a mystery, isn't it? Kaito is undoubtedly acting out of a 100% genuine desire to be kind to Cornelia, and his intention to help her relax after her mental exhaustion is perfectly sincere... so why does it feel like he just 'went to punch the stomach additionally'?"