Since it was only meant to be a brief meeting, Kaito and Kaori shared some light conversation with Chris before thanking her and departing.
After seeing them off, Chris returned to her office and checked the clock. Seeing that she still had some time before her next meeting, she allowed her thoughts to drift.
Naturally, her mind turned to the tea party Kaito was planning to host. While the specific date had yet to be determined, he had promised to contact her later with the details. Chris decided that she would keep her schedule flexible for the foreseeable future, making mental adjustments to her upcoming appointments and jotting them down in a memo.
(Given Miyama-sama's involvement and the staggering potential benefits for the nation, rearranging my schedule shouldn't be an issue. In fact, even if he held it tomorrow, I would find a way to make it work. However, considering how he handled the shipboard party and other events, he usually leaves a reasonable amount of leeway. It is safest to assume the event will take place sometime next month.)
Since Kaito had already made up his mind to hold the party, Chris estimated it would take some time to reach out to candidates and finalize the guest list before official preparations could begin.
However, Kaito was accompanied by Canalis, a being of overwhelming power. Chris figured the timeframe she was envisioning was primarily for deciding on participants; once the guests were set, the actual setup would likely be finished in an instant or, at most, a few days. Thus, her "next month" estimate was quite conservative.
(Predicting who Miyama-sama might invite on a whim is a difficult task... but I can speculate on who he might consider once the guest list grows beyond ten people. Once a core group is established and he starts to wonder who else to invite... given the nature of a tea party, his first thoughts will likely turn to those who appreciate black tea.)
Chris was intelligent enough to be hailed as the Wise Emperor for a reason; she possessed a sharp, flexible mind. Taking the available information and her understanding of Kaito's personality into account, she began to simulate the likely guest list.
(Among Miyama-sama’s circle, those who stand out as tea lovers are Ein-sama and Jutia-sama... but Ein-sama likely won't participate as a guest. She is far too dedicated to her identity as a maid. She would be thrilled to serve at the party, but she would find being served herself quite distasteful. Miyama-sama undoubtedly understands this and wouldn't force an invitation on her. In contrast, Jutia-sama is a near-certainty. She has openly declared herself a fan of the Nifty brand, and her relationship with Miyama-sama is excellent. She wouldn't hesitate to accept.)
Chris's assessment was spot on. Jutia’s affection for Kaito was immense. Even outside the context of a tea party, she would agree to almost anything Kaito asked with a smile. Her attendance was a foregone conclusion.
Sieg was another notable tea enthusiast, but Chris predicted she would likely decline a seat at a table filled with such heavyweights, preferring to remain in the background as Lilia’s guard.
(As for the other rulers of the Human Realm... well, the chance isn't zero if they happen to cross paths with Miyama-sama as I did, but otherwise, he is unlikely to reach out. As for His Majesty Ryze, his name probably won't come up when Miyama-sama is considering candidates. If anyone, he would think of Prince Orchid, with whom he is on friendly terms. However, the Prince would likely refuse. For him, appearing to hold more authority than the Crown Princess, Princess Amalie, could trigger a succession conflict. He is always careful to maintain a respectful distance despite their friendship, and he certainly wouldn't participate if it meant overshadowing his sister.)
Next, Chris considered other high-profile figures. While Kaito might invite them on a whim, she felt the probability remained low for most of them.
(His Majesty Laguna doesn't particularly care for tea, so Miyama-sama probably won't extend an invitation. The Supreme Gods of the God Realm would likely find sitting with Shallow Vernal-sama far too intimidating, making their participation unlikely. As his lover, the Goddess of Fate—Fate-sama—might be invited, but she tends to find such social gatherings tedious. I suspect she would either make a private date with him instead or simply act as an assistant to Shallow Vernal-sama.)
Her reading of the gods was equally astute. Fate would find a formal tea party to be a hassle and would much rather have Kaito all to herself.
(Regarding the Six Kings besides Chrome-sama and Alice-sama... the World King-sama drinks nothing but water. A tea party isn't the War King-sama's scene. The Dragon King-sama might show up if asked. And the Death King-sama... I wonder? With Lady Elis and myself present, her Magic Power of Death becomes a significant barrier. However, if Shallow Vernal-sama, Machina-sama, and Canalis-sama are there, they might have a way to suppress it. If that issue is cleared, she might join...)
Isis had actually received a suppression bracelet from Canalis during Kaito's birthday party, but since Chris was unaware of its existence at this point, she only considered it a possibility if the magic could be contained.
With her next meeting approaching, Chris stopped her simulation, stood up, and headed for the meeting room.
...Naturally, her total oversight regarding the "Otherworld Gods other than Machina" would eventually manifest as a profound future stomach ache.
Serious-senpai: "Hmm? The way this is phrased... does it mean Otherworld Creators besides Electrone might show up? Either way, the stomach ache flags are standing tall and proud..."