The blood drained from her face—the only possible reaction to such news. It was safe to say that Chris Dia von Arclesia, Empress of the Arclesia Empire, was currently staring down a truly terrifying situation.
"Well, it’s just a small-scale, personal thing... I’m really just at the stage of asking whoever comes to mind."
Chris was renowned as a Wise Emperor, and her information-gathering networks were peerless. She was already fully aware of the exchanges that had taken place during Kaito’s recent tea party with Elis. Because of that, she knew Kaito had mentioned wanting to host his own event, but his words just now proved the situation had evolved significantly.
(At Lady Elis’s party, it sounded like nothing more than a casual 'perhaps if the opportunity arises' sort of plan. But if he is already extending invitations... then for all intents and purposes, this tea party is a certainty in Miyama-sama's mind. Since it is strictly a personal gathering and not an official state function, he feels no need to balance the interests of the Three Realms or the Three Nations...)
Despite her inner turmoil, Chris’s mind raced at a frantic speed. The fact that the party was happening was one thing, but the guest list was the real nightmare—and for Chris, that was the most vital piece of information.
"I’ve only just started reaching out, but Shiro, Elis, and Olivia are already confirmed. Of course, I wouldn’t want to force you, but if you're free, Chris, would you like to come too?"
Upon hearing the names of the confirmed guests, the thought "Elis has been thrown into hell all by herself" flashed briefly through Chris’s mind, but she had more pressing concerns to address.
(Shallow Vernal and the Pope... That alone is staggering, but I cannot believe for a moment that it ends there. Miyama-sama calls this a small-scale party, which likely means twenty people or fewer. However, he isn't selecting guests based on political rationale or careful deliberation; he is simply asking people he happens to run into or think of at the moment. The level of randomness here is extreme. My guess is that once he passes the ten-person mark, he will finally start put actual thought into who else should be invited.)
Chris’s reading of the situation was remarkably accurate. At this point, Kaito wasn't inviting people for any specific reason or to create a balanced social environment; he had only invited Chris because they happened to meet right now, which had reminded him of the party.
For Chris, this invitation felt like heaven and hell had manifested before her eyes simultaneously. To speak frankly of her personal feelings, she had no desire to attend a tea party that would undoubtedly result in a debilitating stomach ache. However, as the head of a nation—as an Empress—the potential benefits were simply too vast to ignore. Turning him down was not an option.
The confirmed guests alone included Shallow Vernal and Olivia, individuals she would normally never have the chance to interact with. Considering the nature of a tea party allowed for actual conversation... the profit gained in exchange for a little physical suffering was astronomical.
(In Miyama-sama’s eyes, this is just a simple, impulsive little project. That means the guest list is erratic, but there are certain people I can count on being there. Duchess Lilia is a given. Her estate is right next door, and given her status, she could never excuse herself from a gathering attended by such legendary figures.)
Regardless of Lilia’s own will or the state of her digestive tract, her participation was essentially a fixed event. Even setting political reasons aside, it was impossible to imagine a world where Lilia didn't get dragged into these things. Chris felt certain the Duchess would be there.
(Based on their relationship and her presence at Lady Elis’s party, Chrome is also a very likely attendee. And since this is hosted by Miyama-sama, then Eden or Machina... I don’t know which name she’ll be using, but she will surely want to attend. And if Eden is there, it’s a safe bet that the Phantasm King will attend as well to act as a stopper.)
Off the top of her head, Chris could already envision four more likely guests: Lilia, Chrome, Machina, and Alice. Combined with the three already confirmed and herself, that made eight. That left perhaps two more slots for the "random" guests she predicted Kaito would pick, but those were impossible to guess.
(It is terrifying to think about. No matter how you look at it, the participants are all overwhelming individuals. By extension, the influence one can gain by socializing with them is equally immense...)
She was stepping into hell and heaven. Not one or the other—both existed in the same space. She would be granted supreme blessings at the cost of a catastrophic stomach ache.
In other words, the choice before Chris was binary. She could follow Kaori’s example, refuse the invitation, and enjoy a fleeting peace, or she could seize the advantage and pay the price in pain. In reality, there was no choice at all.
"...I am truly honored. Since it is such a rare opportunity, I would be delighted to attend."
"Great! I'll let you know once the specific date and time are set."
Chris offered a reassuring smile to Kaori, who was watching her with a look of pure concern, as she gave Kaito her official answer. All the while, she made a silent, solemn vow: as soon as these two left, she was going to go straight to her room and brew every last leaf of that stomach-ache tea Kaito had given her.
Serious-senpai: "A lineup so terrifying that even though she knows hell awaits, she can't afford to decline as a national leader... How truly pitiable."
???: "Kaito really is just winging it at this stage, so being invited at all is a miracle. In a way, she's actually quite lucky. Also, I would appreciate it if people stopped naturally assuming that Alice-chan is my designated Machina-handler."