Inside the meeting room of the Arclesia Empire’s royal castle, Empress Chris was joined by King Ryze of the Kingdom of Sinfonia and King Laguna, the monarch of the Hydra Kingdom.
It had been only a few days since the conclusion of the high-level discussions regarding the Rich Baron House. Ryze and Laguna had requested this summit between the three leaders, and it had been organized with a speed that would have been utterly unthinkable before Miyama Kaito’s arrival in this world.
This particular meeting had nothing to do with the Golden Riple. Since even Chris had remained in the dark about the fruit until Alice briefed her, Ryze and Laguna could not have known of its existence. Instead, their request for this audience centered on the sudden developments in the western region of the Arclesia Empire.
Both Ryze and Laguna possessed formidable intelligence networks and had entered the room suspecting that Kaito was the likely catalyst. However, the explanation Chris provided far exceeded their wildest expectations.
"My, my, the Arclesia Empire’s recent strides are truly staggering. Your economy seems to be booming; I find myself quite envious," Laguna remarked.
"...Do you honestly mean that?" Chris asked flatly.
"No, in truth, I am rather ashamed of my past self for so easily envying the Kingdom of Sinfonia or Ryze-bo... Still, it is a fact that the benefits to your national interest are immense."
Seeing the weary lines on Chris’s face, Laguna offered a bitter smile. The fact that Chris—who was usually the pinnacle of composure and rarely showed weakness—wore such an exhausted expression conveyed the sheer gravity of the situation.
"I would have welcomed this wholeheartedly if these events occurred one at a time with proper intervals," Chris sighed. "But they are happening one after another, all over the place. We simply do not have enough time or manpower to keep up. We are still only in the stages of finalizing the budget proposal for the Tourist City Redevelopment Plan..."
"Ah, the city the Pope visited?" Ryze interjected. "So, the state has officially decided to lead the redevelopment?"
When Olivia had gone on a date with Kaito, she hadn't bothered with any Recognition Inhibition, which had caused a massive stir. Ryze, having caught wind of the rumors, watched as Chris nodded and clutched her head.
"The city’s tourism had been stagnating, so we were already preparing to pivot because of the Pope’s visit and our increasing ties to the God Realm circles. But then came the massive upheaval in the west, the Dragon King and the War King visiting another trade city for sightseeing, the movements surrounding the Victor and Sharon Trading Companies—which are still uncertain—the enhancement of the blessing from the God of Fertility, and now the Golden Riple... All of this in less than ten days. There is simply too much to do."
"Kaito really is a force of nature," Laguna said. "From the perspective of national interest, I would love for him to visit the Hydra Kingdom as well, but part of me hopes he shows some restraint if he does. However... while Lady Chris is clearly at her limit, Ryze-bo, you never seemed this cornered even when all sorts of things were happening in the Kingdom of Sinfonia, did you?"
Glancing at Chris, who was visibly suffering from stomach pain, Laguna recalled that Ryze—the king of the nation where Kaito’s influence was presumably greatest—had never seemed quite this flustered. Thinking it might offer a hint for his own future survival, he asked for Ryze’s secret. Ryze responded with a complex, bitter smile.
"...No, in our country’s case... well, whenever something happens, it almost always converges on Lilianne. I rarely have to take action myself. Or rather, by the time I receive the information, it’s already too late for me to intervene anyway."
"I see. Since everything gravitates toward Lady Lilia, you only need to keep an eye on her to stay informed. That makes the situation much easier to manage. Though, that is quite naughty of you, Ryze-bo. Sacrificing your younger sister’s stomach for the sake of the crown..."
"I would change it if I could," Ryze defended himself. "But with Miyama-kun, pre-emptive countermeasures are meaningless. It isn’t that Lilianne has particularly bad luck; she just pulls trouble toward her like a magnet, or rather, the trouble heads in a straight line for her of its own accord."
"Life is never as simple as we'd like, is it?" Laguna mused.
Indeed, the reason Ryze hadn't seemed particularly weary during Kaito’s various incidents in Sinfonia was because almost all of those stomach-aching cases converged on Lilia. Because she acted as a Stomach Pain Black Hole, sucking in every incident, the palace could maintain its composure. As long as they monitored Kaito’s Home and the area around Lilia's Mansion, information was easy to gather, making post-incident management relatively smooth.
"There is also the fact that Kaito has settled into his life here," Laguna added. "His range of activity has naturally expanded now that he has a home and more leisure time. When we spoke before, he seemed interested in cities other than the capital. It’s likely his range will only increase from here."
"...Next time, I think I shall recommend sightseeing in the Hydra Kingdom to Miyama-sama," Chris said with a faint, dangerous glint in her eyes.
"Stop that, Lady Chris! That is practically an act of terrorism!" Laguna cried. "I am sure the national interest would rise tremendously, but stomach pain of that magnitude is far too much for these old bones to handle."
Seeing the state of the Arclesia Empire after only a short period of Kaito’s expanded activity, Laguna could easily imagine what would happen if the youth turned his attention toward the Hydra Kingdom. The old king could only stare out into space with a look of existential dread.
[Kingdom of Sinfonia] The Royal Palace remains peaceful, thanks to the unchanging suction power of the resident Stomach Pain Black Hole.
[Arclesia Empire] Currently the hottest "Stomach Pain Spot" in the world; Chris is being thoroughly tormented by the administrative fallout.
[Hydra Kingdom] With Kaito showing interest in spicy cuisine, Shigenobu residing within its borders, and his burgeoning fondness for fishing, the signs suggest Kaito may soon pay a visit. The day Laguna joins the ranks of the stomach-pain-stricken may be closer than she thinks.