My idle chat with Tetra-san over tea continued, and the time flowed by quite pleasantly. While her words were often teasing, it was clearly all in good fun—she seemed to enjoy the back-and-forth of our banter. Her overall aura was quiet and composed, but she was surprisingly good at keeping a conversation lively.
"Kaito, would you mind if we moved into a bit of shop talk?"
"Hmm? Oh, no, go right ahead."
"It’s regarding that attachment for the specialized brush handle. Would you be alright with my company producing something similar?"
"You mean reproducing the function as a magic tool?"
"Exactly. The effect itself is simple enough that replicating it wouldn't be much of a chore. Besides, while dragons and beastman demons don't need a converter when using the brushes on themselves, someone like you needs one for their pets. Since the brush is high-quality enough to earn your seal of approval, I’m certain anyone who loves their animals enough to buy a specialized brush would want the attachment as well."
"That’s true. The improvement in the coat’s luster is obvious, so I'm sure there’d be plenty of demand... But the specialized brushes are a Victor Trading Company product. Is it really okay to just start making accessories for them without asking?"
I planned to check with the creators, though I was certain Nebula and Canalis-san would tell me to do whatever I liked. The real issue was that the specialized brush was, at its core, a Victor Trading Company product. Even if I used the attachment personally, I couldn't exactly take it upon myself to authorize a commercial accessory for their brand.
"Oh, of course. I intend to secure permission from the Victor Trading Company and the Sharon Count House first. Ideally, it would be a joint development and sales venture between the three trading companies. Victor isn't particularly strong with magic tools, and while the Sharon Trading Company is reputable, they still have quite a few hurdles to clear when it comes to magic tool development. Replicating a conversion tool from scratch would cost them significant time and money. I want our company to step in and provide that support."
"Ah, I see... If you're handling the permissions on that end, it's fine by me. I’ll double-check with Canalis-san and Nebula just in case."
"Thank you. I’m sorry for dropping more work on you like this. But you know, a man who acts as decisively as you do is truly impressive."
I really didn't mind, provided she cleared it with the other parties. To be safe, I sent off Hummingbirds to Nebula and Canalis-san right then and there. As expected, they both replied that they didn't care about the rights and that she could do as she pleased.
"I’d like to see high-quality tools reach people who care about their pets, too. I don't need any rights or royalties, so just coordinate the specifics with the Victor Trading Company and the Sharon Count House."
"Understood. Trois is scheduled to visit the Sharon Count House soon anyway, so I’ll make sure he brings up the proposal then."
I had a feeling that if Trois-san, the capable salesperson, was the one delivering the pitch, the deal would probably be signed and sealed before the day was out. It would likely be a massive profit-turner for Cornelia-san and her family, so I didn't see any problem with it.
We finished our tea and cake, chatting about nothing in particular, until the atmosphere signaled it was time to leave. I reached for the check, intending to pay for the meal, but... wait. It wasn't there.
"Now, now. Searching around with those shifty eyes... are you planning to get up to some mischief?"
"Ah..."
I looked up to find Tetra-san holding the check between her index and middle fingers, a fearless smirk playing on her lips. That look... Don't tell me Tetra-san is also a master of the Payment Battle?
That was a perfectly executed preemptive strike. For the first time since my matches with Fia-sensei, I felt like I was about to go to war over a bill. She’d grabbed the lead by securing the check, but she hadn't actually stated her intent yet. It wasn't quite a knockout blow. If I could just make my proposal to pay now...
"Whoops. I hope I’m wrong, Kaito, but... are you planning to humiliate me?"
"Huh? Humiliate you?"
"Think about it. I was the one who invited you to this cafe today. Furthermore, you were kind enough to let me consult with you on a business matter. If I let you pay even a single R after that, I’d be a laughingstock."
"Urgh..."
She cut me off at the pass! And she’d played the simple yet devastatingly effective "I invited you" card. Since this wasn't a pre-arranged meeting, she’d technically initiated the outing. My position was already weak.
Worse, I didn't have a counter-strategy. If I tried to use "a thank you for my birthday" as a reason to pay, she’d surely throw "a thank you for securing a seat at Nifty’s" right back at me. My hand was completely neutralized. While I was busy panicking, she moved in for the finish.
"If you happen to have a sinful fetish for putting women to shame, I’d appreciate it if you saved that for the bedroom instead."
"N-No—"
"Wait, wait. We’re close, aren't we? I know exactly what you're thinking. You're too kind for your own good, so the idea of me treating you unilaterally makes you feel guilty, doesn't it?"
"W-Well, yes..."
"Then by all means, you can invite me and treat me next time. I’ll be looking forward to it, Darling."
With a flick of her hat and a wink, she shut me down. Total defeat. From the very beginning, she’d systematically dismantled every move I tried to make, silencing my objections before I could even voice them.
Thinking back, she must have been calculating her conversational flow from the moment she swiped the check. She’d waited for the exact second I’d try to argue to drop the hammer and take control of the situation. It was brilliant. A professional-grade Payment Battle advanced user... I’d lost this round, but I vowed to come up with a proper counter-measure for the next one.
Serious-senpai: "The usual battle over who gets to treat whom... but hidden in the shadows, another massive blow to the Sharon Count House has been finalized. Pitiful, truly pitiful..."