At Chris's behest, the key figures gathered in a private chamber of the Imperial Castle. The assembly was small and high-level: Marie and her father, Baron Rich; Marquis Hamilton, the head of the faction and the man tasked with overseeing the Rich family's support; and Elis, the Arclesia noble who had the most experience with Kaito after the Emperor herself. Chris was accompanied only by her closest aides.
"I apologize for the sudden summons," Chris began. "As Emperor, I’ve judged it necessary to grasp the full scope of this situation myself. Anything involving Miyama-sama has the potential to cause massive upheaval if mismanaged. I hope we can coordinate our efforts effectively. To keep this discussion moving, I’ll be dropping formal house names and titles for Elis Dia Hamilton and Marie Rich. We shall refer to them as Lady Elis and Lady Marie. While this is our first meeting, Lady Marie, please dispense with formal greetings. I won't take offense at any lapse in etiquette or speech, so please, speak your mind. The rest of you are free to do the same."
Chris spoke with a practiced ease, sensing that Baron Rich and Marie—as lower-ranking nobles—were overwhelmed by the grandeur of the Imperial Castle. Her reassurance was intended to settle their nerves before the real discussion began.
Shortly after, Marie began the account everyone was waiting for. Though her voice trembled with nerves, she recounted everything she remembered from the moment she first encountered Kaito.
As the story unfolded, Baron Rich turned pale several times, but the faces of the other attendees remained composed.
"I see. I believe I understand the situation," Chris said once Marie finished. "First, to ease your mind, Lady Marie: based on what you’ve told us, you have done nothing that could be construed as lèse-majesté toward Miyama-sama or his associates."
"I-Is that so?" Marie stammered. "But I received so many incredibly valuable items..."
"It’s only natural for you to feel that way," Elis added with a gentle smile. "But in truth, given Kaito-sama’s wealth, that sum wouldn't even put a dent in his pocket. Knowing his character, I suspect he’s actually quite pleased that you accepted his kindness so graciously."
Both Chris and Elis reassured her that receiving items worth over three Platinum Coins was not a crime. Hearing this, Marie and Baron Rich both let out a visible sigh of relief.
However, that relief was short-lived. Chris’s expression suddenly sharpened.
"However... there is a possibility that this situation is heading in a rather troublesome direction."
"What? Oh... no..." Marie whispered.
"First, I must confirm one thing," Chris continued. "Lady Marie, is there any truth to the idea that you and Miyama-sama have become lovers, or have entered into a relationship close to that?"
"N-No! There isn't!" Marie cried out, flustered. "I mean, it's not that Kaito-sama isn't a charming man or anything like that, but it hasn't even been ten days since we met! We've only seen each other twice, including yesterday!"
Chris nodded at Marie’s frantic denial. "One of my people spotted Miyama-sama gifting you clothes at a shop, so I had to ask just in case."
"Your Majesty," Baron Rich asked, his face draining of color again. "Does this mean... is there a rumor spreading that Marie is romantically involved with Miyama Kaito-sama?"
"No. It only happened yesterday, but as of now, there isn't a single whisper of such a thing."
As Chris answered, Baron Rich and Marie looked relieved once more. But this time, Elis and Marquis Hamilton both took on grim expressions.
"Her Majesty Chris," Elis said, her voice low. "Does that mean... Kaito-sama and Marie-sama were seen in the high-end district and a cafe—places where the eyes of the nobility are everywhere—and yet the story hasn't spread at all?"
"Precisely," Chris replied. "While it’s possible it might come out later... I believe we can safely assume that Alice-sama has taken action."
"This is far worse than I imagined," Elis muttered.
"Indeed," Chris agreed. "It would have been much easier to handle if the rumors had simply spread as normal."
"Wait, what?" Marie and her father asked in unison, completely lost.
Elis turned to Marie to explain the grim logic. "Lady Marie, if rumors of a romance with Kaito-sama spread through the Social Circle, it would be a headache for you, certainly. You'd be the center of a lot of curious attention. However, rumors in the Social Circle have almost no effect on Kaito-sama. He’s barely involved in noble society. Even if people said he’d taken another noble lady as a lover, no one would dare try to use that to approach him with ill intent anymore."
"I... I think I understand, but what does that mean?"
"It means that even if the rumors spread, the only ones in trouble are you and Baron Rich. Kaito-sama suffers no ill effects. Therefore, there is no logical reason for the Phantasm King to bother with Information Manipulation. And yet, Her Majesty believes the Phantasm King has moved."
"Alice-sama usually ignores anything that doesn't negatively impact Kaito-sama," Chris added. "On the rare occasion she does step in to help us, it's because she finds the situation so pitiable that she can't bear to watch... Which means there is still something lurking in the shadows. Something about this situation that makes Alice-sama feel she must help Lady Marie, if only to soften the blow."
As the weight of their words finally sank in, Marie and Baron Rich turned a ghostly shade of white. An eerie, oppressive atmosphere settled over the room—the chilling sense that a massive, invisible force was shifting. Then, cutting through the dread, a casual, somewhat exasperated voice rang out.
"Well, you're quite right. If it were just a little rumor like that, I'd have been laughing my head off over a glass of wine..."
"!?"
The group jumped. Before they had even realized it, Alice was sitting right there at the table with them. A wave of shock and unspeakable anxiety washed over the room.
It wasn't just Information Manipulation anymore. Alice had appeared in the flesh. This was proof that the situation was moving far beyond anything they had dared to imagine.
Serious-senpai: "...Ah, so she actually intends to tell them."
???: "She has to. If she doesn't warn them now, the fallout is going to be a catastrophe... and Marie-san's stomach will disappear."