The chirping of small birds drifted through the window. It was a serene morning scene, yet despite being separated by only a single pane of glass, it felt like a glimpse into another world. Cornelia squinted against the sunlight streaming into the room, a faint smile gracing her lips.
"To think I actually fell asleep at my desk. I suppose the exhaustion had been weighing on me more than I realized..."
She let out a soft, self-deprecating chuckle as she reached for the papers in front of her. She began drafting the letters: the formal introduction to the Victor Trading Company intended for Kaito, and a separate missive addressed to the company's president.
What a strange dream that was, she thought. If I'm introducing someone, a letter is the natural way to go. I would simply send this to Kaito-sama, speak with the president in advance, and then my role would be over. I would still have to take responsibility as the one who made the introduction, of course, but the idea of me personally guiding Kaito-sama is far too daunting. To think I’d just happen to run into the War King or the Dragon King along the way... A child’s fairy tale would be more grounded in reality than that.
With those thoughts in mind, her pen moved smoothly across the parchment. Once she finished the two letters, she tucked them into color-coded envelopes and sealed them shut.
All she had to do now was hand them to a servant, and her work would be done. While it might be better for the Count’s house if she were more proactive in her dealings with Kaito, he was a man who could inadvertently cause a catastrophe the moment he sensed a hint of an ulterior motive. Maintaining a careful, respectful distance seemed like the wisest path.
"Now then, I should double-check my appearance before I deliver these..."
As the eldest daughter of the Sharon family, grooming was of the utmost importance. Although she had prepared herself thoroughly that morning, she stood before the full-length mirror to check her reflection one last time before leaving the room.
But the moment she decided everything was in order, the impossible happened: her reflection moved on its own.
"...But would that really have changed the outcome?"
"What? Oh... wha—?"
Cornelia recoiled in shock, but before she could even process the sight of her own reflection crossing its arms and speaking to her, the image in the mirror pressed on.
"That moment could certainly be considered a turning point."
The mirror’s surface rippled, and a different scene appeared in the glass—the tea party held previously at the Marquis Hamilton's villa.
"If you had told him then that an introduction meant writing a letter, and if you hadn't gone with him personally, it’s true that you might never have met the Dragon King, the War King, or the Special Advisors from the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company."
"I... Ah... Y-yes. That’s right. I’ve already..."
"The process might have changed, but would the destination have been any different? If Kaito-sama liked those brushes and recommended them to his friends, it’s easy to imagine a similar situation unfolding. In fact, you likely would have been summoned by name by legendary figures you’d never even met. When you think of it that way, isn't it better that you’ve already introduced yourself, even if it was just by chance?"
"Th-that... that’s true. The result... might not have changed."
Everything came rushing back. The words spoken by the Cornelia in the mirror were the reality she had already lived. She had guided Kaito; she had met Magnawell and Megiddo; she was already scheduled to sit down with the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company...
"Wait... The Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company? I feel like... like I'm forgetting something very important..."
"—lia! Wake—! Cor—lia! Open your eyes!"
"Why... why do I hear Elis's Father calling me from outside the window?"
The mirror-Cornelia vanished, and the room itself began to dissolve. Suddenly, there was nothing but a window standing before her, and a voice was shouting from the other side.
Drawn by that voice, Cornelia reached out to open the window—and her consciousness snapped awake.
"Cornelia!"
"Hah! F-Father?!"
"Get a hold of yourself! You were foaming at the mouth! I know this is a shock, but you have to be strong!"
"Ah... right. Yes. I was so startled I... I lost consciousness. My deepest apologies, Trois-sama."
"Please, think nothing of it. I should have explained things more gradually. I’m the one who should apologize for catching you off guard."
Cornelia offered a flustered apology, and Trois, seated on the opposite sofa, gave her a gentle, reassuring smile.
This was the reception room of the Sharon Count House. As previously arranged, they were in the middle of a meeting with the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company.
Trois had just dropped an absolute bombshell of a proposal, and the sheer magnitude of it had sent Cornelia into a shock-induced faint for several seconds.
"Then, let us start over. I will go through the details step-by-step regarding the new technology our company wishes to develop through joint research and development with the Sharon Trading Company."
"Y-yes... Hahih!"
Cornelia nodded at Trois’s calm words, but internally, she was screaming. This isn't how I thought this would go at all! There was no need to wonder who was responsible; the cause was Kaito.
Serious-senpai: "Well, she’s not wrong. Even if she’d handled the introduction 'correctly,' the end result would’ve been the same. Honestly, it might have been worse. If Kaito had recommended her without knowing her situation, he would’ve been even more reckless with his influence. She was checkmated from the very beginning."