The day after my trip to the commercial city with Cornelia-san to order the specialized brushes, Akane-san reached out to me. She said there was something she needed to ask and wanted to meet as soon as possible, so I cleared my schedule and headed to the spot she’d designated to wait for her.
"I have to wonder why she chose my shop as the venue for a secret rendezvous. Well, the place is closed while I do my prep work, and I don't really have much else to do, so I don't mind, but still..."
"Sorry for the sudden intrusion, Kaori-san."
"No, it's fine. Akane-san messaged me beforehand to ask if she could use the place."
The location Akane-san had picked was Kaori-san’s restaurant, Suiren. It seemed they had already coordinated, as Kaori-san let me inside the moment I arrived.
"Are you in the middle of your prep, Kaori-san?"
"Oh, not exactly. Right now, I’m just using some leftover ingredients to whip up a little something... Do you want some, Kaito-kun? It's just chicken skin grilled until it’s barely firm, sliced thin, and tossed with onions and ponzu. Nothing fancy."
"That sounds great. Thank you."
"I always seem to have extra chicken skin lying around."
Kaori-san gave me a small container with a smile. The tartness of the ponzu paired perfectly with the flavor of the chicken skin, and the crisp texture of the sliced onions made for a delicious combination.
"It’s simple, but really good. Maybe you should add it to the menu?"
"The problem is that this is strictly an appetizer for drinks. It doesn't really fit a set meal restaurant. It’s a nice, easy snack for me, though... Let's see... Hmm, maybe a dash of Shichimi Togarashi would give it a nice kick."
As Kaori-san took a bite of her own portion and considered how to improve it, a knock sounded at the back door.
"Oh, that must be Akane-san. Come on in, Akane-san!"
"Sorry for the intrusion. Thanks for letting me borrow the place on such short notice. Here, this is for your trouble—a little souvenir."
"Ooh, these manju look expensive. Thanks!"
Akane-san stepped in through the back entrance and handed over the gift. Kaori-san then showed her to the seat next to mine.
"Sorry for calling you out so suddenly, Kaito."
"Hello, Akane-san. I didn't have anything planned today, so it's no problem. Is Frau-san not with you?"
"She was until a minute ago. But once she realized we were meeting at Kaori’s shop, she claimed she didn't need to guard me. She told me to just call her when we were done and went off to see the sights."
So that was why Frau-san wasn't around. It was a very typical reason for her to go off on a sightseeing tour.
Kaori-san looked puzzled as she set a yunomi of tea down in front of Akane-san.
"Why wouldn't you need a guard just because you're at my shop? Here’s your tea, Akane-san."
"Thanks... Why? Because Kaori beat the stuffing out of Frau during that Mock Battle the other day. She figured that since someone stronger than her was already here, she wasn't needed."
"I really think that was just a matter of compatibility. Frau-san is a close-quarters fighter, so I just had the advantage because I could blast magic from mid-range."
It seemed Kaori-san was actually incredibly powerful. Based on what I’d seen during the Maid Olympia, Frau-san was no slouch, but the way they spoke made it sound like Kaori-san had won decisively. Kuro had mentioned that Kaori-san was far and away the strongest among the translocators; she might even be on the same level as Luna-san or Sieg-san.
After a bit of idle chatter, I spoke up as the conversation reached a natural break.
"So, Akane-san... what happened? You said you had something you wanted to ask me."
"Right. Let's get down to business."
Akane-san took a sip of tea, and her expression tightened. She looked serious—or rather, she looked at me with a face that was bordering on angry.
"Lately, the merchant activity in the Arclesia Empire has been frantic. There are even rumors that the Lord Trading Company—one of the Five Great Trading Companies—is making big moves."
"Uh, well..."
"It’s you, isn't it? It’s you. It has to be you. I can't think of anyone else it could be. Seriously, Kaito, you need to draw the line somewhere. You’re always causing some kind of madness wherever you go. Are you a Walking Bomb or something!?"
How could this happen? Before I could even offer a defense, I had been identified as the culprit and scolded. Though, to be honest... I did have several ideas as to why she was right, so I couldn't exactly call her accusation unfair.
Serious-senpai: "The key points to note here are the presence of Kaori, a fellow Stomach Pain Warrior, and the brewing Stomach Pain Element—specifically the fact that Magnawell recently took an interest in Kaori's shop."